The Mysteries of Pittsburgh: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Bookbook | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->

| image = [[Image:Mystpittscvr.jpg|200px]]

| image_captioncaption = First edition cover

| country = [[United States]]

| language = [[English language|English]]

| genre = [[Novel]]

| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover]]hardback and& [[Paperback]]paperback) and audio cassette

| isbn = ISBN 0-688-07632-7 (hardcover edition)

'''''The Mysteries of Pittsburgh''''' is a [[1988 in literature|1988]] [[novel]] by [[United States|American]] [[author]] [[Michael Chabon]]. The storyIt is a [[coming-of-age]] tale set during the early 1980s in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]].

It was Chabon's first novel, which he began writing when he wasas a twenty-one21-year-old undergraduate at the [[University of Pittsburgh]]. He continued to work on it during his studies (1985–19871985–87) in the Creative Writing Program of the Department of English at the [[University of California, Irvine]], where he submitted it as his thesis for the [[Master of Fine Arts]] degree. One of his advisors, the novelist [[MacDonald Harris]], sent it to his [[literary agent]]. It was published in 1988 and became a [[bestseller]].

A [[The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (film)|film adaptation]]—starring starring [[Jon Foster]], [[Sienna Miller]], [[Peter Sarsgaard]], and [[Nick Nolte]]—was was released in 2009.

Art Bechstein is the son of a mob [[Money laundering|money launderer.]], Bechstein's fatherwho wants him to succeed in a legitimate career,. but(He whenhas heeven set up a job for him at the end of the summer in [[Baltimore]] at a [[financial firm]] managed by one of his old friends.) When Art graduates from histhe Pittsburgh[[University collegeof Pittsburgh]], he has only a vague hope for a summer of adventure before he commits to the rest of his life. Bechstein almost immediately meets a charming young gay mangentleman, Arthur Lecomte, and his friend, a highly literate biker named, Cleveland Arning, who become his partners in many summer adventures. BechsteinArt begins a relationship with an insecure young woman named [[Phlox]] Lombardi. As hisArt's attraction to Arthur grows over time, it destabilizes both relationships and reveals hishe possiblemay bisexualitybe [[Bisexuality|bisexual]]. BechsteinArt is also troubled when Cleveland begins moving deeper into the city's [[organized crime]] families, drawing him closer to his father's dangerous mafia[[Sicilian Mafia|mob]] connections. All of BechsteinArt's relationships with his familydad, friends, and lovers become more and more entangled, causing a series of fallingfallings outsout and unforeseen consequences.

The novel takes place during summer. It begins in April, just after Bechstein has finished his four-year undergraduate education at the University of Pittsburgh. Specific settings include [[Carnegie Mellon University]], [[Chatham University|Chatham College]], [[Hillman Library (University of Pittsburgh)|Hillman Library]], [[Lake Erie]], [[University of Pittsburgh Medical Center|Presbyterian University Hospital]], [[Schenley Park]], [[Schenley Bridge]], and the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of [[Oakland (Pittsburgh)|Oakland]], [[Squirrel Hill]], [[Shadyside (Pittsburgh)|Shadyside]], [[Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Downtown]], [[Mount Washington (Pittsburgh)|Mount Washington]], [[East Liberty (Pittsburgh)|East Liberty]], [[Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania|Fox Chapel]], and [[Highland Park (Pittsburgh)|Highland Park]]. A boiler plant, informally labeled [[Cloud Factory|The Cloud Factory]], located in [[Junction Hollow]] between Carnegie Mellon University and the [[Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh]], plays a special role in the novel.

==Literary significance &and criticism==

Because of the book's straightforward, even playful, treatment of [[gay]] love and [[bisexuality]], Chabon was early-on identified as a gay writer. ChabonHe has frequently been asked if this identification concerned him; his usual reply is that he worriedworries that gay readers might feel he was being presented to them, under false pretenses, as one of their own.

A recently- reissued edition of the book featured an authorAuthor's note in the back;Note entitled "P.S.", itwhich details some of the novel's inspiration, problems, and process by which the novel was written. For example, when writing portions of the novel, he often had to balance his early-model computer precariously on an old tool table to type properly. Many fans of his work hadasked questionedabout Chabon's sexuality, duebecause toof the presence of gay characters in his novels. On page twelve12 of the expanded notesNotes section, he reveals that, although he is currently married to a woman, he has had same-sex relationsrelationships in the past.<ref>[http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=18042 On ''The Mysteries of Pittsburgh'':] Essay by Michael Chabon</ref> He also describes some of his inspirations, crediting experiences with [[Marcel Proust]], ''[[The Great Gatsby]]'', and [[Philip Roth]] as encouraging him to write.

[[Category:1988 American novels]]

[[Category:19881980s LGBTQ novels]]

[[Category:Bisexuality-relatedAmerican literaturenovels adapted into films]]

[[Category:DebutMale novelsbisexuality in fiction]]

[[Category:LGBTAmerican literatureLGBTQ in the United Statesnovels]]