Windy City: A Novel of Politics

The acclaimed author of the intensely powerful novelPretty Birds,Scott Simon now gives us a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-piercingas sprawling and brawling as Chicago, where politics is a contact sport. The mayor of Chicago is found in his office late at night, sitting in his boxer shorts, facedown dead in a pizza. The mayor was a hero and a rascal: dynamic, charming, ingenious, corruptible, and a masterly manipulator. The city mourns. But its discovered that the mayor was murderedshortly after he may have begun to squeal on some of his colleagues at City Hall. Over the next four days, police race to find the mayors killer, while the politicians who bemoan his passing scramble for his throne. At the center is Sundaran Sunny Roopini, forty-eight, alderman of the Forty-eighth Ward, and vice-mayor. Sunny is an Indian immigrant, a restaurant owner, and a recent widower. He is getting tired of politics and wants to hold on just long enough to do the best for his two restive teenage daughters. But as acting interim mayor for a few days, Sunny must deal with forty-nineotheraldermen who have their own clashing ambitions. How will Sunny do whats best for both his family and city in a time of crisis? As The Last Hurrah embodied urban politics for a previous generation,Windy Citycaptures politics in the multiethnic tumult of todays big city, where a stalled subway raises fears of a terrorist attack and smoke-filled rooms are abolished by no-smoking statutes. The story takes a raft of colorful characterspinky-ringed pols, pious reformers, money-grubbers, and wheeler-dealers of every creed, color, and proclivitythrough City Hall corridors, neighborhood restaurants and clubs, weddings, sex scandals, gospel churches, police stations, and sting operations to deliver an ending that is unexpectedly noble. Windy Cityis a roller coaster of a novel that dips and soars through the amusement park of politics. With echoes ofPrimary ColorsandThank You for Smoking,Windy Citywill win votes as the best political novel in many years. Its personal storyabout a flawed, decent man thrust suddenly under hot lightswill also win hearts. Praise for Windy City: DelectableOffers an insiders view of the kind of urban political frayalbeit fictionalthat Barack Obama emerged from as an Illinois state legislator representing Chicagos South Side.Windy Citysarticulate and witty protagonist must juggle dirty secrets and deal makingUSA Today Comic but sneakily affectingThe rich multiculturalism of the American city is not a new phenomenon rarely, however, has it been depicted with such unabashed affection... The zeal with which he celebrates the city, warts and all, is hard to resist.. Simons choice of herois an immensely appealing figure.Washington Post Book World Pitch-perfectScott Simon, NPR host, knows his way around politics His dialogue throws off sparks and shrieks like a Chicago El-carRecommended to all political junkies.The Roanoke Times(Virginia) Ahilarioussatirical novel about politics.Clarence Page,The Chicago Tribune Entertaining and well-observed renders the inner workings of City Hall with wit and aplomb.Some of Simons Chicagoans may be con artists, crooks, amoral opportunists or blowhards, sometimes all of the above, but the author still treats them with g

Author: Scott Simon

Language: English

Edition: 1

Binding: Hardcover

Pages: 432

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 2008-03-11