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John Edgar Wideman's first novel, A Glance Away, was published in 1967 when the author was just 26 years old. The New York Times Book Review raved "Here is a novelist of high seriousness and depth. He has all sorts of literary gifts, including a poet's flair for a taut, meaningful, emotional language." The action unfolds over the course of a single day, but deftly jumps through time to interweave the life journeys of two very different men whose paths converge one unforgettable evening with surprising and unforgettable results. Eddie Lawson, a young African-American, has spent a year kicking his drug habit and finally returned home. Robert Thurley, a white college professor, is on the verge of crumbling under the weight of haunting family memories, alcoholism, and a tormented struggle with his ambiguous sexual identity. Their encounter forcefully illustrates the consequences of our failure to understand one another, and the transformative possibilities that open up for those brave enough to try.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Jonathan Dorval
reviewed A Glance Away on January 10, 2010
A Glance Away
A Glance Away by John Edgar Wideman was not a book I was at all engaged in, or liked very much. It was a book whose characters I cared not at all about, and actually found them pretty pathetic. It is a book that came out of the 60s and 70s, and though I like those eras, some of the literature featuring characters that cannot communicate or change and who make their own damn lives miserable just leaves me cold.
This book features two characters, Eddie, who I have a bit more sympathy for, is a young black man back to his urban home from a rehab stint in the South. And while I could be OK with Eddie being an addict, his inability to deal with an overbearing mother, or even have the slightest ability to say one word that would make the situation better, just evokes nothing but contempt and derision from me, especially as he knows how he could make this situation and his life better.
The other character is Robert, a middle-aged queen, a professor who has devolved into alcoholism and pretended literary aspirations. Really he does not write at all, is scared to go into his classroom and feels like life has taken a dump on him. Guess what Robert, THAT is life! Get over yourself and your little petty difficulties...they are not that overwhelming! They can be pretty easily solved, at least many of them. But he is just wallowing in self-pity for supposed injustices.
There is a bit of plot where these two meet, but most of the book is examining the two psyches of the men. And quite frankly, neither psyche in very interesting. I am glad it was a short book.
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Add A Glance Away, John Edgar Wideman's first novel, A Glance Away, was published in 1967 when the author was just 26 years old. The New York Times Book Review raved Here is a novelist of high seriousness and depth. He has all sorts of literary gifts, including a poet's fl, A Glance Away to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
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Add A Glance Away, John Edgar Wideman's first novel, A Glance Away, was published in 1967 when the author was just 26 years old. The New York Times Book Review raved Here is a novelist of high seriousness and depth. He has all sorts of literary gifts, including a poet's fl, A Glance Away to your collection on WonderClub |
