THE 25TH HOUR by David Benioff

Refinished Thursday, July 4th, 2019

This is an old trade paperback that I found on the shelves downstairs. On the flyleaf it says, "Saw the film at the Esquire and the book was in the mailbox when I got home- Sa 3/29/03.

Montgomery Brogan is a NYC mid-level dealer who has been ratted out by his Ukrainian bodyguard, Kostya. Monty is rich enough (and notorious enough) that he never waits in line, and stores will open after hours so that he can shop alone or with friends.

Doyle- Monty's pit-bull that he found along the highway, beaten and left for dead. His name is from 'Murphy's Law' that the Ukrainian incorrectly called, 'Doyle's Law'.

The book takes place in late January during a blizzard. Monty has to report to The Otisville Correctional Facility (90 miles north of NYC) for a seven year sentence. He is a handsome 27 year old man, and he doesn't think that he can make it.

TWO FRIENDS:

Jakob Ellison- teaches English at a private school. Kind of a failure; isn't happy and doesn't make much money. Lonely.

Frank Slattery- Ex-wrestler and very successful Wall Street broker. Lots of money, but also lonely. 

Naturelle Rosario- Monty's Puerto Rican girlfriend. He met and wooed her when she was still in high school.

Mr. Blue- Monty's boss in the drug trade. He's afraid that Monty will rat him out because why has Monty been allowed to be free until he has to start his sentence.

Tony Lobianco- A gay professor that works with Jakob. He claims that his life was ruined when a famous poet (San Francisco- started City Lights Bookstore; Lawrence Ferlinghetti) stole his title, 'Coney Island of The Mind'. 

Monty attends a 'Going Away' party at a fancy nightclub. During and after the party he leaves Doyle to Jacob, and he gets Frank to beat him badly around the face so that he isn't quite so handsome when he shows up for the sentence.

Mr. Brogan- Monty's father. He drives Monty to jail because the city's transportation is shut down due to the snow. His dad's bar is bond for Monty, and he won't run because he won't let his father lose it.

The last chapter Monty hallucinates that he has allowed his father to drive him 'somewhere West', and he's started a new life. He 'remembers' his criminal past as he tells his grandchildren who he really was.

"This life came so close to never happening".....

I can't wait to re-watch the film; with Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.