book data
884 ratings, 3.68 average rating, 67 reviews
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published
February 12th 2002
(first published 1995)
by Modern Library
binding
Paperback, 528 pages
isbn
0375759654
(isbn13: 9780375759659)
description
Pronounced obscene when it was first published in 1915, The Rainbow is the epic story of three generations of the Brangwens, a Midlands family. A visi...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1439)
Read in January, 2005
This book tells the story of three generations of Brangwens, following the lineage through the female line. Although the time line isn’t defined, I’d estimate that the book begins around the turn of the 19th century.
There are some writers who show more than tell, and vice versa, and Lawrence is definitely one of the tellers. Much of the narrative is a verbose account of what is taking place within the psychology of the character, much of which is quite likely on a subconscious l...more
There are some writers who show more than tell, and vice versa, and Lawrence is definitely one of the tellers. Much of the narrative is a verbose account of what is taking place within the psychology of the character, much of which is quite likely on a subconscious l...more
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Breaking down unconscious, sex is a religion ritual, passion to the others and self, anti ego-centric, subterranean self, mixing unconscious with the daily life, Excavation of psyche by contrasting men and women’s relationship, widening the circle of life, family chronicle, progress and decay, finding believe in secular society, sex in the head, language of sex in describing earth and sky-farming, dialectical force of industrial revolution on men and women,
1- record of physical passion(...more
1- record of physical passion(...more
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I think about this part a lot, when they are first married: "He would say during the daytime: 'Tonight I shall know the little hollow under her ankle, where the blue vein crosses'... the little miraculous white plain from which ran the little hillocks of the toes and the folded, dimpling hollows between the toes."
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i actually didn't really like this book but i COULD NOT put it down - someone explain that.
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2 comments
Read in May, 2008
The first 2/3 are worth 5 stars, easily. Once Ursula Brangwen becomes a teenager, and DHL begins to use her as a barometer of "repressed modern civilization," it begins to collapse. I also think it must have suffered from trying to edit the one large manuscript into the two novels that became this and WOMEN IN LOVE. Whatever the cause, this book's ending is alien and absurdly forced. As the center of the 3rd generation of Brangwen protagonists in the novel, Ursula is a fascinating ...more
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Read in December, 2008
I recall this one being most excellent and I want to read it again sometime soon. Reading Chatterley recently reminded me again why I dig DH so much. The perfect combination of philosophy, sex, nature, the fall of nature and the English countryside...it all comes together so perfectly. I even read books by Geoff Dyer that are supposed to be about Lawrence...I am so obsessed.
Back to the Rainbow. Ken Russell (of course) made a movie of it but I have yet to see it. Is it good? Anyone k...more
Back to the Rainbow. Ken Russell (of course) made a movie of it but I have yet to see it. Is it good? Anyone k...more
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i love this book -- a seminal favorite! so organic initially in it's portrayal of people and relationships and then there is this evolution of the people as the generations pass, new ideas, new freedom, stronger selves. i just love the thoughts on having children -- d.h. never had children and he's a man, nevertheless his insights into a woman's experience are so word perfect! here are some of my favorites snippets:
first a short one:
"There was life outside the churc...more
first a short one:
"There was life outside the churc...more
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Read in August, 2007
I forget how weird this book is. Really beautiful in places, and groundbreaking (still, I think) in its treatment of how sex and power play themselves out in male-female (and female-female!) liasons. Lawrence writes women in love almost as if he's a gay man, which is interesting to me, since he seems manifestly to have preferred the weaker sex. He's very in touch with what desire for a male body looks like, which I think is part of what's so ground-breaking (and originally offensive) about hi...more
Read in December, 2007
Hail Ursula!
"To be oneself was a supreme, gleaming triumph of infinity."
This is a profound, visionary novel about the stages of human development and Lawrence's philosophy of individualism. By recounting the lives of three generations of one family, he repeatedly renders the internal struggle of the individual as he or she grapples with the "core" self (or, in religious terms, the "soul") and the mere social self. Each succeeding generation...more
"To be oneself was a supreme, gleaming triumph of infinity."
