October Light by John Gardner (October 2026)

[Roman Clodia]

This is our thread for a buddy read of October Light by John Gardner:

October Light is one of John Gardner's masterworks. The penniless widow of a once-wealthy dentist, Sally Abbot now lives in the Vermont farmhouse of her older brother, 72-year-old James Page. Polar opposites in nearly every way, their clash of values turns a bitter corner when the exacting and resolute James takes a shotgun to his sister's color television set. After he locks Sally up in her room with the trashy "blockbuster" novel that has consumed her (and only apples to eat), the novel-within-the-novel becomes an echo chamber providing glimpses into the history of the family that spawned these bizarre, sad, and stubborn people. Gardner uses the turbulent siblings as a stepping-off point from which he expands upon the lives of their extended families, and the rural community that surrounds them. He also engages larger issues of how liberals and conservatives define themselves, and considers those moments when life transcends all their arguments.

This thread is now open for discussion, the buddy read will start in October 2026.

Sam and Kathleen are confirmed - if anyone else would like to join them let us know here.

[Sam]

Thanks RC, your encouragement will get me to dig into this author and like him or not, I still have several books to read by him. October Light is probably a good book for this group since it won an NBCC award in 1976, so even if we don't like it, at least we'll be knocking off another classic book. I have only read his nonfiction and Grendel which is a retelling of the Beowulf myth from Grendel's POV. I'm looking forward to trying this.

[Kathleen]

Yes thank you RC and Sam. I wonder if I've avoided his fiction, afraid to be disappointed after how much I liked his book on writing? I'd like to read Grendel but only after Beowulf which I haven't got to yet.

I'm excited to try this one.

[Kathleen]

I'm on the list at the library for October Light, and should get it before the end of the month. Must be the title that is making this popular right now? I certainly don't hear much talk about Gardner. This does sound wonderful, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Sam]

I will start in about a week. Let me know when you start. I am looking forward to reading the book and it will be good to get it done, whether I like the book or not. You and I were scheduled to read Aurora Leigh in the Catching Up on the Classics group. The two of these may involve some time commitment. Do you still wish to start Aurora Leigh in October? I will post a note in that group to see if others are planning the book.

[Kathleen]

I don't think it was me for Aurora Leigh, Sam. Maybe Cynda and Teri-K? Just let me know if you want to change the timing of this read. Otherwise I'll start in about a week too.

[Sam]

No I want to and need to read Gardner now. I prioritized this novel for the month. I have some other reads that are going to compete for time but I am looking forward to this.

[Kathleen]

Sam wrote: "No I want to and need to read Gardner now. I prioritized this novel for the month. I have some other reads that are going to compete for time but I am looking forward to this."

Me too, Sam--very much so!

[Blaine]

In my teens and 20's I devoured everything Gardner wrote, including the massive Sunlight Dialogues, which I persevered through even though I probably understood less than half of it. I don't know why I never read October Light. I will be interested in your reactions and may pick it up when I'm back to normal reading next year.

[Kathleen]

Blaine wrote: "In my teens and 20's I devoured everything Gardner wrote, including the massive Sunlight Dialogues, which I persevered through even though I probably understood less than half of it. I don't know w..."

I don't hear about Gardner fans often, but when I do they seem to be ardent. I am looking forward to Sunlight Dialogues ... someday!

[Kathleen]

I have my copy and hope to start tonight or tomorrow.

I will be away from internet for a good part of next week though, so may not be able to comment much. I'll try to add a first thoughts comment before I go.

[Kathleen]

Okay, first thoughts. I think this is going to be a rich read.

I’m about halfway through the first chapter. The characters are vivid, and I should admit that I tend to have a liking for curmudgeons, so can see me getting on well with James L. Page, despite his orneriness. Don’t have as much of a feel for his sister Sally yet.

The epigraph is interesting: from a Thomas Jefferson letter to John Adams, about, I take it, the futility of fighting, that it brings both parties down. It suits the narrative so far, as James seems ready to go at it at the drop of a hat, but we’ll have to see.

I enjoyed the way the family history was woven into the telling, and I’m very interested in the young grandson Dickey.

There’s an intriguing idea early on, that James’ anger at the current ways of the world might have something to do with his belief in the stories/threats/tall tales/sermons he was told when young that he has held onto. This is something I want to keep in mind as I read on.