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Hunts In Dreams (2013)

Hunts in Dreams (2013)

Book Info

Author
Genre
Rating
3.87 of 5 Votes: 1
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ISBN
0802145612 (ISBN13: 9780802145611)
Language
English
Publisher
grove press

About book Hunts In Dreams (2013)

A few months back I read Drury's The End of Vandalism and found myself completely charmed by this writer. Some writers write to a large base of fans, some to a smaller group and some find that their greatest witnesses to their talent are other writers themselves. One would be hard pressed to find another fiction writer today whose fellow authors speak of so glowingly. In the End of Vandalism we meet the inhabitants of the fictional Midwest Grouse County. While many characters were featured in this book time has moved on. Tiny Durling the ex husband and known thief of the first book has married the woman living in the church Joan Gower. As summer turns into fall we follow them and their family, including Joan's long lost daughter through an eventful weekend. As per usual not a great deal happens, brother locks sister in barn, sister breaks barn door getting out and Father and kids build a new door. When a broken barn door is a major plot point you might wonder just what is so stunning about a 190 page book that makes such a claim. Simply put you have to read it to understand the wit of Drury's writing. The understated dry humor is something to be savored. As I did in my first review of Drury's writing I will include just a few of his sentences. Even without the context of their paragraphs the observations speak to anyone. Speaking to his daughter who has been discovered on the roof of the house whilst he thought she was in bed, " Maybe we could meet up somewhere in the house and continue this discussion. " At a livestock auction after inspecting the animals the daughter Lyris says to her father " What if God is some kind of livestock? People will have some kind of explaining to do." Her father responds " They have that no matter what God is." After describing the uniforms and equipment of a high school football team Lyris thinks to herself that " any sport requiring so much padding had yet to come up with an appropriate set of rules." I guess for some folks this type of observation might appear sarcastic and with no merit. For me however witticisms which can enlighten without being mean spirited are few and far between. Drury walks the line well. The only complaint I could have with Drury is that he has written three 200 page books in the series over a period of twenty years. Joyce Carol Oates he is not. Still with that in mind with a short investment in reading time one can enjoy some spendid books. Start reading Tom Drury today.

If you've read my other reviews of Drury, you know I'm biased. There's something about his writing that just WORKS for me, and I know that won't be the case for everyone. Even more, as I've mentioned in the past, Drury writes with such a distances that I'm sure many readers will find aggravating. I love it, though. Even more, I envy it.I really can't say too much about this one, outside of the norm for Drury. It's funny--bothy silly and dark humored. It's heartbreaking and lovely. And it deals with the complexity of an individual when they're surrounded by the simplicity of dealing with everyday life.I wouldn't make this your first Drury, but if you enjoy whatever else of his you read first--I suggest THE END OF VANDALISM--this is will keep your Drury love cruising.

Do You like book Hunts In Dreams (2013)?

A moving, sad portrait of an American provincial town.The book is set around the boredom, the monotony in American provincial towns in the Midwest and centers around a torn family. The book tells about four days in October and tells the story of four members of the family, Charles, his wife Joan, their son Micah and Lyris which was only recently brought back by an organisation to her mother after being released to adoption after her birth.The language is easy, the words often set in parataxis, nevertheless, Drury suceeds in catching a picture of the American society which stamps itself to the reader. One travels with the family by grain-fields, weapon stores and woods, the American scenery clearly stands out before the eye.The history of the family in itself is rather discouraging. The members try to flee from her real life, go for her problems, besides, often from the way, get involved too fast in something. At the end one sits there, lays down the book and feels unfulfilled, sad just like the characters in the book itself.Though and easy-read, the story definitely stucks with you.
—Leah

I've found another interesting author. Hunts in Dreams, though short in pages, contains very dense writing that maintains a lightness and humor throughout the book. It felt a little like Tom Robbins with zany replaced with pithy. It also focused on small town midwest which I come from and enjoy reading about. The characters seemed very real. At one point he says "Charles would fix something in such a way that it would need fixing again soon." I feel like I've known Charles all my life based on that one quote. Another line that just struck me as oddly pithy was describing an art history class: "This was not the first time the teacher had mentioned the use of unsold paintings as insulation." Lines like that show up a lot, mixed in with the story, and the term I kept thinking of as I read this was off-kilter. It works for me.Won in Goodreads First Reads program.
—Jay

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