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The City of Your Final Destination
A wryly humorous, impeccably observed novel about the capriciousness of love
Omar Razaghi posts a letter on September 13, 1995 that will change the course of his life forever. A doctoral student at the University of Kansas, he writes to the estate of the Latin American author Jules Gund, requesting permission to write Gund's authorized biography. His request is refused, but...more
Omar Razaghi posts a letter on September 13, 1995 that will change the course of his life forever. A doctoral student at the University of Kansas, he writes to the estate of the Latin American author Jules Gund, requesting permission to write Gund's authorized biography. His request is refused, but...more
ebook, 320 pages
Published
May 11th 2010
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
(first published January 1st 2006)
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just like peter cameron's more recent Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You, this is an extremely sweet book. the protagonist is a rather lost 28-year-old graduate student in some university in kansas who has decided to write as his dissertation the authorized biography of a fairly obscure, recently-dead author and has received a generous scholarship for this endeavor (the caricature of academia won't be lost on most readers). unfortunately, he didn't make sure, first, that the authorization w...more
Ecco, davanti un libro così vorrei solo essere capace di una recensione che non pretendo sia all'altezza del libro stesso ma che, per lo meno, faccia capire quanto mi sia piaciuto.
E' uno di quei libri che ti colpisce: al cuore, alla testa, allo stomaco, a seconda dei momenti.
I personaggi sono così definiti e meravigliosamente descritti da diventare parte della tua quotidianità: come gli amici ai quali mandi un messaggio o fai una telefonata per sapere come stanno, allo stesso modo tornavo ad a...more
E' uno di quei libri che ti colpisce: al cuore, alla testa, allo stomaco, a seconda dei momenti.
I personaggi sono così definiti e meravigliosamente descritti da diventare parte della tua quotidianità: come gli amici ai quali mandi un messaggio o fai una telefonata per sapere come stanno, allo stesso modo tornavo ad a...more
The City of Your Final Destination is set in Uruguay, although it won’t satisfy the armchair traveler as it is mostly takes place within a big house in Uruguay
“Here I am in Uruguay, but I could be anywhere. I could be in Kansas. Although the air smelled different: there was some sort of warm, dusty scent that seemed vaguely exotic.”
That’s Omar thinking out loud. He’s a scholar trying to get authorisation to write a biography about the writer Jules Gund. Omar’s kind of a strange one, or at least...more
“Here I am in Uruguay, but I could be anywhere. I could be in Kansas. Although the air smelled different: there was some sort of warm, dusty scent that seemed vaguely exotic.”
That’s Omar thinking out loud. He’s a scholar trying to get authorisation to write a biography about the writer Jules Gund. Omar’s kind of a strange one, or at least...more
Peter Cameron's writing, for me, perfectly blends the literary and the entertaining. I liked this book a lot, but not quite as much as his books Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You and Coral Glynn. That said, it was still really good and I really liked the character Omar in particular. Dierdre was his unpleasant girlfriend but it was a little uncomfortable to read some of the annoying things she said because I felt like I would have said some of those things to Omar, too, but that would make...more
Feb 26, 2012
Margaret
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Someone looking to spend some time reading good dialogue
Recommended to Margaret by:
One of the author's HS teachers
This book was recommended by a friend who was once Peter Cameron's HS teacher when he was a student at Pompton Plains HS, NJ. The story is set in both Kansas and Uruguay. Omar Razagi, our protagonist is a 28 year old University of Kansas graduate student who has won a prize in order to write the biography of Jules Gund, a recently deceased author who grew up in Germany but then moved to Uruguay our of fear that the Nazis would discover his mother was Jewish. Jules is survived by his wife Carolin...more
Cameron is a first rate story teller. A 28 year old academic, Omar, travels to Uruguay, in order to persuade the family of a deceased writer, to let him, Omar, write a biography of the dead man. Omar interacts with the man's wife, mistress, child, brother and friends, and in so doing, falls in love, grows and changes. The characters are wonderfully eccentric and well drawn. And the author makes some interesting observations about the nature of love, the challenge of breaking free from a pre-prog...more
The whole first half of this book I was bothered. By the sense that the it was more a screenplay than a novel, that Cameron was writing this in order for a movie to eventually be made. By what seemed a sort of contrived, Gothic setting, and by the way that none of the characters used contractions in their speech ("I am" instead of "I'm"). But it grew on me. Toward the middle of the book I started to laugh out loud at a lot of the things that came out of the ascerbic mouth of Adam Gund. And obvio...more
An odd little postmodern novel--the themes of angst and indecision tend to override the plot and the character development a bit. On the other hand, the women who live together, a dead writer's wife and his lover, are fascinating in their oddness. His brother and his lover are an interesting couple as well. The doctoral student is not very interesting, however, and I didn't find his particular happy ending convincing. So it's a flawed story that still kept me reading until the end. I think I'd c...more
A beautiful book about the immigrant experience, love in a cynical age, and second chances.
