Customer Reviews

Anagrams

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Don't get me wrong, it's great, yeah. A quick and engrossing read stuffed with humor and Lorrie Moore's trademarked sardonic and somehow self-effacing wit(TM). Yet this is by no means her best book or even (I think) among her better material. I read it and very much enjoyed it, but I find weaknesses in her handling of her own style. And the ending, though clever and pretty ambitious, just doesn't do it for me (takes it too far out of the close-to-home we enjoy up to that point). I guess I would say that this was maybe a transitional work(?). I saw Moore read at Elliott Bay here in Seattle and she said the book resulted in part from publishers nagging for a novel (they sell better than collections I imagine). You can see how she cleverly handles the transition (being a writer of short stories up to that point) by writing a novel that, at the beginning, comes off a bit like a collection of related shorts. It ends up being an interesting way to write, but a bit schizophrenic. She works this trick more effectively some years later in "Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?" where a short story of a trip to Paris is woven through a longer narrative. In short, readers already gripped in the throes of Moore's prose shouldn't hesitate to read this -- its good! But those looking to try her work for the first time would do well to hit "Frog Hospital" (an awesome starting place I think) or one of her too-fab collections of short stories.

Like reviewer Chris Burkhalter, I don't think is Moore's best (Birds of America and Self Help are it, for me), but her second or third best surpasses so much other fiction out there it's not even funny. There is no one better at inventive descriptions of emotions, physical characteristics, smells, clothing, etc. It's miraculous really; her way with words boggles this aspiring writer's mind. And, as an aspiring writer, I have to say that it is Moore's writing I strive to emulate. I wasn't wild about the structure of Anagrams; as others have noted, three short story-esque pieces to start, followed by 'the novel.' But if you're a reader that reveres language, and if you often find yourself pausing to savor sentences and phrases in whatever it is you're reading, pick up this book (and anything else by Moore) and savor those moments, because I guarantee there will be many of them.

I laughed out loud numerous times, little suspecting that I would put the book down upon completion and sob for about twenty minutes. I've never had this intense a reaction to a book, with the possible exception of Catcher in the Rye. Lorrie Moore is not only clever and funny as hell; she also has a spectacular dark side. The reader is at first a bit confused -- is this a collection of short stories? If not, why is this character's back story different in this chapter? What the hell's going on here? By the last chapter, you think you've settled into an acceptable reality, only to have the rug pulled out from under you again. For readers who take a perverse pleasure in this kind of experience, I highly recommend "Anagrams".

I have read three Lorrie Moore books, but missed this one so it was a treat to delve into her writing again. I enjoyed the story and laughed at the turns of phrase. It is fun to have a book that it is best to read slowly so you don't miss the unexpected anagram or wry comment about life.

Then there is the incredible loneliness and sadness threaded throughout the book. Very strong and so real. This book has a punch.

I am going to quote a paragraph that caught my attention as I read.
"You cannot be grateful without possessing a past. That is why children are incapable of gratitude and why night prayers and dinner graces are lost on them. "Gobbles Mommy, Gobbles Grandpa..." George races through it. She has no reference points. As I get older the past widens and accumulates, all sloppy landlessness like a river, and as a result I have more clearly demarcated areas of gratitude. Things like ice cream or scenery or one good kiss become objects of a huge soulful thanks. Nothing is gobbled. This is a sign of getting old."

This is T.S. Eliot for those who are aproaching middle age have too little time to deal with all those obscure reference. Benna lives her life as a series of occaisionally brilliant daydreams. The reader is never sure what within the book is "reality." To figure things out is really not the point. This book is an existentialist call to arms. Take solace in the characters, let them into your life, but above all you must learn from them. Action defines us, not daydeams. This novel is inspireing in a backhanded sort of way. However, take this warning: If it's been raining for days and your CD changer is loaded with Chopin and Rachmaninov, make sure you have a friend or lover within reach.

This novel tells the story of Benna Carpenter. The book contains beautiful plays on words - - perhaps that is where the title stems from. It also contains literary humor that is unpretentious and intelligent. Words are taken apart as some people take apart psyches, as if the words have psyches of their own.

Benna is a college teacher of English. The novel examines her life from varied perspectives and we see her in many roles - - teacher, mother, lover and friend.

I highly recommend this book.

'Anagrams' serves to bemuse, amuse and ultimately touch the heart of single status daydreamer. Its brilliant observations of life, no longer as a spring chicken, are only bettered by its moving discussions on love desired, lost and ignored. Bella's comical imagination allows her to overcome loneliness by creating friends and daughters in a manner that is not disturbing. They provide solice when all around her things are going from bad to worse, socially, romantically and financially. In a subtle and heartfelt story, Moore urges us not accept that which fate deals us, and also take a moment to look around and see the positive, not merely the negative. She creatively weaves reality with illusion in order to produce a wonderful blend of tender intuition. A life of boredom can be avoided if you take a route straight through what is called 'Anagrams' by Lorrie Moore.

I have given three people this book as a gift. It is full of clever quips and some bitter, but dead-on observations. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

Anagrams is a book to keep you on your toes, laughing and crying at the same time. Benna is a character I will never forget, too clever to see the truth in front of her nose. Long may she live with her daughter Georgina. If you are lucky, she will imagine you.

you must read this book. And if you are also a woman, you will really sink your teeth into it. I was recently introduced to Lorrie Moore by reading "Who Will Run The Frog Hospital" and decided to venture into "Anagrams." It is a delicately crafted, ironic story. It took all my willpower not to pull out my yellow highlighter and mark up the pages, noting where I found my own life's experiences and desires mirrored in-between the printed lines of the text. The book is flawless. I know I will return to it over and over again as the years go by and as my own writing develops.