Richard Hell’s vital and visceral second novel, ‘Godlike’

“Raw, refined, superficially slapdash and impeccably constructed, Godlike deserves its title by becoming a resonant, multilayered work of literature that goes down easily as pulp. What stuns is that it's much more—a poetry-filled novel about poets so introspective, magnetic and alive that even those who think they hate the stuff will find this book irresistible.” —Rod Smith, Time Out New York GODLIKE Richard Hell Afterword by Raymond Foye New York poet Paul Vaughn has a trick for enjoying poetry readings: He simply imagines the reader died a long time ago. Paul is twenty-seven, married, and an admired poet himself. R. T. Wode’s mission is to give offense. He’s also a poet, freshly landed in the city, and, at age sixteen, unknown. Paul worships T. They embark on a tempestuous affair, dropping acid and crashing parties and perambulating the grit and grime of New York City circa 1972. Paul is in love with T., but T. is in love with experience. Their relationship disintegrates. A novel of compelling originality and transcendent beauty by legendary musician and poet Richard Hell, Godlike transposes the notorious romance of Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud to the East Village in its squalid, glorious ’70s heyday. The book comprises a version of Paul’s 1997 hospital notebooks: diaries amidst poems and essays, along with, most pertinently, the poet’s third-person memoir-novelette of his youthful time with the now-famous T.  Godlike is infused as well with evocations—and sometimes actual poems—of many New York poets of the era, from Ted Berrigan and Ron Padgett to Edwin Denby and James Schuyler. It achieves a lyricism both profane and profound as it conjures the frenetic vitality as well as the existential malaise of an era. It’s a searching meditation on art, life, love, and the impossibility of everything. “Few people have been as important—yet as underappreciated as Richard Hell. Poet, musician, fashion icon and terrific, terrific writer. Chances are, you have been deeply influenced by Richard Hell your whole life. You just didn’t know it.” —Anthony Bourdain For three days only, Godlike is available at 25% off. BUY THE BOOK   Events for Godlike with Richard Hell Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30 ET (doors open at 7pm) e-flux 172 Classon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205 Monday, March 9, at 7pm PT Elliott Bay Book Company 1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 Wednesday, March 11, at 7pm PT Powell’s City of Books 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 Friday, March 13, at 7pm PT Green Apple Books 1231 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122 Monday, March 16, at 7pm PT Stories Books & Cafe 1716 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 You are receiving this message because you signed up for email newsletters from NYRB. You can choose the types of mailings you wish to receive: Update preferences   New York Review Books 207 East 32nd Street New York, NY 10016-6305 Not a subscriber? Sign up for our newsletter here. Unsubscribe