I am always happy when a movie introduces me to a "new" author, in this case Peter Camerson. I recently watched the 2009 Merchant/Ivory film adaptation (beautifully filmed and acted)of this novel. While definitely a love story it also explores what biography means, how lives intersect with those of the biographer and how we each have our own story to tell. Cameron weaves a beautiful and at times comic story and the movie captures the hothouse atmosphere of the isolated family and their secrets i...more
Sono molto perplesso su quale giudizio dare a questo libro. Ottimi dialoghi, nulla da eccepire. La storia è originale, ma un po' esile nello svolgimento. L'ambientazione è parimenti originale, ma sembra un po' un pretesto per "isolare dal mondo" i protagonisti. Insomma, un libro facile da leggere, piacevole, a tratti anche intrigante, in occasione dell'inaspettato colpo di scena. Ma poi? Mi chiedo se mi ricorderò di questo libro tra un anno. Penso di no, e penso che questo sia un difetto in un l...more
I feel very grateful to have won this in a Goodreads giveaway. It was the perfect book for a plane ride, which is where I read it: a reasonable length (300 pages), with an engaging plot and characters (grad student travels to Uruguay to convince a dead author's widow, mistress, and brother to allow him to write a biography). The characters' lives are all altered by this turn of events, and the resolution is satisfying. Finally, the writing is great -- witty dialogue, insightful yet easy-to-read...more
I'm still reading this novel and am enjoying the characters. I have to start and stop a lot because we have a farm and need to milk goats every time I turn around. It isn't the type of book that I would pick out, it was a glorious 'win' -- the first contest where I've ever won anything -- but despite it not being the type of book that I would pick out, I do find myself turning the pages to find out what my characters are up to next. I've heard it has a satisfying ending so I'm looking forward to...more
May 26, 2011
Stefano Franzato
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
letteratura-americana
Quella sera dorata (The City of Your Final Destination, 2002) è quello che si dice il capolavoro di Peter Cameron dei cui altri pregevoli e raffinati scritti si è già parlato. Nel 2009 James Ivory ne ha tratto un film che, mi pare, sua stato da poco doppiato in Italiano.
Il pretesto è il tentativo da parte di Omar Razaghi di ottenere dagli eredi dello scrittore uruguaiano suicida Jules Gund – autore dell'unico romanzo La gondola – l'autorizzazione a scriverne la biografia. Ne va della sua borsa d...more
Il pretesto è il tentativo da parte di Omar Razaghi di ottenere dagli eredi dello scrittore uruguaiano suicida Jules Gund – autore dell'unico romanzo La gondola – l'autorizzazione a scriverne la biografia. Ne va della sua borsa d...more
I was eager to read more from Cameron after having recently read Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You, which is one of my top five reads in the past year. I won this novel from a First-Reads giveaway, but would have purchased it if I hadn't won it.
The City of Your Final Destination began slowly, but the story builds steadily. Cameron reveals the characters a little at a time, I would say in the same way that we come to know people we meet -- the more shallow and/or extroverted they are, the...more
The City of Your Final Destination began slowly, but the story builds steadily. Cameron reveals the characters a little at a time, I would say in the same way that we come to know people we meet -- the more shallow and/or extroverted they are, the...more
Hum, the life of academics..this is the story of a young teacher, awarded a fellowship to write the biography of an obscure writer. He accepts the fellowship--falsely stating that he has the permission of the estate of the dead author..his brother, wife and mistress all living in Uruguay. After finding out the family certainly does not grant permission, this up to now meek Kansas Ph.d student gets on a plane to change their minds. The writing is lovely, but sometimes too self aware somehow..and...more
I love Cameron's style, his humor and ability to create subtle nuance with story and character.
A fumbling, lovable, spacey, academic wishes to write a biography of a novelist from Uruguay with only one novel to his name. Unfortunately the biographer had applied for the fellowship without getting the required family authorization, and the family rejects his offer. So off he goes to Uruguay to try to convince them to change their minds, pushed along by his frustrated and bossy girlfriend.
What he...more
A fumbling, lovable, spacey, academic wishes to write a biography of a novelist from Uruguay with only one novel to his name. Unfortunately the biographer had applied for the fellowship without getting the required family authorization, and the family rejects his offer. So off he goes to Uruguay to try to convince them to change their minds, pushed along by his frustrated and bossy girlfriend.
What he...more
Another excellent book by my newest find, the author Peter Cameron. I loved this one. Again, a complete switch of voice and setting. And I can't tell much about it without giving away plot points. Suffice it to say, the characters are at once eccentric and believable; the setting is haunting. There is humor, heartbreak, questions about life, love, loyalty and purpose. The story is terrific; the characters are depicted with both their flaws and their redeeming features.
