Rate this book

The Book Of Life. Stuart Nadler (2013)

by Stuart Nadler(Favorite Author)

3.7 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1447202430 (ISBN13: 9781447202431)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Picador USA

review 1: I was first drawn to the collection by its inclusion (with Justin Torres, a fave) into the 5 under 35 group sponsored/hosted/chosen by the National Book Foundation. Then, I knew I needed to read it, based on the description of one of the stories as a "road trip between father and son, where secrets are revealed". These stories seem deceptively simple in its language and tone, yet, of the two I read "Visting" and "Our Portion, Our Rock" (a title, I still don't get), the plodding of the plot belies roiling anger, resentment, and regrets - both stories seem to be about "the one that got away" - perhaps a lover that just never felt right, or a father that just never saw things right, or a son that grew up faster than the father who only sees him on weekends. There are missed o... morepportunities here for reconciliation, as both stories end quite bleakly. As I try to recount poignant moments, looking out at the sea of gulls, or sitting in a meeting room, looking through the window at a lunch date - I feel there might be something more lasting in the stories. There are some specifically Jewish references that escaped me - "bris" and "another name besides Yarmulke for the hat" and others, I'll have to dig up. In all, I found it hard to sustain genuine interest, as I often felt claustrophobically trapped in the character's disappointments and guilt, while not understanding any of the potential cultural markers.
review 2: It took me a long time to read this book because I found a lot of the stories almost heart-breakingly sad. I both dreaded and looked forward to each new story, so I spaced them out and they filled up an entire year. The stories stuck with me, and I found myself thinking about the characters for weeks or months afterwards. I am always impressed by the rare short story that conveys as much plot and character as many novels, and almost all of these stories fall into that category. While I didn't find all of the stories enjoyable, and a lot of them were downers, they were all pretty compelling. less

Download links for: The Book of Life. Stuart Nadler

Advertising