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115th out of 131 books
—
43 voters
The Summer Guest
Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for his radiant novel in stories, Mary and O’Neil, Justin Cronin has already been hailed as a writer of astonishing gifts. Now Cronin’s new novel, The Summer Guest, fulfills that promise—and more. With a rare combination of emotional insight, narrative power, and lyrical grace, Cronin transforms the simple story of a dying man’s last wish...more
Paperback, 369 pages
Published
May 31st 2005
by Dial Press Trade Paperback
(first published June 29th 2004)
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Feb 22, 2010
Barbara A
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
nearly everyone
I am delighted to read the reviews about this book on Good Reads. I agree with almost everything that's been said: the Maine setting; the deep and abiding affection through the generations---both to a place and to people; the decency of all of the characters. It's pretty close to perfect.
Another good Justin Cronin book. About relationships - this time, father and daughter. His books are such a pleasure to read because he has this way with words that is mesmerizing. Here's an example worth reading:
"I had a dog once - what a dog he was! A retriever with something else mixed in, a breed that liked to work and herd: Australian shepherd, maybe, or collie. I named him Mauritz, though Hal called him Ritzy and it stuck. Ritzy the dog. A steadfast member of the team, as relentless as a m...more
"I had a dog once - what a dog he was! A retriever with something else mixed in, a breed that liked to work and herd: Australian shepherd, maybe, or collie. I named him Mauritz, though Hal called him Ritzy and it stuck. Ritzy the dog. A steadfast member of the team, as relentless as a m...more
I had Justin Cronin as a professor and he was pretty great. He gave these quizzes to make sure you did the reading, but they would be really really easy. You would know the answers right away if you read, but wouldn't have a clue if you didn't. I got a 100 on all of them. Once, however, I was staring into space waiting for the next question. I honestly wasn't looking at anything. I caught Justin's eye, and realized I had been staring right at someone else's paper. He immediately made an announce...more
6 likes · like · see review
This book is set in a fishing camp in nothern Maine so for location alone I was drawn into the book. However, I also enjoyed the storytelling style. Most of the story is told looking back, and by 5 different characters. I found the transition from their reflections back to the present nearly seamless which I found intriguing just from a writing perspective. In addition, there are mini-stories within the larger novel, each of which can be contemplated individually as well as part of an integrated...more
2 likes · like · see review
Yowzah!
Justin Cronin's THE SUMMER GUEST is an absolute stunner, from the first page to the last. This is the kind of book where you read the first chapter, it knocks you sideways, and you think to yourself, 'Haha, alright, you got me, Cronin, good for you, flukishly good first chapter, touche.' And then you keep reading, and the same thing happens with the second chapter, and on and on, all the way through to the end of the book, where you're left with your head spinning, wondering how the heck...more
Justin Cronin's THE SUMMER GUEST is an absolute stunner, from the first page to the last. This is the kind of book where you read the first chapter, it knocks you sideways, and you think to yourself, 'Haha, alright, you got me, Cronin, good for you, flukishly good first chapter, touche.' And then you keep reading, and the same thing happens with the second chapter, and on and on, all the way through to the end of the book, where you're left with your head spinning, wondering how the heck...more
An old man returning to his summer refuge by the lake to die makes for a good premise and creates a situation that is bound to invoke memories, secrets, past conflicts, and hopefully, resolution.
And we get all that in full measure in this beautifully written novel narrated in four voices: those of the dying man Harry, the summer camp owner Joe who was also a convicted draft dodger, his wife Lucy who was once Harry’s lover, and the young camp guide Jordan. The author shows a remarkable understand...more
And we get all that in full measure in this beautifully written novel narrated in four voices: those of the dying man Harry, the summer camp owner Joe who was also a convicted draft dodger, his wife Lucy who was once Harry’s lover, and the young camp guide Jordan. The author shows a remarkable understand...more
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It is so rare to read a book that has not one boring page in it. This is an elegantly written family saga and suspenseful tale which is visually stunning and emotionally riveting. Polished, immersing, unputdownable. I wanted in. I wanted to leap into the novel--literally! and connect with the characters personally. There are times it brought me to my knees.
This is an author who braids craft with art without sacrificing one for the other. Cronin controls his story and characters with a fierce ye...more
This is an author who braids craft with art without sacrificing one for the other. Cronin controls his story and characters with a fierce ye...more
Very fast (not very challenging) and "soft" summer reading. And soft in a bad way dammit! The language was old-timey. I mean, who says phrases akin to "golly gee" anymore - even if you are from Maine. The characters responded to everything very mater-of-factly which was strange. Their outlook seemed very, "That's life. What can you do?" I suppose some people do exist feeling like it's impossible to live their adult lives differently from how they grew up - or maybe the majority of these characte...more
This is a stunning novel written in 2005. I think it is so breathtaking, everyone should be able to share in its beauty. The story takes place at a rustic fishing camp on the northern tip of Maine, and spans the eras just after World War II and continues through three generations of family and friends. The plot revolves around a wealthy entrepreneur who fell in love with the camp as a young man and revisited it for thirty years. The last trip he makes there is different in that he has come for h...more
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Yes, this is an “older” book (2003) but worthy of being reviewed and read today! It should be noted that Justin Cronin recently wrote The Passage which has been well received but of a different style.
