The Master

by Colm Toibin | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0743250400 Global Overview for this book
Registered by ottawabill of Ottawa, Ontario Canada on 5/26/2004
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by ottawabill from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, May 26, 2004
new work by a great author. Gratuitious purchase since it will be a month of Sundays before I get to it.

Journal Entry 2 by ottawabill from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, October 19, 2004
This was the Septemeber selection for the gay men's book club I belong to but we did not meet in Sept, so only discussed it tonight.

The book is a fictionalized account of Henry James' life during the 5 years immediately preceeding the turn from the 19th to 20th century. Toibin clearly is a James fan and the book is written materfully in James' style.

The book describes not only the events and supposed dialogue in James' life through a series of remeberances by the author, but we are given motivations for the things he wrote and glipses into the charcater and lives of the real-life people upon who James often based his stories.

The book describes some of James' own emotional relationships but in a circumspect way that I am told is characteristic of James' own way of describing such events in his work. Those who know James' work describe the book as a tribute to James because Toibin writes so well in the Jamesian style without it appearing to be an effort to copy or ape the original author. The book can be, as it was by me, enjoyed by someone with no previous exposure to James' books.

I am already a fan of Toibin's work but he has now made me curious to read some of the works of Henry James.

Journal Entry 3 by ottawabill at on Thursday, October 13, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (10/14/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

A RACBK book from Spedbug's wish list. To one Master about another. Its a great read. Enjoy.

Journal Entry 4 by SpedBug from Wilmington, Delaware USA on Thursday, October 20, 2005
I received this book (along with another) in the mail, today, from ottawabill. I swear this dear, sweet fellow bookcrosser is psychic. This is the second time he's surprised me with something when I was feeling a little "buffeted by life".

Thank you, Bill, for the "Master" compliment as well as the "hug via mail" - I look forward to reading it.


12/19/05: I finally got around to reading this book. While I enjoyed it, I also found it mildly depressing. Toibin illustrates a James that both longs for and is frightened by intimate relationships - a James that both needs companionship but dislikes restrictions on his personal life - a trait I recognize in myself.

Like ottawabill, I'm interested in reading something by Henry James, now, to see if I can "feel" the man Toibin described in his works.

Released 18 yrs ago (1/3/2006 UTC) at Marshallton Post Office - 3434 Old Capitol Trail in Wilmington, Delaware USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

There was a huge line at the post office, today, so I got to see a couple of people nibble the "abandoned" book while I waited my turn. No one had bit before I left but I'm hoping someone will get hooked on this good book and enjoy it as much as I did. :)

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.