Miss Lonelyhearts

Written by Nathanael West

Narrated by Peter Joyce

The columnist of the New York Post-Dispatch, Miss Lonelyhearts, is initially cynical about the letters he receives for help. They are a joke. Gradually however, the letters start to move him but he is powerless to do anything. Retreating from the pain into a fantasy world he starts to believe that he is a Christ figure, a universal saviour. But Christ died for the sins of others! The pen may be mightier than the sword but the author wields his like a cleaver, splicing images together to present a savagely grotesque world. Ahead of his time, the novel had to wait another 20 years to find another author to match West's bitter humour. This book is not for the fainthearted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Assembled Stories
• Release date: Jan 6, 2006
• ISBN: 9781860153082

Nathanael West

Born in New York City in 1903 as Nathan Weinstein, American writer Nathanael West was known both for his novels and for his career as a screenwriter. Uninterested in academics while attending college, West graduated without prospects and worked miscellaneous jobs before employment as a night manager in a hotel finally provided him with time to dedicate to his true passion—writing. West began working on several books and published his first work, The Dream Life of Balso Snell, in 1931, and Miss Lonelyhearts—now considered to be his masterpiece—followed soon after. Now working as a screenwriter for Columbia Pictures, West’s experience in the film industry served as inspiration for his 1939 novel, The Day of the Locust. Though he published four novels and two plays during his lifetime, West’s work was not widely recognized until after his death.