This is a profound, visionary novel about the stages of human development and Lawrence's philosophy of individualism. By recounting the lives of three generations of one family, he repeatedly renders the internal struggle of the individual as he or she grapples with the "core" self (or, in religious terms, the "soul") and the mere social self. Each succeeding generation...more
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Read in October, 2007
It took me forever to finish because there is hardly a plot. It's like everything has already happened in some netherworld by the time Lawrence gets around to explaining it happening in the fictional world, and then by the time the reader's eyes connect the words and bring the fictional world into this world--considerable delay. It is written as if we are catching up on rather stale news.
But besides this, I think Lawrence is brilliant. And I think I might be Ursula Brangwen. Either t...more
But besides this, I think Lawrence is brilliant. And I think I might be Ursula Brangwen. Either t...more
Read in November, 2008
This book, while not as wonderful as Lady Chatterly's Lover, was beautiful and highly enjoyable. It is the story of several generations of the Brangwen family, largely emphasizing the struggles of the husbands and wives to find sexual fulfillment and meaning from their lives. Lawrence does an amazing job of describing the power struggles that exist between men and women, and his characters are charming in all their flaws. My only problem is with his obsession with the word "fecund."...more
Read in July, 2008
Wow! What can I say about D.H. Lawrence? I finished this book on the train from Montreal to New York and I think it left a greater impression upon me than my entire trip. The first chapter is tremendous. The next couple of hundred pages was difficult for me to read--a testiment to the impossibility of ever really connecting with someone you love. Lawrence is an amazing writer, despite the reputation. It was an interesting experience reading this after Women in Love and knowing what was in store ...more
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Read in April, 1979
really has you thinking about relationships between men and women...
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Read in February, 2008
To say what one really likes about Lawrence, one would need to write a book--and I know there are at least two Goodreaders who know exactly what I mean. For now just one quick thought on a recent discussion of Lawrence and endings: I think he's a beginner in the deepest sense of the word; his words, his ideas, his style are saturated with incipience and possibilty and ever-renewed freshness of sensation and expression. If his endings aren't as tight or as rounded as other novelists, that's not n...more
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Read in December, 2008
Sorry, I know this is an important classic, but I just could not finish this book. He just goes on an on about how the characters keep hurting each other in their selfishness and I could not get through it.
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I actually read Women in Love prior to reading this, completely unaware that it was the sequel to The Rainbow. The two books can stand completely alone, but they do add much to each other. Women in Love is perhaps an easier read because the entire book centers around a group of five people, while The Rainbow is more of a familial history that spans several generations. Once into the book, however, the language takes over, and you are lost in the emotions and relationships of each character.
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Some of it is very tedious: the author often goes on for pages detailing the psychology of one character....but Lawrence is truly a master of the English language, and the novel has many passages of strikingly beautiful prose. All in all, an interesting chronicle of a family through a few generations, their loves, hatred, jealousy, desire, etc. I'm looking forward to reading more by D.H. Lawrence. I have good memories of reading this book under a clear blue sky in the sunny Washington spring.
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Read in July, 2008
This is the second book I read by DH Lawrence. I felt challenged to do alot of thinking about relationships between men and women while reading this. It is a book that I feel that I will read many times before being able to absorb it fully. I got the impression that Mr. Lawrence feels that alot of what is wrong in relationships fall more on the woman than the man. That men's mistakes are in reaction to the woman's. Like I said, I may have to read this a few more times before I get it.
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Read in February, 2008
So, I tried to broaden my spectrum and read some DH Lawrence. This is a very tough read, I had to have a dictionary with me the whole time, and he uses terms like "Whither", yeah, kinda hard to get into.
This book took 250 pages to introduce a family on a farm, the daughter gets married and has many kids but isn't happy. I had to give up, it was depressing and long winded. Sorry classics, I'm going back to crime and mystery...a little hisorical fiction never hurt anyone
This book took 250 pages to introduce a family on a farm, the daughter gets married and has many kids but isn't happy. I had to give up, it was depressing and long winded. Sorry classics, I'm going back to crime and mystery...a little hisorical fiction never hurt anyone
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Read in November, 2008
recommended to Billie by:
John Meyer
This is one of the best books I have read. The book follows a few generations of the English family the Brangwens. Author DH Lawrence concentrates primarily on the psychological development of a few main characters. A character will be the focus of a large proportion of the book, but once he or she has children, then one of the children will be the focus of the book, and then his or her psychological development over the years will be focused upon.
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