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Summary: Man Finds Enjoyment In Book
Review: R.G. Quoyle, referred to throughout the book by his last name only, is the depiction of mediocrity. Terribly homely, shy, and an easy target for society's cruelty, he lives a life of subordination and hopelessness. Major changes in his family and social life force Quoyle to look for a fresh start, and he finds it in Newfoundland of all places!This wonderful book sat on a bookshelf for years in my bedroom. I committed to reading it, and was wonderfully delighted. Gritty characters accent the story as their manner and ways affect the seemingly inept Quoyle in a way that redeems his person as well as his family. Initially, I found myself reviling Quoyle's clumsy approach to life and love, and cheering his redemption in the end.
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Summary: Best writing I've ever read
Review: At first I had trouble getting into this book, but once I started to devote it my full attention, I was sucked in, not so much by the plot, but by my curiosity about how the author would describe one thing, then the next. I've never read such concise writing and would give anything to write like her. I've read her other books, except for Postcards (my husband warned me it was too dark for me), and have always finished because of her writing, not the plots. The plots are often too dark for my tastes. But Shipping News shines a hopeful light on all late-bloomers. If you aren't a "Quoyle," then you probably know someone who is, and this lends understanding to the fact that some people get to happiness by a much harder and longer route.
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Summary: Quoyle, the Everyman
Review: I anticipated a fast-paced book, but found a slow, meandering story. This is good, however, because it is similar to the character of Quoyle. This man is probably one of the most original male characters in contemporary literature. It is probably because he represents the non-Brad Pitt and Clint Eastwoods out there. His quiet dignity as well as his insecurity creates a more realistic portrait of an everyman. I found myself rooting for a better life for Quoyle. I smiled when he found the love and respect everyone deserves. I became proud when he slowly realizes his worth, and when he is able to speak up for himself. All in all, the quiet dignity of this book hooked me.
Rating: 
Summary: Pointless Read
Review: Like many other readers, I bought this book with great anticipation and excitment, only to be let down within the first few chapters. I found the narrative to be choppy, and the wording and phrasing disjointing. I finished only because I give every book a chance to the end, but developed no sympathy for the characters or their plights. And while I admit, I'm not familiar with Newfoundland or its culture, this book did nothing to make me want to investigate it further.
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Summary: Not what I expected!
Review: I only started to read this book because I needed one (and quickly!) for my english class. After reading the first page, I thought that I would never get past the first chapter, it seemed so boring! But the more I read, the more I got into it. I loved how (in the beginning) Quoyle (the main character) was so insecure and unsure of himself, and how he totally changed. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is making a major change in their life (like moving, getting over a lost love, etc.) E. Annie Proulx did a great job with this book! She combines humour and wit with whole-heartedness, and a really down to earth concept that anyone can relate to. I found myself reading segments aloud to friends, and I laughed out loud more than once! I will definitely read her next book.
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Summary: Worth the Wait
Review: Yes, the story is slow. It's hard to get into and it takes a while to feel any sort of compassion for the characters. In all, you don't even like the book until it's over. Afterwards, when you reflect, you realize what a triumph it really was. It without doubt deserved the awards it received. It was brilliantly written and frankly, has ruined me for most popular writers.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait
Review: This book takes a long time to get going, but when you come to the end, you tend to know why. If you can stick it out, the last 75 or so pages make this book is worth plowing through. My main impetus for finishing The Shipping News was to understand why the book won a Pulitzer. I definitely know why, and I look forward to reading it again.
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Summary: My Favourite Book
Review: I first read this great book several years ago and re-read it whenever I can't find a decent current novel. Having read Postcards and revelled in the odyssey of Loyal Blood, I picked up The Shipping News and became a firm firm Annie Proulx fan. I could not put this down - Proulx's mastery of description of small town America and her incredible ability to produce sympathetic, quirky, off-beat characters is unrivalled. I have lent this book to so many friends who have gone on to buy the rest of Proulx's works and love them as I did. Take it on holiday, read it when you're home ill in bed, send your boyfriend on holiday and read it lying on the sofa - I did and it gets better every time !
