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119th out of 232 books
—
25 voters
The Preservationist
by
David Maine (Goodreads Author)
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow...more
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
July 1st 2005
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published January 1st 2004)
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A realistic and practical account of the Biblical story of the flood. When reading stories from the Bible, it is easy to gloss over the facts and not truly comprehend them. Maine brings it all into focus with this novel: these are real people, who somehow built a floating barn in the middle of the desert, collected animals from both north and south, and did it all without know why or how it would all happen. Characters from the Bible, some of which are not even named, are given shape and feeling...more
5 likes · like · see review
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Oct 03, 2008
Aerin
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who are literate (no, really, if you can read, you should read this)
Shelves:
fiction-literature
SUMMARY (from BN.com)
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us....more
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us....more
This book was a pleasant surprise. I read a recommendation for it (actual,ly for another book by the author) off a day-by-day calendar, picked it up at the library two days later, and had finished it two days after that.
Maine takes the story of Noah and the ark and fills in all the details. It's similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in that he's taking a story about which we know little and filling in all the empty bits: what were the people really like, what did the ark look like and how was...more
Maine takes the story of Noah and the ark and fills in all the details. It's similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in that he's taking a story about which we know little and filling in all the empty bits: what were the people really like, what did the ark look like and how was...more
Overall I thought this was pretty good. Not fantastic or perspective-changing, but it's an interesting take on the Noah story.
What I liked: The quietness of the miracles, how things fell together so well but naturally, so the people involved didn't see it as a miracle until after the fact. I believe that most miracles are like that. God is fairly silent in this book, but the characters recognize his influence. I also liked that the family didn't know the big picture, didn't see themselves a pion...more
What I liked: The quietness of the miracles, how things fell together so well but naturally, so the people involved didn't see it as a miracle until after the fact. I believe that most miracles are like that. God is fairly silent in this book, but the characters recognize his influence. I also liked that the family didn't know the big picture, didn't see themselves a pion...more
This was the third novel by Maine that I have read, and quite possibly my favorite. Told in turns by each of the characters in first person (except the chapters for Noe which were told in narration), we are introduced to a family who was chosen by God to survive the Flood.
Following the family throughout the building of the ark, the gathering of the animals and their time on the boat...(cleaning the animal dung, telling stories, and watching day after day for a sign that the waters receeding)
An...more
Following the family throughout the building of the ark, the gathering of the animals and their time on the boat...(cleaning the animal dung, telling stories, and watching day after day for a sign that the waters receeding)
An...more
What could have been a great story (Noah and the Ark) wasn't all that great. First, the author didn't stick to conventions. This bugged me because every other paragraph seemed to start with a dash (-) and there were no quotation marks. Second, the author didn't develop the characters. They were portrayed in a flat and one-sided light. Only one character seemed to change because of the time spent on the ark, and even then, it's not Noah. Third, the author didn't develop the story in any sort of w...more
3 likes · like · see review
Nov 30, 2007
Paul Allor
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Two people at a time
Generally, I'm not a fan of stories that "re-invent" Biblical tales. They usually seem to be pushing a social or political agenda, and even if it's an agenda I agree with, it still annoys me.
But that's not what David Maine does. In this retelling of the Noah's Ark story, he lets Noah be Noah. Noah is very much the same man depicted in the Bible, and very much a product of his time. In other words, Maine stays true to the source material, but mines it for all the drama, pathos and humor that coul...more
But that's not what David Maine does. In this retelling of the Noah's Ark story, he lets Noah be Noah. Noah is very much the same man depicted in the Bible, and very much a product of his time. In other words, Maine stays true to the source material, but mines it for all the drama, pathos and humor that coul...more
I’m always a bit nervous when I read a novelization of a Bible story. Generally speaking, most authors have their own agenda, such as trying to explain away God, or make the people in the story into paragons of sexual energy or desire – which they weren’t. They were simply normal people for their time. This book was nice in it’s perspective, however. Maine doesn’t question the involvement of God in Noah’s life, it’s never looked at as something odd but by people who are already questioning other...more
A couple of years ago, I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, which is an awesome book about the lives of the wives of Jacob, told through the eyes of his daughter Jacob. The Preservationist is written in a similar vein, although not as emotional as The Red Tent. It fleshes out the story of Noah and his family and their trials and triumphs before, during, and after the Flood. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I never knew that Noah's wife's name is never mentioned in the Bible until I read th...more
I picked up this book a few years ago because I thought it looked interesting. It wasn't until a couple of days ago that I really sat down and read it. This is a version of Noah's ark, as told by the people on board: Noe (Noah), his wife, their sons, and their daughters-in-law. The Bible gives us relatively little information about this particular event in history. Much of what the author writes is conjecture and literary license.
