Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Fiction
1999 Ballantine Books (first published in 1998)
Read in January 2000
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
In this, her fourteenth novel--and one of her most endearing--Anne Tyler tells the story of a lovable loser who's trying to get his life in order.
Barnaby Gaitlin has been in trouble ever since adolescence. He had this habit of breaking into other people's houses. It wasn't the big loot he was after, like his teenage cohorts. It was just that he liked to read other people's mail, pore over their family photo albums, and appropriate a few of their precious mementos.
But for eleven years now, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who can't move their own porch furniture or bring the Christmas tree down from the attic. At last, his life seems to be on an even keel.
Still, the Gaitlins (of "old" Baltimore) cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon he didn't show up ever to visit their little girl, Opal. Even the nice, steady woman (his guardian angel?) who seems to have designs on him doesn't fully trust him, it develops, when the chips are down, and it looks as though his world may fall apart again.
There is no one like Anne Tyler, with her sharp, funny, tender perceptions about how human beings navigate on a puzzling planet, and she keeps us enthralled from start to finish in this delicious new novel.
My Original Thoughts (2000):
Wonderful story! Eccentric, quirky, memorable characters. I loved the idea of Rent-a-Back. What a great idea for a business. Barnaby is a fun, interesting character.
My Current Thoughts:
I might have to get a copy of this from the library for a re-read.
I really liked this one! I thought of it again years later when my parents were living in an aging neighborhood, and a younger man and his wife provided many services for their elderly neighbors, charging next to nothing--from mowing the small lawns to changing light bulbs in the high ceilings.
ReplyDeleteJenclair, we live in an aging neighborhood and this sort of service would be great. I'm not too old to rake leaves and pull weeds, but I sure don't want to get up on our roof to blow off the pine needles and branches. We have to hire someone to do that for us.
DeleteI remember loving this book (as I do almost all of Anne Tyler's books). It's time for a re-read for me, too! Thanks for reminding me. Hope you all are doing well. Hugs from Florida!
ReplyDeleteLaurel, I run hot and cold with AT's books. Some are just too quirky for me, but I do remember enjoying this one quite well.
DeleteDoing well here. The sun is shining, which makes my walks especially enjoyable. Heading over to Albany in another week and we'll take the RV, "camping" for a few nights while my hubby sees an orthopedic surgeon for a consultation about his arm. Take care!
Vicki, I'm going to try to make time to listen to it for a "re-read." Yes, Rent-a-Back is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI like Anne Tyler very much. Some of her first novels were pretty rough but she quickly got better.
ReplyDeleteDeb, I wonder how many of her books I've read. I've enjoyed some, but have also given up on a few.
DeleteI haven't read a lot of her books but the ones I have I have truly enjoyed. She always has characters that are down-to-earth if a bit quirky but she makes simple stories so engaging.
ReplyDeleteIliana, you're right about her characters. Not only are they down-to-earth and quirky, but their names are always a big unusual, too. I haven't given up on her, but she's not one of my favorite authors.
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