Read: History Of A Pleasure Seeker

When I was home in Miami for Thanksgiving my parents and I took a trip to our favorite independent book store, Books & Books, to support American Express' Small Business Saturday. We were lucky enough to chat with the store's owner, Mitch, and I shared with him that I was in desperate need of a new book for the plane ride home later that day. He said, "Ok, just wait right here. I'll come back in five minutes!"

He did and he brought this:

A stack of seven books he had recently read. He then proceeded to go one by one and describe to me what he loved about each pick. I basically had an animated, personal recommendation engine. Take that, Amazon algorithm!

Of the seven Mitch hand picked, I purchased three and the first one I read is called History of a Pleasure Seeker. In addition to Mitch's rave review, I also decided to take it because on the back cover a reviewer said, "Just try to resist . . . A Continental Dowton Abbey plus sex, with a dash of Dangerous Liaisons tossed in." I mean, who could resist that?

History of a Pleasure Seeker is the story of a young man, Piet Barol. Piet grew up in poverty and the one positive aspect of his childhood was sitting in on his mother's lessons as she worked as music teacher. Through those lessons Piet learned to discover when people felt insecure, nervous, anxious, proud or exhilarated. For those who have taken music lessons, you know you experience a range of emotions. Through those observations, Piet became a master reader of the human condition and over time, used that knowledge to get ahead in the world.

Piet uses that same manipulative nature to secure a position as a tutor in the home of a wealthy family in Amsterdam. Though his job is to teach their youngest child to overcome his OCD, he spends most of his time sneaking off to sleep with his pupil's mother, or avoiding advances from two of the gay butlers.

The first time he is summoned by the woman of the house, Jacobina, the author writes:

"Two weeks before his seventeenth birthday, a similar exchange of bold glances had earned him his first invitation to the bed of a thirty-four-year-old mezzo-soprano whose husband was a visiting lecturer at Leiden. This lady had asked Madame Barol is she might hire her son to practice with her at home and had practiced with him at will, with no instrument but the human body, for the remaining nine month of the academic year."

Throughout the book, our protagonist Piet finds himself in one precarious position after another (literally and figuratively) and each time he weasels a way out through his charm. Just when you think he is going to get caught, your heart pounds and then relaxes when he flashes that smile and casts a spell on anyone in his path.

History of a Pleasure Seeker keeps your attention on every page. The story has definite soap opera-esque moments and though he's a slithering snake, you have to admire Piet's ability to win over everyone he encounters - male or female, gay or straight, young or old.

That's my recommendation this week. What are you reading?

*Image source.

 

Molly Galler

Welcome to Pop.Bop.Shop. My name is Molly. I’m a foodie, fashionista, pop culture addict and serious travel junkie. I’m a lifelong Bostonian obsessed with frozen confections, outdoor patios, Mindy Kaling, reality television, awards shows, tropical vacations, snail mail and my birthday.

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