A quirky, brilliant novel starring Chauncey Gardiner, an enigmatic man who rises from nowhere to become a media phenomenonââa fabulous creature of our ageâ (Newsweek).
One of the most beloved novels by the New York Timesâbestselling and National Book Awardâwinning author of The Painted Bird and Pinball, Being There is the story of a mysterious man who finds himself at the center of Wall Street and Washington powerâincluding his role as a policy adviser to the presidentâdespite the fact that no one is quite sure where he comes from, or what he is actually talking about. Nevertheless, Chauncey âChanceâ Gardiner is celebrated by the media, and hailed as a visionary, in this satirical masterpiece that became an award-winning film starring Peter Sellers.
As wise and timely as ever, Being There is âa tantalizing knuckleball of a book delivered with perfectly timed satirical hops and metaphysical fluttersâ (Time).