The Emperor of Ocean Park (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Stephen L. Carter
- First Published: 2002
- Type of Work: Novel
- Time of Work: The turn of the twenty-first century
- Setting: Martha’s Vineyard; Elm Harbor, Connecticut; Washington, D.C.; Aspen, Colorado
- Principal Characters: Talcott Garland, Kimberly Garland, Bentley Garland, Oliver Garland, Mariah, Addison, “Uncle” Jack Ziegler
- Genres: Long fiction, Mystery and detective literature
- Subjects: African Americans, Family or family life, United States or Americans, Blacks, Middle classes, Education or educators, Marriage, Twenty-first century, Washington, D.C., Fathers, Death or dying, Revenge, Wills, Conspiracies or conspirators, Consumers or consumer rights, Massachusetts
- Locales: Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Aspen, CO
In The Emperor of Ocean Park, Stephen L. Carter blends several literary conventions to produce a unique and highly readable first novel. Part comedy of manners, part novel of ideas, and part mystery-thriller, the book combines richness of detail with a free-flowing and suspenseful narrative. It is, in short, a page turner with depth.
Talcott “Misha” Garland, the book’s narrator and main character, is a distinguished law school professor at an elite East Coast university. He is also a prosperous member of “the darker nation” (African Americans). He has an...
[The entire page is 1774 words long]
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