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The Pleasure Was Mine
by
Tommy Hays
Prate Marshbanks proposed to his future wife on a muggy July night at Pete's Drive-in back in '52. "She said yes to me between bites of a slaw burger all-the-way." A college graduate and daughter of a prominent lawyer, Irene was an unlikely match for Prate, a high school dropout. He lived his married life aware of the question on people's minds: How in the world did a tall...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
February 21st 2006
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2005)
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“The Pleasure was Mine” tells the story of retired house painter Prate Marshbanks whose wife of fifty years, Irene, is slowly succumbing to the effects of Alzheimer’s. He has made the difficult decision to place Irene in an assisted living facility, and he’s dealing with the constant worry of whether she’s being properly looked after and guilt over leaving her in a home.
His son Newell, a well-respected artist, calls Prate with the news that he’s been invited to be artist-in-residence at Penland,...more
His son Newell, a well-respected artist, calls Prate with the news that he’s been invited to be artist-in-residence at Penland,...more
"The Pleasure Was Mine" is a beautiful story of Prate Marshbanks, a man dealing with his role as a caretaker. Prate's wife of many years is suffering with Alzheimer’s to the point where he has had to put her in a home. But the story isn't just about the disease. It is also about Prate's relationship with his son, Newell, and his grandson, Jackson. It is about Billie, the woman who lives next door and who was a friend of his wife. Billie must have heard many great stories about Prate, because she...more
The Pleasure Was Mine is a quiet book. The foothills of North Carolina are not fast-paced, and the people are hard-working, tax-paying folk. While you're reading The Pleasure Was Mine, you realize that it's easy to read Hays's crisp, clear descriptions, his incredibly audible dialogue. It's easy to laugh and cry with his characters. There's no pretension here, this isn't a book about showing off a particularly quirky writing style, not about making a statement, not about introducing a new trick...more
This is the best thing I've read in forever--and it never made the best sellers. It is a beautiful story about Prate Marshbanks, an aging housepainter with jug ears, who deals with his wife's Alzheimer's on a daily basis. In fact, he says, "Every day with Alzheimer's is like a first date." In his eyes he never measured up to his tall, beautiful English teacher wife. Then in one summer while dealing with her, he has to care for a nine-year-old vegetarian grandson who talks little after the death...more
This book was our One City, One Book selection this year. This was an engaging read. The story deals with a family coping with the early stages of Alzheimer's. At first I thought I would have to abandon it because I don't like bad news and sadness. But, the story is more about family and discovering love than about disease. One important tidbit was that the mother (the Alzheimer's patient) had always been so warm and nurturing that she had unintentionally blocked the evolution of relationships a...more
This was the 2008 GSO One City One Book pick but somehow I missed it. So I am reading it now..
OK I finished it. The first 3/4ths were really pretty predictable and I did keep putting it down, but it was an easy enough read I figured I'd finish it. The last bit of the book left me holding back sobs from worry and joy. I can see why it would be selected as a book group type read. It is a enlightening look at Alzheimer's and families who are loving their way through it. I'd recommend it to someone...more
OK I finished it. The first 3/4ths were really pretty predictable and I did keep putting it down, but it was an easy enough read I figured I'd finish it. The last bit of the book left me holding back sobs from worry and joy. I can see why it would be selected as a book group type read. It is a enlightening look at Alzheimer's and families who are loving their way through it. I'd recommend it to someone...more
I started this book today and am reading it for the Alamance Reads program. Every 2 years our county libraries host a book that the entire county is encouraged to read. Kick off lecture and ceremonies start on January 18th. We enjoyed the last book the county picked and enjoy participating in the events and activities hosted by all the different county libraries.
Absolutely fabulous Book! The story is so sad and sweet. It makes me want to take more time with the people and things that are most im...more
Absolutely fabulous Book! The story is so sad and sweet. It makes me want to take more time with the people and things that are most im...more
A simple, lovely story about a man whose wife suffers from alzheimers, and about family reconciliation and appreciation. A very enjoyable read. I would give it a 3.5 but the stars don't allow me to do it. I think the low rating might have to do with the predictability of the story. I enjoyed the references to the mountains in South Carolina and North Carolina...it's always fun to recognize the names of towns and highways and other descriptions.