Justin Cronin called Summer Guest a love story – a story about fathers and daughters. It is that and more. The book begins on a cold January day in 1947 as WWII veteran Joe Crosby, his wife Amy and his infant son Joe Jr. travel by train to their new home at a secluded Maine fishing camp. Joe has com...more
Justin Cronin called Summer Guest a love story – a story about fathers and daughters. It is that and more. The book begins on a cold January day in 1947 as WWII veteran Joe Crosby, his wife Amy and his infant son Joe Jr. travel by train to their new home at a secluded Maine fishing camp. Joe has com...more
This is a stunning novel written in 2005. I think it is so breathtaking, everyone should be able to share in its beauty. The story takes place at a rustic fishing camp on the northern tip of Maine, and spans the eras just after World War II and continues through three generations of family and friends. The plot revolves around a wealthy entrepreneur who fell in love with the camp as a young man and revisited it for thirty years. The last trip he makes there is different in that he has come for h...more
The Summer Guest was a pleasant surprise for me. My book club picked this one without my vote. I wasn't sure what to expect from the story, since I'd read about one of Justin Cronin's other books and it didn't sound like my cup of tea. However, I must say, The Summer Guest was much better than I thought it would be.
It involves multiple narrators (a different narrator for each chapter, I believe six narrators in total)who provide details to the current story of Harry, an older, wealthy gentleman...more
It involves multiple narrators (a different narrator for each chapter, I believe six narrators in total)who provide details to the current story of Harry, an older, wealthy gentleman...more
After readingThe Passage I wanted to read more of Cronin's work. His writing is emotional without being sappy and so beautifully written I was drawn into the story immediately. This story was simple enough in it's plot; a man has chosen to come back to a much loved fishing camp to die. The story is in the way his story intertwined with that of a group of other people at the camp. Eventhough the story is about how this mans death will change the lives of many, he is not the main character. The ch...more
I read The Summer Guest before I read/listened to Passages. It's a much slimmer book and does not contain the "supernatural." It is an intergenerational book of families/friends/lovers set in a way back fishing camp in rural Maine. One embedded theme is the effects of war upon soldiers and their offspring. Another--for me--is the role so-called infidelity has upon extended families as well as upon spouses. Another, related, is fidelity/infidelity as more than a physical states. A movingly horrib...more
Solid, yet somewhat predictable plot. My biggest complaint was the names of the characters...Joe, Jordan, Hal, and Harry. It may seem trivial, but when I read a novel like this, I usually peg character names to a picture in my head of that character, but only end up seeing the first couple letters of each name as I'm reading through the novel. So when the four main characters have the same first two letters in their names, I end up getting all the characters confused and the plot gets all muddy....more
I became interested in Justin Cronin as an author after reading his recent book The Passage and wanted to readmore, The Summer Guest is absolutely nothing like The Passage but a wonderful book none the less. This author can really tell a story, complete with excellent plot and characters. I especially liked his method of devoting each chapter to one of the characters thereby letting the tory slowly unfold. This is basically a story about love on a lot of levels and is very well written. It comes...more
7/2/2010 I really like this book. Although somewhat slow-paced the writer weaves a magical story that keeps me interested.
7/4/2010 This book is about a fishing camp in Maine inherited by the son and his wife from the father, the owner. Some parts of this book are sad and some parts are happy but Justin Cronin can definitely weave a story that will keep you interested from the first page to the last. I really enjoyed the book and I can't say anything bad about it but it was confusing the way the...more
7/4/2010 This book is about a fishing camp in Maine inherited by the son and his wife from the father, the owner. Some parts of this book are sad and some parts are happy but Justin Cronin can definitely weave a story that will keep you interested from the first page to the last. I really enjoyed the book and I can't say anything bad about it but it was confusing the way the...more
Am loving this book, the characters are so rich.
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This very touching book by Justin Cronin spans the course of several decades. Each of the four main characters ... Harry Wainwright, Joe Crosby, Jordan Patterson and Lucy Crosby (Joe's wife)tells this poignant story in their own words and from their own perspectives. The story begins with Harry, who is dying of lung cancer, returning to a beautiful spot.... a fishing camp in Maine.. where he has spent nearly all of the summers of his life and which has great personal significance.. for him and e...more
I really like stories told from different viewpoints and I especially like this one.
Each character is so well drawn - and allowed to add their piece of the story, both past and present, in turn.
Since I live in Maine, the setting is particularly interesting to me, but I think it would be to most.
The historical references to the Vietnam war, Watergate, Nixon, the moonwalk and other memorable events of the 60's resonated with me
And the counter play of past and present are well done.
