Harry, Revised

"Self loathing was never so funny, and Sarvas's depiction of his downward-spiraling anti-hero is spot-on."--Los Angeles Magazine

In this critically acclaimed novel, Harry Rent finds himself single and lost after the passing of his wife. Although numbed by his life's unexpected turn, Harry becomes fixated on Molly, an obsidian-haired, twenty-two-year-old waitress. Meanwhile, Harry is forced to fend off Clare, his sister-in-law, who is convinced that Harry is somehow responsible for her sister's untimely death. At once deeply moving and darkly comedic, Harry, Revised is an extraordinary novel about the measure of a man's worth, by a wonderful, emerging talent.

Mark Sarvas is the founder of the popular litblog The Elegant Variation, which Forbes and Entertainment Weekly have named one of the best blogs on the Web. This is his first novel. He lives in Los Angeles.

"Self loathing was never so funny, and Sarvas's depiction of his downward-spiraling anti-hero is spot-on."" --Los Angeles Magazine"

"Sarvas' compact, elegantly paced and pleasingly understated novel recalls a more literate and patient era, when first-time novelists were not expected to swing for the fences."" --Chicago Tribune"

"Despite [his] shortcomings, Harry's ability to lose himself in his own outrageous thoughts and his slow turn toward confidence come across with heart. Yes, Harry's a major league dolt, but, to Sarvas' credit, we end up pulling for him."" --LA Times"

"If there was ever a person who could use some revision, it's Harry. A black-and-white sketch of this antihero looks pretty unsympathetic - he's a paunchy, self-absorbed neurotic who cheats on his wife weekly with prostitutes. A creep, you could say. Luckily, as he gets filled in with the colors of author Sarvas' full palette, Harry begins to look much more human. Sarvas, a first-time novelist, who keeps the literary blog the Elegant Variation, has built an entertaining book around this character sketch. He also has a neat knack for revealing information slowly, allowing the story to unfold like a mystery of sorts - which, actually, is more or less what it is. It's a marriage mystery, a whodunit of what-went-wrong." "--Philadelphia Inquirer"

"[Sarvas] makes a winning debut with this smart andfunny novel...[he] weaves a moving story of redemption, a wryly funny take on self-improvement, and a reassuringly optimistic view of human nature." "--Booklist"

"An excellent, starred review for Harry in Library Journal: "Brilliantly funny and heart-wrenching...Harry Rent is of the same ilk as Walter Mitty and Rabbit Angstrom: deeply flawed, likable, and hilariously, touchingly memorable. Highly recommended." "--Library Journal"

"Fast-paced; nice comic touches; and Harry is, finally, rather compelling, selfish and damaged but recognizably human." "--Kirkus Reviews"

"A self-assured, comic and satisfying story." "--Publishers Weekly"

"Mark Sarvas's first novel is funny and sad, rueful, wised-up and curiously moving. A remarkable debut."--Booker Prize winner John Banville, bestselling author of "The Sea"

"Mark Sarvas has created an enormously compelling character in Harry Rent, a man less at odds with himself than with certain personas the modern world forces us to inhabit. His ethical and emotional dilemmas drive the story and make Harry, Revised a scathingly funny but also wise and tender debut." --Sam Lipsyte, author of "Home Land"

"Mark Sarvas's debut novel is fun, fast and heartfelt, an exemplar of the Coming-of-Middle-Age novel in which an overgrown boy finally learns to grow up and deal with the world with greater compassion and maturity--even if that's no guarantee he won't stop running into things." --National Book Award Finalist Joshua Ferris, author of "Then We Came to the End"

"Harry, Revised is immensely readable, very funny, and rich with earned emotion--the sort of novel (rare in this age) that you read in one or two sittings, and that moves you as much as itmakes you laugh." --David Leavitt, author of "The Indian Clerk"

"As witty, erudite and outrageous as Waugh, with a flawed hero worthy of Roth. A marvelous, enviable debut." --Andrew Sean Greer, author of "The Confessions of Max Tivoli"

"An excellent, starred review for Harry in Library Journal: "Brilliantly funny and heart-wrenching...Harry Rent is of the same ilk as Walter Mitty and Rabbit Angstrom: deeply flawed, likable, and hilariously, touchingly memorable. Highly recommended.""--Library Journal"

"Fast-paced; nice comic touches; and Harry is, finally, rather compelling, selfish and damaged but recognizably human.""--Kirkus Reviews"

"A self-assured, comic and satisfying story.""--Publishers Weekly"

"Mark Sarvas's first novel is funny and sad, rueful, wised-up and curiously moving. A remarkable debut."--Booker Prize winner John Banville, bestselling author of "The Sea"

"Mark Sarvas has created an enormously compelling character in Harry Rent, a man less at odds with himself than with certain personas the modern world forces us to inhabit. His ethical and emotional dilemmas drive the story and make "Harry, Revised" a scathingly funny but also wise and tender debut."--Sam Lipsyte, author of "Home Land"

"Mark Sarvas's debut novel is fun, fast and heartfelt, an exemplar of the Coming-of-Middle-Age novel in which an overgrown boy finally learns to grow up and deal with the world with greater compassion and maturity--even if that's no guarantee he won't stop running into things."--National Book Award Finalist Joshua Ferris, author of "Then We Came to the End"

""Harry, Revised" is immensely readable, very funny, and rich with earned emotion--the sort of novel (rare in this age) that you read inone or two sittings, and that moves you as much as it makes you laugh."--David Leavitt, author of "The Indian Clerk"

"As witty, erudite and outrageous as Waugh, with a flawed hero worthy of Roth. A marvelous, enviable debut."--Andrew Sean Greer, author of" The Confessions of Max Tivoli"

"Mark Sarvas has created an enormously compelling character in Harry Rent, a man less at odds with himself than with certain personas the modern world forces us to inhabit. His ethical and emotional dilemmas drive the story and make "Harry, Revised" a scathingly funny but also wise and tender debut."--Sam Lipsyte, author of "Home Land"

"Mark Sarvas's debut novel is fun, fast and heartfelt, an exemplar of the Coming-of-Middle-Age novel in which an overgrown boy finally learns to grow up and deal with the world with greater compassion and maturity--even if that's no guarantee he won't stop running into things."--National Book Award Finalist Joshua Ferris, author of "Then We Came to the End"

""Harry, Revised" is immensely readable, very funny, and rich with earned emotion--the sort of novel (rare in this age) that you read in one or two sittings, and that moves you as much as it makes you laugh."--David Leavitt, author of "The Indian Clerk"

"As witty, erudite and outrageous as Waugh, with a flawed hero worthy of Roth. A marvelous, enviable debut."--Andrew Sean Greer, author of" The Confessions of Max Tivoli"