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The Vixen
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The Vixen Hardback -

by Francine Prose

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Reader reviews for The Vixen

From the publisher

Named one of the best books of 2021 by NPR, The Washington Post, and Financial Times

"No one states problems more correctly, more astutely, more amusingly and more uncomfortably than Francine Prose . . . The gift of her work to a reader is to create for us what she creates for her protagonist: the subtle unfolding, the moment-by-moment process of discovery as we read and change, from not knowing and even not wanting to know or care, to seeing what we had not seen and finding our way to the light of the ending."--Amy Bloom, New York Times Book Review

"Depending on the light, it's either a very funny serious story or a very serious funny story. But no matter how you turn it, The Vixen offers an illuminating reflection on the slippery nature of truth in America, then and now."--Washington Post

Critically acclaimed, bestselling author Francine Prose returns with a dazzling new novel set in the glamorous world of 1950s New York publishing, the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice-ripper based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg--an assignment that will reveal the true cost of entering that seductive, dangerous new world.

It's 1953, and Simon Putnam, a recent Harvard graduate newly hired by a distinguished New York publishing firm, has entered a glittering world of three-martini lunches, exclusive literary parties, and old-money aristocrats in exquisitely tailored suits, a far cry from his loving, middle-class Jewish family in Coney Island.

But Simon's first assignment--editing The Vixen, the Patriot and the Fanatic, a lurid bodice-ripper improbably based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, a potboiler intended to shore up the firm's failing finances--makes him question the cost of admission. Because Simon has a secret that, at the height of the Red Scare and the McCarthy hearings, he cannot reveal: his beloved mother was a childhood friend of Ethel Rosenberg's. His parents mourn Ethel's death.

Simon's dilemma grows thornier when he meets The Vixen's author, the startlingly beautiful, reckless, seductive Anya Partridge, ensconced in her opium-scented boudoir in a luxury Hudson River mental asylum. As mysteries deepen, as the confluence of sex, money, politics and power spirals out of Simon's control, he must face what he's lost by exchanging the loving safety of his middle-class Jewish parents' Coney Island apartment for the witty, whiskey-soaked orbit of his charismatic boss, the legendary Warren Landry. Gradually Simon realizes that the people around him are not what they seem, that everyone is keeping secrets, that ordinary events may conceal a diabolical plot--and that these crises may steer him toward a brighter future.

At once domestic and political, contemporary and historic, funny and heartbreaking, enlivened by surprising plot turns and passages from Anya's hilariously bad novel, The Vixen illuminates a period of history with eerily striking similarities to the current moment. Meanwhile it asks timeless questions: How do we balance ambition and conscience? What do social mobility and cultural assimilation require us to sacrifice? How do we develop an authentic self, discover a vocation, and learn to live with the mysteries of love, family, art, life and loss?

Details

  • Title The Vixen
  • Author Francine Prose
  • Binding Hardback
  • Pages 336
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Harper
  • ISBN 9780063012141 / 0063012146
  • Weight 1.15 lbs (0.52 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.2 in (22.61 x 15.75 x 3.05 cm)
  • Themes
    • Ethnic Orientation: Jewish
    • Religious Orientation: Jewish
    • Sex & Gender: Feminine
    • Topical: Coming of Age
    • Topical: Family
  • Category Fiction - General
  • Library of Congress subjects Historical fiction, New York (N.Y.)
  • Dewey Decimal Code 813.54

Media reviews

Citations

  • Booklist, 05/15/2021, Page 38
  • Kirkus Reviews, 04/01/2021, Page 0
  • Library Journal, 06/01/2021, Page 51
  • Publishers Weekly, 04/12/2021, Page 0
  • Shelf Awareness, 07/02/2021, Page 0

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The Vixen: A Literary Thriller of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Cold War Espionage, and Manhattan...
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The Vixen: A Literary Thriller of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Cold War Espionage, and Manhattan Secrets

by Prose, Francine

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Harper, 6/29/2021 12:00:01 A. hardcover. Good. 1.2600 in x 9.2900 in x 6.3400 in.
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The Vixen: A Novel
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The Vixen: A Novel

by Prose, Francine

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  • Very good
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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
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Harper. Very Good. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.
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The Vixen

The Vixen

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
  • Very good
  • Hardback
Condition
Very good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
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Harper, 2021. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Vixen

The Vixen

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
  • Very good
  • Hardback
Condition
Very good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
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Item price
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Free Delivery to USA

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Description:
Harper, 2021. Hardcover. Very Good. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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A$9.32
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The Vixen : A Novel
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The Vixen : A Novel

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
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A$10.86
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Description:
HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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A$10.86
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The Vixen : A Novel
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Vixen : A Novel

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Very Good. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA
The Vixen : A Novel
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Vixen : A Novel

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA
The Vixen : A Novel
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Vixen : A Novel

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA
The Vixen : A Novel
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Vixen : A Novel

by Prose, Francine

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Good. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$10.86
Free Delivery to USA
The Vixen: A Novel
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Vixen: A Novel

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780063012141 / 0063012146
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$11.17
A$5.72 Delivery to USA

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Description:
Harper. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. With remainder mark. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp.
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Item price
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