Thanks to Sue...more
Each character is so well drawn - and allowed to add their piece of the story, both past and present, in turn.
Since I live in Maine, the setting is particularly interesting to me, but I think it would be to most.
The historical references to the Vietnam war, Watergate, Nixon, the moonwalk and other memorable events of the 60's resonated with me
And the counter play of past and present are well done.
Thanks to Sue...more
This is a lovely book about daughters and fathers. The books jumps from each characters perspective and life story. It kept my interest, but it was a bit predictable for me. I found it refreshing to have father characters take pride in their roles and do what was best for their children even though it made their life path a little more difficult. It dragged at times, but overall I enjoyed it. I have a hard time with unnecessary f-bomb language and there was some of that is this book, but it was...more
Feb 21, 2011
Cindy
added it
I loved that each chapter was about a different character in the story. It enabled the reader to get to know each one as a person. The whole tone of the book was calming and I could really visualize the camp and the surroundings as well as understand what each character was feeling and experiencing. The fish camp was the nucleus of each character's life and impacted them in some way. I also enjoyed that the story and history of the person was told bit by bit, revealing the person throughout the...more
In Amadeus, the emperor says of a work by Mozart, "too many notes." I felt this way about Cronin's "The Passage" but he is such an exquisite writer that I decided to try an earlier novel. I wasn't wrong. The Summer Guest is a nostalgic look back at a lazier era and the profound effect a summer guest has on a fishing camp in Maine and, conversely, the effect that camp and its owners has on him. This is not the sort of novel I like. Books like "The Deep End of the Ocean" and "A Map of the World" b...more
This is an interesting book with interesting characters on many levels; however, the ending is disappointing.
The premise of the book is based on the character, Harry, but he turns out, surprisingly, to have only a "bit role" in the book. Two more interesting characters are the father and son (i.e. Joe). The father is a WWII "hero" and his son is a Vietnam draft evader. The story is not what you think, which makes for an interesting perspective.
It seems to me that the author did not quite know h...more
The premise of the book is based on the character, Harry, but he turns out, surprisingly, to have only a "bit role" in the book. Two more interesting characters are the father and son (i.e. Joe). The father is a WWII "hero" and his son is a Vietnam draft evader. The story is not what you think, which makes for an interesting perspective.
It seems to me that the author did not quite know h...more
Apr 19, 2010
Coralie
added it
One summer, at a family owned fishing camp in Maine, a longtime patron comes back to have one last time out on the water before he dies. Actually, he has a lot more of an agenda than just one last fishing experience. His life has been entwined with the family that owns the camp for more than twenty years. The story of this camp and the people who lived and worked there was enjoyable, but the reader figures out what everyone's secrets are way too early. You just want the author to get on with it...more
An absolutely fabulous book about love, life and how our experiences shape our lives. It's amazing how these characters intertwine and connect through their collective connection to a small fishing vacation spot in Maine. I loved this book! And, the beauty is the connection made with the characters still linger 2 months after reading it. A definitely must for anyone who enjoys reading about the human spirit and if you want to be taken on a journey through the everyday lives of others.
Didn't believe in the characters, which made me really not care about them at all. Which is a shame, because there was a lot of sad stuff going on here and it would have made me feel less like a heartless bitch if I could respond with some kind of emotion. But all the characters told their individual stories (stories that I couldn't force myself to be interested in) in the first person, but all with the same voice (with the same weird and pretentious similes), which was both unrealistic and a li...more
Enjoyable read with multiple narrators that flashes back to the past and then back to the present and finally an epilogue of sorts. While I would say this is a "chick lit" book, it seemed to be better written than most. I enjoyed learning about flyfishing and a little bit more about World War II and Vietnam, but there wasn't enough of these topics to drown out the themes of the book.
The main twist you could see coming from a mile away.
I typically get the female characters confused, but in this...more
The main twist you could see coming from a mile away.
I typically get the female characters confused, but in this...more
This book was recommended by one of Ted's friends, who had gone to camp in Maine, and his brother taught at Rice with Cronin. It's not often that I find guys who rhapsodize over fiction. I did love the writing and have to agree. The characters are well developed, and their side histories are interesting as well. While you could see the story resolution coming, still I wanted to keep turning the pages without cheating and reading the end of the book like I usually do.
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Justin Cronin is an American novelist. Awards he's won for his fiction include the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Stephen Crane Prize, and the Whiting Writer's Award.
Born and raised in New England, Cronin is a graduate of Harvard University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He currently lives with his wife and children in Houston, Texas where he is Professor of English at Rice University.
From Wikipedia
More about Justin Cronin...
Born and raised in New England, Cronin is a graduate of Harvard University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He currently lives with his wife and children in Houston, Texas where he is Professor of English at Rice University.
From Wikipedia
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“Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Doing the unpopular thing because it's what you believe, and the heck with everybody.”
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Dec 28, 2010 06:56pm