A Patchwork Planet
Registered by DocandSunshine on 9/2/2005
3 journalers for this copy...
From the back cover:
In this, her fourteenth novel--and one of her most endearing--Anne Tyler tells the story of a lovable loser who's trying to get his life in order.
Barnaby Gaitlin has been in trouble ever since adolescence. He had this habit of breaking into other people's houses. It wasn't the big loot he was after, like his teenage cohorts. It was just that he liked to read other people's mail, pore over their family photo albums, and appropriate a few of their precious mementos.
But for eleven years now, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who can't move their own porch furniture or bring the Christmas tree down from the attic. At last, his life seems to be on an even keel.
Still, the Gaitlins (of "old" Baltimore) cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon he didn't show up ever to visit their little girl, Opal. Even the nice, steady woman (his guardian angel?) who seems to have designs on him doesn't fully trust him, it develops, when the chips are down, and it looks as though his world may fall apart again.
In this, her fourteenth novel--and one of her most endearing--Anne Tyler tells the story of a lovable loser who's trying to get his life in order.
Barnaby Gaitlin has been in trouble ever since adolescence. He had this habit of breaking into other people's houses. It wasn't the big loot he was after, like his teenage cohorts. It was just that he liked to read other people's mail, pore over their family photo albums, and appropriate a few of their precious mementos.
But for eleven years now, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who can't move their own porch furniture or bring the Christmas tree down from the attic. At last, his life seems to be on an even keel.
Still, the Gaitlins (of "old" Baltimore) cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon he didn't show up ever to visit their little girl, Opal. Even the nice, steady woman (his guardian angel?) who seems to have designs on him doesn't fully trust him, it develops, when the chips are down, and it looks as though his world may fall apart again.
**Sent to Wilmar as a RABCK on September 6th, 2005**This was my FIRST International release of any kind! Enjoy the book Wilmar!
Caught!
Thank you polliwog, for this very nice RABCK :-)
And what a pretty looking book. It seems completely new!
As soon as I've read it you will hear from me again.
For now, best of everything and groetjes (greetings, diminutive, Dutch) uit Nederland.
Thank you polliwog, for this very nice RABCK :-)
And what a pretty looking book. It seems completely new!
As soon as I've read it you will hear from me again.
For now, best of everything and groetjes (greetings, diminutive, Dutch) uit Nederland.
I finished the book today. The fourth book by Anne Tyler I read, besides Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, The Accidental Tourist and If morning ever comes, her debut.
I enjoyed it, but do not think this is her best book. The elderly people are described very well and so is Barnaby and a few other characters.
But I just could not make sense out of Sophia, nor Barnaby's relationship with her. Tyler makes him think he loves her, but I kept thinking the combination Sophia-Barnaby just does not seem right. Maybe it had to do with the way I imagined Sophia from the first moment Barnaby meets her. In my head I made her look a bit like a grandmother, if you understand what I mean.
To me the story was not completely finished when it ended. I think I wanted things to be more clear. Is Barnaby getting there? Are he and Sophia staying together? How is the relationship Opal-Barnaby evolving? And I have al lot more questions like that.
Still I am very glad I read this book by this wonderful author. Thanks very much polliwog :-) I will try to find another interested reader for A Patchwork Planet.
I enjoyed it, but do not think this is her best book. The elderly people are described very well and so is Barnaby and a few other characters.
But I just could not make sense out of Sophia, nor Barnaby's relationship with her. Tyler makes him think he loves her, but I kept thinking the combination Sophia-Barnaby just does not seem right. Maybe it had to do with the way I imagined Sophia from the first moment Barnaby meets her. In my head I made her look a bit like a grandmother, if you understand what I mean.
To me the story was not completely finished when it ended. I think I wanted things to be more clear. Is Barnaby getting there? Are he and Sophia staying together? How is the relationship Opal-Barnaby evolving? And I have al lot more questions like that.
Still I am very glad I read this book by this wonderful author. Thanks very much polliwog :-) I will try to find another interested reader for A Patchwork Planet.
This book is going to continue its travels as a very slow BookRay.
First stop Hellehond
then Olifant
and Barbje
Happy BookCrossing :-)
First stop Hellehond
then Olifant
and Barbje
Happy BookCrossing :-)
Thanks, Wilmar, for sending. It's gonna be a slow ray as I have so much other books to read first.
