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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
This is a slow, quiet character study of a man who is supposed to be moving houses but cannot seem to make himself. The professor contemplates his life and how he got to where he is. I thought it was interesting, but maybe a bit too scattered I really enjoyed the bits about his time excavating Native areas in New Mexico but thought the jump from that to other topics was too abrasive.
Still enjoyed it, I always like Cather's writing
Still enjoyed it, I always like Cather's writing
I'm not sure why I'm drawn to this novel, but I read it twice. I don't really identify with the aging professor, but I was moved by him.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I actually read this before. I have a habit of re-reading books I like during the summer. Why? Who knows?
I read this for a grad class on Cather and it blew me away. Strangely intense little book. At first, it doesn't seem to be about much, but it's worth a close reading.
Her best known books (O Pioneers, My Antonia) aren't really her best. They are often taught at the high school level, and I think people often think of her as slight. But some of her books, like The Professor's House, pack a real intellectual punch.
Highly recommended.
I read this for a grad class on Cather and it blew me away. Strangely intense little book. At first, it doesn't seem to be about much, but it's worth a close reading.
Her best known books (O Pioneers, My Antonia) aren't really her best. They are often taught at the high school level, and I think people often think of her as slight. But some of her books, like The Professor's House, pack a real intellectual punch.
Highly recommended.
Willa Cather is a gem, and this book is a delightful melancholy story of the professor's life and loss. The feeling I have when reading Cather is similar to the feeling I have when meditating -- great peace, a sense that all is right, and a stronger connection with the world. The Professor's House is not my favorite Cather story, but I'm giving it five stars so that I reread it in the future.
I have liked Cather's other books better. This one was a very...slow...read. I liked the themes, and I could definitely relate to the family dynamics. That took me forever, though.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While the book started slowly (partly because of the format of the printing, I have to admit), it drew me in really well by a couple of chapters in. The character of the professor is really well-drawn, and he has many interesting things to consider, now that his wife and children (and he himself, admittedly) are changing. It's a quiet book, mostly, without too much obvious conflict... yet it has a lot of events that make one think. What should the professor do once he realizes that he no longer enjoys spending time with his family? An ordinary-feeling question, yet one that has a lot of depth if you consider how true-to-life it feels.