'80

A sly and often funny remembrance of things past, this slim novel takes the form of a diary kept by M.L., a 28-year-old photographer living in Soho in the year 1980, back when Tama Janowitz's slaves of New York were just beginning to appear in downtown Manhattan, and the city—and country—was in the midst of a tumultuous time that saw the entrance of a president (Ronald Reagan, elected in November) and the exit of a legend (John Lennon, assassinated in December). On this level the novel works well. M.L.'s bright voice—think of her as Edie Sedgwick by way of Holly Golightly—documents the year's novelties, ranging from a wild punk rock performance by the Plasmatics to the emergence of the Walkman. There's also a halfhearted attempt to show what romance in Manhattan was like two decades before Sex and the City —M.L. starts keeping her diary after she's abandoned by a lover—but the novel never delves deep into M.L.'s inner life. When she abruptly "disappears" at the too-convenient ending, readers will feel caught up short. However, this wry novel and its irrepressible narrator manage to rise above any missteps and deliver more than a few laughs and insights. Agent, Rob McQuilkin. (Sept.)

Forecast: Readers who remember the first incarnations of the Ramones and the Talking Heads will enjoy this time capsule.