itsgg's review against another edition
4.0
John Irving meets David Foster Wallace? This book is clever, satirical, overstuffed with minor characters and subplots, and, unfortunately, too long. Editing is the hardest part of writing, which is why I'm frustrated to find yet another debut novel by an author who tried to stuff all his ideas of the past decade into a single, 700-page book. Don't get me wrong, it's worth reading, I just wish it had had a stronger editor. Also, I listened to it as an audiobook, and the reader is TERRIBLE and distracting -- the type who does an over-acted, falsetto "Valley Girl" voice for a college student -- but obviously, that's not the author's fault. So read it, but read it on paper/Kindle rather than listening to the audio book, and recognize that while the lack of editing isn't on the same, inexcusable level of a book like "City on Fire," there are a lot of extraneous and repetitive asides. But the detailed, satirical take on the overarching theme -- the ghosts of the past haunt us all -- is a promising start for Nathan Hill.
ajkessel's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful and impressive first novel. Something like Jonathan Franzen crossed with David Foster Wallace, perhaps with a bit of David Mitchell thrown in. In any case, if you enjoy all of those writers, you should like this.
stefaniefrei's review against another edition
5.0
"People can be a Nix for each other"
(German text underneath - deutscher Text unten)
Samuel Anderson, assistant professor of English, computer gamer, was left by his mother when he was only eleven, in 1988. Now it is 2011 and Faye Andreson-Anderson throws stones at Wyoming’s right-wing ex-Governor Sheldon Packer. That’s how suddenly Samuel’s mother comes back into his life: he is asked to write a letter in her favour to the judge. He realizes he does no really know anything about her and goes for a search – not fully idealistic, though.
Why love this book?
you read this and do not realize it is very long sentence – it rather makes perfect sense
"Larry fucking Broxton, skin as pale and sickly green as the inside of an old potato, pathetic attempts at a blond mustache and beard that looked more like his face was lightly crusted with panko bread crumbs, a kind of hunchiness and withdrawn, inward manner that for some reason reminded Samuel of a small fern that could only grow in the shade, Larry Broxton, who had never once spoken in class, whose feet had outpaced the rest of his body, growth-spurt-wise, and had resulted in a kind of floppy walk, as if his feet were two large and flat river fish, feet on which he wore these chunky black sandal things that Samuel was pretty sure were designed for use only in public showers and pools, this same Larry Broxton who during the ten minutes Samuel gave to each class for "freewriting and brainstorming" would idly and subconsciously and casually pick his genitals, he could almost every day, invariably, during their two-week sitting-together period, on the way out of class, make Laura Pottsdam laugh." p 42f
you read this and get sentences which really tell it all
"Don't trust things that are too good to be true" or "The things you love the most will one day hurt you the worst" p 115
"Because when all you have is the memory of a thing...all you can think about is how the thing is gone." p 164
“It’s the great flaw of journalism: The more something happens, the less newsworthy it is.” p 486
you read this and have those fantastic characterizations
Samuel to Bethany: "But you have music in your brain. Mostly what I have is worry." p 153
Periwinkle, the publisher is "...like a flashlight aimed at all your shortcomings." p 67
The mother “She became a person who never screwed up” + “Her outward personality had no hard edges to bump into.” p 300
Gamer Pwnage about his real-life problems: “A game will always tell you how to win. Real life does not do this. I feel like I’ve lost a life and have no idea why.” p 228
you read this and really live within situations that could be yours
Like when Samuel tells Laura that her only problem is not learning disability but being rather stupid – yes, one does not do that, but you can wish and dream…
Or the description of that "combat" while driving when you try and make it on the exit road without getting blocked.
You read this and see all of those differenty styles
Like the latin headers with Laura or change of narrator when Samuel visits Frank and it starts off as an inner monologue which really ends like a narrative or the "Choose-your-own-adventure" - style chapter, where the reader is (well, almost) challenged to decide about which storyline should be followed or the one chapter which is a final game of Elfscape and only one sentence
remark on one of the characters: Pwnage (Pownage) = “internet Speak” Term used mainly in online shooters, where one person is displaying superior and winning traits. cf https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pownage
Samuel Anderson, Juniorprofessor für Englisch, Computerspiel-Fan, wurde von seiner Mutter 1988 verlassen, als er erst elf war. Jetzt ist es 2011 und Faye Andreson-Anderson wirft Steine auf Wyomings ultrarechten ex-Gouverneur Sheldon Packer. So erscheint plötzlich Samuels Mutter wieder in seinem Leben: er wird um einen Brief zu ihren Gunsten an den Richter gebeten. Ihm wird klar, dass er wirklich nichts über sie weiß, und begibt sich auf eine Suche - doch nicht nur als idealistischen Motiven.
