Sign in with FacebookJoan Winnek's Reviews > Let the Great World Spin
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann (Goodreads Author)
by Colum McCann (Goodreads Author)
Joan Winnek's review
Mar 18, 11
Recommended to Joan by:
Debra Ratner
Read from January 12 to March 16, 2011 — I own a copy, read count: 1
This is the book for Debra Ratner's novel course, where we read a novel each term slowly, with much discussion. I had tried to read this book on my own, but it was a library book and so demanded speed, and I just couldn't get into it. In the class (second session today) I'm enjoying it. Writing is amazing; suspense building.
The second chapter, "Miro, Miro, on the Wall," is narrated from the point of view of a woman, Claire Soderberg, and alternates between her account of external events and her stream-of-consciousness. Colum McCann succeeds where Jonathan Franzen fails in Freedom, empathically portraying a woman's consciousness. The third chapter, "A Fear of Love," entails another shift in point of view, to Lara, a new character, who is involved in the automobile accident described in the first chapter. The narrator of the first chapter reappears in this chapter, along with some other characters.
We have now read the fourth chapter, "Let the Great World Spin Forever Down," about the cable walker, and begun the first chapter in Book Two, "Tag," which takes us from the heights of the WTC to the depths of the subway, following a character who photographs tags.
Wednesday we had our final discussion of the book. Most agreed that it is wonderful, and we especially enjoyed the ending.
The second chapter, "Miro, Miro, on the Wall," is narrated from the point of view of a woman, Claire Soderberg, and alternates between her account of external events and her stream-of-consciousness. Colum McCann succeeds where Jonathan Franzen fails in Freedom, empathically portraying a woman's consciousness. The third chapter, "A Fear of Love," entails another shift in point of view, to Lara, a new character, who is involved in the automobile accident described in the first chapter. The narrator of the first chapter reappears in this chapter, along with some other characters.
We have now read the fourth chapter, "Let the Great World Spin Forever Down," about the cable walker, and begun the first chapter in Book Two, "Tag," which takes us from the heights of the WTC to the depths of the subway, following a character who photographs tags.
Wednesday we had our final discussion of the book. Most agreed that it is wonderful, and we especially enjoyed the ending.
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Reading Progress
| 01/19/2011 | page 54 |
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15.0% | |
| 01/28/2011 | page 84 |
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24.0% | "Our novel class finished reading the first section of Book One, "All Respects to Heaven, I Like It Here"--shockingly sad. Then embarked on the very different second section, "Miro, Miro,on the Wall," which we will finish reading by our next class on Wednesday. Just amazing writing. The voice of the new narrator, Claire Soderberg, is so distinct and different from the male narrators of the first section." |
| 02/17/2011 | page 212 |
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61.0% | "Our class session stopped before the end of the chapter titled "This Is the House that Horse Built." We are to read the rest of the chapter and the next, through p. 244, for next meeting." |
| 03/04/2011 | page 322 |
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92.0% | "I came home from Debra's class on Wednesday, where we ended on p. 289, and immediately read the rest of this week's assignment, coming to the end of Book Three. We are back at the grief group again, with Gloria as the first person narrator, and we reach much deeper insight into her character." |
| 03/10/2011 | page 349 |
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100.0% | "In class we read to p. 330, then I came home and finished the book. I'll wait to review it until our next and last class meeting. Book Four takes us to a later time, and a satisfying conclusion that is not without sadness." |
Comments (showing 1-7 of 7) (7 new)
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Irene
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Jan 20, 2011 07:45am
Interesting that you are reading this book....my November book with Johns Hopkins Reading Group. I felt the same about it as you UNTIL the end of the 1st chapter, which caught my attention. The rest was fascinating. The book actually sprang to mind as I looked into The Imperfectionists night before last (found on a shelf after encouraging prompting by YOU) and can barely put down!
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Irene wrote: "Interesting that you are reading this book....my November book with Johns Hopkins Reading Group. I felt the same about it as you UNTIL the end of the 1st chapter, which caught my attention. The r..."That's where it took off for me too.
I've heard lots of good things about this one. I could never bring myself to read Franzen and now I know to read this one 'instead.' ;) Thanks, Joan.
