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Keith Mosman: A Long(ish) List of Recent Short Story Collections (0 comment)
May is Short Story Month, so I’ll keep this brief: here is a list of the some of the collections that I’ve read in recent months (even though most of them weren’t officially dedicated to the form)...
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  • Kelsey Ford: Celebrate Short Story Month: 7 Recommendations Based on 7 Collections We Love (0 comment)

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Gilead

by Marilynne Robinson
Gilead

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  • Synopses & Reviews
  • Award Excerpt

ISBN13: 9780312424404
ISBN10: 031242440X
Condition: Standard


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Awards

2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
2004 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction

Staff Pick

Written 25 years after Housekeeping, Gilead was worth the wait. Nearing the end of his life, a small-town Reverend writes letters to his young son, and learns some hard truths about himself along the way. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2005, this brilliantly gorgeous novel will completely invade you. Combining large themes, deep emotions, and a compelling story, all of which are so perfectly realized on the page, it is absolutely astonishing. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com

Set in 1956, Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a letter from the elderly Reverend John Ames to his very young son. Ames has lived all of his life in Gilead, Iowa, and the novel delves into the history of the area through the characters of Ames's father and grandfather — also ministers, but deeply divided on ideas such as pacifism, duty, and the abolitionist movement. And eventually, when John Ames Boughton, Ames's namesake and godson, returns to Gilead, he brings up old tensions and sets events in motion that disturb Ames's formerly peaceful last days. Gilead is one of the most beautifully written books of the new century thus far, and Robinson's incredibly insightful grappling with faith, mortality, and what constitutes a meaningful life will resonate with readers across every spectrum. Recommended By Jill O., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

In 1956, toward the end of Reverend John Ames's life, he begins a letter to his young son, an account of himself and his forebears. Ames is the son of an Iowan preacher and the grandson of a minister who, as a young man in Maine, saw a vision of Christ bound in chains and came west to Kansas to fight for abolition: He preached men into the Civil War, then, at age fifty, became a chaplain in the Union Army, losing his right eye in battle. Reverend Ames writes to his son about the tension between his father — an ardent pacifist — and his grandfather, whose pistol and bloody shirts, concealed in an army blanket, may be relics from the fight between the abolitionists and those settlers who wanted to vote Kansas into the union as a slave state. And he tells a story of the sacred bonds between fathers and sons, which are tested in his tender and strained relationship with his namesake, John Ames Boughton, his best friend's wayward son.

This is also the tale of another remarkable vision — not a corporeal vision of God but the vision of life as a wondrously strange creation. It tells how wisdom was forged in Ames's soul during his solitary life, and how history lives through generations, pervasively present even when betrayed and forgotten.

Gilead is the long-hoped-for second novel by one of our finest writers, a hymn of praise and lamentation to the God-haunted existence that Reverend Ames loves passionately, and from which he will soon part.

Review

"[A] second novel that, however quiet in tone and however delicate of step, will do no less than...break your heart....[A] novel as big as a nation, as quiet as thought, and moving as prayer. Matchless and towering." Kirkus Reviews

Review

"[A] work of profound beauty and wonder....Millennia of philosophical musings and a century of American history are refracted through the prism of Robinson's exquisite and uplifting novel as she illuminates the heart of a mystic, poet, and humanist." Booklist

Review

"Full of the penetrating intellect and artful prose that made Housekeeping a modern classic....A story that captures the splendors and pitfalls of being alive, viewed through the prism of how soon it all ends. The world could use...more novels this radiant and wise." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Review

"[Gilead is] a poignant, absorbing, lyrically written novel [and] a wonderfully readable bookmoving, compelling, and fascinating in any number of ways....[This is] thoughtful, luminous writing." Los Angeles Times Book Review

Review

"[N]early every sentence demands to be savored....There has been much talk lately about a religious divide in this country. Gilead, then, may be the perfect book at the perfect time: a deeply empathetic and complex picture of a religious person that is also gorgeously written, and fascinating." Esquire 

About the Author

Marilynne Robinson is the author of the modern classic Housekeeping — winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award — and two books of nonfiction, Mother Country (FSG, 1989) and The Death of Adam. She teaches at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop.

