Contemporary Literary Criticism | Richler, Mordecai (Vol. 185) - D. J. Enright (review date 5 September 1997)

D. J. Enright (review date 5 September 1997)

SOURCE: Enright, D. J. “Larger than Life.” Times Literary Supplement, no. 4927 (5 September 1997): 21.

[In the following review, Enright discusses Richler's characterization in Barney's Version and compliments the novel's lean narrative pace.]

[In Barney's Version] Terry McIver, a former friend and fellow Montrealer, is about to expose Barney Panofsky as a wife-abuser, an intellectual fraud, a purveyor of pap and probably a murderer. In reply, and notwithstanding his lawyer's opinion that McIver isn't far wrong, Barney resolves to set out the true story of his “wasted life”. His entrepreneurial beginnings were humble: importing French cheese and olive oil into Canada, running an agency for Vespa scooters and flogging ancient Egyptian artefacts stolen from the Valley of the Kings. “I have my principles. I have never handled arms, drugs, or health foods.” When we meet...

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass