Disponibilité: Usually ships in 24 hours
Produits similaires:
la suite
Produits similaires:
L'avis des consommateurs
Note moyenne:
-
Shockingly Modern, Wonderful Novel
Carson McCullers should be right up there with Faulkner, Fitzgerald and Williams as one of the great Southern United States writers, yet for whatever reason, she is lesser known. But at 23 years of age, she published 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' a masterpiece depicting the very essence of acceptance, emotion and humanity. The novel follows the lives of five people; a radical communist, an African-American doctor striving for racial equality, a girl on the cusp of womanhood, a voyeur cafe owner and at the heart of the novel, a wealthy, good-hearted mute. We see how their lives collide, coincide and intertwine as they seek comfort from their generally poor and desolate lives.
It is fascinating to me, the calibre of McCuller's engaging prose and her insights, being a very young southern woman who grew up in the 1930s. The characters and their points of view about life in the south seem written from a modern outider's perspective (Sue Monk Kidd's 'The Secret Life of Bees' comes to mind). As well, the characters have heart but oftentimes, their relationships with one another do not, making for a brutal look at love and friendship rarely seen. Singer, the mute, is one of the most heartfelt, interesting, sad and likeable characters in literary history and it is remarkable how McCullers depicts his emotion and communication without ever using dialogue.
If you enjoy southern gothic literature, you cannot miss 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' -- you learn without being preached to, cry without contrived sappiness, and at times, feel genuine triumphs and joys so great, you smile or even laugh out loud. GREAT novel.
Note: -
Heart-breaking
Southern literature has always fascinated me. From Faulkner to Childress I don't seem to be able to get enough. While I enjoy O'Connor enough, I find McCullers so much more accesible. The story of a lonely girl--a coming-of-age-story really--THE HEART is one of my favorite books. The protagonist lives in a boarding house that her mother runs, and upstairs lives a mute. In the town, there are two of the--mutes--and the main character makes, or rather "tries" to make friends with the one in the house. She plays records for him and we feel her frustration at trying to make him understand what music is. Since he's deaf, he can't comprehend. The girl is frustrated on so many levels: She feels trapped by the small southern town she lives in, she wants to be a musician and really has no outlet for this, even making a makeshift violin out of a cigar box, she has a bratty little brother, and she feels that no one understands her. I would equate this book to other great southern classics such as "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Lee or McCrae's "Bark of the Dogwood" as they too are coming of age books, each one totally different. If you have a heart you'll love "THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER."
Note: -
* It's lonely at the top ...
I've recently read three fantastic books: This one, THE HEART, along with two others: THE CORRECTIONS by Jonathan Franzen, and RUNNING WITH SCISSORS by A. Burroughs. All are great, but HEART takes top place. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Southern literature or race relations. It is a heart-warming story and you'll be surprised how "modern" this seems, even though the book was written decades ago. Also recommended: CHOKE by Palahniuk and THE VIRGIN SUICIDES by Eugenides.
Note: -
Worthy of a place on your book shelf
Worthy of a place on your book shelf, May 24 2005
I consider The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter to be a classic novel. It certainly is a masterpiece. The setting of the story is down south in Georgia. The era is during the Great Depression. This was an era of racial tension especially in the south, but as is often the case in the novel, music proved to be a strong source of solace and passions are stirred to add vigor to the romantic side of things. Even though they lived in a delicate world of their times, the characters live their lives oblivious of the constraints around. The strength of spiritual isolation is strong and mirrors the reality of mankind. The novel portrays the purpose of man in his God-given role on earth. This is a novel that will be enjoyed by generations to come. Just like The Usurper and Other Stories, this book carries a deep message.
Note: -
* One of my favorites ...
This is the first McCullers' book that I have read and it has become one of my favourites. It felt like a timeless story that could have been written only yesterday instead of in the 1930's. It also could have been written by a much older, experienced person instead of a young girl of 23 years. It is a gentle, sad story that might have been typical of small town life. It was very refreshing to feel submerged in the slow pace and emotion of life in a long gone era. The story touched me in an unexpected way, and I know I will long remember the characters and their individual stories.
The story is about a deaf mute named John Singer, who after his best friend(also a deaf mute) Antonapoulos is sent to an asylum becomes lonely, four other characters also become lonely due to some result of isolation; Dr. Copeland is seperated by his family and his race because of his high education and viewpoint; Jake Blount is angry because the radical social viewpoints he has, won't be understood by anyone else in the town; Mick Kelly cannot communicate with her family because of they do not share her interests and ambitions; Biff Brannon becomes alone when his wife dies and ponders and struggles to resolve inner conflicts in life. The book isn't too long and the pace isn't too slow. The dialogue, pace, and tone is astonishing. It is a great book that I highly reccomend this book.
