The Grace That Keeps This World
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Book Overview
Gary and Susan Hazen--high school sweethearts married for many years, born and bred in the Adirondack community of Lost Lake--live a simple and honest life and have instilled values in their two grown sons by example. But despite their efforts, Gary senses that his sons are starting to pull away and can't help but feel he is at fault. His younger son, Kevin, has ambitions that extend far beyond the snowy edges of their small town. And his elder, Gary David, so fears disappointing his father that he is keeping an important part of his life secret. The Grace That Keeps This World is a story about family, community, and the shared values that underlie and sustain human relationships. And ultimately, it is a tale of profound loss, human fallibility, and the love--romantic, neighborly, or familial--that can sometimes blur our line of vision. A Book Sense pick Includes a new essay by the author and a preview chapter of his forthcoming novel, Cotton Song .
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0307238024
ISBN13:9780307238023
Release Date:July 2006
Publisher:Crown Publishing Group (NY)
Length:320 Pages
Weight:0.55 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Wow! Completely Engrossing.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I just finished listening to the unabridged audio book version read by the author. Stunning! What a writer! One of the best novels I have listened to. This is an intricately woven, moving story of family, friendship, love, and respect. Tom Bailey's unique style, telling the story from the perspective of so many characters is captivating and adds a richness to the story that one voice never could. Read by the author, this story comes alive. You can't walk away from it, Tom Bailey reaches out and grabs you, pulling you into the story, tugging at your heart in the end (have some tissue close by). ENCORE!
Great American Story
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
There is no pandering or flashiness here. This is a book about people who tend to keep their feelings to themselves as a way of being and a way of being with each other. Yet in each piece of the narrative, I could feel what they felt quite completely. The author captures much of what it means to be from rural parts of America: something I feel is not done well in many American novels. And I was struck by how beautifully he shows us how people who live in a world surrounded by nature develop their values for it.
A wonderful look at an admirable family
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
This book was a great pleasure to read. In a time when materialism has gotten in our way, this clearly written, thoughtful look at a world that is simpler, more difficult and more "honest" was a great pleasure to read. As someone who is often disappointed with what's out there in the way of fiction, this novel did not disappoint -- not from the beginning. I hope Tom Bailey will write many more books in the future. This book is a treasure.
luminous, heartbreaking novel
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Loved this novel. Understanding the "grace that keeps this world" makes the whole read important and worthwhile. This is a novel I have given away to a friend, insisting that she read it. When she is finished with it, I plan on reading it again.
Worth the Wait
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
I first heard Tom Bailey read the short story, upon which this novel is based, to the parents of his writing students at Susquehanna University. Five years have passed since that day - the day when I began waiting for him to turn the story into a novel. Tonight I finished reading the novel. It cannot be put down until you have read it in its entirety. The Grace That Keeps This World was definitely worth the wait!
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