Ravelstein

Published in 2000, 'Ravelstein' is a biographical roman à clef that tells the story of a friendship between a university professor, Abe Ravelstein, and a writer.

The novel is set against the backdrop of Ravelstein's impending death from AIDS and explores his intellectual and erotic attachments.

The narrator, Chick, reflects on Ravelstein's life and their shared experiences, delving into themes of Jewish identity, intellectual culture, and the significance of Ravelstein's death as the end of an era.

The novel also follows Chick's own near-death experience and his eventual decision to write Ravelstein's memoir.