Warum muss man dieses Buch lieben? (einige Sätze sind aus der deutschen Übersetzung - dann sind die Seitenangaben für diese)
man liest Sätze wie diesen, ohne zu bemerken, wie lang er ist - und er passt, genau so
(es gibt auch deutschsprachige Beispiele, aber gerade dieser wurde wohl nicht als EIN Satz übersetzt)
"Larry fucking Broxton, skin as pale and sickly green as the inside of an old potato, pathetic attempts at a blond mustache and beard that looked more like his face was lightly crusted with panko bread crumbs, a kind of hunchiness and withdrawn, inward manner that for some reason reminded Samuel of a small fern that could only grow in the shade, Larry Broxton, who had never once spoken in class, whose feet had outpaced the rest of his body, growth-spurt-wise, and had resulted in a kind of floppy walk, as if his feet were two large and flat river fish, feet on which he wore these chunky black sandal things that Samuel was pretty sure were designed for use only in public showers and pools, this same Larry Broxton who during the ten minutes Samuel gave to each class for "freewriting and brainstorming" would idly and subconsciously and casually pick his genitals, he could almost every day, invariably, during their two-week sitting-together period, on the way out of class, make Laura Pottsdam laugh." p 42f
man liest das und solche Sätze hier sagen einfach alles:
"Don't trust things that are too good to be true" oder " S. 143: "Die Dinge, die du am meisten liebst, werden dich eines Tages am schlimmsten verletzen."
"Because when all you have is the memory of a thing...all you can think about is how the thing is gone." P 164
man liest das und bekommt diese phantastischen Charakterisierungen:
Samuel zu Bethany: Seite 185: „Aber du hast Musik im Kopf. Ich habe da hauptsächlich Sorgen.“
Periwinkle, der Verleger ist "...like a flashlight aimed at all your shortcomings." p 67
Die Mutter “She became a person who never screwed up” + “Her outward personality had no hard edges to bump into.” p 300
Computer-Gamer Pwnage über seine Probleme mit dem echten Leben: “A game will always tell you how to win. Real life does not do this. I feel like I’ve lost a life and have no idea why.” p 228
man liest das und erlebt Situationen mit, die die eigenen sein könnten
zum Beispiel als Samuel zu Laura sagt, ihr Problem sei keine Lernbehinderung, sie sei vielmehr dumm - jaaa, tut man nicht, aber man kann sich das ja wünschen und davon träumen...
Oder die Beschreibungen dieses "Kampfes" beim Autofahren, wenn man irgendwie auf die Abfahrt kommen will ohne blockiert zu werden
man liest das und erhält diese verschiedenen Stil-Varianten
So zum Beispiel die lateinischen Überschriften bei Laura oder der Wechsel der Erzählperspektive, als Samuel Frank besucht und es als innerer Monolog beginnt, aber endet als Erzählung oder bei dem Kapitel im Stil der US-Jugendbücher "Choose-your-own-adventure", bei dem der Leser aufgefordert wird, sich für einen möglichen Fortschritt der Geschichte (fast) selbst zu entscheiden oder in dem einen Kapitel über ein letztes Spiel Elfscape mit nur einem einigen Satz
(German text underneath - deutscher Text unten)
Samuel Anderson, assistant professor of English, computer gamer, was left by his mother when he was only eleven, in 1988. Now it is 2011 and Faye Andreson-Anderson throws stones at Wyoming’s right-wing ex-Governor Sheldon Packer. That’s how suddenly Samuel’s mother comes back into his life: he is asked to write a letter in her favour to the judge. He realizes he does no really know anything about her and goes for a search – not fully idealistic, though.
Why love this book?
