Backward-Facing Man [Unknown Binding]

Don Silver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2005

Chuck Puckman, Lorraine Nadia, and Frederick Keane came of age in the late 1960s. Like that era, their lives were mysterious, idealistic, passionate, even romantic—but ultimately confused and often ineffectual. More than thirty years later, their youthful adventures continue to have ramifications: Chuck faces prosecution after an industrial accident at his family business, Lorraine's daughter is searching for the father she never knew, and Frederick has gone underground after his radical life spiraled out of control.

Epic in scope and touching on such provocative issues as Patty Hearst and the SLA, crime and the possibility of redemption, and the search for self and the meaning of life, Backward-Facing Man is a novel about choices and their lasting effects on people's lives, their families, and American society.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A dark elegy for '60s campus radicalism and its turn toward violence in the years that followed, Silver's debut novel is a complex, beautifully turned-out thriller. Set in 1999–2000 and told by trust-funded failed writer Winnie Prescott, the narrative (which includes a role for Winnie's childhood friend Patty Hearst) centers on Lorraine Nadia, who has recently died, and her legal secretary daughter, Stardust. Shortly after her mother's death, Stardust encounters a disheveled man on a Philadelphia commuter train who notes cryptically that "Your mother and I, we go way back." He turns out to be local factory owner Chuck Puckman, whose younger, more radical self was a lover of Lorraine's—as was Frederick Keane, the infamous Volcano Bomber, who remains in hiding. The novel shuttles back and forth between Chuck, Lorraine and Frederick's eventually diverging paths; Chuck's present struggles to save his manufacturing business after an environmental disaster; and Stardust's efforts to piece together the story and search for Frederick. Silver handles all of the elements cleanly, writing convincingly in the voice of Winnie, who has never been good at much of anything. The plot has real bite—no matter what one's political persuasion. (Sept. 1)
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Review

“Mr. Silver’s unusual perspective and wide-range of material are enough to make this a memorably offbeat debut.” (New York Times )

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Product Details

• Unknown Binding: 309 pages
• Publisher: Ecco Press; 1st edition (August 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060819286
• ISBN-13: 978-0060819286
• Product Dimensions: 2.9 x 1.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,578,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In the late seventies, out of college, I got hired by Clive Davis to be Manager of A&R (Artists and Repertoire) at Arista Records in New York, finding material for artists like Air Supply and Barry Manilow -- songs which have haunted American couples and cover bands for over two decades. In 1982, I started a music production company, which produced a top 10 Disco hit, two rock albums and a studio album by the group, Orleans, which was actually never released because the record company went bankrupt.

In 1984, I returned to Philadelphia to work for my family's manufacturing company where, over the next fifteen years, I held various positions that required long hours and travel. When I wasn't working, I put most of my waking energy into co-creating and raising four children. In 1997, at 41, I enrolled in the Bennington College low residency Masters in Fine Arts Program.

In 1999, we sold our family business and I got divorced, which freed me to pursue the writing life. Since then, I have done consulted, taught college, played music, got re-married, had a son and wrote Backward-Facing Man. I am currently working full-time on my next novel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some Good Writing, but Mostly I Don't Care, September 19, 2005

By 

Mr. December (Cedar Rapids, IA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Backward-Facing Man

Yes, I will agree that Mr. Silver's voice is wry and oft-amusing. I also concur with those who find moments of beauty within this mess of a novel. But mostly I just found it disjointed and unsatisfying, full of bedraggled characters with no positive or endearing qualities. The idea of this being a novel full of passionate idealism is somewhat misleading as well, for I found Chuck to be only passionate about Lorraine, Lorraine to be only passionate about arguing and Fredrick only passionate about being a rebel. And I will not even start on virtually every other character in the book. That aside, the novel just fails to gel. There is no protagonist and no narrative thread except for a thin trickle of substantive plot. If you want a novel voiced from multiple perspectives read Faulkner, but this just does not work. Still, it was entertaining and there is a glimmer of hope that, once Mr. Silver gets passed his debut, he'll become a stronger more confident author. He has the chops, I can tell, he just does not show them here.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down - a new novel with complexity, depth, humor ., September 18, 2005

By 

Sarah Lechner (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Backward-Facing Man

Especially if you're a baby boomer, it will hit you where you live. But younger people should read it too, for the wit & illumination. Silver grapples with big questions. I really loved the complex plot, the combination of compelling motion and richness of detail. It kept me absorbed in a way many books do not. And I had a lot of affection for the characters - even the most despicable have their endearing aspects!
  I hope some independent producer buys the movie rights. Hollywood can't do it justice.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story. Well Crafted. Beautifully Written., September 18, 2005

By 

Dan Booth Cohen (Needham, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Backward-Facing Man

I rarely read novels these days, since I'm a Ph.D. candidate with a heavy reading load.

I thought Backwards Facing Man was fantastic. Once I opened it, I stayed up late and woke up early to get back to the story. I've already bought a copy on Amazon to send as a gift to a friend who lived in Boston in '68. Don Silver is no Proust or Faulkner, but this novel is a cut above the standard for popular fiction. Plus, it's a real page turner with compelling characters and a great story line.