There are certain questions that are never answered (such as how...more
There are certain questions that are never answered (such as how...more
The best thing about this book? It was short. I'm sorry, but I was just not a fan. I read 'Fallen' and disliked it, but thought I would give David Maine another try. I just don't care for his writing style at all. The story had so much potential and then utterly failed. Some readers could be distracted by the multiple points of view, but this is not what bothered me. Others might be bothered by the fact that this is a Biblical story that has been changed quite a bit. This did not bother me. I wa...more
I bought this book due to a blurb on the front cover that compared it to "Life of Pi". It is completely different but still good. The story is a fictionalized account of Noah's Ark. You get the perspectives of all 8 people aboard the boat before, during, and after the rains.
I really liked how much time was dedicated to the women's perspective. When it comes to Biblical tales you usually don't get a lot of the female perspective. Bera, Sem's wife, is from the South and she is charged with going...more
I really liked how much time was dedicated to the women's perspective. When it comes to Biblical tales you usually don't get a lot of the female perspective. Bera, Sem's wife, is from the South and she is charged with going...more
We all know the Bible’s Old Testament story of Noah’s Ark. David Maine makes us look at the story of The Flood with attention to details not in the original version. The author tells the story not only through Noah’s eyes, but his wife’s, sons’ and daughters-in-law’s perspective. Each plays a part in constructing the Ark, gathering the animals and keeping faith.
I always enjoyed the story of Noah’s Ark and gathering the animals, but I never questioned or thought of what living on a boat with hund...more
I always enjoyed the story of Noah’s Ark and gathering the animals, but I never questioned or thought of what living on a boat with hund...more
Read it because I'm looking at spiritual fiction and how it is constructed. I thought this book didn't succeed in several ways: Not enough attention to historical or cultural psychology--while there is a certain element of human nature that is timeless, there's a part of what we do and what motivates us that's conditioned into us according to time and place in history. This book felt too modern in its analysis of the relationships. And in terms of presenting biblical persons, it didn't give enou...more
When I first read the description of this book, I wasn't so sure I would like it, but once I started to read, I didn't want to stop- it was funny, I liked the different characters/points of view and even though I am not much into reading bible stories or books, I liked this one!
1 like · like · see review
There is a difference between "best" and "favorite". Sometimes your favorite is a first of something. Sometimes the best is the most thrilling. This is not the best novel, very much it is not. But it might be my favorite.
The book portrays Noah (Noe) in what would be "realistic" (in the way he treats women, his children, as per the period). The biblical tones are certainly a part of the novel but historical and emotional bonds take the precedent.
The book is written in chapters by different narrat...more
The book portrays Noah (Noe) in what would be "realistic" (in the way he treats women, his children, as per the period). The biblical tones are certainly a part of the novel but historical and emotional bonds take the precedent.
The book is written in chapters by different narrat...more
2 likes · like · see review
The story of Noah and the Ark done with humor by developing the story and characters in a realistic, down to earth, style applicable to what life would really be like when taken literally plus clever theology questioning. Best of all behind the scenes is the brilliant yet reality driven females of the book who keep the men (especially Noah with his head in the ‘heavens’) on track, for example knowing that the muck has to be emptied constantly. More profound is the use of the women especially Ily...more
This is the second novel by David Maine that I've read (I gave Fallen 5/5 stars a couple weeks ago.) I love Maine's writing style and simple dialogue and the way he crafts the interpersonal relationships between his characters.
I was particularly fascinated with the women of the story -- without their strength, wisdom, acceptance, faith, etc. could they have survived the Flood? Even though the men often didn't recognize the weight of their contributions, or else were surprised by them, still the...more
I was particularly fascinated with the women of the story -- without their strength, wisdom, acceptance, faith, etc. could they have survived the Flood? Even though the men often didn't recognize the weight of their contributions, or else were surprised by them, still the...more
The Preservationist is a novel about Noah and the ark -- building it, surviving the Great flood, and the re-population of mankind. It is a story about trusting God and family relationships. The story never seems to dig deep below the surface of Noah and his family, but does provide a few insights and many points of view from Noah's family. Some chapters begin with a verse from the Genesis. One thing I found interesting that was not discussed in the book and that I had forgotten from reading the...more
Well, I'm biased in favor of anything Noah's Ark. It's the one and only obsession left from my childhood that won't go away. That said, I think this is actually a good book even if you don't get excited by the idea of one man and his family building a giant boat and outliving the rest of the human population in a global deluge. David Maine wrote some really memorable characters, and raised some really interesting questions about the role of God in old-testament stories like this one. The prose w...more
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the gritty and very non-biblical story of Noah and his family. I was a little worried that the book was going to be too religious for my taste, but that was a really pleasant surprise. This book was more about the actual characters that we are all so familiar with but don't really KNOW. I thought the book was filled with humor and witty references to the beloved Noah's ark story and it was a very quick read. Maine's writing style may come off a little simple,...more
I really wanted to like this book. Growing up, I was raised on Bible stories and I especially loved the tales from the old testament. This is a novalization of the Noah story and I just knew I was going to love the book. But I didn't.