you read this and do not realize it is very long sentence – it rather makes perfect sense
"Larry fucking Broxton, skin as pale and sickly green as the inside of an old potato, pathetic attempts at a blond mustache and beard that looked more like his face was lightly crusted with panko bread crumbs, a kind of hunchiness and withdrawn, inward manner that for some reason reminded Samuel of a small fern that could only grow in the shade, Larry Broxton, who had never once spoken in class, whose feet had outpaced the rest of his body, growth-spurt-wise, and had resulted in a kind of floppy walk, as if his feet were two large and flat river fish, feet on which he wore these chunky black sandal things that Samuel was pretty sure were designed for use only in public showers and pools, this same Larry Broxton who during the ten minutes Samuel gave to each class for "freewriting and brainstorming" would idly and subconsciously and casually pick his genitals, he could almost every day, invariably, during their two-week sitting-together period, on the way out of class, make Laura Pottsdam laugh." p 42f
you read this and get sentences which really tell it all
"Don't trust things that are too good to be true" or "The things you love the most will one day hurt you the worst" p 115
"Because when all you have is the memory of a thing...all you can think about is how the thing is gone." p 164
“It’s the great flaw of journalism: The more something happens, the less newsworthy it is.” p 486
you read this and have those fantastic characterizations
Samuel to Bethany: "But you have music in your brain. Mostly what I have is worry." p 153
Periwinkle, the publisher is "...like a flashlight aimed at all your shortcomings." p 67
The mother “She became a person who never screwed up” + “Her outward personality had no hard edges to bump into.” p 300
Gamer Pwnage about his real-life problems: “A game will always tell you how to win. Real life does not do this. I feel like I’ve lost a life and have no idea why.” p 228
you read this and really live within situations that could be yours
Like when Samuel tells Laura that her only problem is not learning disability but being rather stupid – yes, one does not do that, but you can wish and dream…
Or the description of that "combat" while driving when you try and make it on the exit road without getting blocked.
You read this and see all of those differenty styles
Like the latin headers with Laura or change of narrator when Samuel visits Frank and it starts off as an inner monologue which really ends like a narrative or the "Choose-your-own-adventure" - style chapter, where the reader is (well, almost) challenged to decide about which storyline should be followed or the one chapter which is a final game of Elfscape and only one sentence
remark on one of the characters: Pwnage (Pownage) = “internet Speak” Term used mainly in online shooters, where one person is displaying superior and winning traits. cf https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pownage
Samuel Anderson, Juniorprofessor für Englisch, Computerspiel-Fan, wurde von seiner Mutter 1988 verlassen, als er erst elf war. Jetzt ist es 2011 und Faye Andreson-Anderson wirft Steine auf Wyomings ultrarechten ex-Gouverneur Sheldon Packer. So erscheint plötzlich Samuels Mutter wieder in seinem Leben: er wird um einen Brief zu ihren Gunsten an den Richter gebeten. Ihm wird klar, dass er wirklich nichts über sie weiß, und begibt sich auf eine Suche - doch nicht nur als idealistischen Motiven.
Warum muss man dieses Buch lieben? (einige Sätze sind aus der deutschen Übersetzung - dann sind die Seitenangaben für diese)
man liest Sätze wie diesen, ohne zu bemerken, wie lang er ist - und er passt, genau so
(es gibt auch deutschsprachige Beispiele, aber gerade dieser wurde wohl nicht als EIN Satz übersetzt)
"Larry fucking Broxton, skin as pale and sickly green as the inside of an old potato, pathetic attempts at a blond mustache and beard that looked more like his face was lightly crusted with panko bread crumbs, a kind of hunchiness and withdrawn, inward manner that for some reason reminded Samuel of a small fern that could only grow in the shade, Larry Broxton, who had never once spoken in class, whose feet had outpaced the rest of his body, growth-spurt-wise, and had resulted in a kind of floppy walk, as if his feet were two large and flat river fish, feet on which he wore these chunky black sandal things that Samuel was pretty sure were designed for use only in public showers and pools, this same Larry Broxton who during the ten minutes Samuel gave to each class for "freewriting and brainstorming" would idly and subconsciously and casually pick his genitals, he could almost every day, invariably, during their two-week sitting-together period, on the way out of class, make Laura Pottsdam laugh." p 42f
man liest das und solche Sätze hier sagen einfach alles:
"Don't trust things that are too good to be true" oder " S. 143: "Die Dinge, die du am meisten liebst, werden dich eines Tages am schlimmsten verletzen."
"Because when all you have is the memory of a thing...all you can think about is how the thing is gone." P 164
man liest das und bekommt diese phantastischen Charakterisierungen:
Samuel zu Bethany: Seite 185: „Aber du hast Musik im Kopf. Ich habe da hauptsächlich Sorgen.“
Periwinkle, der Verleger ist "...like a flashlight aimed at all your shortcomings." p 67
Die Mutter “She became a person who never screwed up” + “Her outward personality had no hard edges to bump into.” p 300
Computer-Gamer Pwnage über seine Probleme mit dem echten Leben: “A game will always tell you how to win. Real life does not do this. I feel like I’ve lost a life and have no idea why.” p 228
man liest das und erlebt Situationen mit, die die eigenen sein könnten
zum Beispiel als Samuel zu Laura sagt, ihr Problem sei keine Lernbehinderung, sie sei vielmehr dumm - jaaa, tut man nicht, aber man kann sich das ja wünschen und davon träumen...
