Taking its cue from the fractured times it describes between 1960 and today, each beautifully interwoven tale is deeply rooted in the sixties, each is haunted by the Vietnam war. This is a book about a group of peers from small-town Harwich, Connecticut: in 1960, there's a newcomer to the town, who introduces Bobby Garfield to the joy of reading and the horrors of 'low men in yellow coats'; by 1966, it's bellbottom pants, pot, patchouli and peace-signs and at Maine University, Pete, who has fallen victim to the addictive ...
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Taking its cue from the fractured times it describes between 1960 and today, each beautifully interwoven tale is deeply rooted in the sixties, each is haunted by the Vietnam war. This is a book about a group of peers from small-town Harwich, Connecticut: in 1960, there's a newcomer to the town, who introduces Bobby Garfield to the joy of reading and the horrors of 'low men in yellow coats'; by 1966, it's bellbottom pants, pot, patchouli and peace-signs and at Maine University, Pete, who has fallen victim to the addictive game of 'hearts in Atlantis', will learn a lesson in humanity; by 1983, 'Nam vet 'Blind Willie' is paying penance; in 1999, there are reunions, funerals, and the eternal questions - 'why we're in Vietnam'; a year later, Bobby comes home to where his heart is, where the past is always present, as 'Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling'.
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Seller's Description:
First UK edition (ie first impression), hardback. 8vo (24cm by 16cm), [ix], 499pp. Original blue cloth, dustwrapper. The book and the dustwrapper are in very good condition. ISBN 0340738901.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages.
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Very good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
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Very Good in Very Good jacket. Size: 6x1x9; The UK first edition, in its first printing with number line to 1. Navy boards with gold spine titling, very good with lightly bumped spine ends. Spine square. Binding sound. Dust jacket very good in Mylar with light edgewear to spine ends and fore-edge corners. Pages bright, text unmarked.
While admitting he has written several books that became cracker jack movies, I admit I am not a Stephen King fan. Decades ago I tried one of his books---I forget which---found it unreadable and have not gone back.
Until now. For which I thank The Slickster. She made the recommendation and she has found so many of my favorite writers on her own or enjoyed them at my suggestion I decided to follow her advice. Good decision on my part.
Part of the book's appeal, I warn you, is that it starts about the time I started to become aware of the world, about the time I started to have memories. He progresses through my college time, missing my exact years by one. Playing cards figures strongly here, and while the game is different, cards were a big part of my college days, as well as for about a decade afterwards.
King describes the mood of the periods he covers, and it is not a surprize his college days were spent at the same time mine were, and not far away from where I was. His description of how Viet Nam seemed to many of those who participated resonates, a thing I know because a few who were there have confided in me, to my great honor, and because a few of the more driven have written about their experiences.
Starting as a bildungsroman and progressing to later life for different characters, the story lines converge in odd ways. Suitably, parts of the book incorporate a soupcon of the super-normal. We accept it, as we accept that Shane is good with a gun or that people can change, a concept strongly underlined by the presence of "Lord of the Flies" throughout much of the book. Indeed, part of the appeal is the reference and homage paid to the 'classical' novels we used to read in high school: "Lord of the Flies", "A Separate Peace", "Catcher in the Rye", "1984", "Brave New World", "Of Mice and Men' and so on. If these were not your generation's books, that is fine. You will recognize your own books and movies here; you will recognize yourself.
The nature of courage, the force of addiction, the bonds formed when young, the difficulty of growing up, the phases of life all form threads throughout the book. "A different kind of novel" to quote The Slickster.
Highly recommended.
larcre
Oct 28, 2008
highly recommended
An excellent book, however you must read to the very last page to get the full impact, if you stop too early you will miss a lot. This is a great example of Steven King tying everything together in such a way as to have you thinking about the book after you have read it. A classic example of the authors creativity at its best.
maggiecate8990
Jul 24, 2008
A King Great
Very good book by King, an intriguing, intimate, and intertwining story that is alittle unlike most of King's bogeyman tales.
