Sinatraland

the long version

Sam Kashner's first novel tells the story of "Finkie" Finkelstein, businessman from New Jersey, and lovingly obsessed fan of Frank Sinatra. To Finkie, Frank is the model of a man: elegant, sophisticated, talented, with charm to spare. Finkie has modeled his life after his idol: he's seen all of the movies, bought all of the records, even formed his own little Rat Pack at work. All of his life decisions - from the name of his daughter (Nancy Ava, after Sinatra's first two wives) to his choice of house ("the largest home in Fort Lee. The real estate agent told me it briefly belonged to Buddy Hackett") - are made with Frank in mind. Now if only he could let Frank know how much he means to him... Through a series of unanswered letters to his idol, Finkie's life unfolds, a life where Sinatra is center stage while all the rest takes a backseat.