So Long, See You Tomorrow (Panther)
by William Maxwell
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Read in September, 2007
I don't know how I'd never read this before. It's particularly silly, because I've read possibly three entire books about William Maxwell, and certainly plenty of his New Yorker stuff, just in the way one reads randomly bits of things over the years, and they accrue, and one day, you realize, Hello, I haven't read any books by this writer that EVERYONE ADORES. Maxwell was an incredible person by all accounts - I read MY MENTOR, the Alec Wilkinson book about him, as well as a straight bio, and an...more
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Read in March, 2008
William Maxwell, who died in 2000, is becoming more and more revered as one of the great authors of the 20th century, although he wrote only six novels, a few volumes of short stories, and a memoir. Since I had not read any of his work, I of course chose perhaps the most famous of his novels, which is also the most recent. I was not disappointed. This short work--only 149 pages--has as many layers as an onion. The story is told by an old man who is remembering a childhood friendship disrupted by...more
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It reminded me of Chronicle of a Death Foretold in the way the narrative seeks to unpack a murder, though this one focuses on the aftermath just as much as the events leading up to it. Maxwell packs a lot into this novella. The porousness of memory, the way we deal with loss, the way we make bad decisions that can haunt us for the rest of our lives.
Maxwell is an odd writer and his style changes throughout as the narrator recalls the past or manufactures fictions and speculations in his att...more
Maxwell is an odd writer and his style changes throughout as the narrator recalls the past or manufactures fictions and speculations in his att...more
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this is a beautiful, spare short novel about memory, grief, violence, and wanting what you can't have set in 1920s rural illinois. when he wasn't busy writing awesome things, maxwell was the fiction editor at the new yorker for 30+ years too, and, according to the people that wrote about him in the other maxwell book i put up here--a william maxwell portrait--he was a singularly cool, open-hearted guy. both books are great.
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Read in February, 2008
I thought there whoud be more to this story because of what the book jacket promised. This is a story about two Illinios farm families set in the 1920's. T he fathers where good friends until deceit, violence and tragedy end the friendship and ruin lives. The end of the novel shows an interesting view point from the family dog...where you see the hurt and destruction through the pet's eyes and really feel the pain.
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Read in March, 2008
This is an incredible book that focuses on memory and imagination. In an effort to undo what has been done, to change perception though not fact, the author and narrator of the book blends fiction and creative nonfiction to reexamine and imagine what must have happened to make his friend's father kill their neighbor and closest friend. It is short, accessible, and worth a read.
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Read in February, 2008
Interesting in that country gossip kind of way...the book jacket promised more than it turned out to be. But oddly, the most poignant view point was that of the family dog...through an innocent role like the pet or an outsider you can really see point blank whats going on with a family or in a situation. The writer made the characters relatable and simple which was good.
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Read in October, 2007
This is a beautifully written book that challenges the notions of memoir. The structure is like nothing I've ever read before; though it's unorthodox, it comes together brilliantly.
The book explores what happened between two families leading up to the murder of one father by another. Through the imagined details, the two families come alive.
The book explores what happened between two families leading up to the murder of one father by another. Through the imagined details, the two families come alive.
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I love this book - it is slim and so good - although I think the process of finding my favorite books on this website is making me realize what a sucker I am for reflective stories about which a book reviewer might use the words "grave," "lucid," and/or "lyrical." Well, I don't care! This books is great!
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If you're one of those people who's really affected by sad stuff happening to dogs read this and cry like a little girl who's been inappropriately touched.
Otherwise, fairly compelling and extremely well-written, but structurally ultimately trips over itself.
Otherwise, fairly compelling and extremely well-written, but structurally ultimately trips over itself.
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What a graceful beginning. Perfect prose, so simple and compact. The POV is retrospective past, first person, and Maxwell floats in and out of the time periods effortlessly. Truly an instructive book, and of course, entirely pleasurable to read.
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Read in August, 2006
Oren found this book for me. I started reading it and didn't stop until I finished. The story takes place in Illinois in the 1920's and is about murder and friendship and remembering and forgetting. I highly recommend it.
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Read in March, 2000
recommends it for:
everyone, especially writers
maybe one of my favorite books ever. there's not a line in here that doesn't deserve to be. all of maxwell's years at the new yorker served him (and us) well. a must for any writer.
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Maybe my favorite book of all time. The moment of guilt that inspires this novel is described with such tenderness, I'm amazed every time I read it. Beautiful writing.
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The best (and possibly only) novel I've ever read in under two hours.
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Reading for upcoming Friends of Library book group on March 19. Hope to actually finish it since the book's only about 130 pages and I have about 2 months to read it!
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Read in May, 2007
Beautifully clear prose - evocative with drowning in adjectives. The story was simple but I think it will stay with me for a long time.
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
aging russian diplomats and surly sea captains
this book is wicked awesome. you want good, solid fiction, read some maxwell.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Jesse
The power of choosing words carefully and expressing oneself (as an author) succinctly.
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A small, lovely novel. So good! Guess I'm into old-timey farm stories.
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