I love Louis Begley, and this book was praised to the skies by reviewers, but I found it somewhat impenetrable. I vastly preferred "Wartime Lies," by Begley, which is all the more fascinating bcs it is nearly autobiographical (though Begley is very reluctant to talk about *how* autobiographical it is).

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The lives of two very different men - former classmates at Harvard - converge during a summer reunion at a villa on the shores of Lake Como. Max, a law professor, is fleeing the collapse of his first marriage and has become the ultimate spectator of life. Charlie, a famous architect, is a high-living man of extremes. Max's meeting with Charlie brings him into contact with Toby, Charlie's startlingly beautiful male companion. Both Charlie's and Toby's relationship will ultimately shape Max's life for years to come.

I have to say that while I found As Max Saw It by Louis Begley to be very well-written, I honestly couldn't follow the plot very well. I did enjoy parts of the story however I ultimately found that this book just didn't grab my attention as much as other books that I've read. I give this book a B+!

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