Memories of the story-StoveLand

[Joshua]

It's been quite a while since I read this one but I remember it as being an epic story that follows one family through the things that happen as time and space continue their dance and we flutter about like leaves in the wind or sometimes in the path of the leaf blower. I don't know what that meant either. But I remember the concept of StoveLand from the book. One of the brothers came back from Vietnam. I can't remember the extent of his injuries but he was not the same person. Of course his family was elated to have him home. But that joy was dead inside of him. He built a shop out in the garage and began making stoves. The work gave him an outlet but it was also kind of like he began to live in the stoves he was making. He got good at it and it provided a way for him and a couple other family members, I believe, to make a living at it. It seemed the only time he really interacted much was when he talked about the stoves. I was damaged and I remember wanting him to be fixed-aching for him to be fixed but much like the family members-knowing there was nothing to be done except to accept him and love him.
Anybody got any thoughts on that or any other memories that will bring more of this book back to me.
fin

[Matt B]

The brother came back, but was electroshocked and drugged into submission, and they weren't elated to have him home until they got him released from the hospital in which he was imprisoned.

There's a lot in this book, so I can't recap all of it for you, but here's some of the characters:
- Papa Chance, the minor-league baseball pitcher with a crushed thumb and a pitching mound in the backyard
- Laura Chance, the religiously fervent mother
- Peter, the oldest brother, deeply into Indian philosophy
- Everett, second oldest, argumentative and combative, becomes a Vietnam protester and agitator
- Irwin, third oldest, religiously devout and the one who goes to Vietnam
- Kincaid, the narrator, fourth brother
- Winifred (Freddie) & Beatrice (Bet), the twin girls