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In this Joyce Carol Oates's novel, a New England confidence man teaches his children the tricks of his trade and sends them out into the world to relieve suckers of their money. The book traces the Licht family's fortunes through the first three decades of the 20th century, as the children come of age, master their talents, and grow away from their father's beliefs. Abraham Licht is a charming but sinister man who is extremely attached to the haunted swamp adjacent to the family home. He schools his children in the arts of assuming new identities and turning one's back on the past, skills which Oates suggests come quite easily to Americans. Licht advises his youngest son, a boy ill-suited to grift, to "assemble your selves with grace," by which he means, be duplicitous and excel at it! Do not bare your heart! However, Abraham's lessons don't stick--one by one, Papa Licht's children let him down. The youngest son becomes a talented musician and composer, while the younger sister devotes herself to a life of helping others as a nurse and suffragette. The other children stick to grift but distance themselves from their father, which breaks his devilish heart. My Heart Laid Bare is a tragic family epic. It is a complicated, ambitious book crammed with ideas, crisply drawn characters, and American history. As Oates unfurls the tragedy, she describes many of the social movements of the early 20th century and posits that this country was shaped by charming, talented liars like the Lichts. --Jill Marquis
Book Description
My Heart Laid Bare is a striking departure for Joyce Carol Oates: a sweeping saga of the fortunes and misfortunes of a family of enterprising confidence artists in 19th-century America. Mythic in scope, ballad-like in the telling, it is Oates's most daring work yet--a stunning tale of crime and transgression--with profound moral consequences.
Oates's picture of America as a land of opportunity to immigrants and settlers takes on a dark tone as we see these veritable shape-shifters exploit the unsuspecting rich by appealing to their deepest flaws. Yet recognizing the sins of greed, lust, pride, and small-mindedness in others does not prevent the patriarch and his brilliant children from being laid low by the same faults.
From the virgin provinces of New York State to the rough and tumble Western frontier, from the backrooms of Washington, D.C., to the Atlantic City of the Gilded Age, from Carnegie Hall to Harlem in the twenties, My Heart Laid Bare transports readers with its mesmerizing narrative voice.
"Dazzling...Oates at her most playful and inventive." --San Francisco Chronicle
"Provocative...Oates's accomplishment here is to construct an original way of looking at American history." --The New York Times Book Review
"A triumph...shows off Oates's macabre, lushly poetic imagination, almost feverish, yet always in perfect control." --San Diego Union Tribune
"Fresh, spirited...full of zestful criminality." --Atlanta Journal Constitution
Customer Reviews:
An American Tragedy .......2005-09-02
I couldn't help but feel sad for Abraham Licht, the father at the heart of this novel set in the age of Ragtime, as first his wives and later his children deserted and betrayed him one by one. I got the impression throughout this book about the fall of a king among con-men, that nearly all Licht did in his career of non-violent, pseudo-victimless crime was done on his offspring's behalf, not his own. It was disheartening to read about the disintegration of a once-proud, cunning, powerful man whose worldly goods all came from his own intelligence and skill. I think the effects of isolation from those who are loved was the real soul of this book more than the grifting and elaborately staged thefts that lay on the surface. I didn't find as much evil in Abraham as others seemed to. He loved his children, he was devoted to them, he served them in any way that was within his range: in return they were disloyal. As he said of his life of schemes and swindles, those he conned were willing partners in their own downfalls. "Complicity? Then no crime." Anyone who fails to understand that this is a sadly revealed tragedy is missing Oates' central story.
it is worth the wait........2001-06-08
when i initially began the book, i almost gave up. it didn't seem to make that much sense...the sentence structure was a bit unconventional. who are these people? it didn't make sense. after the first chapter the entire scene changes and the characters are completely different. Then we are let into the secret of the Licht family. from then on it kept me reading to see what was going to be their next exploit. it was quite a long read for me but worth it. i grew attached to the characters because of their flaws. the Licht family developed a culture all their own.
Overrated, in my opinion.......2001-04-27
Joyce Carol Oates is certainly prolific. But a book this long should not have the same sentence structure on every single page. The prologue is promising, but the rest of the book maintains exactly the same style of questions, incomplete sentences, and sentences beginning in prepositions. I got so bored with the repetition that I couldn't get past the first chapter. The style is pretentious and overly simplistic at the same time. Maybe if you like Oates you'll like this book; if you're not sure, I'd advise at least reading a bit of it before you buy it. Then, if you can imagine enjoying that style of prose for 531 pages, more power to you.
Blazing promise, competetent and brilliant writing, but ...........2000-10-25
"With dignity he rises from his chair; with dignity, manages to maintain his balance; his thin cheeks, hawklike features, the stain of old ivory, a fleeting elderly beauty . . . now his heart's laid bare, for greedy daws to peck at." -Joyce Carol Oates
The story begins in early 1900 at a New York racetrack. The first vignette and the prologue are breathtakingly written; they set a standard and hold out the promise of a journey with fascinating people. The story then jumps from one seeming unrelated event to another, all revolving around a character having a name with "licht" woven into it. It becomes evident that the characters are of the same family, and are involved in "The Game," their father's word for gaining others' confidences and then taking from them. The work details the father's life during the time of his three youngest offspring, and winds its way around the experiences (as well as the people) spawned by this father. It is an exploration into the art of Taking and the art of "The Game." At the end we are presented with the specter of the father who is reaping the fruits of his life. It gives one pause to consider the actual benefits of "The Game" and the repercussions of one's actions.
