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208th out of 210 books
—
16 voters
The Piano Man's Daughter
Narrated by Charlie Kilworth, whose birth is an echo of his mother's own illegitimate beginnings, T"he Piano Man's Daughter" is the lyrical, multilayered tale of Charlie's mother, Lily, his grandmother Ede, and their family. Lily is a woman pursued by her own demons, "making off with the matches just when the fires caught hold," "a beautiful, mad genius, first introduced t...more
Paperback, 512 pages
Published
January 8th 2002
by Harper Perennial
(first published 1995)
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Timothy Findley is one of those authors who has always simmered away on the backburner for me. He seems overshadowed by his other contemporaries, i.e. the Canadian pantheon: Atwood, Munroe, Richler, Davies, Laurence. Because he was much else - an actor, a critic, I think also a broadcaster? - his writing competes with his other selves. He deserves wider readership, which seems to be something I say every time I review one of his books. Partly, that's a "note to self" - Jen, fer god's sake, why h...more
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Oct 26, 2007
Lorraine
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Canadians
Shelves:
canadian
What I found most intriguing about this book is it's narration. As a whole, it is narrated by the grandson of the "Piano Man" but he tells the story based on what he learned from his (grandson's) grandmother and mother (the title character) and his own observations. So the story really spans three generations.
I can't articulate what it was about this book that made me enjoy it. I chalk it up to a well-written and unique story with interesting characters. It's not difficult reading by any means,...more
I can't articulate what it was about this book that made me enjoy it. I chalk it up to a well-written and unique story with interesting characters. It's not difficult reading by any means,...more
Another brilliant Findley Book. I realize that I might have a bit of an obsession with his novels. What I found most intriguing about this book was his use of Toronto landmarks. As I live in Toronto this book felt very real to me in a way that might not have happened otherwise. As Findley always does, in this book he wonderfully portrays the underdog and the struggle to belong in a society that is far from the perfect we often like to perceive it to be. The part of this book that really stood ou...more
This novel was a little slow starting but once it got going it was fascinating. I found it a bit muddled at first, what with the switching back and forth from one time period to another and from one character's life to another. Written with a detachment that it took awhile to get used to, it was a strong story once I got adapted to the style and got everybody sorted out. Somewhere in Section Two, I was hooked.
I must confess that I have started making lists of characters as I read so that I won't...more
I must confess that I have started making lists of characters as I read so that I won't...more
For those who like historical fiction about families with a skeleton in the closet this book will not disappoint. The three generation drama is set in Ontario, Canada and begins during the early part of the 20th century. How various characters react to the inherited madness of the person referred to in the title makes it is hard to put the book down. The beautiful writing creates time and space for the illumination of the reader's own understanding of family values.
I found this book a lot more... readable than I thought I would. Not because Findley's confusing, or anything, but because I often find his books excellent but too dark to read all in one sitting. This one was considerably lighter.
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This was an interesting read. It felt a bit convoluted at first but after the first few chapters it cleared for me. It was an interesting look into the mind and family of a mentally ill woman who also suffered from epilepsy. It made me want to read more from the person suffering seizures. Can they really feel them coming on? Do they have a certain amount of awareness during - even an unreal awareness?
The setting was interesting the telling was unique and the story was moderately captivating.
I l...more
The setting was interesting the telling was unique and the story was moderately captivating.
I l...more
couldn't put it down. will read again and i don't ever read anything twice.
Jan 19, 2009
bookczuk
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to bookczuk by:
Nancy Oakes
Shelves:
bookcrossing,
read-on-recommendation
My feelings are mixed on this book. It took me a little while to get into it, but that was not the author's fault. The writing is beautiful, the characters compelling. But for some reason, the initial time I picked it up to read was not the right time for me. I put it down, determined to get back to it shortly. It took me several months to pick up again, but once I did, there was no stopping me.
There are a multitude of stories in this book. But ultimately it is about family and about love. Not...more
There are a multitude of stories in this book. But ultimately it is about family and about love. Not...more
The fact that I took so long to read this book has absolutely nothing to do with how well written it is (or isn't) nor does it say anything about the story itself. Instead, it says a lot about my real life and how I tend to get sidetracked a great deal.
The characters in this book are sad searchers, but what they are searching for never comes off as trite or monotonous. At first, I thought Charlie's desire to know his father was cliche and that I'd soon find myself bored to tears, but I must say...more
The characters in this book are sad searchers, but what they are searching for never comes off as trite or monotonous. At first, I thought Charlie's desire to know his father was cliche and that I'd soon find myself bored to tears, but I must say...more
This is the 3rd Findley book I've read and each one is entirely different from the other. This book is so well written as it deals with mental illness within a family. Some individuals are inclined to want to hide the fact that a family member suffers from the odd and embarrasing behaviour and others seek to support and love these people. The narrator is the son of the woman who was having seisures and irratic behaviour. He spent many years searching for clues to the identiy of his father, becau...more
A beautiful, heartbreaking book. I love Lily, she has such courage in the face of adversity - the misunderstanding of her mental condition, the people who fear her, who shun her and who take advantage of her. Her son, the narrator, is honest and paints a beautiful picture of a woman he himself barely understood. I am re-reading it right now and remember all the reasons I loved it in the first place. Timothy Findley needless to say is a wonderful story-teller, I love the various voices and writin...more
I started reading this a couple of weeks ago, but partway through got to a section that I found a little too disturbing for my taste ... seeming to foreshadow something rather "Flowers in the Attic"-ish ... so I set it aside. I'm relieved to report that while there were misdeeds done, they were nothing of this magnitude and I was able to finish the book without shutting my eyes or skipping ahead.
