1.78k reviews for:

A Single Man

Christopher Isherwood

4.03 AVERAGE

jakeosman's review against another edition

4.0

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Its a canon book that I think as I read other books and reflect on the time has more interesting lenses on it. I just rewatched the movie so I decided to reread the book and boy are they different. I think the book is far more complicated and complex and the movie seems to focus on the death more than I would say the book does. The book, at least in this read, was also a lot less tragic in my mind, but more like getting to be a fly on the wall to being gay in another time. I think a lot to interface with as far as what feels fair, appropriate and kind in our relationships. Considering the length and the stand it is willing to take I think its a type of book that is worth rereading again and again in time the way my 8th grade teacher felt about Catcher in the Rye. I think this round gave me a lot to think about and at the same time felt a bit deflated than the first time I read it. Interesting.

embi's review against another edition

4.0

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Thoughts to come

dr_dick's review against another edition

4.0

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beautifully done but disturbing (not always in a bad way).

mhcunn's review against another edition

4.25

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

pringles34's review against another edition

2.75

lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Något långtråkig, drog mig för att fortsätta ungefär halvvägs. Men de sista 30 sidorna var ganska trevliga. Ett misstag jag tror att jag gjorde var att låna boken på svenska och inte engelska!

drumpjoker's review against another edition

4.0

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This book is brilliant on a visceral level. It taps into many levels and aspects of life. It plays and jumps between the many levels of living. It zooms in, seeing the cellular level of a living, in other words, dying, specimen. It zooms out a bit, and here we have George, or the many versions of George, defined by the linkages to his surroundings and the sociological roles he plays. At this level, we see George in the spectrum between Past and Future, through Jim, Charley, and Kenny. And then we zoom out more and see not human beings with human beings' concerns, but entities and ideas transferring. George is the symbol of the Old, Kenny the Young. George the Man, Charley the Woman. Yes, Isherwood is fucking mastered in bringing all of this together in a smooth flow with intentional pacing across the 151 pages. Some parts require lots of cognitive loads to follow through, and some parts, such as the drunk talk between George and Char, feel like a memo. And then that high school-like, pushy, flirty, and rushy dialogue between George and Kenny.

All of these interactions, of differences and alignments, come together under a limited volume and speak to the mastery of Isherwood. He did a very decent job to keep it going, on a fine line. Was it a hard read? Yes. Was it rewarding? Hell Yes! A book that you must reread.

P/S: I love how the book portraits a middle-age man, but I can always picture how 'young' he is.

slizzy's review against another edition

3.0

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

saavikreads's review against another edition

5.0

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This novel is so thought provoking and wonderfully existential at this point in my life giving me a much needed step back and an almost bird's eye view of the world. There are so many great quotes from this novel and it will definitely be a book I read over and over again as I get older and have my own "experiences" to see if I agree with George's assessment of how valuable it is as life goes on.

wildelwrcase's review against another edition

3.25

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ninan20's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No