5.0 33

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 5.0 (33 comments)

`
David King , October 21, 2014
Before I read her new book in this series I wanted to re-read Gilead, the first book. I'm not sure what impresses me more -- that a middle-aged woman can voice so well the thoughts of an aging man, that she understands and explains so well issues of faith without having a seminary education, or just that she has such a remarkable gift for telling compelling, believable stories about people in a small town. Marilynne Robinson is truly a remarkable writer and Gilead is a treat to be savored.

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lukas , January 30, 2014 (view all comments by lukas)
There are very few novel that take as their subject religion/spirituality and can appeal to both believer and non-believer. Robinson's graceful, poignant and nuanced book is one of the rare that does so and does so beautifully.

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h , March 16, 2013 (view all comments by h)
You read this novel for how it has you experience the time of the mind, the time of family, the time of the memory one leaves with others, the time of lived history. The plot isn't worth relating because it's about the sentences that travel through emotion, through certainty and into doubt, from endorsement to estrangement, all between the space of periods. Rooted in Iowa, in a town that may slowly fade into a history that only a few will remember, and in a time in US history that some see as a Golden Age and some as an age of delusion. Just excellent. One of the few recent novels to earn that Pulitzer that actually deserved it.

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mumblipegs , January 19, 2012 (view all comments by mumblipegs)
A story that can be both gentle and disturbing. When you finish reading, the book must closed quietly, so as not to disturb an old man's life.

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gopherprairieexile , January 01, 2012 (view all comments by gopherprairieexile)
A truly spiritual book, and in the pure sense, not in the cheap, distorted marketing/publishing sense. This was the first book I read in 2011 (and its sequel, Home, the second) and it's strange that I should pick them up in January, because by February, all hell broke loose in my life, and how much worse it would have been without the thought this book provoked and the subsequent insight provided.

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j Cannon , January 01, 2012 (view all comments by j Cannon)
A truly amazing book. Rooted in the harsh bedrock of early Midwestern settlements, illuminated by compassion and deep insight, Marilyn Robinson lets us share the heart of an aging preacher, who has stayed to serve his tiny community when those he'd thought to emulate have abandoned, not only their roots but their own beliefs. As he comes to terms with modernity, in the person of the ne'er-do-well son of his friend and fellow pastor, he learns that things are far from being what they seem- and we learn what it is to HONESTLY examine a heart and a conscience, resisting the temptation to believe what seems obvious or easy. With all of that , it's still a readable, engaging story. The portrait of his wife, a much younger, uneducated woman, and the quality of her love and understanding will stay with me forever.

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Baochi , October 28, 2011 (view all comments by Baochi)
A few years ago, I bought a used copy of Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead because it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2005 and I aim to read most ��" if not all ��" Pulitzer Prize Fiction winners through the ages. However, I was in no hurry to read Gilead based on its synopsis. The combination of a seventy-something protagonist, an obscure town setting, and a religious theme just didn’t sound like the page-turning story that I confess I’m always looking to read. Eventually, I had the good sense (or dumb luck) to pack Gilead alongside several other books for a solo vacation a couple of years ago. I love when my negative assumptions are completely upended, and the object of my assumption is revealed in beautiful truth. That’s exactly what happened with Gilead. What I thought would be a boring novel turned out to be a profoundly transforming one. The story is narrated by minister John Ames, who is seventy-six and dying. As a gift to his seven year-old son, John shares his meditations on life, love, family, friendship and forgiveness. He describes three generations of Ames men, the misunderstandings between them, their love. Whether John is pondering a moment or a lifetime, he is never far from its spiritual significance. Those soulful musings ��" rather than coming off as preachy or unwelcome or scriptural ��" are delivered gently, simply. The prose is spare yet arresting and beautiful. Gilead is an experience…and yes, a spiritual one I am grateful for.

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lissi , September 04, 2011 (view all comments by lissi)
A beautifully written, quiet book about faith, family, friends & forgiveness. Gilead goes beyond religion to speak of the simple things that give life meaning. And although John Ames seems to have found the spiritual answers to a peaceful, happy life, even he has issues to work through. It gives the rest of us hope. A pure joy.

