SHIPPING NEWS

Rating:
Summary: Too long, too boring
Review: I felt like I should really like this book, but it was a chore to read.

Rating:
Summary: Elegant and Intricate Writing
Review: Annie Proulx combines elegant, intricate writing and depth of compassion for human frailty to make "The Shipping News" a rare, valuable addition to late 20th century American writing. Not since Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" do I recall reading so powerful a book of loss, redemption, and hope.

The book's central character Quoyle, an insecure, overgrown, clumsy, journalist-by-default, initially repels us somewhat, but we keep reading anyway, drawn deeper and deeper into his story. For as Quoyle, whose strength as a reporter lies in his innate ability to keep the people he interviews talking, so Proulx possesses a rare ability to keep her readers reading.

The book is carefully crafted, weaving together memorable characters, local anecdotes, news items, and, yes, the shipping news, to make a whole that is much, much more than the sum of its parts. After reading "The Shipping News," I know more about sailors' knots, brutal Artic storms, Newfoundland and its people, and hometown newspaper editors. I hope I never again forget to pray for those at risk at sea and for those waiting at home.

I will buy this book for my own children and for those friends who do not already own it.


Rating:
Summary: An excellent read
Review: The Shipping News

As a fan of Newfoundland and its culture, I was recommended the novel The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx. For the first time I was not hesitant to pick up the book that shined proudly with the silver of the Pulitzer Prize. I began to read, not quite
sure of what to expect or what the characters would bring but quickly I was drawn in.

The novel is the story of a man Quoyle, whose luck has been far from good. In the first few chapters we are made aware of the trials that occur over a short period of time. During these hardships, Quoyle's aunt, Agnis Hamm appears in search of something that has haunted her life for years and in the mean time encourages Quoyle to abandon his awful job and even more awful life to come and live with her in the house that she was
raised in. From there he takes a job working at a local newspaper called, "The Shipping News" where he is thrust into a scene full of ship and car wrecks and town folk who care
little for anything other than gossip.

Throughout the novel we are introduced to insightful, interesting, characters who come off as the type of folk you'd find in any small town. The traveler not native to the land (and with plans to leave soon), the old boss who prefers fishing to actual work in the newspaper office, and the antagonist who spends time trying to debunk Quoyle's work, are just a few of the interesting people we encounter. In between is a great tale of love that forms between two people enveloped with grief. The progression is honey like; slow, sweet. It is not the main focus of the novel but in all reality, there really isn't one focus.

Essentially, I believe Proulx set out to write a novel about people. As a reader you become more aware of what the characters are doing than what the actual plot is and it makes for an interesting read. We see the evolution of characters and the heavy process that healing entails, and we are able to familiarize ourselves with at least one of the characters. If not, they become our friends. We see the man who sits alone every day on the same stool of a restaurant. We know the waitress that calls certain customers by name because she has gotten used to their regularity. Quoyle's insecurities are the ones we deal with every day and because of all of this, we are easily drawn into the book.

Proulx has mastered and written word and her description is so wonderful that you are able to see each person and each scene vividly. Each time a name is mentioned you can draw up the picture of the person who's face was mentioned in one of the earlier chapters.

Quoyle is described early on as, "A great damp loaf of a body. At six he weighed eighty pounds. At sixteen he was buried under a casement of flesh. Head shaped like a crenshaw, no neck, reddish hair ruched back. Features as bunched as kissed fingertips.

Eyes the color of plastic. The monstrous chin, a freakish shelf jutting from the lower face." Throughout the novel we are reminded of this image when Quoyle hides his chin in embarrassment.

This novel is overall humorous due to funny scenarios and memorable jokes, however there is an overwhelming feeling of serious backed behind this. Each character is subject to the terrible things of the world and each person partakes in soul
searching in order to achieve a level of normality in their lives.

I was very touched by how these people from a small town in Newfoundland, Canada lived their lives. I was amazed at how Proulx could take these ordinary folks and make them interesting. And I was blow away at how much compassion I could feel in the last few pages and blown away by the change that was underwent. This novel is inspiring, amazing, and a great read and if you have even half a heart you will fall in love as I have done.


Rating:
Summary: A truely amazing love story
Review: This novel, although a little boring at first to me, was simply an amazing love story. Quoyle wanted to give up on love altogether, but he met an amazing woman who loved him for who he was, and he, again, believed in love. Although it was extremely difficult, he wouldn't let a shallow woman and a broken heart ruin his life. He realized that his life didn't end with the death of his wife and end of his marriage. It was simply time for him to start over, and find someone who really did love him.