First of all, I listened to this as an audio book and I failed to notice when I purchased it that it had a multiple cast. I find it distracting when the reader changes all the time. But it was more than the readers. It just never took off for me. I never liked the c...more
First of all, I listened to this as an audio book and I failed to notice when I purchased it that it had a multiple cast. I find it distracting when the reader changes all the time. But it was more than the readers. It just never took off for me. I never liked the c...more
Noe (Noah) and the members of his family relate the story of the building of the Ark, the flood, and afterwards. Each has a slightly different perspective, which adds a lot of good flavor to this familiar tale. The view of God and his part in the story is a bit un-orthodox, which may bother some readers. But the human element is very true to life, and the miraculous is incorporated well so it doesn't seem out of place. If you like looking at Bible stories in different ways definately add this to...more
This is vaguely reminiscent of The Red Tent in that it takes a few scenes and characters from the Bible and imaginatively fleshes out their stories. But it's much more witty and wry than The Red Tent, and the language is mostly modern and casual. In case you're worried that this will be preachy Christian fiction, relax. There is plenty of "rutting," including a particularly humorous scene involving a boar. Now I'm afraid I've said too much. With so many wonderful voices, I suspect the audio book...more
I think we all have the tendency to be biased about what we enjoy based on our personal likes and what we can identify with. I decided not rate this book based on how much it 'fit' into my experience, theology or personal taste.
I imagine some religious folks might get upset at certain ‘irreverent’, or ‘inaccurate’ parts of this book (like how some ASOIAF readers were upset at the changes done in the Game of Thrones Season 2 adaptation). Whether it be scripture or canonical fiction, diehard fans...more
I imagine some religious folks might get upset at certain ‘irreverent’, or ‘inaccurate’ parts of this book (like how some ASOIAF readers were upset at the changes done in the Game of Thrones Season 2 adaptation). Whether it be scripture or canonical fiction, diehard fans...more
An expansion on the biblical tale of Noah and the arc. Noe's chapters are told in the 3rd person while the rest of the family's chapters are in the first.
This book has an interesting premise that ultimately doesn't ring true due to choice of detail and choice of vocabulary. Maine takes what we know from the biblical story about Noah (here, Noe) and his family and fills in the gaps. Quarantine by Crace is much better if you are looking for a story w/ a biblical basis.
Beautiful cover and book flap...more
This book has an interesting premise that ultimately doesn't ring true due to choice of detail and choice of vocabulary. Maine takes what we know from the biblical story about Noah (here, Noe) and his family and fills in the gaps. Quarantine by Crace is much better if you are looking for a story w/ a biblical basis.
Beautiful cover and book flap...more
The Old Testament tells us "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." David Maine allows the reader to journey with Noe (quotes and name spellings taken from a more recent printing of the 1609 Douay Bible) from the time of Yahweh's calling to the end of Noe's days.
Though common depictions of Noe's ark are of happy animals, smiling side by side on the deck of a wooden ark, the reality of such conditions would undoubtedly be a horse of a...more
Though common depictions of Noe's ark are of happy animals, smiling side by side on the deck of a wooden ark, the reality of such conditions would undoubtedly be a horse of a...more
1 like · like · see review
historical novel based on Noah. Nothing too life-alterning, but interesting enough that I read it in a couple days. I kept reading it whenever I had free time. I liked the characters and wanted to know how their lives were going to turn out. I always think that's a sign of a good story. I also thought this book is just an interesting concept. There isn't much to go on for the life of Noah and his family but this guy took the little about them in Genesis and unwrapped a whole life for them all.
A fairly funny retelling of Noah and the Flood; this imagines what life was like for Noah and his clan. I don't usually like so many changes of point of view but it works for this book - each chapter is a different family member and it helps to flesh out the characters by how they see others and how they are seen. Overall, it was pretty good but I preferred Christopher Moore's funnier take on Jesus (Lamb, or the Gospel according to Biff, Jesus's Childhood Friend).
An interesting and imaginative foray into the Old Testament, and what it might be like for a family to be trapped on a boat for several months during a cataclysmic natural disaster. The writing style is sparse but quite poetic at times...for example: "Dawn creeps in like a bad idea." Love that line. I admire the author's development of realistic characters and relationships. It would be good material for a book club. On the other hand, I can't say I greatly *enjoyed* reading the book. Perhaps be...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q & A with Da...: The Preservationist | 5 | 21 | Nov 26, 2011 02:29pm |
I was born and raised in Connecticut but spent much of my adult life overseas, living in Morocco from 1995-98 and in Lahore, Pakistan from 1998-2008. Since 2008 I have been living and teaching in Honolulu. I began getting published in 2004, with The Preservationist, a retelling of the Noah story from Genesis. This was followed by Fallen, which reexamined the stories of Eve/Adam and Abel/Cain. In 2...more
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