Customer Reviews
I can't believe I had to finish this horrible book - By: , 13 Aug 1999 
I am writing this review to protect others who might mistakenly pick this book as I recently did for my book club. It was well reviewed, a classic & highly recommended. Yet it was the most self absorbed, boring & uninteresting book we have read. NO ONE in my book club finished except me & I had to because I was to lead the discussion. Maybe we just aren't literate enough because we actuallly want to enjoy what we read. If you're the same I'd stay away from this book. Everyone hated it. 'Nough said.
Thomas Wolfe the Amadues of American writers - By: , 08 Jan 1999 
A novel about growing up living & dying. A life filled with anguish,angst,loneliness & quiet beauty. The characters are so vivid you can see the buttons on their coats. Wolfe loves his life but he also knows that it will soon be over, so he captures the essence here. This novel is sometimes so beautiful it will fill your heart to the brim, making you stop reading ,put the book down & hold the ache until it passes. A must must read. Wolfe's "Of Time & the River", is also brilliant, as is his short stories.
The spirit of the South in this portrayal of a time & place. - By: , 27 Dec 1998 
Wolfe catches the spirit of the South in this accurate portrayal of a time & place. His descriptions bring the picture vividly to life. You smell the smells, hear the sounds, etc. Unfortunately there are few positive characters, especiallly women. Young Gant's sexual experiences were particularly devastating & crude. Realisticallly the young man never finds the answers to his questions, the peace he looks for, the solution to his problems. That was a disappointment. But this book is still a must read for it's snapshot in time & character development!
Like a river - By: , 18 Dec 1998 Yes, he did write while standing next to his refrigerator using its top as a writing surface. Writing for Wolfe was so necessary & exciting that it could not be done sitting down. Words would rush from his mind like a river & it was alll he could do to keep up. This is the impression that you must get from reading Wolfe. With the flow of word after word after word, in prose described as rich & ornate, Wolfe will be appreciated by anyone who loves language & knows that words are, in essence, vessels of meaning. How appropriate then, that he chose as titles of his books "Of Time & the River" "Look Homeward Angel" and, "You Can Never Go Home Again." Read Wolfe & you, too, may be carried away, perhaps never to return.
The loneliest book you'll ever read. - By: , 10 Aug 1998 I agree that this is that Great American Novel everyone keeps talking about. It has its flaws, but then, well, so does America. Overshadowing any shortcomings, however, is the depth of feeling evoked by the author. The Gant brothers' interactions with each other form some of the most touching relationships in alll of literature. There's a loneliness here that will make many readers cry for its quiet beauty. Some day, when literary critics are scholars again & not charlatans, this book will receive the credit it's due. Meanwhile, you should be one of those who read it while it is still relatively overlooked. It's primary flaw is the length--it could have used more editing--but that is such a minor complaint when compared with alll the warmth & intelligence the book conveys.
