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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
If you're looking for really well-written historical fiction, you can always depend on EL Doctorow. This is the story of Homer and Langley Collyer, the infamous hoarding brothers who lived in a run-down Fifth Avenue mansion. Homer went blind as a teenager and Langley came back from World War I in less than stellar condition. Homer is the narrator and despite his lack of sight he provides a wonderfully sharp view of his relationship with Langley and of the changes that swept New York City and American culture from WWI through Vietnam and beyond.
A beautiful book. So sad. The story of two brothers, Homer and Langley, who spend their lives together in a brownstone on 5th Avenue in New York City, after the death of their parents. Langley, the older brother, is a hoarder who is always working on his massive project, collecting stories from the papers to come up with one eternal, 'dateless newspaper', which will tell every possible story based on all the stories that came before. Homer is a blind musician, who eventually descends tragically into deafness as well.
The story covers the events of most of the 20th century. The world keeps on moving along, while the brothers stay the same.
I really enjoyed the way that the story was told, with no dialogue, just narration. The author seemed to seamlessly transition from one major event to another, and often only just hinted at the various phases and trends rather than discussing them outright.
"There are moments when I cannot bear this unremitting consciousness. It knows only itself. The images of things are not the things in themselves. Awake, I am in a continuum with my dreams. I feel my typewriters, my table, my cair to have that assurance of a solid world, where things take up space, where there is not the endless emptiness of insubstantial thought that leads to nowhere but itself. My memories pale as I prevail upon them again and again. They become more and more ghostly. I fear nothing so much as losing them altogether and having only my blank empty mind to live in. If I could go crazy, if I could will that on myself, I might not know how badly off I am, how awful is this awareness that is irremediably aware of itself. With only the touch of my brother's hand to know that I am not alone.
Jacqueline, for how many days have I been without food. There was a crash, the whole house shook. Where is Langley? Where is my brother?" (207-208)
I think that these were among the saddest words I've ever read.
The story covers the events of most of the 20th century. The world keeps on moving along, while the brothers stay the same.
I really enjoyed the way that the story was told, with no dialogue, just narration. The author seemed to seamlessly transition from one major event to another, and often only just hinted at the various phases and trends rather than discussing them outright.
"There are moments when I cannot bear this unremitting consciousness. It knows only itself. The images of things are not the things in themselves. Awake, I am in a continuum with my dreams. I feel my typewriters, my table, my cair to have that assurance of a solid world, where things take up space, where there is not the endless emptiness of insubstantial thought that leads to nowhere but itself. My memories pale as I prevail upon them again and again. They become more and more ghostly. I fear nothing so much as losing them altogether and having only my blank empty mind to live in. If I could go crazy, if I could will that on myself, I might not know how badly off I am, how awful is this awareness that is irremediably aware of itself. With only the touch of my brother's hand to know that I am not alone.
Jacqueline, for how many days have I been without food. There was a crash, the whole house shook. Where is Langley? Where is my brother?" (207-208)
I think that these were among the saddest words I've ever read.
Imagine that someday you become famous for bad situations that are beyond your control, and then you die a horrible, horrible death. Many decades later a writer comes along and writes an extremely fictionalized account of your life but uses your real name for his character. That's what happened to Homer Collyer. If Doctorow had changed the name, I'd feel a little better about this novel.
Aside from that, it was beautifully written and a pleasure to read, until it came close to the end and I felt sadder and sadder because I knew how Doctorow would have to end the book.
Aside from that, it was beautifully written and a pleasure to read, until it came close to the end and I felt sadder and sadder because I knew how Doctorow would have to end the book.
I just don't think anyone can explain hoarding to me in a way that I will understand.
The scenes where the brothers leave the house were by far my favorite, like coming up out of a dark tunnel. I always think tandem bikes are hokey, but the idea of Langley leading his blind brother on trips around the city warmed my cold cold heart.
Favorite Quotes
And then there was that feeling one gets in a ride to a cemetery trailing a body in a coffin--an impatience with the dead, a longing to be back home where one could get on with the illusion that not death but daily life is the permanent condition.
And so do people pass out of ones life and all you can remember of them is their humanity, a poor fitful thing of no dominion, like your own.
The scenes where the brothers leave the house were by far my favorite, like coming up out of a dark tunnel. I always think tandem bikes are hokey, but the idea of Langley leading his blind brother on trips around the city warmed my cold cold heart.
Favorite Quotes
And then there was that feeling one gets in a ride to a cemetery trailing a body in a coffin--an impatience with the dead, a longing to be back home where one could get on with the illusion that not death but daily life is the permanent condition.
And so do people pass out of ones life and all you can remember of them is their humanity, a poor fitful thing of no dominion, like your own.
It just didn't capture me.
I think I would prefer to read something nonfiction about them.
I think I would prefer to read something nonfiction about them.
I tried very hard to get into this book but I couldn't. He has a different writing style, and I loved it in the March because of the subject and the different points of view. The Collyer brothers do have an interesting story, but after 50 pages, I just couldn't be bothered to read any more.
A wonderful last sentence. And a pleasant enough trip to get to that last sentence.
I've had Homer & Langley by E. L. Doctorow on my list to read for awhile now, so I decided to pick it for book club. Then one of my book club pals finished it and said it was one of the best books she's ever read. So, I dug into it with high expectations expecting to fall head over heals in love. I enjoyed this book; I really did, but head over heals...yeah, that didn't happen. Homer & Langley Collyer were real people, but Doctorow took great liberties with their story. Their real story is very sad; their made up story doesn't feel so sad until the very end. It's not until they reach the end of their lives that Homer begins to realize how truly desperate their situation is, but it is too late for both of them. The ending was the most touching part of this book for me. But, it wasn't until I went and read about them on Wikipedia that I actually felt like crying. Had the book made me feel as much as the Wikipedia page did, this book would have had a much greater impact for me.
http://thisismybookblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/homer-langley.html
http://thisismybookblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/homer-langley.html