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mshedden , September 01, 2011
A book I sit down and re-read every year. It's built around moving reflections on life, religion, and forgiveness in dying pastor's letter to his young son. It's a slow read you should enjoy for its beauty and language rather than a plot driven novel.

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julieb43 , May 20, 2010 (view all comments by julieb43)
Deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize. One of the best novels I've read in a long time. The prose was breath-taking and the story moving beyond words. The old preacher, John Ames, who is close to death and wants to leave an account of himself and his life to his young son is heartbreaking yet beautiful. There are so many scenes and images in this novel that are achingly lovely. There is also much American history, of which I knew little, that was fascinating, such as the struggle for a free state in Kansas. There were many layers to this deceptively simple novel. The themes that stood out were those of generational conflict between fathers and sons; pre-destination vs. free-will; tolerance; and forgiveness. I'm not a religious person and usually don't like novels having to do with religion, but Robinson's gorgeous writing and heartfelt characters made me wish that the novel would not end. I hope to continue reading about these characters in her next novel, Home.

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Elizabeth R , January 31, 2010 (view all comments by Elizabeth R)
This book, more than any other I have read in a long time, had prose that moved me to tears and filled my heart with joy.

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Lynne Perednia , January 26, 2010 (view all comments by Lynne Perednia)
What a wise and wonderful book by Marilynne Robinson. In creating the written legacy of an old man who never expected to be a father, and another man's son who relies on him, Robinson has opened a window onto the human heart that shows how love and forgiveness can make a life worth living. Going back two generations from the narrator to wicked stories of bloody Kansas to the mid-20th century, GILEAD also shows how the sins of the fathers do not have to dictate the fate of the sons, although the sons are free to make their own mistakes.

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gkgraphics , January 14, 2010
Gorgeous and thoughtful prose investigates parent-child, family, friendship, faith, prejudice, redemption and love without preaching and with encompassing wisdom.

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jana.gering , January 11, 2010
My choice for the best book of the decade: This is a very quiet, intensely beautiful story of a minister in the small town of Gilead, Iowa. The story is of a quite ordinary life in many ways. It is written in a series of letters from the minister to his young son, reflections about his life and the things he wants his son to know. This basic premise, however, is written in powerful and lovely prose. It is so packed full of imagery and clear thought, that I felt as if I was being led through a series of prayers or meditations on different aspects of human relationships with God, the world, and with the people in our lives, a prayer walk of sorts.

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Aften , January 05, 2010
I had despaired of reading another book from her after all the years that went by after Housekeeping. I was leery when Gilead appeared. Would I be disappointed? It surpassed all my expectations. The generosity, perspicuity, and gentle wit of the author showed a mind matured and writing ability mastered. I love the book.

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JoanneMK , January 04, 2010 (view all comments by JoanneMK)
The best compliment I can give a book is to recommend it to everyone I know, and that's exactly what I've done with Gilead. When a friend of mine said she thought "all modern fiction is trash," I said she needed to read Gilead. She loved it. I shared it with my mother, who promptly bought copies for several other people. I lent it to my mother-in-law, who was so moved she wrote an essay about the book. I have not read another book in the past decade that has had such an impact on so many people. Read it.

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Sari , January 03, 2010 (view all comments by Sari)
I adored Gilead. It was a quiet, complex book with characters who were all striving to do the right thing and yet were often unable to connect with each other. The book is backdropped by a fascinating historical time period. Highly recommended.

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c marie , January 02, 2010
Gilead is quiet, calm, and slow moving, and yet I was entranced by the memories and spiritual musings of its narrator. You must read it to understand its appeal.

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Annie Wolfe , January 02, 2010
Gilead is the most beautifully written, lyrical and thought-provoking book I've read this decade. This first novel of Marilynne Robinson absolutely deserves the 2010 Puddy Award!

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Rachel Oftedahl , January 02, 2010 (view all comments by Rachel Oftedahl)
This book was so beautiful and so meditative... it forced me to slow down to savor and appreciate every last word. It is a beautiful tale of faith, whether you believe in a higher being or just humanity here and now.