Prate Marshall retires to care for his ailing wife (Alzheimers) both at home and eventually in a nursing home. "to complicate things, Prate's son, Newell, a recently widowed single father asks Prate to keep 9 year old Jackson for the summer.Though Prate is irritated at first by the presence of his mody grandson, over the summer his feeling toward Jackso change as his grandson helps him Irene. .....Prate... has little choice but to get to know his family
Excellent, touching book by a North Carolina author. Prate Marshbanks, a housepainter, must deal with his beloved wife's struggle with Alzheimer's. After being forced to place her in a nursing home, Prate must build a new relationship with his distant son and grandson now that his wife is not there to run interference for them. They eventually develop a new closeness that helps them heal and move on together in their "new normal."
A very touching book, I saw this very thing firsthand with my grandma and grandpa so it felt close to home. So easy to read, I made it through the first 180 pages in a couple hours one night after dinner, and finished it the next morning. I left it on a waiting room table at an appointment this morning, so I hope the next person who picks it up enjoys it just as much as I did.
Anyone who is in love and planning to stay that way needs to read this book to prepare one's heart for the aches and heartbreaks and subtleties of old age. There's a trout-fishing theme here as well. The whole story reads like a fresh mountain stream that burbles, rushes, and falls into deep pools in all the right places. This is a wise and tender-hearted book.
A wonderful book dealing with the subject of Alzheimers and how it affects family and friends. I was afraid this book was going to be dark and depressing but it isn't. It deals with this horrible disease in a warm and loving way without sugarcoating the problems that come up in dealing with a loved one who has it. This book is the community wide read for Alamance county for 2011.
What a wonderful story about life and love without any of the cloying sentimentality we have come to expect from stories of people taking care of loved ones with failing health. This is a story of Prate coping with life and the unexpected wrinkles thrown at him. I couldn't put this book down. This is the book I have been wanting to read for a long time.
I met Mr Hays at a writers workshop. I was tremendously impressed with his way of teaching in using childhood events and memories to build on for writing. His book is poignant without being syurpy. With the rise of the incidents of Alzheimer's today, it is also timely. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
This is Greensboro's book for our city wide read this year. I am just becoming interested in the genre of southern literature so I gave this book a try. Simple story, plot predictable in parts, enjoyable but not outstanding. Loved the elderly, male main character.
This novel is partly set in part of the NC I consider home. It pulled at my heart, and it made me think about love and growing older. Any sappiness is offset by the main character's grumpy, yet humorous, nature.
I didn't expect much of this but am very impressed with how he captures the dilema of aging and losing mental capacity. He keeps humor and hopefulness without losing honesty. Worth reading.
Thanks goodness for friends who read good books and then pass them on! This book reminds us all to be ever mindful to appreciate and value what we have -- it can disappear quickly.
An exceptional novel. I loved that the story was told in the voice of Prate. He was real and funny. Certainly, this was not a "happy" story, but it was a hopeful story.
Wonderful story of cantankerous older man and his growing appreciation of his life through his wife's illness.
Maybe the relationship some of us wish we had or will have.
Maybe the relationship some of us wish we had or will have.
A very sweet book about an older couple and their love for each other through the years. Fast reading. Written from the man's point of view.
I chose to read because of Alzheimer's topic and NC author. Sweet story but a little to clean and simplistic. In same style as The Notebook.
This is worth reading.....about an old man who bonds with his grandson. It's a sweet story and a quick read!
Story of a woman with Alzheimers. Beautiful love story. Enjoyed it as our county reading program.
a sweet, thought provoking book that was fun to cast.
excellent! about love and alzheimers
A wonderful novel. Thank you, Tommy.
give people/life a chance
nice quiet book. well done !
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Feb 11, 2013 04:46am