From the Bookshelf of Tackling the Pulitzer Prize Winners!…

Gilead (Gilead, #1)

Marilynne Robinson

Start date: March 1, 2023

Finish date: March 31, 2023

Discussion: Tackling

Why we're reading this: 2005 winner
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James (Percival Everett, 2025 winner)
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What Members Thought

Oct 04, 2009 مرجان محمدی rated it it was amazing

Shelves: translated-by-me

گیلیاد هم مجوز گرفت

17 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2010 Kristel rated it really liked it

Shelves: pulitzer-prize, family, us-literature, christian

Gilead is the story of a third generation, congregational minister in Gilead, Iowa who is dying. John Ames grandfather was a minister and an abolitionist, his father was a minister and a pacifist. John Ames is writing his thoughts for his very young son of six so that the son will be able to know his father. The minister has been told he is dying. John Ames is 76, his son is six going on seven and his wife Lila who is about twenty years younger and the second wife, his first wife died in childbi Gilead is the story of a third generation, congregational minister in Gilead, Iowa who is dying. John Ames grandfather was a minister and an abolitionist, his father was a minister and a pacifist. John Ames is writing his thoughts for his very young son of six so that the son will be able to know his father. The minister has been told he is dying. John Ames is 76, his son is six going on seven and his wife Lila who is about twenty years younger and the second wife, his first wife died in childbirth along with his infant daughter. In the pages, the minister tells his story in broken rambling ways. He tells his son about his heritage as a minister. He tries to pass on wisdom for life as every father hopes to do. He shares special memories he has of his son. He also discusses his friendship with the Presbyterian minister Boughton and how his friend’s son and his namesake is a thorn in his side.
This is slow moving story that is about father son relationships and spiritual battles. There are wonderful nuggets in this book. Here are some that I loved;

I loved the story of Hagar & Ishmael and the thoughts of how we send our children into the wilderness but that the wilderness, the habitation of jackals, is the Lord’s. page 119. We can trust God to care for our children as we send them off.

Thoughts of transgression. “there is never just one transgression. There is a wound in the flesh of human life that scars when it heals and often enough seems never to heal at all. Avoid transgressions. How’s that for advice?” page 122

Thoughts on why people are sent into our lives. page 124

“it suggests how God might actually enjoy us” page 124

“...be sure that doubts and questions are your own, not so to speak, the mustache and walking stick that happen to be the fashion of any particular moment.”

What I really liked about this novel is the picture of old age and dying. Through the episodic jottings the reader feels the slipping away of the man. The author captured the process so well of dying. The person dying at first enjoying the little things of life so much; light, water and then slowly becoming more internally focused, spending more time dwelling iin their inner self that they no longer hear a young child speaking to them. John Ames starts out praying much and as time progresses, he is sleeping more than praying. The minister is struggling with the problem of anger and he wants to find resolution to this anger. So in another way these writings are for the father as much as they are for the son. I think he finds his peace. ...more

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Sep 04, 2013 مرجان محمدی rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

دیشب به تو گفتم ممکن است روزی بروم، تو گفتی کجا، من گفتم پیش خدا، تو گفتی چرا، گفتم چون پیر شده ام، گفتی فکر نمی کنم پیر شده باشی و دستت را در دستم گذاشتی و گفتی، خیلی پیر نیستی

گیلیاد دومین رمان مریلین رابینسون است که در سال 2004 منتشر شد. این رمان در سال 2005 جایزه پولیتزر و کانون منتقدان کتاب ملی را از آن خود کرد. گیلیاد، نامه های کشیشی پیر است که در شهر کوچک گیلیاد در آیووا زندگی می کند و می داند که به زودی به علت بیماری قلبی خواهد مرد. او این نامه ها را برای پسرش می نویسد و در آن داستان زندگ ...more

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Mar 24, 2018 Donna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: donna-s-pulitzer-2018-challenge

Beautiful writing

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Dec 07, 2011 Abby rated it it was ok

Shelves: ebook, book-club

I battled through this book, wanting it to get better. There was a bit of redemption (with wine attached, I must admit) as tears were brought to my eyes 90% of the way through. The story-telling was fantastic. The soul-searching, Scripture analysis, and overall religious discussion just wasn't my cup of tea, and there was a lot of it. Overall, it was okay. ...more

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