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ilovefremont2001 , January 01, 2010
This is a story that will stay with you. It is simple, yet incredibly powerful. The love that moves a father to write to his young son is admirable and enviable. Thoroughly loved this book!

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Idle Hands , January 01, 2010
A quiet book that fully immerses you through its beautiful language in another time. It is thoughtful and thought provoking.

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Louis Burklow , January 01, 2010
Epistolary novels are tricky to pull off. To tell a captivating story through the letters of a character, revealing them using their own words and views, requires a great deal of skill. Marilynne Robinson waited a quarter-century after her first novel to publish her second, Gilead. The wait was worth it. The tale of an elderly 1950s minister who sets out to leave a record of his life for his seven-year-old son, we see him find a peace he never previously knew. It is the decade's most satisfying resolution in American fiction.

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Laurel Hicks , January 01, 2010
This is a truly beautiful book. Robinson has found a unique and moving way to tell the story of three generations so that the narrator's little son, the fourth generation, will know his father and his heritage. Gilead is a book worth reading again.

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David Valenta , January 01, 2010
Best of the past Decade.

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Joyce Sigler , January 01, 2010
Robinson is a wonderful writer...the story is excellent and the writing is beautiful. I love this book and her next one, Housekeeping...both are not to be missed if you are a serious reader.

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anne dawid , January 01, 2010 (view all comments by anne dawid)
Gilead informs a swath of American history in the 19th and 20th centuries through the stories of two families, continued in the follow-up novel, HOME. Robinson creates a beautiful character and voice who tells us the story of the small town of Gilead, Iowa, with its history in the Underground Railroad, the narrator's father's attempt to contribute to the anti-slavery fight in Kansas, all while a subtle love story goes on, or rather, multiple stories. The narrator's love for his 7-year-old son, to whom he speaks, as he anticipates his death; the love he shows his young wife, who appears brashly unexpected in his old age; the love he has for his neighbor and fellow minister, another declining man of the spirit, also facing his last days; and, perhaps most importantly, the love he manifests for each day of his waning life. Twice I have listened to GILEAD on CD, and will do so again, as if listening to a long meditation, a prayer.

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LGM , January 01, 2010
remarkable.

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tamgoddess , January 01, 2010
This book seems like it would be slow and plodding. But the internal workings it generates are explosive. Best book I've read in a very long time.

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Alison Clark , December 10, 2008
The cover of Gilead is much like the light blue open plains airyness of this story. The lines hem in the lives of mentioned characters but are also thin and porous. Thin so one small young life can can move in and out of another older. Back and forth, no one life lived close to others is ever by itself.

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sneddy29 , October 03, 2007 (view all comments by sneddy29)
This has become one of my favorite books. It is very "meaty" but is all full of "dessert". It is the type of book your heart yearns for, because it has so much sage advice , that you pick up while reading it.

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anunusualwoman , July 14, 2007
This book is in the form of a letter from a dying pastor to his young son is beautifully written, wonderfully painted and sculpted with words and phrases. Some of the biblical references were lost on me but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book anymore than not understanding abstract art would keep me from enjoying a painting. Like a delicious dessert to be enjoyed just for the pleasure of it.

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Rachel Oftedahl , January 04, 2007 (view all comments by Rachel Oftedahl)
My mother lent me this book, commenting that it was beautiful, but made her wish she knew more about the Bible. I sedately went through this book, as there is no way to fly through it. I can only describe it as a slow meditation in reading form, leaving you with a complete feeling of peace and satisfaction at the end. I literally put it down and just sat there smiling. And being a heathen, I'm sure some of the finer biblical points were lost on me, but the writing was so well done, it never made me feel as if they were.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780312424404
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
01/10/2006
Publisher:
ST MARTINS PRESS
Pages:
247
Height:
.70IN
Width:
5.40IN
Thickness:
.50
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2006
Author:
Marilynne Robinson
Subject:
Domestic fiction
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Subject:
Clergy
Subject:
Kansas
Subject:
Fathers and sons
Subject:
Christian fiction
Subject:
General Fiction

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