Lost in the Garden : Philip Beard

Michael Benedict, overprivileged but undermotivated, seems to have it all: a beautiful wife, two lovely daughters, a law practice and a natural golf swing. But when his wife announces she's unexpectedly pregnant with their third child, Michael's underwhelming response disturbs the fault lines of both his marriage and his psyche. Seeking solace, Michael turns to his golf game and a kind of sex that isn't exactly extramarital. A deft tightrope walk between heartbreak and hilarity, Lost in the Garden is a novel about life's hardest game: growing up -- for anyone who's ever felt life was a work in progress.

This book was a surprise for me; I enjoyed it a great deal more than I'd expected. Philip Beard's characters are very realistic, making human, recognizable mistakes. The main character, Michael Benedict, spends a great deal of the book self-destructing and while this could have become tedious and depressing, the author handled the subject with humor and gave his character a self-deprecating manner that somehow helped redeem his idiotic choices.

The book was a nice balance of serious and funny, with a realistic view into the lives of the characters. The golf references are beautifully done, and will be a boon for any fan of the game and might actually earn a few new fans. I found the book sexy and funny and sweet in turns and I truly enjoyed it. I look forward to future offerings from this author.
------------------------
Paperback: 230 pages
Publisher: Plume (May 29, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0452288428
ISBN-13: 978-0452288423
Buy the Book