Beginning with such blazing promise, this book just never delivered. The plot lurches from one vignette to another, presenting characters that are stilted and neither likable or fascinating. The story spans a 30 year period which ended after the election of FDR, and it seemed like it took thirty years of real time to finish, as well. It was a work that was very easy to put down. The writing was certainly competent, brilliant at times, but what was lacking was depth and sparkle, both in terms of the characters and the heart of the story.
I do not see why people make such a fuss..........2000-04-06
I seem to be the only reviewer who did not like this book, and I will try to work out why. I picked up My Heart Laid Bare in the bookstore, rifling through the pages, and because some words caught my eye I went back and read the first chapter. It was spectacular. It caught my attention, and made my mind speed along with what the book promised, so I bought it. But as I moved beyond the first chapter and into the lives of the Lichts, I found myself wrinkling my nose and setting the book aside more often. The characters I neither liked nor admired, the style bored me, and the plot... depressing, bumping along. I don't know what happened to the exciting breathlessness of the first pages, but whatever magic that made me purchase the book was lost by the time I forced myself to the last pages. Since then, I've read a few short stories by Joyce Carol Oates, and found that I didn't like them much either. But difference of opinions like such are common as everyone has his/her own taste, and my disliking of My Heart Laid Bare is just one example.
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My Heart Laid Bare & Other Essays
Charles Baudelaire
Manufacturer: Haskell House Pub Ltd
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Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0838318703 |
Book Description
Previously untranslated essays of Baudelaire, now published for the first time.
THIS TITLE IS CITED AND RECOMMENDED BY: Catalogue of the Lamont Library, Harvard College.
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The Heart Laid Bare
Michel Tremblay
Manufacturer: Talonbooks
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The Sand Child
ASIN: 0889224250 |
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The meaning of life, my heart laid bare
Allen Guivere Miller
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ASIN: B0007EM9J4 |
Book Description
Evangeline Walton's The Mabinogion Tetralogy is one of the remarkable achievements of twentieth-century fantasy literature: a powerful work of the imagination, ranking with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings novels.
The author of the Mabinogion, the ancient tales based on medieval Welsh mythology and history, is unknown to us, but generations have thrilled to these magical adventures set at a time when men and gods mingled, and the gods had more than met their match. In the masterful hands of Evangeline Walton the twelve branches of the original legends were reworked into the four compelling narratives collected here: The Prince of Annwn, The Children of Llyr, The Song of Rhiannon, and The Island of the Mighty. It is Walton's triumph is to have constructed a vital and living world on the foundations of myth.
Customer Reviews:
Mythological Treasure.......2006-11-25
I bought the four books of Evangeline Walton's Mabinogeon in the 1970's, and have read them many times over the years. They are treasured by me, and so worn from use that I no longer lend them to friends. I recommend Ms. Walton's work to everyone I know who enjoys reading, especially if they enjoy mythology.
A masterpiece of literature.......2006-01-20
Don't read this book because you want to get closer to the wealth of Welsh myth. Read this book because it is stunning and beautiful. Reading this book you are in the hands of a competent bard aware of the complexities of human behavior. Walton takes you on an adventure complete with misplaced love, tragic deaths, and heroic splendor. She has taken the bare bones of myth and altered little by added a lot and crafted a masterpiece of literature.
I loved it!.......2004-07-07
I was very impressed with this book. Walton does a wonderful job of reworking the original Welsh legends into four stories. Naturally, she allows herself certain artistic freedoms, such as interpreting disputed aspects of the legends in a way that seems most plausible to her. However, her skill and her imagination make me gladly accept her interpretation.
The writing is probably the most beautiful I have read since Tolkien. It is rich in detail, vibrant, and poetic. A pleasure to read. The same is true for the characters, who really do come to life in Walton's book. She (re)creates gods and men, heroes and monsters, while at the same time exploring some of the recurring themes of humankind, such as love and loyalty, strength and courage, etc. The basis for all this is the same cultural background of the original Welsh mythologies, i.e. the fundamental conflict between the belief of the Old Tribes, in which women were quite independent and powerful, and the New Tribes, in which women are inferior to men and the role of women as 'creators of life' is slowly forgotten.
At the same time, I don't think this book is for everybody. If you enjoy contemporary fantasy with a Celtic background along the lines of Katherine Kerr, then you may be disappointed by this book. Not every subplot is pursued to completion, not every character is described fully. Walton implies as much as she tells us. The language is as much poetry as it is prose. Like I said, it's beautiful, but read it for what it is!
