L.J. Daviss 1971 novel <strong>A Meaningful Life</strong> is a blistering black comedyabout the American quest for redemption through real estate and a grittypi... » 

L.J. Daviss 1971 novel A Meaningful Life is a blistering black comedyabout the American quest for redemption through real estate and a grittypicture of New York City in collapse. Just out of college Lowell Lake theWesternborn hero of Daviss novel heads to New York where he plans to makeit big as a writer. Instead he finds a job as a technical editor at which hetoils away while passion leaks out of his marriage to a nice Jewish girl. ThenLowell discovers a beautiful crumbling mansion in a crimeridden section ofBrooklyn and against all advice not to mention his wifes will sinks hisevery penny into buying it. He quits his job moves in and spends day andnight on demolition and construction. At last he has a mission he will dig upthe lost history of his house he will restore it to its past grandeur. He willmake good on everything thats gone wrong with his life and he will evenmurder to do it. «