tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post6013959589676558981..comments2023-11-09T07:51:21.497-05:00Comments on The Boston Bibliophile: REVIEW: Tinkers, by Paul HardingMarie Cloutierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-72546974755084989142012-03-14T22:51:03.622-04:002012-03-14T22:51:03.622-04:00Hi, everyone! I'm Jill McDonough, and I run 2...Hi, everyone! I'm Jill McDonough, and I run 24PearlStreet, the Fine Arts Work Center online. And Paul Harding is teaching a class for us, online, starting April 30: it’s called “Ah, Perfection.” Here's a course description and link:<br /><br />Perfection is pretty much impossible to achieve for our stories and novels. But it can be a great ideal against which to measure our work, according to which we discipline our prose. Instead of trying to second guess things like “what an editor wants” or “what sells” or “what this or that reader wants,” or anything practical like that at all, let’s take a week and assess a piece of writing according to its value purely as a work of art. That is, let’s take a page from Keats and just think about the truth and beauty of what we’re writing, to the most vigorous, humble, and sophisticated degree we can muster. Instead of looking outward for positive signs, let’s go as deeply as we can into both the writing and our own sense of things, in order to find the (probably mysterious, hopefully irreducible) source – the heart - of the story, the chapter, the scene. Let’s take a week off from the worldly matters of writing and do some art for art’s sake.<br /><br />http://fawc.org/24pearlstreet/workshops.php?filter=01#Paul<br /><br />Let me know if you have any ideas, or questions—and thanks so much for your time!<br /><br />take care--<br /><br />Jill<br />jmcdonough@fawc.org<br />http://fawc.org/24pearlstreet/index.phpJill McDonoughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11119364588295087344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-65431303843557775352011-03-19T11:34:21.061-04:002011-03-19T11:34:21.061-04:00Reading this now. It's just so wonderful. I ...Reading this now. It's just so wonderful. I second your directive to buy!What Book Todayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02382972108741151464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-82443184442800725382011-03-18T21:19:39.971-04:002011-03-18T21:19:39.971-04:00I have been reading less and less modern stuff but...I have been reading less and less modern stuff but when this one was in the news and on all the displays I kept being drawn to it because the book was this perfect size. I know, so superficial of me!<br /><br />I'm glad it's worth the read. I really do need to read the recent Pulitzer winners, I'm a bit out of the loop lately, which is okay, but some day it needs to be remedied.Rebecca Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06062252252301802298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-79586945748671112442011-03-15T12:23:17.390-04:002011-03-15T12:23:17.390-04:00Thanks for the lovely review -- I'd forgotten ...Thanks for the lovely review -- I'd forgotten I wanted to read this one!Audrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07511122937603890352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-17946206419613484072011-03-11T22:56:45.047-05:002011-03-11T22:56:45.047-05:00I hadn't heard of this book until your review....I hadn't heard of this book until your review. Sounds worth checking out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-28424835089162247142011-03-11T20:04:54.113-05:002011-03-11T20:04:54.113-05:00I so want to read this one! I've heard so many...I so want to read this one! I've heard so many good things about this book!Athirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03366654538383603004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-76351210912434176122011-03-11T00:34:08.018-05:002011-03-11T00:34:08.018-05:00I've been meaning to read this one but your re...I've been meaning to read this one but your review has confirmed for me that I need peace and quiet when I do. This just isn't a book I want to read with distractions around me. I'm saving this for vacation.Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739982274914536036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-51598176759622174002011-03-10T16:56:31.596-05:002011-03-10T16:56:31.596-05:00Beautiful review - and it is amazing that it is th...Beautiful review - and it is amazing that it is the author's first book. I heard his second book might be about some of the characters in Tinkers. Have you heard anything?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-27423976349330655852011-03-10T14:26:34.497-05:002011-03-10T14:26:34.497-05:00Hmm, I liked Olive Kitteridge because she was a wo...Hmm, I liked Olive Kitteridge because she was a woman, and I trust your point of view, but I'm quite reluctant to read anything about an old NE man. Maybe it was Updike, but I don't like to be inside old men's heads much.Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-50965025389153094122011-03-10T14:22:07.964-05:002011-03-10T14:22:07.964-05:00I am a self-proclaimed Pulitzer idiot. I don'...I am a self-proclaimed Pulitzer idiot. I don't seem to do well with big prize winners, and I blame myself completely. I think maybe I'm not smart enough to get the subtle themes. But I think this is a short novel, so there isn't much to lose. I guess I should try the old Pulitzer ONE MORE TIME!Sandy Nawrothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00564390728106776030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-40391311436498884012011-03-10T13:04:57.859-05:002011-03-10T13:04:57.859-05:00I have read this book several times as it is magic...I have read this book several times as it is magical. The characters are so well developed and engaging. The details of clock making & fixing just lend a timelessness to the piece. After your review, I think it is time for another reread.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17535140995347618747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-14669593390413264422011-03-10T10:44:27.922-05:002011-03-10T10:44:27.922-05:00Thank you for the great review.traftsThank you for the great review.traftsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-80044444089833101252011-03-10T10:34:25.586-05:002011-03-10T10:34:25.586-05:00I will be looking out for this one! I have seen it...I will be looking out for this one! I have seen it around but never felt drawn to pick it up - now I will.My Novel Thoughtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603028365126682024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-83619099817041165722011-03-10T10:30:27.832-05:002011-03-10T10:30:27.832-05:00Thanks. I have added it to my wishlist.Thanks. I have added it to my wishlist.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-85357594796609497062011-03-10T09:48:43.980-05:002011-03-10T09:48:43.980-05:00Sounds great. My family had a home in Down East Ma...Sounds great. My family had a home in Down East Maine for years. I will definitely check it out!Col (Col Reads)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03136923310179832040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-58050475904094145182011-03-10T09:33:23.864-05:002011-03-10T09:33:23.864-05:00I love atmospheric books, but the "heartbreak...I love atmospheric books, but the "heartbreaking" part doesn't appeal to me. I have to be in a particular mood to take that kind of a story! Nicely reviewed as always!rhapsodyinbookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07041412748239010264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-19045660515438751702011-03-10T08:56:18.383-05:002011-03-10T08:56:18.383-05:00You know Marie, I have read a lot of reviews on th...You know Marie, I have read a lot of reviews on this book, but yours is the first that has made me want to add this to my wish list. Something about the way you describe it, and your reactions to it has me very intrigued. Thanks for the very enticing review!Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05857638467064749190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-52155505308917760342011-03-10T07:14:10.711-05:002011-03-10T07:14:10.711-05:00Thank you for a review that makes you want to go o...Thank you for a review that makes you want to go out and just find this book.Mysticahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10941269615559681014noreply@blogger.com