This week's selection is yet another book by Richard Yates, Cold Spring Harbor.
"All the sorrows of Evan Shepard's loutish adolescence were redeemed at seventeen, in 1935, when he fell in love with automobiles. His persistent bullying of weaker boys, his thin-witted ways of offending girls, his inept and embarrassing ventures into petty crime--none of those things mattered anymore, except as bad memories. He had found a high romance in driving fast and far, over most of Long Island, and he soon attained intimacy with the mechanical parts of any car he could get his hands on. The whole days at a time meticulously taking a car apart or putting it together in the dust of his parent's driveway, Evan would be lost to the world."
"And it was always a pleasure for his father, Charles Shepard, just to stand at a window and watch him working alone out there in the sun. Nobody could have guessed a year ago that this particular boy would ever learn to organize and focus his mind on a useful job of work; and wasn't that the beginning of maturity? Wasn't it what helped a man develop will and purpose in his life?"
Would you read this one based on the first (2) paragraphs?
I'm curious about where the young man goes from here and where his love of cars takes him! Hope you'll visit my book teaser
ReplyDeleteI would keep reading this. As soon as I have a break from classes, I'm going to stock up on Yates. Here's Mine
ReplyDeleteHope he continues to move away from his loutish ways.
ReplyDeleteMine is here
I wish Dave would read novels. This obsession with cars sounds exactly like him when he was a teenager in the 1950s. I too am curious about where the love of cars takes this character.
ReplyDeleteI would read anything by Yates, so this one would definitely be a go based on those first two paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteThat opening is SO Richard Yates! Cold Spring Harbor was a great book - enjoy. My opening is from 97 Orchard:
ReplyDeletehttp://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2011/10/tuesday-intros-97-orchard.html
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and admit that I haven't read anything by Yates :( Based on the two opening paragraphs alone I think I would put this one back on the shelf bc I'm not really into cars and I don't have a son.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would keep reading this one but I d like the cover. I always do like covers with houses on them for some reason.
ReplyDelete'Fraid this one doesn't sound like my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteThis is mine:
http://the-book-addict.blogspot.com/2011/10/tuesday-intros-woman-in-black-by-susan.html
I'd keep reading. Definitely.
ReplyDeleteHrm -- this doesn't quite catch me but I might read on -- sometimes I find the books that don't always ring with me are the ones that impact me the most!
ReplyDeleteI have loved every book by this author...so this one is going on my list! Awesome opening....
ReplyDeleteI've read it and loved it!
ReplyDeleteI would keep reading! And I just got one of his books because of you writing about him!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would continue on with this one. My new daughter-in-law may be going to Japan in December so if she does I think I'm going to buy all of Yates books and send with her for my son. He loves this author and I need to play catch-up with him and you!!
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