Finale
A Novel of the Reagan Years

Quotes

“Gorbachev, Thatcher, the Gipper himself—the gang’s all here and ready to party like it’s 1986 in this propulsive and often very funny novel that portrays political upheaval through the eyes of some of recent history’s most formidable players.” O, The Oprah Magazine

“Finale offers a certifiable slice of the recent past but teases its readers with subtle fictionalization…It is high-calorie stuff, and Mr. Mallon handles it with an easy mastery.” Wall Street Journal

“Mallon is a poised storyteller who traffics in history’s ironic creases. His novels don’t upend conventional wisdom so much as remind us that history is a rickety architecture of human endeavor—that today’s statues commemorate yesterday’s frail and fumbling mortals…Mallon works deftly with an ensemble cast, employing both real-life and fictitious characters…[a] galloping narrative.” New York Times Book Review

“Illustrates the strength of Mallon’s ability to cast even high-profile politicians as fellow humans….Wicked good, that Thomas Mallon.” Washington Post

“Thomas Mallon takes this human clay and, after adding a dash of inspired inner dialogue, sculpts characters who embody the folly and frustration of political power…Mallon has become a master of such political theater…Mallon fits all of these pieces together, combining broad historical accuracy and fictional verisimilitude with aplomb. Characters historical and fictional alike display bonfires of vanities, and insecurities, galore.” Christian Science Monitor

“This most contemporary of Mallon’s historically based novels is set amid the American political scene in late 1986…Despite all the scene-jumping, the transitions are seamless; there’s a whirlwind of activity and abundant snappy dialogue…With his customary flair, Mallon has crafted a scrupulously researched novel that gives readers a front-row seat on world-changing events—a combination that proves irresistible.” Booklist (starred review)

“An intriguing, humorous, even catty backstage view of the Reagan presidency from an artisan of the historical novel…Mallon’s version of history is close enough to fact to revive faded memories, while his imagining of who thought and said what presents some of the coherence and delights of fiction.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“What Mallon does best is dramatize the bizarre ’80s intersection of Hollywood and Washington, DC, as equal weight is given to Merv Griffin and Eva Gabor as to Pat Buchanan and Jeane Kirkpatrick, creating in the process a crazy, quilted depiction of a contradiction-filled presidential administration.” Publishers Weekly

“[A]well-developed snapshot of an important year.” Library Journal

Awards

• NPR Pick