Gilead
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
In 1956, toward the end of Reverend John Ames's life, he begins a letter to his young son, a kind of last testament to his remarkable forebears.
'It is a book of such meditative calm, such spiritual intensity that is seems miraculous that her silence was only for 23 years; such measure of wisdom is the fruit of a lifetime. Robinson's prose, aligned with the sublime simplicity of the language of the bible, is nothing short of a benediction. You might not share its faith, but it is difficult not to be awed moved and ultimately humbled by the spiritual effulgence that lights up the novel from within' Neel Mukherjee, The Times
'Writing of this quality, with an authority as unforced as the perfect pitch in music, is rare and carries with it a sense almost of danger - that at any moment, it might all go wrong. In Gilead, however, nothing goes wrong' Jane Shilling, Sunday Telegraph
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer-winning novel inspires a sense of wonder in the everyday world. Gilead is told from the perspective of John Ames, a Congregationalist minister entering his golden years in the small town of Gilead, Iowa. His story is written as a stream-of-consciousness account intended to provide his young son with a precious connection to their family history—and insights into what constitutes a good and moral life. Robinson weaves in a web of complicated characters and intriguing anecdotes, stretching all the way back to how Ames’ grandfather lost an eye in the Civil War. Her reflective tone and poetic vision are dazzling. She captures the extraordinariness of simple moments, like the way streams of water from a lawn sprinkler dance in the sunlight, while also pondering deep questions about spirituality and predestination. Tony-nominated actor Tim Jerome, who narrates the book, transports us right to the Midwestern cornfields. Full of heart, wisdom and penetrating truths, Gilead deserves that too-often-used accolade: the Great American Novel.
