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121st out of 180 books
—
199 voters
The Book of Life
by
Stuart Nadler (Goodreads Author)
Forced together on a trip from Manhattan to Rhode Island, a father and son attempt to renew their bond over lobster, cigarettes, and a buried secret. A pure-hearted artist finds his devotion cruelly tested, while his true love tries to repent for the biggest mistake of her life. Unwittingly thrust into an open marriage, a man struggles to reconnect with his newly devout so...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
September 1st 2011
by Reagan Arthur / Back Bay Books
(first published March 17th 2010)
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A collection of seven short stories involving characters who are all involved in the midst of conflict involving faith, family, grief, love, temptation, and redemption.
Stuart Nadler's writing is uniquely driving and intensely captivating. I had a difficult time putting the book down and if not for other obligations, I would have finished it in a day. Nadler has a way of describing the situations involving his characters both efficiently and effectively. Throughout the book I found myself empathe...more
Stuart Nadler's writing is uniquely driving and intensely captivating. I had a difficult time putting the book down and if not for other obligations, I would have finished it in a day. Nadler has a way of describing the situations involving his characters both efficiently and effectively. Throughout the book I found myself empathe...more
This is an absolutely fabulous collection of stories. In my view, it's the best kind of writing because there aren't any writerly tricks to keep you conscious of the fact that you're watching a writer at work. Here you get so absorbed by the characters and the situations they're caught up in that you forget you're reading fiction. Almost all of the characters have romantic complications - marriages that don't quite work, and infidelity is a problem that keeps getting examined from a variety of a...more
The Book of Life by Stuart Nadler is a collection of short stories about Jewish people on the East Coast and involving, love, hate, grief and non-grief, infidelity, loneliness, alcoholism and jealousy.
I usually don’t read short stories for the reason that I get so attached to the characters and get angry at the author when there is not more. Sometimes that doesn’t happen and I am happy. Not this time, I would rather have a whole book instead of a short story. The Book of Life, the first short...more
I usually don’t read short stories for the reason that I get so attached to the characters and get angry at the author when there is not more. Sometimes that doesn’t happen and I am happy. Not this time, I would rather have a whole book instead of a short story. The Book of Life, the first short...more
I was a first read giveaway winner, thank you Stuart Nadler and Goodreads! This is not a book I usually would read, but its an eye opener. The stories are so true and you can see these things happening in your life or through someone you know, even if they are not jewish. I think it was a beautiful book. This book has seven short stories that are filled with love, family differences, heartship between lovers. There was one story I loved and could not get out of my head called "Winter on the Sawt...more
There are several magnificent stories in this debut collection. Nadler knows how to tell a story and create original characters. In the title story, two businessmen and longtime friends are lead astray by misguided affairs that threaten both their personal and professional relationships. This story as well as most others is told in either a tight third-person point of view or in the first person. Nadler does a great job of getting into the heads of these characters, many of them either cuckolded...more
Stuart Nadler scrive benissimo, ma soprattutto sa quali sono gli ingredienti per confezionare dei racconti che se non rappresentano la perfezione, poco ci manca. Non si spinge mai più in là del dovuto, sempre consocio di cosa vuole ottenere da un personaggio, dalla sua storia, e come farlo.
Pur essendo un autore che si può facilmente inserire nel cosiddetto filone della letteratura ebraica (v. Bellow, Malamud, Englander), gli stilemi classici di questa tradizione entrano solo di striscio a far pa...more
Pur essendo un autore che si può facilmente inserire nel cosiddetto filone della letteratura ebraica (v. Bellow, Malamud, Englander), gli stilemi classici di questa tradizione entrano solo di striscio a far pa...more
The power and grace in this collection of short stories sneaks up on you, because Nadler's voice is a quiet one, never showing off or shouting. These masterfully crafted and heart-filling short stories are going to stay with me, for many reasons.
The story that gives the book its title, The Book of Life, is about a man whose closest friend is his business partner; their families are like one family. And yet they betray one another - in ways they don't understand themselves.
Another story is abou...more
The story that gives the book its title, The Book of Life, is about a man whose closest friend is his business partner; their families are like one family. And yet they betray one another - in ways they don't understand themselves.
Another story is abou...more
I love short stories and this book is now one of my favorites. The author lets you inside the hearts and minds of the characters and gives you a surprise here and there. My favorite short was the first one which the book was named after, "The Book Of Life". I loved the ending, it totally surprised me.
The other stories were:
Winter on the Sawtooth
The Moon Landing
Catherine and Henry
Our Portion, Our Rock
Visiting
Beyond Any Blessing
The book is a quick read at 235 pages(the other pages are the RGG etc)...more
The other stories were:
Winter on the Sawtooth
The Moon Landing
Catherine and Henry
Our Portion, Our Rock
Visiting
Beyond Any Blessing
The book is a quick read at 235 pages(the other pages are the RGG etc)...more
A writer writes what he knows.
The protagonists in each of these seven short stories are Jewish, many in name only and each story features a a father-son relationship. A few of the stories have the protagonist growing up in Brooklyn and then trying to belong, or to reconcile not belonging, in a more educated, less survivalist world.
The writing is honest and reflective and has a touch of Yiddish pessimism. The message I got: Life is tough. And it probably won't work out. But there's something wort...more
The protagonists in each of these seven short stories are Jewish, many in name only and each story features a a father-son relationship. A few of the stories have the protagonist growing up in Brooklyn and then trying to belong, or to reconcile not belonging, in a more educated, less survivalist world.
