|
Frequently Bought Together
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
by Chet Raymo
|
by Walker Percy
|
by Geraldine Brooks
|
by Chet Raymo
|
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle) by Mary Ann Shaffer |
Editorial Reviews
"Begin with beauty," commands the opening sentence of this powerful novel, suffused with a 19th-century Romantic sensibility; its trite, although heartfelt, closing plea--"Hold me"--encapsulates the narrative's shift in focus from wide-ranging contemplation to the personal realization of love. Set in Cork, Ireland, this philosophic, imaginatively plotted tale is narrated by Frank Bois, a 43-year-old dwarf who has just completed a semi-autobiographical book. In a rambling internal dialogue he reminisces about the events his volume covers: his birth after WW II; his emotionally distant mother, who took many lovers; and his early decision to sublimate his sexuality (after a prostitute told him, "Be gone, ye little dork") by immersing himself in a passion for the moon and stars. Frank interrupts the chronological narrative with personal meditations, some about his writing career; he considers his book a literary freak show, knowing that people are amazed by his appreciation of beauty because, to them, he represents ugliness. Raymo ( In the Falcon's Claw ) so skillfully manipulates the author-within-an-author narration that it's easy to forget that Frank is a fictional entity. His unique, epiphanic and bluntly truthful story forces a reconsideration of the beautiful and the grotesque.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
In this novel, Raymo, author of In the Falcon's Claw: A Novel of the Year 1000 ( LJ 1/90), explores alienation--how it can be induced by religious belief, emotional trauma, or physical disability. His protagonist, Frank Bois, resident of Cork, Ireland, is 43 years old and 43 inches tall when we meet him. Frank has lived his adult life cut off from all meaningful human contact. Awash in self-pity over his size, unable to believe in the existence of God, Frank finds solace in observing the heavens and worshiping from afar the physical beauty of women. Through a series of flashbacks, often humorous, we learn of the mishaps that have shaped Frank's life, from his conception aboard an American troopship at the end of World War II to the death of his mother. The opportunity to have his celestial observations published takes Frank to London, where his preconceptions about God, women, and himself are challenged. Raymo has created a character we can all empathize with and for whom we care. This thoughtful, humorous novel is recommended for larger collections.
- Robert J. Andrews, Duluth P.L., Minn.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Begin with beauty. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
pink kerchief, yer book, dwarf child, kitchen roof, coppery hair Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Roger Manning, Jack Kelly, Handy Paige, Jennifer Down, Frank Bois, Fin Barre, Nicholas Road, Albert Bois, Bernadette Bois, Hans Scrieber, Terry Klout, Emma Kelly, River Lee, Canis Minor, Douglas Road, Sister Columbanus, Sister Edna, Glen Ellen Road, Jaffa Oranges, Little Prince, Tony Hanks, Albert Quay, Thaddeus Swift-Houghton, Westview Terrace, White Castle New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
- Claudine and Annie (English Title = the Innocent Wife) by Colette on page 21
- The Imitation Of Christ by St Thomas A Kempis on page 99
- Written In Stone by Chet Raymo in Front Matter
- The Imitation of Christ by Thomas on page 99
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on page 97
See all 18 books this book cites
What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?
 |
81% buy the item featured on this page: The Dork of Cork $17.99 |
 |
5% buy Honey from Stone: A Naturalist's Search for God $10.85 |
 |
5% buy When God Is Gone, Everything Is Holy: The Making of a Religious Naturalist $15.61 |
 |
4% buy Skeptics and True Believers $11.66 |
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Customer Discussions
Beta (What's this?)|
This product's forum
(0 discussions)
Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Active discussions in related forums
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Product Information from the Amapedia Community
Beta (What's this?)Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.
› See featured Amapedia.com articles
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
Look for Similar Items by Category
SpaFeatures: Free Shipping |
Be Prepared for Every Emergency |
Bosch Tools are Invented for Life |
||||||||
|
Your Recent History
(What's this?)|
You have no recently viewed items or searches.
After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session. |
Continue shopping: Top Sellers
| ||||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
