Memoir From Antproof Case

An old man recounts the raucous adventure of his life through war, obsession and the 20th century in this ';rapturous and melancholy new novel' (The New York Times).An old American who lives in Brazil is writing his memoirs. Call him Oscar Progressoor whatever else you like. He sits in a mountain garden in Niteroi, overlooking the ocean. As he reminisces and writes, placing the pages carefully in his antproof case, an epic adventure unfolds. We learn that he was a World War II ace who was shot down twice, an investment banker who met with popes and presidents, and a man who was never not in love.But that doesn't begin to cover our narrator's immense and fascinating journey through the 20th century. He was also the thief of the century, a murderer, and a protector of the innocent. All his life he waged a valiant, losing, one-man battle against the world's most insidious enslaver: coffee. The acclaimed author of Winter's Tale and A soldier of the Great War, Mark Helprin now offers ';a tour de force that combines adventure, romance and an overview of the 20th century into a bittersweet narrative' (Publishers Weekly, starred review).