From Publishers Weekly Castle's previous novel， Anticipation， won praise for experimentalism， wit and wordplay. This novel is perhaps less experimental but certainly less witty and playful in its use of language. Set in 1968 and peopled with many of the New York art scene crowd of that era， such as Andy Warhol and his cohorts， the book is ostensibly about a songwriter， the eponymous Gilbert Green， and the people around him. Castle's admirers will find some literary excitement in his attempts to weave an almost mystical story about Green， told through shifting perspectives and occasional verse. Others may deem it bereft of the imagery and literary life that an unconventional narrative demands. Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information， Inc. From Independent Publisher In 1985， Frederick Ted Castle's Anticipation was published and quickly became one of that year's most acclaimed literary efforts. A book of monumental proportions， Castle's eclectic work followed the narrator's thoughts， moment by moment， through a verbal maze infected by the likes of Laurence Sterne and Gertrude Stein. More than one critic wondered why it took so long for Castle to be published.Castle's second published work， Gilbert Green: The Real Right Way to Dress for Spring， is a conventional novel following four characters through New York City in 1968: Gilbert， a poet and songwriter who turns to movie-making; Susan， his wife; Fred， his chief of Operations; and Waring， a promising artist. The story of Gilbert's ardent pursuit of Susan and their eventual drifting apart is mirrored by the stormy relationship of Fred and Waring. All are reunited in a tragic conclusion. It is as much a novel of New York in the 1960s as it is Gilbert's story. With cameo appearances by Andy Warhol， Stefan Brecht， and Ted Castle， the narrative is spiced with songs， poems， letters， footnotes and much talk of art among the artful. What makes it all work is Castle's writing - so skillful and so right - that it is a sheer pleasure to read."The real right way to dress for spring is in a flower of your friendship for yourself and I shall take a favor from the weather too， it is so fair and fresh and free， and do as I would do on me." (p. 44) Humorous and compassionate， Gilbert Green is reflective of a time when all possibilities seemed possible. Gilbert Green is the first of three books with many of the same characters; the second， Alaska， will soon be published. See all Editorial Reviews