I loved this book, but it certainly isn't for everyone. It's very subtle, but evocative. It addresses the feeling of dislocation we all seem to have to some degree these days. It takes place in Uruguay, but none of the characters are Uruguain -- on is from Iraq via Kansas via Toronto, the others American but aren't certain where they belong either physically or emotionally. The kind of book that stays with you days after you finish it.
This is Peter Cameron's most widely acclaimed book, so after reading (and appreciating) Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You I was eager to read it.
And I found that most of the praise was well-deserved. Personally, I would have devoted some more lines to the characterization of Omar Razaghi, but this is only a minor flaw when compared to the mirable structure of the book and its memorable characters: Caroline and Adam Gund, above all.
I highly recommend it.
And I found that most of the praise was well-deserved. Personally, I would have devoted some more lines to the characterization of Omar Razaghi, but this is only a minor flaw when compared to the mirable structure of the book and its memorable characters: Caroline and Adam Gund, above all.
I highly recommend it.
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While there are some beautiful moments and some interesting thoughts provoked... it feels, at times, like Bolaño-lite. Or like he's trying to do Ian McEwan in South America. I know those two things wouldn't automatically seem logically like the same book but... trust me. Ultimately, it's just too ethereal to stand up to much and it fades almost before it's over (this, despite an immensely - surprisingly so - satisfying ending).
More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-Hw
More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-Hw
I still don't know what the title means, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The setting came to life in my mind and I cared about the odd, stuck-in-time characters. Cameron has a simple, direct style like Hemingway, and his writing conveys much in few words. The insider allusions that English majors will get and the dialogue-propelled plot were well done. Now, I'll watch the film and read more Cameron.
Il titolo contiene un aggettivo profetico: dorata. Già. Questo libro lascia proprio questa sensazione, il sole, l'oro del terreno, il caldo del sudamerica.
Apparentemente leggera la storia, legata ad una famiglia immobile nel proprio limbo terrestre, dove sembra esistere solo un assolato oblio.
Brillanti i dialoghi, penso siano la forza di questo scrittore, che riesce a far trapelare dalle pagine un'ironia e un sarcasmo pungenti.
Meraviglioso e indimenticabile.
Apparentemente leggera la storia, legata ad una famiglia immobile nel proprio limbo terrestre, dove sembra esistere solo un assolato oblio.
Brillanti i dialoghi, penso siano la forza di questo scrittore, che riesce a far trapelare dalle pagine un'ironia e un sarcasmo pungenti.
Meraviglioso e indimenticabile.
Woderful book that totally involes you with characters you wish could continue to spend time with as part of a long series. I can't wait to read his other books but hope their is a sequel to this one. Each character is revealed in such a gentle natural way you are drawn into their world rather than having them explained to you.
I read this book after watching the movie. It is beautiful, and subtle, and atmospheric, and rich in themes of the difference between existing and living, between love and the familiar. Here's my heresy: I think the movie - due to a brilliant cast - was actually better.
CITAZIONE
Lei reprime la sua vita: legge troppi libri - o forse non li legge nemmeno più. Forse legge soltanto libri di critica letteraria: fa una vita di seconda mano.
http://www.incipitmania.com/incipit-p...
Lei reprime la sua vita: legge troppi libri - o forse non li legge nemmeno più. Forse legge soltanto libri di critica letteraria: fa una vita di seconda mano.
http://www.incipitmania.com/incipit-p...
The dialogue in this novel is a treat. In fact, the novel itself is a treat, and does what so many books don't do--it insists on hope, and refuses to take "I am this" for an answer. A kind of modern fairy tale.
Dialoghi che parlano solo delle cose che ci rendono umani, cose ovvie insomma, eppure è proprio con esse che Cameron è capace di tenerci avvinti come con il più potente dei thriller.
Atmosfere emotive indimenticabili.
Atmosfere emotive indimenticabili.
This is a highly readable, charmingly comic novel about a group of exotic, engaging characters. It's about a lot of things, including academia, the choices we make in life, and the randomness of fate.
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Peter Cameron (b. 1959) is an award-winning novelist and short story writer. Born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, he moved to New York City after graduating college in 1982. Cameron began publishing stories in the New Yorker one year later. His numerous award-winning storie...more
More about Peter Cameron...
Peter Cameron (b. 1959) is an award-winning novelist and short story writer. Born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, he moved to New York City after graduating college in 1982. Cameron began publishing stories in the New Yorker one year later. His numerous award-winning storie...more
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“You're so young... Are you sure that's what you want your life to be, forever and ever? That job? That career? That girlfriend?”
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