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20th out of 59 books
—
29 voters
Mr. Ives' Christmas
The Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller author writes a story of haunted love about a man reflecting upon his life through the lens of Christmases past.
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
August 30th 1996
by Harper Perennial
(first published August 1996)
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Feb 01, 2013
Steve aka Sckenda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those who cling to faith through tears
Recommended to Steve aka Sckenda by:
Serendipitous find at a bargain bin
I have read “Mr. Ives’ Christmas” almost every year since I first discovered it in 1997. It is about a kind but sad man named Eduardo Ives, who saw the good in everything and in everybody--except himself. He is deeply religious and weeps during daily Mass for reasons that he does not understand. He was once a foundling, and he is grateful to God for giving him a kindly father who selected him from an orphanage and shared with him the gifts of love and family. Ives is also grateful to God for an...more
"It is difficult to be religious, impossible to be merry, at every moment of life, and festivals are as sunlit peaks, testifying above dark valleys, to the eternal radiance." Clement A. Miles, epigraph to Mr. Ives' Christmas
A Christmas Carol. The Book of Job. Crime and Punishment.
Mr. Ives' Christmas channels all these through Catholic eyes.
But I look at Mr. Ives' Christmas as sort of The Recognitions lite, but completely without the satire. Instead we get unabashed earnestness. As in The Recog...more
27 likes · like · see review
This is the haunting tale of one man's struggle to find peace, love, and spirituality in his life, particularly after the shocking murder of his only son right before Christmas. The book then tracks Ives throughout his life, focusing on Christmas-time each year. I picked this up in my effort to find peace and spiritual reflection in this hectic holiday season. There were quite a few inspiring moments of the human experiencing the divine, but the deep focus on the Catholic religion and practices,...more
To be honest, I don't remember how this book came to be on my wish list. I must have read a review on it or something. It is not a book I normally would pick up to read but I did thoroughly enjoy it. It was not a fast read by any means but the story was good and it made me reflect on some things in my own life. The timing of reading it was very good for me. Whan I read the description of the book before I started it, I wasn't sure if I would want to read it at all as I am not a Christian. An agn...more
Ives, orphaned as a baby and unsure of his ethnicity (allowing Hijuelos to explore race relations in NY from an interesting perspective), has pivotal events throughout his life that occur during the Christmas season; over Christmas he's adopted, he meets his future wife, he has what he thinks is a vision, his son dies, etc. The holiday is used as a circular reference but also stands alone as the holiday with which we are so familiar, the holiday that has many personal associations to the average...more
I read this book several years ago, but have circled back and have re-read it several times. The book I know was criticized by some in the Latino literature community because there is not much Latino-ness in the story or the characters. I think the book marks an important point in Latino literature, where a Latino can just write a really good story that does not have to be about Latino culture, etc. Hijuelos certainly is a very competent storyteller, and has been called the modern day Dickens by...more
Beautiful examination of a man's life and his crisis of faith after his son is killed. The story is told in the style of a Dickens' novel and one gets the sense that you are looking at this man's life as if looking in a window into his soul. It is a novel of a search for moral truths and struggle, a story of compassion, of goodness, and forgiveness. Hijuelos expertly weaves the Christmas theme throughout the book so that we are gently reminded as to the real reason for celebration. I couldn't he...more
Oscar Hijuelos' third novel began a bit slowly but in some way I have yet to figure out, took hold of me with a gradually tightening grip and left me gasping for relief at the end. The writing is deceptive. It seemed almost simple, almost pedestrian, until I found myself embedded in the hearts and minds of Mr Ives and his wife.
The couple, Mr Ives of Cuban descent and Mrs Ives of Irish, are bound together by passion, intellect, and faith. Content to remain living in a multicultural neighborhood i...more
The couple, Mr Ives of Cuban descent and Mrs Ives of Irish, are bound together by passion, intellect, and faith. Content to remain living in a multicultural neighborhood i...more
4 likes · like · see review
Mr. Ives is a quiet and spiritual man. A man who everyone loves and one who loves back. Mr. Ives' has struggled with the senseless and tragic death of his son Robert who was planning to be a Priest. He tries to reform the young man who murdered his son but is so, so tormented by his grief, depression and loss that his sadness gets in the way.
From dust jacket:
"When we first meet him in the 1950's, Mr. Ives is a devoutly religious man who, despite his beginnings in a foundling home, has fashioned...more
From dust jacket:
"When we first meet him in the 1950's, Mr. Ives is a devoutly religious man who, despite his beginnings in a foundling home, has fashioned...more
Sep 08, 2011
Christopher MacMillan
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
pulitzer-prize-winners-and-nominees
After reading Oscar Hijuelos' Pulitzer Prize winner The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love - and being kind of underwhelmed by what I found - I was intrigued in giving Mr. Ives' Christmas a shot. Hijuelos wrote it five years after Mambo Kings, and it too was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, so I was keen to see if I had missed something in terms of the author's writing during my first time around with one of his works.
