Summary

Saint Mazie by Jami Attenberg begins with a prologue set in 1939. Mazie Phillips, approaching 45, is still working in the Venice Theater's ticket booth. Her friend Fannie Hurst—a bestselling novelist—bribes Mazie with beer to loosen her up for a meeting with someone intrigued by her adventures. A handsome young man arrives, his suit and manners displaying an aura of professionalism. He offers a cigarette, and even though Mazie's doctor forced her to quit weeks ago, she accepts. The dapper fellow wants Mazie to write an autobiography, and he won't take "no" for an answer. Mazie tells him no one cares about her life; she sits in the ticket booth all day. He says plenty of people care, that she runs these streets. Mazie insists she's not as interesting as the local bums, but the other won't relent, dismissively states that they're...