The Double Man

In an era of shoulder pads and synthesizers, 1986 gifted us “The Double Man,” a literary concoction that promises to stretch the boundaries of your imagination wider than a pair of Spandex pants after an all-you-can-eat buffet. Authored by William S. Cohen and Gary Hart—two names that, much like the book itself, appear to be a delightful mix of intrigue and confusion—this novel beckons readers into a world where the only thing more inflated than the plot is the authorial ego.

Has a stamp for Brant’s Used Books in Sarasota inside.

Also has some kind of Christian or Jehova’s Witness leaflet inside as a book mark.

Set against the backdrop of a world teetering on the brink of chaos (which, when you think about it, is most of the 1980s), “The Double Man” offers a dizzying cocktail of politics, intrigue, and perhaps too many metaphors about identity. One can only imagine that Cohen and Hart were sitting in a dimly-lit diner, sipping on something suspiciously resembling coffee, when inspiration struck. “Why not write a book about a man who embodies two sides of himself?” they likely mused, while scribbling furiously on napkins, hoping to capture the spirit of a decade that couldn’t decide if it was more about neon leg warmers or existential dread.

This fine piece of literature is not merely a book; it is a journey through the kind of convoluted plot twists that would make your average soap opera writer weep with envy. Expect to find characters that emerge as quickly as they disappear, dialogues that meander like a lost tourist in London, and themes that—if you squint hard enough—might reveal profound truths about the human condition. Or perhaps not. Who really knows?

As you flip through the pages, you might stumble upon moments of sheer brilliance, interspersed with sections that make you question your life choices, such as why you decided to pick up a book published by Avon. Ah, Avon—famed for their beauty products and now for this riveting exploration of duality, or as some might say, a cautionary tale on the dangers of co-authoring.

What can readers expect from “The Double Man”? A veritable buffet of literary delights, including but not limited to:

• Characters that may leave you scratching your head in bewilderment.
• Enough political intrigue to make your school history teacher proud.
• Dialogues that oscillate between profound and perplexing.
• Subplots that could probably be turned into a mini-series—if only someone would dare.
• A writing style that may just redefine what you thought you knew about sentence structure.

Condition: Used, but don’t let that deter you! This book bears the cherished scars of a life well-loved, complete with the odd coffee ring and dog-eared pages that suggest someone found it far more riveting than the insipid daytime television we’ve all come to love. It may even smell faintly of nostalgia, or perhaps that’s just the remnants of the 1980s clinging to it like a well-worn track suit.

So, if you’re in the market for a read that promises to entertain you while simultaneously challenging your understanding of reality (or at least your understanding of what a good book should be), look no further. “The Double Man” awaits, ready to add a taste of the absurd to your bookshelf. Found exclusively at Crappy Old Books, where the motto is: "Every book tells a story, but some stories need a little extra context.”

Keep browsing: See more Thrillers books Other books by William S Cohen and Gary Hart