Anika Leithner
Breath Taking!.......2004-01-26
Ms. Walton does an incredible job of taking Welsh Mythology and breathing life into it making it a novel of unsurpassed proportions. You encounter hidden lessons that actually sent shivers through me. This book by no means should replace the Mabinogion's translation by Lady Charlotte, which is a more literal translation. However, Ms. Walton provides insight to the myths and is quite inspiring in doing so. This book just might change your life in some ways.
Matter is an A+; manner D-.......2003-09-08
This might very well be *most* poorly edited book I've ever purchased. Miss Walton's novels are wonderful, in every sense of that word; they rate 5 stars. The volume, though, merits no stars at all, thus my average of 2 stars. The book is utterly laden with distracting and misleading errors of all sorts. Words that make no sense in context substituted for what I know (having read the much better Ballantine paperback editions, years ago, and simply knowing the tales) should be there; whole passages repeated out of sequence. And I'm only some 50 pages into it! Overlook needs to fire whoever purported to edit this thing, and apologize to its customers...and to the memory of Evangeline Walton.
Book Description
Evil times had come for rthe Deryni, the humans with strange, magical powers. The Regents of the boy-king Alroy sought their destruction. And now Bishop Alister Cullen was dead, depriving the Deryni of their greatest friend. But no one could be sure he was really dead. His body lay unchanged and incorruptible. As those questions remained unanswered, the effort to save Deryni had to continue. In the meanwhile, Camber's daughter Evaine pursued the most perilous quest of all--to find among ancient foribidden scrolls the spell that might release Camber. The price to fail--or to succeed--was unthinkable.....
Customer Reviews:
More to come?.......2002-12-28
This was an excellent book. I hope that this won't be the end of this generation of characters in the Deryni series. All of Ms. Kurtz novels feature main characters of strong moral value, and this is not an exception. This is a novel full of the usual well written and thought out scenes, and strong charaters. It is, as are of her Ms. Kurtz books enjoyable and believable. It has a good number of surprises as well, and it's own fair share of suspense and intrigue. The charaters struggle and risk all they have for what the feel is the greater good. They stop at nothing to do what is right, and accomplish it while attempting to hurt as few others along the way as possible. this is a page turner of a book. It won't dissapoint.
One of the better of the Deryni series.......2002-09-26
I have mixed feelings about the Deryni series. At it's best it is very authentic, mixing a very detailed pseudo-pagan medievalism with a well thought out magical system. It fails sometimes though in the characterizations and motivations and gets rather gimmicky and embarrassingly self-imitative at times. But this book is not one of those. The books featuring St Camber and his children and the beginning of the Haldane line are generally quite fun and illustrate medieval religious issues in a fantasy format. I haven't come across too many books that deal with the issue of Sainthood in an almost physical way, which is odd because there are so many medieval based fantasy characters out there. Or if I have come across fantasy books featuring the issue of Sainthood they must have been so bad I can't remember any of them. This one is good. All the more so since it studies a character who was both admirable and interesting. And as I remember it, it's been awhile, the plot has some surprising quirks. You might want to read the three previous books that feature Camber himself, or you might want to let this story introduce you to the legend.
The Harrowing Of Gwynedd.......1999-12-23
I applaud Katherine Kurtz's ability to introduce her characters to all readers so that they feel like family. I was moved to tears by the ending of this novel, yet was left with a smile on my face. I can only say that this is a MUST read for deryni fans, and everyone else on the planet as well. The heirs of Saint Camber is a stunning example of a fantasy series that, in another time, could be true.
Another book of courage and tragedy...............1997-05-17
The Harrowing of Gwynedd sees the Deryni people on the verge of extinction, as a small group of them attempt to make stand. The story centers on Evaine, daughter of Camber, as she leads the struggle. She is a mother, a soceress, and a warrior, whose skills are tested to the limit. Her success or failure will determine the fate of her people. Read this book and see what happens. Her character is both strong and believeable, as her presence dominates this book
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The Harrowing of Gwynedd
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HMO82W |
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The Harrowing of Gwynedd
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HMM2RK |
Book Description
As we recover from an eating disorder, these 366 meditations will help us find the power to develop and deepen our spirituality. Daily positive thoughts offer insight and ideas for meeting the challenges of ongoing recovery from eating disorders.
Customer Reviews:
Great daily help to recovery from eating disorders.......2007-02-19
This book has been helpful to so many friends in recovery from eating disorders. It is geared toward a daily positive outlook while staying true to ourselves and our feelings. I recommend it to anyone struggling with their relationship with food, body and weight.
Inspirational and uplifting.......2006-06-25
I read this book, day after day, after I was released from an eating disorder unit. I keep it close by. The words of expression and recovery make me believe in myself.
Books:
- Nature Lessons: A Novel
- Nectar: A Novel of Temptation
- On Sarpy Creek
- One Hundred Years of Solitude: Modes of Reading (Twayne's Masterworks Studies, No. 70)
- Ordinary Love and Good Will: Two Novellas
- Out of the Night That Covers Me
- Pepe Rios
- Phantasmatic Indochina: French Colonial Ideology in Architecture, Film, and Literature (Asia-Pacific)
- Prisoner in a Red-Rose Chain
- Reckless Eyeballing
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Solstice
