Rating: 
Summary: An overlooked gem by Tom Tryon...
Review: ...at least I think it's overlooked. This is a book from the 70's I have read many times. There was a miniseries made from it starring Bette Davis in her later years, playing a New England "wise woman". It's about a family moving from the big city to a quaint old-fashioned New England village. Hilarity does not ensue. A growing sense of horror and suspense does. How many times have we read that story, huh? Well, this one is different in that it is so well written and the end is so shocking. All of Tom Tryon's books are wonderful, and I know this one is also out of print, sadly enough. Come on, you people know you've seen it at garage sales, at used book stores, on the table at the library's annual book sale. Should you ever come across "Harvest Home", pick it up. This story will stay with you, you'll think about it years later and re-read it - as did I.
Rating:
Summary: An overlooked gem by Tom Tryon...
Review: ...at least I think it's overlooked. This is a book from the 70's I have read many times. There was a miniseries made from it starring Bette Davis in her later years, playing a New England "wise woman". It's about a family moving from the big city to a quaint old-fashioned New England village. Hilarity does not ensue. A growing sense of horror and suspense does. How many times have we read that story, huh? Well, this one is different in that it is so well written and the end is so shocking. All of Tom Tryon's books are wonderful, and I know this one is also out of print, sadly enough. Come on, you people know you've seen it at garage sales, at used book stores, on the table at the library's annual book sale. Should you ever come across "Harvest Home", pick it up. This story will stay with you, you'll think about it years later and re-read it - as did I.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! What a Great Book!
Review: ...I ordered this through an auction on Amazon. I am so glad that I did. I remember the TV movie, from 1978, because my mother loves horror stories. I also read the book, for an English class, when I was a senior in high school. I am half way through it, and just as intrigued, if not more than when I read it the first time. I had forgotten a lot--well, I graduated from high back in the '80's. I can barely put the book down. Thomas Tryon is a master at writing---the descriptions that he uses are uncanny. He is an excellent writer with great ideas. The character of Widow Fortune is unforgettable. If you have a chance to read this book, and you love horror and suspense. Go for it!
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Summary: The perfect autumn book
Review: Autumn is the perfect time to snuggle down by the fire and read Harvest Home. It's a tale I first read 20 years ago and I cannot drive through a small town on a beautiful fall day without remembering the vivid characters and thinking that small towns may not be as peaceful as they seem.
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Summary: The CLASSIC Novel of Rural Horror
Review: Beginning with a premise from Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery', Harvest Home starts with the experience of a happy mood-shift of 'new beginnings' as a family of 70's Yuppies from New York retire to the bucolic settings of New Hampshire countryside, giving up the comforts of city living to live the life of the country gentry. What draws them to the town of Cornwall Coomb is the quaint Amish-Like sect of original settlers, ostensibly from England, who have tried to keep to the old ways, forgoing all modern conveniences. The city family tries it's best to fit in, and mostly they do, save for a few fau-pas unwittingly committed by an overcurious and somewhat ignorant central character, the Husband.And then slowly, as the story sucks the reader in to this apparent theme of readjustment, curious oddities and certain seemingly disassoicated mysteries which have hitherto been kept in the background as an apparent device to illustrate the quaintness of this rural New England atavistic culture, we start to gradually sense that there is something really...really..wrong here! With the grace of an Ira Levin novel (most particularly I'm thinking of 'Rosemary's Baby', with which this novel has much in common), Tryon begins to induce an ever-increasing sense of paranoia, through the view of the central character, as he discovers a latent Machenesque form of paganism in Cornwall Comb. As his curioisity and paranoia mounts, he becomes a pariah, not only to the town, but to his family for his 'questioning of the ways'. This mood of mystery, nameless dread and paranoia intensifes through the reading until the dark, dreadfull climax is reached, only to be surpassed by an even more chilling, yet subtler post-climax. This is my favorite horror novel of all time. Not to detract from Tryon's 'The Other', which is another great horror Novel based upon another literary premise (Poe's Doppelganger 'William Wilson'), Harvest Home seems to stick with me more. Every few years I want to bring it out and read it again. If you've read Shirley Jackson, Arthur Machen or Ira Levin, I think you will find much to enjoy here.
Rating:
Summary: Harvest Home
Review: First of all, I absolutely love to read and will read almost anything I can get my hands on (yes, even cereal labels). I also love being frightened. I first read Harvest Home about twenty years ago and it has left me with an unforgettable impression. It is by far, the scariest book I have ever read (I have read ALL of Stephen King's books). The story is wonderfully written and it keeps you turning pages until the chilling ending without suspecting for a minute the final outcome! I also read "The Other" by the same author hoping to be equally frightened, but was disappointed. I have also seen almost every "scary" movie there is and have never been as frightened as I was by this book. This is by far, one of the best books from any category that I have ever read!
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Summary: enduring horror classic
Review: harvest home can still give me chills nearly 30 years after first reading it. living in connecticut, not far south of saxony, cornwall and kent (yes-- they're all real connecticut towns) i drag out my dog-eared copy every halloweentime and silently carp at ned constantine to stay out of the woods. does anyone else out there think, as i do, that sophie hooke did not hang herself but was also murdered quietly by the widow, so that beth could step in to the corn maiden role and have the opportunity to get pregnant according to the widow's "plan" (sophie claimed to be diseased in the conversation she'd had with justin. the widow would know that bit of medical info and wouldn't want to take a chance on a blighted corn maiden or pregancy.) just a thought. on the other hand, maybe i've just read the book too often!
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Summary: The Dark secret of Harvest Home
Review: Harvest home was made into a classic mini-series called The Dark Secret of Harvest Home, starring Betty Davis & a very young Rosanna Arquette. It's a great story.
Rating:
Summary: When Sewing Circles Attack
Review: Horror? Naw.... Though "Harvest Home" was very well written, I found it not scary at all. Quasi-eerie? Yes. Brooding? Yes. Keep-me-up-at-night-holding-my-teddy-bear-scary? No. The beginning of the book was a nice trap to lure the reader into a false sense of security (as well as the characters, I might add). The plot was masterfully woven and made the reader wonder, "where is this going?" I was thoroughly impressed. "If thoroughly impressed, why only four-stars?" you may ask. Well, I'll tell you why. First of all, being a Celtic Pagan, I could see the research Mr. Tryon did to come up with the rituals and the harvest ceremonies. The problem I had was that Mr. Tryon led us to believe that Ned (the main character) did not deserve his punishment (for those of you do not want the ending spoiled, I warn you now--read no further!) of his tongue getting dislodged from his mouth and eyes gauged out. Call me apathetic, or slightly cruel, but it was his own fault. The women warned him, but noooooo. I would love to live in Cornwall Coombe...I would keep to myself (Ahem! Hint, hint Ned) and not meddle in people's business. It was a religion...heaven forbid that they worship God as well as an Earth Goddess (gasp!) and Harvest God (gasp again!). I guess I'm just odd and eccentric that way. Must be the Pagan in me. Other than that minuet thing, I found the book VERY enjoyable and worth the read. Read this book; for horror (if you like that kind of horror) or just for the experience of a well-written novel.
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Summary: Put you life on hold! This one won't wait!
Review: I borrowed this book from the public library on the recommedation of a friendand I will sing her praises from now on.This was one of the most enjoyable booksthat I have ever read. This story held my attention from the very first page tothe completely unexpected ending. The beautiful scenery that Thomas Tryon painted with his flowing narratives is ALMOST enough to make one want to live in this picturesque village.
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