Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III is one of those deceivingly simple novels that, by the time you read the last words on the last page, you look up only to realize that you're going to remember this one for a long, long time.
"I have spent many hours contemplating pain. Its constant presence seems like such a dark joke, really. Like the school bully who sits on your chest and spits in your face years after both of you have moved on. My pelvis and hips were fractured years ago. Do they have to keep spitting in my face?"
Tom Lowe was a man who built things - things of the highest quality - and he loved his work. He was willing to work as long, and as hard as necessary, to give his wife and son the home she dreamed of. But Tom was not very good at financial questions, and he never really understood the balloon payment loan that he was talked into signing by a man he trusted. So when he fell off the top of a house and shattered his bones so severely that he will never be able to stand up for more than a very few minutes before the pain overwhelms him, he lost it all...business, dream home, wife, and son.
Now living in public housing, and barely able to pay even that amount of rent, Tom has to reinvent not only himself but his very reason for still walking this earth. The process by which Tom finally figures it all out turns out to be one filled with painful ups and downs, but eventually he does come up with a plan: to perform small acts of kindness for each and every person still in his life, even the new ones he meets every day that he can get up from his plywood-topped sofa long enough to venture out his front door.
What happens next is amazing.
This sounds like my kind of thing, Sam. Will see if the library has it. I always appreciate something 'different'. I'm just reading Sea of Tranquility by Emily St.John Mandel, a science-fiction novel, very thought provoking and something that might interest you perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI read Sea of Tranquility last year, Cath, and grew frustrated with it in the end. I usually really like the work of Emily St.John Mandel but could not quite get the hang of this one. I'm curious to hear what you think of it. I hope you enjoy Such Kindness if you get a chance to read it.
DeleteWhat a premise! I'm already caught up in Tom's story...so of course, I had to see if my library had any copies. And they do, although they're still all on order. But that's what a hold list is for, right? ;D
ReplyDeleteI'll be curious to hear what you think of it, Lark. It's a relatively easy read, but it gets so sad at some points when you want to shake some sense into Tom that I found myself taking it in smaller chunks than I realized I was doing for a while. Sometimes had to digest what I had just read before I was ready to move on.
DeleteHi Sam, I agree with Lark. What a premise for a novel. It gets at the heart of life doesn't it. What does someone do when they have played by the rules, been a decent person, and yet life and the people they counted on treat them so unfairly. I have so many books I want to check out but this one I have to get my hands on.
ReplyDeleteThe novel really made me think about the kind of struggle this character goes through and how he was able to eventually evolve into a very different man, a better man in almost every way. I was surprised at how I came to be so concerned about where the plot was ultimately heading as he skated nearer and nearer to the brink of catastrophe out of his abundance of kindness directed at others. Dubus is an excellent writer, one whose back catalog I really need to explore. I hope you enjoy it at some point.
DeleteSounds like a good book. I will have to look into getting a copy, and also maybe try other books by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt really is hard to go wrong with Dubus, especially if the plot interests you going in to the book. He has a very readable stye that I never seem to get bogged down in the way some authors read to me.
DeleteGosh I want to see how the character Tom turns it all around. Sounds like something that would put a dent in me. Nicely review.
ReplyDeleteLet's just say that I still feel the "dent" this one put in me. Still surprised that I ended up feeling this strongly about the Town Lowe character. I do hope you enjoy it if you decide to read it.
DeleteYou sold me on this one when I read your review on goodreads! I've enjoyed this author before and am so impressed with his writing. Will get on the wait list as soon as my library lists it.
ReplyDeleteMy library, I now realize, was exceptionally quick to shelve a handful of copies of this one since it was only published on June 6 of this year. That's very unusual, and rarely happens. Too, I seem to have been the first to request the book, so it was a matter of about 4 days between me putting it on hold and it being available for pickup. First time that's ever happened on such a recently published book. I like the feeling. :-)
DeleteThis looks really good!
ReplyDeleteI have to believe you would love this one, Susan.
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