Carson McCullers wrote her first novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, when she was only 23 years old. She became an overnight literary sensation, with such preeminent Southern writers as Tennessee Williams and Richard Wright praising her talent. The book also was chosen by the Modern Library as one of the top 100 works of fiction published in the 20th century. This astonishing debut novel, published in 1940, is a story of life in a small southern mill town in the 1930s, told through the eyes of several people who are longing for something bigger and better in their lives. At the center of the story is John Singer, a deaf-mute man who lives in a boarding house and takes his meals at the local diner. Many people are drawn to him, because of his kind eyes and his manner of truly paying attention to others. One of these is Mick Kelly, the 12-year-old daughter of the household from whom Singer rents a room. Mick has a lot of responsibilities at home, taking care of her younger brothers, but she dreams of being a musician. She even tries to build a violin from an old ukelele. Another is Jake Blount, a loud and boorish drunk who stumbles into town and is befriended by Singer. Jake is passionate about social justice for the oppressed, which tends to get him into trouble. Biff Brannon, the owner of the cafe where Singer eats, lives a lonely life, alienated from his wife and struggling to understand himself and others. Dr. Copeland is a respected black physician in town. Although he is held in high esteem by his fellow black citizens, he is not loved by them or by his family because of his rigid attitudes about how black people should conduct themselves. The characters are linked together in various ways, and the reader becomes a quiet observer of the town and its inhabitants, along with their longings and shortcomings. The book is like a snapshot of the heart of a southern town during a time when people didn't have much money, and relationships between blacks and whites were strained at best. This is the Morning Book Club's selection for September. Feel free to join us for a discussion of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter on Friday, September 27, at 9 am at the library.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Read a Classic
Carson McCullers wrote her first novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, when she was only 23 years old. She became an overnight literary sensation, with such preeminent Southern writers as Tennessee Williams and Richard Wright praising her talent. The book also was chosen by the Modern Library as one of the top 100 works of fiction published in the 20th century. This astonishing debut novel, published in 1940, is a story of life in a small southern mill town in the 1930s, told through the eyes of several people who are longing for something bigger and better in their lives. At the center of the story is John Singer, a deaf-mute man who lives in a boarding house and takes his meals at the local diner. Many people are drawn to him, because of his kind eyes and his manner of truly paying attention to others. One of these is Mick Kelly, the 12-year-old daughter of the household from whom Singer rents a room. Mick has a lot of responsibilities at home, taking care of her younger brothers, but she dreams of being a musician. She even tries to build a violin from an old ukelele. Another is Jake Blount, a loud and boorish drunk who stumbles into town and is befriended by Singer. Jake is passionate about social justice for the oppressed, which tends to get him into trouble. Biff Brannon, the owner of the cafe where Singer eats, lives a lonely life, alienated from his wife and struggling to understand himself and others. Dr. Copeland is a respected black physician in town. Although he is held in high esteem by his fellow black citizens, he is not loved by them or by his family because of his rigid attitudes about how black people should conduct themselves. The characters are linked together in various ways, and the reader becomes a quiet observer of the town and its inhabitants, along with their longings and shortcomings. The book is like a snapshot of the heart of a southern town during a time when people didn't have much money, and relationships between blacks and whites were strained at best. This is the Morning Book Club's selection for September. Feel free to join us for a discussion of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter on Friday, September 27, at 9 am at the library.
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