My Old Sweetheart [Large Print] [Paperback]

Susanna Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1984

Susanna Moore displays a naturalist's eye for the landscape of her native Hawaii and an uncanny sensitivity to the despairing love between mothers and daughters. Lily Shields grows up amid the heady atmosphere of her mother's madness. For if Anna Shields is an island unto herself - fragile, glamorous, and fearfully needy - Lily is the bridge that connects her to reality. But now Lily is a young woman and a mother herself, self exiled from Hawaii but still attached to Anna's tragedy. And as she tries to untangle those threads of love and loyalty, Moore gives us a novel of shimmering beauty and sadness. "My Old Sweetheart" is a small classic, perfectly formed and mysteriously wise.

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

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Susanna Moore's novel astonished me--one of those brilliant objects that come along only rarely, all light on clear water, and then one realizes the faster currents underneath, the terrible swiftness of sex and time. "
--Joan Didion

In this mesmerizing novel, Susanna Moore displays a naturalist's eye for the landscape of her native Hawaii and an uncanny sensitivity to the despairing love between mothers and daughters. Lily Shields grows up amid the fragrance of night-jasmine and burning sugar cane, and the heady atmosphere of her mother's madness. For if Anna Shields is an island unto herself--fragile, glamorous, and fearfully needy--Lily is the bridge that connects her to reality.

But now Lily is a young woman and a mother herself, self-exiled from Hawaii but still attached to Anna's tragedy. And as she tries to untangle those threads of love and loyalty, Moore gives us a novel of shimmering beauty and sadness. My Old Sweetheart is a small classic, perfectly formed and mysteriously wise.

"Susanna Moore is a gifted and compelling novelist . . .  in possession of her own unique voice."
--The New York Times Book Review

"I can't recall another novel like this about mothers and daughters. . . . Lily's mysterious, half-told tale delighted and touched me."
--Susan Lydon, Village Voice --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: John Curley & Assoc (March 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893406570
• ISBN-13: 978-0893406578
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,223,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars my old sweetheart, January 31, 2003

By 

karen kate balnig (Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Old Sweetheart (Paperback)

my old sweetheart is a beautifully written story about the complexity of human relationships and the richness of human experiences. It was presented in a 12-year old girl's perspective of issues such as disillusionment, adultery,and , suicide.
A very moving story that is totally unsentimental.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully sensed and written..., July 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: My Old Sweetheart (Paperback)

Susanna Moore's strength is her mapping of physical and mental landscapes. Wonderful tropical Hawaii provides the setting for this tale of the life of an exotic, eccentric and highly dysfunctional family. Sensual and sad but not as precise and overwhelming as "In the Cut".

4 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More a review of Susanna Moore- to correct - AHEM, January 11, 2003

By 

MIKO (Wish I Knew. San Francisco?) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Old Sweetheart (Paperback)

I was student of Susanna Moore in a creative writing class at Yale. I take SERIOUS offense -for Susanna's/Ms. Moor's sake- when I hear someone disrespecting her as I have seen in one review above... Susanna Moore is EXTREMELY APPROACHABLE- perhaps "haughty" only in a fun sense of "playing a character"- but I found her to be more delightfully quirky- with a child's innocence, and yet NOT AT ALL, actually. She was a fine teacher also- able to field a group and be truly honest... I don't remember shat she stopped herself from saying much- kkinda liek another teacher I had before- both of whom could show how teaching is about fearlessness and honesty. I wanted to reply just to clarify that I can't - after numerous classes with Susanna Moore- I think I even used her in a college video documentary- I never, ever experienced a negative side to her character! Seh was completely approachable- and not just by me- by most of the class- I think. Some people thought she was a "character" - but- well- she is- a zany but cool one.