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Summary: Reality check
Review: Anyone who lives in a rural area can relate to the characters in this book. But beyond a gift to express place and time Ms. Proulx has mastered characters in a new and different manner. Her technique is unusual and verges on poetic prose. It has the unique ability to invoke the imagination common to all great literature. The two major themes: First; "community" following an allegorical theme of knots she weaves (pun intended) through the whole book. This theme centers on a place that bring human existence to its central essence of survival in rural Newfoundland with all the inherent and symbolic references to the sea as both life and death. It is the sea, and the community that deals with it, that saves the unlikely hero Quoyle. The second theme is the "emotional baggage" that all of us carry and suffer the weight of. Quoyle is a loser of the utmost magnitude. So pitiless that for the first fifty pages he is hard to relate to. But through interaction with a variety of newfound friends and his own self-honesty we are allowed to watch a subtle, yet believable transformation. Quoyle becomes a man of dignity and overcomes literally everything through hope and the community around him. I discovered the book by accident having never heard of Ms Proulx before. I was entranced. I am the type of person who detests the usual hype that goes with the book world and had I known it was a popular book I would have avoided it. I would have lost something. This book should also be required reading for all Canadians as there is a very real parallel between Quoyle and the people around him, and the Newfoundland relationship with Queben and the rest of Canada. If Proulx is not Canadian then she has absorbed much of the Canadian psyche. Quoyle literally discovers a "new found land".
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Summary: A Superb Novel!
Review: Now that we can edit our Amazon reviews, here is an update on the novel The SHIPPING NEWS, which I first reviewed on February 27, 2000. Today, I want to add that the book, a mid-life story, is most suitable for readers over the age of thirty-five or forty. It is the reader with life experience who will best empathize with the main character's plight and, therefore, find the story irresistable. THE SHIPPING NEWS by E.Annie Proulx (1993) is one of the finest novels I have ever read. Proulx's unique writing style serves up the utterly compelling story of one man's (Quoyle) odyssey from lackluster career, depression, and despair into a brighter tomorrow where success, self-esteem, and love finally becken in mid-life. This sometimes dark, literary journey, written in a remarkable style that paints vivid word images, will immerse the reader into every emotion! As the story progresses, Quoyle and his tiny family move from the U.S. to an old family home, in need of TLC, located in Newfoundland (where the author has lived, by the way). It is a distinctive, historic house, anchored to rocks by great chains that defend against ocean winds and storms! Quoyle goes to work in a reporting job with the local newspaper called THE SHIPPING NEWS. Readers will enjoy Proulx's realistic word portrait of Newfoundland landscapes and culture. The author expertly reveals Newfoundland life via wonderful, believable characters and settings as Quoyle makes various contacts throughout the community in pursuit of the latest disaster story! You see, it is his job to cover all of the bad news: accidents, fires, deaths, and so forth! OF course, a couple of mysteries occur along the way. Surprises occur in every twist and turn of this stunning work. Always central is Quoyle and his determination to take care of his small family by succeeding in a new culture. Certainly, only a superior writer could present Quoyle's tale in such magical passages. No wonder this novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994! Quoyle's life journey reminds us that every person has worth and that truly great stories arise out of everyday circumstances! This novel is detailed, somewhat dark, somewhat naturalistic, but, most of all, it is reassuring in it's humanity. I recommend it to those willing to be fully immersed in the story to the very end! A note to those who like to speed their way through novels: the first three or four chapters necessarily inform the reader about the main character's eccentric personality and predicaments. Then the story takes off as the family moves to New Foundland. I have not yet seen the movie that was made of this novel because I have read the novel twice! I can only say that I am sorry the film, THE SHIPPING NEWS, wasn't better received. Some books are harder to translate into films than others. Often, reading the book first is essential to understanding the movie. For example, another such book/movie was DUNE. Though the DUNE movie was actually well-done on a number of levels, it's complexity was better understood if the viewer had read the book first! Even if you did not like the movie, do read THE SHIPPING NEWS by E. Annie Proulx, when you get the chance! I highly recommend it!
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