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Ancient Highway
by
Bret Lott
From the bestselling author of Jewel and The Difference Between Women and Men comes a haunting novel of home, family, and the pursuit of lost dreams. Ancient Highway brilliantly weaves together the hopes and regrets of three characters from three generations as they reconcile who they are and who they might have been.
In 1925, a fourteen-year-old boy leaves his family’s far...more
In 1925, a fourteen-year-old boy leaves his family’s far...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
July 8th 2008
by Random House
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I am still pondering this book. I didn't really like any of the characters, and I actively disliked several of them! Also, it was about three generations, so while I learned about their lives in different 'seasons', I still feel like there were gaps in my understanding of what brought them to the final resolution. How did they all get so messed-up? It was really depressing to see how much hurt and confusion resulted from selfish behavior.
I read this right after seeing the movie...more
I read this right after seeing the movie...more
I liked this book for the strong voices of each character and for the realistic details of life for would-be actors in 1930s Hollywood versus their lives in present-day Pacoima. The writing was evocative and elegant and in places downright lyrical ("...I also know hope, though it is a kind of scuffed up and scarred hope, a kind of hope that's had an eye gouged out and lost an arm and has only the clothes on its back an no hope for anything other than the hope of itself, because no one out t...more
If you flip to the back cover of Bret Lott’s, latest novel you might notice that though the College of Charleston professor and bestselling author has been praised by a variety of book reviewers, the jacket of Ancient Highway boasts no notation from the New York Times. Upon release on July 8, Times book reviewer, Lisa Fugard, wrote, “Brett Lott’s seventh novel, “Ancient Highway,” explores the failed dreams and rifts of the Holmes family… these winning characters often mired in less than winning ...more
Another wonderful Brett Lott novel. His character and place descriptions are fantastic. He has described the costs of unfettered desire. Costs that ripple through the lives and psyches of generations and at times seem overwhelming. And yet, in the struggle hope is not completely crushed. Also, in the process of his tale Lott gives us a wonderful look at 1930's Hollywood and a sobering description of Saigon in 1974.
I have this method of finding books, walking by the new book section of the library and picking up whatever jumps out at me. After a number of duds I have thought about giving up this method, but then I find a book like this and decide my method isn't so bad.
Ancient Highway goes back and forth between three generations of individuals focusing in on a short period of their lives. Earl the grandfather we get to know as a teen and young adult, his daughter Joan we follow when she is ...more
Ancient Highway goes back and forth between three generations of individuals focusing in on a short period of their lives. Earl the grandfather we get to know as a teen and young adult, his daughter Joan we follow when she is ...more
I am almost two thirds of the way finished with this book and I am struggling to finish it. It provides the story line by skipping back and forth from character and from various points in time. It's very wordy with lots of discriptions that provide nothing to the story so it moves along very slowly.
A good book but the characters were sometimes smothered by the words. Each of the characters seemed round, but spare, and I think their story might have been told better with fewer words.
I liked the characters and the story, but the writing bogged down everything. There were too many sentences along the lines of "She felt like such-and-such, not like she felt when this happened or that happened, but like..." I don't need to be told what things were NOT like, especially not repeatedly.
Unique style of writing. Wasn't sure of the book when started reading it, but it was worth finishing. A quiet story; no big "AHA!" moments. Enjoyed it!
I didn't enjoy this book. I couldn't get past 100 or so pages. The book tells the story of three generations of one family, what their hopes and dreams are and how they get screwed up. The story bounces back and forth between the characters, each in a different period of time. I found that a little confusing, but I could have gotten used to it if it were not for the slow paced and depressing writing. At one point, it took the author two full pages to make a point that wasn't that important anywa...more
The premise, the three wandering lives in three generations, is interesting, and the voices of the characters are consistent. It falls short of delivering all the details to which it alludes...you feel a little disappointed at the end.
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This is an amazing book. I love Lott's writing style, and the story is poignant.
it was just ok which surprised me because i thought jewel was a great book, this one is not long but seemed long. just took him a little too long to say everything
bookczuk
rated it
One of those books given to me by a friend, that I just wasn't able to engage with at all, I finally just gave up reading it, and felt guilty until I found out that the friend, and everyone else she'd given the book to, couldn't relate to it either.
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I found this book on the "librian's choice" at my library. Now that I'm home, have already read about 50 pages, and am reading the goodreads reviews I'm not sure I want to keep reading it. So far, it's unnecessarily wordy. I keep getting slowed down by some awkward lengthy sentences.
Bret really digs deep into family's and family dynamics (particularly the struggles), gracefully steering clear of stereotypes, perfecting the real life language, and presenting his characters and their situations with intention and focus. His style defines good writing.
Although it took me a few chapters to get interested in this book, it turned out to be very good. I liked how the story intertwined between the main character, his daughter, and his grandson.
I just could not get into this book at all. I loved Jewel. However, this book just seemed so disjointed to me. It was hard to make any conection with the characters.
Wonderful portrayal of our longing for family. Lott's characters are very real, dysfunctional people, but unlike most Oprah picks, there's an element of hope in Lott's writing.
I am really striking out this summer. I read over 100 pages of this and no plot was at all evident. The characters were boring and repetitive.
Susannah
added it
seeing as brett lott ripped my heart out with "jewel", i can only imagine what this book will be like. i can't wait to find out.
This book was not a good as other Bret Lott books.
Katie
marked it as to-read
Kathy
marked it as to-read
Heidi
marked it as to-read
Paula Todd
added it
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