I'll Never Be Long Gone: A Novel [Bargain Price] [Hardcover]

Thomas Christopher Greene (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

The lives of brothers Charlie and Owen Bender are changed forever on the night their father walks into the Vermont woods with a death wish and a shotgun. The second shock comes when his suicide note bequeaths the family's restaurant to Charlie alone, while leaving Owen with instructions to follow his own path, wherever it may take him.

Years later, the restaurant is a success. The void in Charlie's life, created by his beloved brother's absence, is finally filled when a passionate affair becomes a deeply satisfying marriage. And now prodigal son Owen is returning home, to be welcomed back into the family fold. But the cruel legacy that tore a brotherhood apart created wounds not easily healed . . . and there must be reckoning.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The rugged, rain-lashed landscape of Eden, Vt., becomes a palpably biblical backdrop for a moving generational tale in Greene's second novel (after Mirror Lake). The Bender brothers—Charlie, 18, and Owen, 17—find their lives reshaped by the will of their formidable late father. To Charlie goes the family restaurant, Charlotte's; to Owen goes $10,000 and a directive to find himself. Greene flashes to years when Charles Sr. pitted son against son in Iron Chef–like matches—picking his successor, it's now clear. Charles's will also bequeaths his wife the freedom to return to city life, which she promptly does. Working himself to the bone in the kitchen, Charlie seeks an assistant chef, and Owen's high school girlfriend, Claire Apple, resurfaces with impeccable timing, having acquired both beauty and culinary savvy in her time away from Eden. The two fall in love, marry and have a son, Jonah, setting the stage for a smoldering Cain-and-Abel conflict when Owen returns after years of adventures. Greene's evocative descriptions of nature, food and love infuse this novel with sensuality and a nostalgia-tinged melancholy. And if Greene's reach for scriptural allegory feels presumptive, the book is redeemed by its careful consideration of the burden, and blessing, of legacy.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Vermont chef and restaurateur Charles Bender is a bullheaded man who lives by his own rules. Stricken with lung cancer, the father of two decides to end his own life, and in a detailed suicide note, he wills his rustic establishment to elder son, Charles Jr., and a stash of cash to younger Owen so that he may find his "own path." The boys' mother, Charlotte (for whom the restaurant is named), has known her husband's plans all along, resigning herself to move to Manhattan and start life anew. Armed with culinary skills learned from his father, Charles Jr. takes deft command of the kitchen, rendering imaginative dishes with passion and panache. Meanwhile, Owen travels the world with the merchant marines, distancing himself from dark memories of the past. Nearly 20 years pass before Owen returns to Vermont, where his presence rattles the rhythm of his brother's established life. Greene's poetic descriptions of his native New England and his sumptuous accounts of cooking and cuisine season an otherwise stale tale of loss, legacy, and love. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• ISBN-10: 0060765801
• ASIN: B000HWYUSY
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,020,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts and have lived in beautiful central Vermont for 13 years now. I am the sixth of seven children. I was educated at Suffield Academy, Hobart College and the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College. I am the author of two novels and am under contract for a third, THE ENVIOUS MOON, which I am currently writing. I welcome any and all feedback about my work, and do my best to answer all my e-mails. Tom

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars perfectly balanced, July 20, 2006

By 

Philip (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I'll Never Be Long Gone: A Novel (Hardcover)

I'll Never Be Long Gone is Greene's second novel after the subtle and excellent Mirror Lake. I'll Never Be Long Gone is a gem of a book and Greene manages to seamlessly balance an intriguing story of familial bonds and betrayal with fluid and beautifully cadenced prose. Comparisons to books like Plainsong or Peace Like a River are well deserved. While the subject matter of Greene's novel differs his story does share the same sensibilities and he succeeds in creating the same depth in his characters. Greene is also a master of smaller moments, those scenes or passages that build the characters without ever seeming anecdotal. There are numerous paragraphs that beg to be read over and over for their skill and fluidity. The restaurant /culinary dimension of the novel radiates throughout, anchors it to some extent but never takes the edge off of this powerful and biblical tale. Greene has delivered on the promise of Mirror Lake and leaves me wondering what he'll do next. Whatever it is, I'll be hitting the bookstore as soon as it's released.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A writer of promise, May 14, 2006

By 

Ronn F. "Ronn" (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I'll Never Be Long Gone: A Novel (Hardcover)

I'll Never Be Long Gone demonstrates Mr. Greene's steady progress as a novelist. His characters are well developed, and he shows considerable creativity and power in his use of descriptive language. The subtext of cooking I found particularly enjoyable, and it imbued the work with passion and detail. My one regret came at the conclusion. I wished there had been more closure to the relationships. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book. I am looking forward to Mr. Greene's next novel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another perfect vision of Vermont, February 1, 2006

By 

A. Lehmann (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'll Never Be Long Gone: A Novel (Hardcover)

Mr. Greene's second novel shares many similarities with his first effort. His writing is poetic and compelling and his themes of love, betrayal, and understanding resonate throughout. This time around, Greene has created a wonderfully believeable setting in a samll restaurant where much of the drama occurs. He achieves a great deal through his dramatic descriptions of setting, and his cooking scenes literally made my mouth water. He describes the ruggedness and beauty of the Vermont landscape like few before him. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to more work from this gifted young novelist.