Zesty ... Erudite ... Wiencek squeezes the story of these two protean figures into a mere 262 pages, and, for once, readers might want at least a hundred more. Brisk as it is, it’s a skim coating—a gilt all of its own—that leaves out the full reach of these two extraordinary men and their time ... By first-naming his protagonists, and all that that implies, in this hurried account, Wiencek runs the risk of turning this epic into Stan and Gus’s Excellent Adventure.
Highlighting his subjects’ larger-than-life personalities, the imbalances of their relationship, and the glittery, careening mess of their era, Wiencek ultimately celebrates the artistic impact Stan and Gus’ relationship would have upon New York City.