As it turns out, this was slightly better than The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love o...more
As it turns out, this was slightly better than The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love o...more
A review I posted on Amazon in 2000: "It's a diamond that cuts into the great spiritual wasteland. Oscar Hijuelos nails the virtues of moral truths and redemption of love, forgiveness, compassion -- those simple selfless qualities that our world considers trite. He does it through an amazing story of a quiet, humble man whose deep faith inspired: Ed Ives. This book is among my top favorites ever. I laughed, cried (blubbered while reading parts to my wife, actually)." In sum, it's one of my all-t...more
After I finished reading Mr. Ives' Christmas, I researched the author on the Internet and found a video of his being interviewed by Charlie Rose. The interview does not mention Mr. Ives' Christmas and was over 16 minutes long. It did give some insight into the author's personality and perhaps gives the reason he chose to have Mr. Ives adopted as a child. I then watched two other interviews with the author on the Internet. Often when I learn more about an author, I like the book better. That was...more
This was a very well written story by Pulitzer Prize Winner Oscar Hijuelos (The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.) The story centers around the father, whose son is murdered on Christmas eve. He is a very religious person but doubts his faith at times. The book is filled with some of the rituals of the Catholic church. Many New York neighborhoods are described in depth. His characters are very well developed. This is the kind of book that would great to be discussed in book clubs.
I really appreciated the telling of this life story. He's a pious man who believes in "right" behavior and still has to deal with personal tragedy. It brings up great questions about the big picture of life and spirituality and somehow feels quite believable. True confession: I am partial to these nostalgic-feeling types of books.
I loved this book. A huge and sweeping in scope, taking in life, death, love and loss, spiritual ecstacy and loss of faith - in fact everything - and all done in the most understated way. There isn't a spare word in it, but it isn't in the least bit sparse. Ending is both incredibly sad, but magnificent and uplifiting at the same time. An amazing piece of work that I recommend wholeheartedly.
Very poignant story about a father (mainly) whose life is dramatically altered by the death of his son. It's very well-written, I really enjoyed his friendships as well as his relationship with his wife and how they shared interests. It's a worthwhile read. This isn't doing it justice.
When you're down, and feeling out, come back to this book again--- and once more. It is a true affirmation of the human spirit, and both Jill, my daughter-in-law, and I have read it over the course of several holiday seasons. It's a poignant, sparkling reminder of giving thanks for what we have.
As the spouse of an NYC man, I enjoyed the descriptions of the various settings. Also appreciated the mood and themes portrayed. The story picked up for a while, then trudged along a bit, doing more telling than showing. And sorry: Just as I do not like to listen to people recount their dreams, I do not like to read about dreams, either. That said, a curious read.
I really wanted to love this book, because Hijuelos was my writing mentor and inspiration (and autographed it to me), but I found the spiritual message lacking in punch, and the overabundance of period detail distracting. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love was far superior.
For me personally I have very little patience for people who wallow in self pity and sorrow. That may be politically incorrect in this day and age but I had a very difficult time giving the main character in this book any sympathy.
A beautiful, sad, overwhelming, melancholy story. Beautiful in it's simplicity but also extremely layered. Take your time when you read it so you can savour it.
i didn't know about OH's dfark side. a sad NY story, orphaned main charac. death of his only son life of family neighbors.
2.5 to 3
Engaged me at beginning but became bored third of the way in and thereon. Just continued to plod, plod, plod along.
Engaged me at beginning but became bored third of the way in and thereon. Just continued to plod, plod, plod along.
2 likes · like · see review
Very sad story. A senseless murder really damages a good family, and it takes decades for them to recover.
Beautifully written, lingering emotions. Wish all books could paint such pictures. Highly recommend!
This simple, yet beautifully written book deals tenderly with ethics. The eponymous hero has lost his dear seventeen year-old son to murder and is left, with his wife, to test the strength of his Christian values as he meets with his son's murderer. The enormous loss strains the Ives' marriage, and Edward struggles both with his terrible sorrow and with the deterioration of his marriage. This story is quietly written, but the book packs an emotional wallop. This book would be a good choice for a...more
A creative plot-line with a lot of potential, but it just never clicked with me.
Had expected more soul searching and depth of grief. Seemed to touch the surface.
Portrait of a life lived in grief. Slow moving, but lovely.
I enjoyed Mr Ives spiritual journey. The author has very good descriptions of New York City life and I found it interesting that although there isn't much going on in the book, I was anxious to turn the page.
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Oscar Hijuelos (born August 24, 1951) is an American novelist. He is the first Hispanic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi Schoo, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and s...more
More about Oscar Hijuelos...
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi Schoo, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and s...more
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“Glorious life ending. There must have been a moment when his son had gasped for air, the last time, as Jesus must. But as Jesus had risen, he wanted his son to rise up, organs and spirit and mind intact, and everything to be as it had been not so long ago.”
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1 person liked it
“Oh yes!...The sweet summons of God to man. That's when He calls you up to His arms. And it's the most beautiful thing, a rebirth, a new life. But, just the same I'm in no rush to find out.”
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1 person liked it
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Feb 04, 2013 06:54pm
Thank you for your...more
May 09, 2013 11:25am