Oder die Beschreibungen dieses "Kampfes" beim Autofahren, wenn man irgendwie auf die Abfahrt kommen will ohne blockiert zu werden
man liest das und erhält diese verschiedenen Stil-Varianten
So zum Beispiel die lateinischen Überschriften bei Laura oder der Wechsel der Erzählperspektive, als Samuel Frank besucht und es als innerer Monolog beginnt, aber endet als Erzählung oder bei dem Kapitel im Stil der US-Jugendbücher "Choose-your-own-adventure", bei dem der Leser aufgefordert wird, sich für einen möglichen Fortschritt der Geschichte (fast) selbst zu entscheiden oder in dem einen Kapitel über ein letztes Spiel Elfscape mit nur einem einigen Satz
sarairia's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️
“Sometimes we're so wrapped up in our own story that we don't see how we're supporting characters in someone else's.”
“Sometimes we're so wrapped up in our own story that we don't see how we're supporting characters in someone else's.”
clovemorris's review against another edition
3.0
The storyline of this book was so well done and will written. I have a few issues though:
1. So much complaining. I listened to the audiobook, so this may have been greatly influenced by the narrator's choices, but about a third of the way through the book, I was really hoping at least one character would inspire a new voice. I'm not typically bothered by cynicism, but for such a long book I was looking forward to something a little more dynamic.
2. Give your readers a little more credit and please stop explaining every single metaphor. If Hemingway said with 6 words what others would say with 60, Nathan Hill would first use the 60, then another 200 to make sure we understood exactly why the 60 were so well chosen.
3. Politically, this is incredibly one dimensional. Like the cynicism, this isn't usually a problem for a book, but it's a missed opportunity when the story is told by so many different people in different times. Again, for such a long book I was looking forward to a new dynamic by the end.
1. So much complaining. I listened to the audiobook, so this may have been greatly influenced by the narrator's choices, but about a third of the way through the book, I was really hoping at least one character would inspire a new voice. I'm not typically bothered by cynicism, but for such a long book I was looking forward to something a little more dynamic.
2. Give your readers a little more credit and please stop explaining every single metaphor. If Hemingway said with 6 words what others would say with 60, Nathan Hill would first use the 60, then another 200 to make sure we understood exactly why the 60 were so well chosen.
3. Politically, this is incredibly one dimensional. Like the cynicism, this isn't usually a problem for a book, but it's a missed opportunity when the story is told by so many different people in different times. Again, for such a long book I was looking forward to a new dynamic by the end.
kbfrantom's review against another edition
3.0
The book reminded me of The Goldfinch. Even though both have different plots, both show the main characters during their early teen years and then later on in their adult lives.
jonathanfs's review against another edition
2.0
I cannot begin to understand how much work the author put into this book, so I feel bad giving it such a low rating. I am not saying that this was a low quality book; I am saying that I only enjoyed it 2/5 as much as I would like to have. The depth of the author’s observational exploration was impressive, but they were not in areas I would have had him venture. Sure, he captured the vanity, shallowness, and selfishness of a college student better than I have ever seen anyone do so, but why? A tour de force of negative tangential rants.
ksmith_mn's review against another edition
4.0
Great book, well-developed characters, multiple story lines that converge and tie up in the end. Main character growth and vision (p.616) "...the people in your life are either enemies, obstacles, puzzles, or traps....if you see people as enemies or obstacles or traps, you will be at constant war with them and with yourself. Whereas if you choose to see people as puzzles, and if you see yourself as a puzzle, then you will be constantly delighted, because eventually, if you dig deep enough into anybody, if you really look under he hood of someone's life, you will find something familiar."
whizalen's review against another edition
4.0
I struggled with this book, I went a whole week at one point not reading it. And there's at least one story line that doesn't really wrap up well. Honestly, for a book as long as it is, there are a couple of story lines that conveniently wrap up together.
I had a desire to finish the book, but it really felt like it lacked a good editing. It was far too long to tell the story it eventually did
I had a desire to finish the book, but it really felt like it lacked a good editing. It was far too long to tell the story it eventually did
nicoleaffleck's review against another edition
4.0
This book is very, very good. Quite frustrating at times, but layered with enough sympathy and humanism and told with such grace to make even the more agonizing parts enjoyable.