Nordi's Gift

by Clyde Rice

Book by Rice, Clyde

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

457 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1990

Reviews

[River James · Rating 5 out of 5]

My buddy discovered Clyde Rice when we moved to Oregon after a summer working in Denali, NP, and devoured these books, which, for me, became models of a life examined, varied and lived.

[Karen Charbonneau · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I read Clyde Rice's Night Freight and A Heaven in the Eye,both highly recommended, detailing Rice's early years in Oregon and the San Francisco area during the 1920s and much of the Great Depression. Nordi's Gift begins when they return to Oregon in 1937. This was a bit difficult to read because Rice fell in love with his wife's niece to whom he was still married late in life when he wrote his three books. This memoir details his affair with his young niece, which he claims wasn't consummated until she turned 18, his deceptions, and his wife Nordi's decision regarding the whole business. The result will surprise you. Also, it continues Rice's predilection for failure in making an income or starting an enterprise. He was successful working at the Portland ship yards during World War II and his detailing of that defense industry work is well worth your time. He spent over a year building a fine fishing boat, then fell for a scheme to finance it presented by two brothers. He worked off and on for his successful father who operated a flavoring factory for many years, and the love-hate relationship between these two men is fascinating. Did Clyde Rice have some type of personality disorder that he couldn't conform to society's and his family's expectations of him? And why did so many people, including Nordi, continue to love him so much? Well worth the read. 3 and a half stars because I didn't quite approve of his life-style. But loved the writing itself.

[mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh

[Janet]

Egotist's autobiography, part 2. Not compelling, perhaps due to seducing his teenage niece. Ick.