The Piano Man's Daughter is the fifth or sixth Findley book I've read, and probably the third to inv...more
The Piano Man's Daughter is the fifth or sixth Findley book I've read, and probably the third to inv...more
There are a multitude of stories in this book, but the main story is that told by Charlie, the son of Lily, who is the Piano-Man's Daughter. He starts the story upon Lily's death in a mental asylum, and from page one the story carried me away so that I got absolutely nothing done all day but reading this novel.
Lily was conceived & born in the same field, in the late 1880s, raised on a farm in Canada and touched the lives of all of those around her. But Lily had an illness, seizures, not jus...more
Lily was conceived & born in the same field, in the late 1880s, raised on a farm in Canada and touched the lives of all of those around her. But Lily had an illness, seizures, not jus...more
Better than expected, Timothy Findley's story of several generations of women in Canada during the late 19th & early 20th centuries. Written with strong women characters throughout, a perspective I always appreciated, the twists and turns of these stories without a story are heartfelt and heart breaking at times. Findley is a new author for me, I look forward to reading more by him.
Mr. Findley wrote a disturbingly honest story of how Edwardian family dynamics were altered by the presence of epilepsy and schizophrenia...Lily's demons arrived at her birth, and ultimately died with her...leaving the reader to wonder whether any managed to escape and find new life in Lily's granddaughter, Emma...
Definitely a good read!
Definitely a good read!
Jun 09, 2010
Jessica
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
borrowed-from-friend-or-family,
read-in-school
I read this in highschool as part of an independent study which included other books by Margaret Laurence and Carol Shields. At the time I did not enjoy reading any of the books very much - but feel that I should go back to this one because the story appeals more to me now. I think that I might grow to love it.
Fascinating read. Story told from adult son's point of view regarding his mentally ill mother. The narrator weaves in and out of the past with ease, vividly describing his relationship, her emotional challenges, and her struggle to find comfort in her life. Beautiful portrayals of the main characters.
This is a book that specializes in dreamy: the story, the settings, the characters -- they all seem to dance through this book, which flows as easily as a rural stream on a spring day. In some ways, it's an odd and unexpected read...but like a warm drink, it goes down extremely well.
This is really a 4.9 but ah well. Really well done. brilliant writing. It was lyrical, descriptive, comprehensive and detailed but never boring. Definately not a book for kids under a certain age but a book that should be read at some point in life. Although if you want to read a happy book, this may not be it.
While I love Timothy Findlay I had some trouble getting into this one. I think I had too many books on my plate and didn't give it my full attention. Findlay always did a superb job depicting instances of insanity as it appears in family stories.
Nov 04, 2012
Sheena
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites-of-2012,
read-in-2012
I love family sagas, and it's usually because they are so character driven that I grow to completely love and empathize with them. This story was no exception. The main character is Lily Kilworth, a woman suffering from epilepsy and mental illness. Her son Charlie tells her life story after her death, as gleaned from diary entries, conversations with Lily and those close to her. Lily is a brilliant character, heart-breaking yet strong, caring for animals and people considered to be on the fringe...more
Oct 05, 2009
Laine
added it
This is a great read! I learned about the word of epilepsy and how those who fear such things can treat those who suffer from the condition. The book is extremely well written and I would recommend it to all.
The book is about family secrets and finding our own place in the world in spite of them -- finding our own place in the world having learned from them.Its a wonderful book. One of my favorites by Findley.
While this is a very well-written, well-conceived book, it didn't move me the way I hoped Findley would manage to. It was interesting, but I didn't care much about the characters, which are the absolute core concern of this, and caring about them is the key for turning this book from servicable to amazing.
What a heartbreakingly lovely novel. The characters were well-drawn, the plot moved forward gracefully - I enjoyed this very much. Will definitely look for more by this author. Recommended.
What a beautiful and lyrical book. I'm sorry that Timothy Findley is no longer around. He was definitely one of Canada's best writers and an inspiration to me as a writer.
I think this is maybe 3.5 stars instead of 3. It was good, and an interesting story, though the ending fell a little flat for me. Just . . . I don't know, pretty much what I was expecting, no surprises. I might have something more meaningful to add after we discuss this at book club, might not.
This gem has been hiding on my shelf since 1997. How, and why, certain books call to you at certain times is beyond me! I am just glad I finally got around to reading this one... Top-notch!
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Timothy Irving Frederick Findley was a Canadian novelist and playwright. He was also informally known by the nickname Tiff or Tiffy, an acronym of his initials.
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“As for the myths, take anyone's life and deny that most of it is deliberate self-delusion - an aggrandizement - a mixture of lies and truth, of what was wanted and what was had, producing the necessary justification for having been granted life in the first place. I was struck like a match, Lily wrote. I had no option but to burn.
You can put a period after that. Lily did. It was the story of her life.”
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5 people liked it
You can put a period after that. Lily did. It was the story of her life.”
“I tell you Charlie, I was there waiting in that field. waiting for Ede and Tom to find me. You don't think two people come together for nothing, do you? They were together because I was waiting to be found..."
Then she looked straight into my face and said to me: "You know it, too, Charlie. All that time you waited for me to find you. What if I hadn't? What if I'd said: I won't?"
She turned, and clinging to my arm, she surveyed the fields of snow the stretched away to the confining wall.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Then she looked straight into my face and said to me: "You know it, too, Charlie. All that time you waited for me to find you. What if I hadn't? What if I'd said: I won't?"
She turned, and clinging to my arm, she surveyed the fields of snow the stretched away to the confining wall.”
