Carpenter of Auguliere [Hardcover]

D. Wayne Dworsky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

The fate of the village lay in the hands of a stranger in whom the townspeople learned to distrust. The years taught them complacency, growing comfortable in the wake of an evil curse. The stranger saw that he was needed to enlighten the people, but no one trusted him once they believed they were deceived. Madeleine, a beautiful young farm girl, finds her chance to escape the throes of the village, slipping away because of the demands of her ailing father and the lack of support from her two tenebrous sisters. And, in the shadows, lay a sinister being capable of destroying her life and sapping out what remained of the life of her ailing father. But, without the stranger, she faced yet another, horrible dilemma she never expected to ensue.

Editorial Reviews

Review

At last, an old-fashioned story not based on sex or violence. In this remote village, the ageless struggles of good and evil never lost their grip. -- Barry W. Metcalf, author of Nightmare in Alice Springs "The excitement of rediscovering fear, anger, and hate with a backdrop of loss, reminds us that we are still human and still vulnerable." -- Cynthia Rider, author of Tapestries of the Heart

About the Author

From 1978 to 1985, D. Wayne Dworsky served as editor of the newsletter put out by the Spina Bifida Association of Greater New York. In 2004, he retired from teaching and began to publish.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Concrete Jungle Press (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974904821
• ISBN-13: 978-0974904825
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,039,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THOUGHTFUL STORY AND SOME GREAT WRITING., February 5, 2010

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carpenter of Auguliere (Hardcover)

This small book is rather an exciting read. By exciting, I mean that it is truly well written by an author who is an obvious master story teller. Now I must admit right off that I more or less have a great disliking for allegory in all of its either glaring or subtle forms. It this case though I found that it was pleasing; more perhaps has it was presented in the form of a parable...the one method of this genre I can stomach. That is just me though; my personal taste and it is obvious after reading the several reviews here that others differ from mine. Personally I like this work.

Briefly as to the plot, which has been pretty well covered here by a number of very nice reviews, this is the story of a town; a European community from the past. Things have over the years slipped into a sorry state and the people of the town have a less than positive outlook on life. Times are hard. There is an evil landlord who has laid great tax burdens upon the people. The citizens of this community find they are down trodden and are always "looking down" so to speak, rather than "up." The backbiting, negativity, grief and sorrow have left their brand upon this community. It is not the sort of place you would want to live.

Along comes a carpenter from across the mountains. He brings hope and can see what those who live in this, in their eyes, grim little village. He changes the outlook of the community, but alas, people being people, they soon turn against this young messenger of love, hope and joy. Where will it all end? Is there happiness, joy, or is there more sorrow...is there hope?

This is a short but oh so thoughtful book. Is it an allegory of our times? Possibly, possibly not..possibly an allegory that can be related to during many times in the past and will be pertinent many times in the future...again, because people are people and have not changed all that much down through the years and I doubt will change much in the next several hundred.

The strongest part of this work is the author's study of people, how they interact, how they respond to one another. Much can be learned from the lessons here and for those interested, much can be learn as to how to tell a good tale.

All in all, a very enjoyable and thoughtful read and I do recommend it highly.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous Maxim, April 18, 2009

By 

W. Easley "Opa" (Colorado Rocky Mountains) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carpenter of Auguliere (Hardcover)

The Carpenter of Auguliere is set in the small town of Auguliere, which sits in a lush valley surrounded by majestic mountains. Despite the idyllic setting, Auguliere and its people have a problem. The landlord collects monthly rent and taxes and intimidates people who struggle to pay those fees. The landlord personally determines the amount of the rent and taxes and revises the amount to keep members of the community within his grasp. The people of Auguliere struggle under this obsessive burden and try to find methods to live under oppression.

The plot in this story concerns the very life blood of the small town and its people. The townspeople are fearful, downtrodden and reluctant to trust. Many are depressed about the social problems and insecurities in their town but are reluctant to relocate. People are anxious for hope. Can the community survive?

The Carpenter of Auguliere is well written and has some characters that are very realistic. Several are so likeable that they become our friends.

Several characters are very well drawn. Gilbert O'Sullivan, a carpenter, is a caring, hardworking, pleasant, and friendly man with enormous talent for making things. The descriptions of him are so clear that I can feel his rough, dry hands and see the sawdust in his hair.

Madeleine Knesnovich is like the girl next door. She is pretty, gentle, and ministers to people in need. Madeleine, who cares for her invalid father, is easily intimidated by the landlord. She believes he threatens her livelihood. Madeleine's reactions to events are emotional and genuine.

Robert Robertson, Mr. Robertson to the people of Auguliere, is the sort of person who makes "landlord" an offensive word. Robertson is much like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. He is a miser who values money and property much more than people. He can be very threatening.

This novel reminds me of stories by O'Henry. Dworsky has written a wholesome saga of common people facing stressful difficulties. This novel is like a morality play. The book is ideal as a study of social systems and culture. This tale is excellent for pondering the purpose of life.

I recommend The Carpenter of Auguliere for its story, its characterizations and its very spiritual plot.

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking story, May 15, 2009

By 

Frances J. Wojnar (Pleasant Hill, Ca) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carpenter of Auguliere (Hardcover)

The author has crafted a thought-provoking story that rings from the mouths of the characters that inhabit a remote, mountainous village at the turn of the century. The reader is led into the author's imagination and guided through this tale with the gentle nudging that you would encourage someone venturing into a foreign world, eavesdropping ever so gently on those who reside in this realm.

Two horses drive a colossal wagon filled with the wares of a stranger riding into town. He meets Mrs. Teivel. She is a wicked woman who defies logic, endeavoring to foretell the events of all who dare approach her. She talks in riddles and challenges the sanity of those who near her by her uncanny ability of getting under your skin. She deflects the goodness of the stranger and challenges him to be ware. Then the wolves howl at night, keeping you awake and making you think who might be a victim of their assault. Finally, we meet the landlord. He must carry out incredulous acts of collection and threat, despising those who dare cross him. He even resorts to foreclosure and extortion to exact his payments.

At last we meet the heroine, Madeleine. She is young and tender, but can stand up to the landlord and is not afraid of hard work. She graciously allows the stranger's lodging in her father's workshop. Since his illness has prevented him from work, he wastes away as a spent man. As the stranger shows Madeleine that he intends to rebuild the village, she finds herself enamored by his charm. This makes her father happy since he thinks that the stranger has a future with her. But as fate would have it, something goes wrong, something is missing and somehow Madeleine got the idea that the stranger stole it. When Mrs. Teivel performs her evil tasks, the whole town turns against the stranger and makes you wonder if he can ever vindicate his image.

At this point we don't want to give the plot away. One can see the author has invested a lot in the characters in order for the reader to perceive the jam that the stranger got himself in. The question is how will he get out? Dworsky has designed a work of fiction that begs the question of why people do things the way they do. He attempts to investigate how good and evil are pit against each other and how a person can get hurt...and recover. This is the prime directive of his work. The reader will be very surprised by the outcome. It's a good read.