The writing is honest and reflective and has a touch of Yiddish pessimism. The message I got: Life is tough. And it probably won't work out. But there's something wort...more
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 belie...more
This is a solid, albeit uneven, debut collection, and Mr. Nadler shows a good deal of talent in it. However, the book doesn't show much in terms of range: the first-person stories sound and read much like the third-person stories, and, thematically-speaking, the stories mostly deal with either infidelity or Judaism or both, which, for an unfaithful Jew like myself, can get somewhat tiring.
This collection of short stories is interesting, although the same story seemed to be told (in different ways) in each story. By the end of the book, they were a little tired. The character were occasionally flat, but when everything clicked--which it did in some places--the stories really captured the ambivalence of the characters. Worthwhile reading, but not a "must read."
nadler sets up tensions in each story and lets his characters duke it out to try and come to terms with them. most all deal with a motherless boy/man dealing with his father, and jewishness, fidelity, friendship, art and power. so accomplished for a first book. nadler will be household name before too long i bet.
Very well written short stories. I was pleasantly surprised, as I did not expect to be so engaged while reading them. A very quick read, but a similar feeling through each story. I felt a little cheated when the story ended without more development of the story line. Guess that is why the call them "Short Stories"
The author Stuart Nadler packs a whole lot into this short collection of short stories. They all center around complicated relationships, but all kinds of relationships are represented. Troubled relationships between spouses, siblings, parents & children, friends, bosses and their employees. They're all excellently covered here.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars actually. Darn you Goodreads for not giving us half star options yet...
I like the rhythm and tone of Stuart Nadler's writing. I like the themes he explores and the people he introduces us to. I like the complex issues he raises. But I don't like the lack of resolution or even of ending to a couple of his stories.
While I understand the need to leave things open-ended sometimes, so the reader can think about or guess what might happen next. But sometimes it's TOO open, li...more
I like the rhythm and tone of Stuart Nadler's writing. I like the themes he explores and the people he introduces us to. I like the complex issues he raises. But I don't like the lack of resolution or even of ending to a couple of his stories.
While I understand the need to leave things open-ended sometimes, so the reader can think about or guess what might happen next. But sometimes it's TOO open, li...more
Well done set of stories examining "relationships" and all the baggage that goes with them. Just not really my type of read. I prefer to read between the lines of what happens to get my emotional meat than to just be served it on a plate.
Initially, I was distracted by the seemingly familiar strands running through each story. Infidelity and a lack of faith are keystones of the collection, but Nadler's characters differ in their emotional responses, which ultimately is of much more interest than just the acts themselves. The stories in The Book of Life are long, and Nadler exhibits great control of scene, again showing a great ability to handle the emotions of the people who populate his stories. Readers might find the repetitive...more
I recieved a free copy of this book through the first reads on Goodreads. The Book of Life was not what I was expecting at all. The book had amazingly developed characters in such a short period of time and stories that grabbed your full attention within minutes. The title for the book was perfect. While I read the book instead of feeling depressed or sad like the character, I just felt as if, ‘well that’s life’. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this book and would recommend it to anyon...more
sette racconti in cui si ripetono gli stessi temi: il tradimento, la separazione declinata in vari modi, il ricordo, la normale sofferenza di essere umani. non c'è il conforto della religione, in queste storie, sebbene l'ebraismo sia quasi sempre presente; non ci sono gesti eclatanti ma la quotidianità dei nostri tempi e il ritorno alle origini per capire come si è arrivati a un certo punto. nadler non è mai melodrammatico, mai superficiale, mai superfluo, mai gratuito: esordio ottimo, in attesa...more
This short story collection mostly concerns Jewish men and their family relationships, but as Fran Lebowitz says, "A book is not supposed to be a mirror, it's supposed to be a door". These are well written and human stories.
This is a collection of short stories and one of the best I have read. Each story was realistic and heart wrenching. It wasn’t one of those collections that makes your head hurt because you’re figuring out what the hell happened. Its simple stories about families, faith, love and conflict. My favourite story was Our Portion, Our Rock, but to be honest all the stories are really good, this is just the one that stuck in my head.
Good stories for the modern and not so modern Jew. Thought provoking and sad throughout; definitely an interesting read.
I reviewed this book at New Pages...
Scroll to second review..
http://www.newpages.com/bookreviews/a...
Scroll to second review..
http://www.newpages.com/bookreviews/a...
I was fortunate to have received a copy of Stuart Nadler's Book Of Life through Goodreads-Thank-you. I must say that it took me awhile to get to read it but I wasn't diappointed when I did. It's a great read and a wonderful collection of stories.Nadler has a gift of getting to the heart of his characters, I didn't always like them but could identify with them because they were real warts and all. I enjoy looking into the rooms that people normally keep locked and reading these stories let me int...more
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 fi...more
Not a big fan of short stories but still really enjoyed some of these despite this
Aug 23, 2011
Lulu
marked it as to-read
I won this book from the first reads giveaways and I am so excited to read it. Thanks.
I felt that the stories varied in quality but I am glad that I read it.
Well-written short stories in the Updike tradition.
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| Giveaways and Con...: THE BOOK OF LIFE by Stuart Nadler 3-Winner Giveaway Ends 10/5 | 1 | 1 | Sep 23, 2011 01:56pm |
Stuart Nadler is a recipient of the 5 Under 35 award from the National Book Foundation. A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he was awarded a Truman Capote Fellowship and a Teaching-Writing Fellowship, he was also the Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow at the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of Wise Men, and the story collection The Book of Life.
More about Stuart Nadler...
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