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The Liar
The Liar is a triumphant novel about a father's love for a son he has never known. It is rooted in the harsh soil of small-town America; but it celebrates a kind of devotion, a quality of love that knows no bounds or border.
The Liar is a full and beautifully written novel about small lives made great by suffering and hope.
The Liar is that joyful paradox -sad story with a truly happy ending. It is the work of a master. It will endure.
The Liar is a full and beautifully written novel about small lives made great by suffering and hope.
The Liar is that joyful paradox -sad story with a truly happy ending. It is the work of a master. It will endure.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
1 person is currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Savage
47 books243 followersThomas Savage was an American author of novels published between 1944 and 1988. He is best known for his Western novels, which drew on early experiences in the American West.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 27, 2022
An exploration of the extremes people go to to project and protect the image they want for themselves. For most of the characters this leads to disillusionment, unhappiness, and a struggle to live in the reality of their lives.
The titular liar, Hal, is an ordinary guy, but is blessed/cursed by good looks. He comes from a struggling middle class family dominated by his mother. Sent to ranching territory as a salesman (he always makes a good impression) he attracts the daughter of one of the Cattle Kings. They marry, but she soon is disenchanted by Hal's inability to provide her with the lifestyle she covets. She leaves, but when she discovers she is pregnant just comes back until the baby is born. Their son is kept from Hal, who loves him desperately, and tries to be a good father the boy can be proud of, but most of the time through pretense.
It's mostly a tale of woe for everyone involved. Savage is clever in putting in glimpses of the lives the characters are trying to portray, but later revealing the reality. Only at the very end does Hal's son learn of his father's true life and the sacrifices Hal made for him.
The titular liar, Hal, is an ordinary guy, but is blessed/cursed by good looks. He comes from a struggling middle class family dominated by his mother. Sent to ranching territory as a salesman (he always makes a good impression) he attracts the daughter of one of the Cattle Kings. They marry, but she soon is disenchanted by Hal's inability to provide her with the lifestyle she covets. She leaves, but when she discovers she is pregnant just comes back until the baby is born. Their son is kept from Hal, who loves him desperately, and tries to be a good father the boy can be proud of, but most of the time through pretense.
It's mostly a tale of woe for everyone involved. Savage is clever in putting in glimpses of the lives the characters are trying to portray, but later revealing the reality. Only at the very end does Hal's son learn of his father's true life and the sacrifices Hal made for him.
November 10, 2025
I liked this book by the blurb, but didn’t feel like it hooked me until much closer to the end when everything felt a bit crammed in compared to the first half of the book. Still interesting to think about in terms of familial relationships, and people who become your family.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews