Netherland
New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year In a New York City made phantasmagorical by the events of 9/11, and left alone after his English wife and son return to London, Hans van den Broek stumbles upon the vibrant New York subculture of cricket, where he revisits his lost childhood and,...
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New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year In a New York City made phantasmagorical by the events of 9/11, and left alone after his English wife and son return to London, Hans van den Broek stumbles upon the vibrant New York subculture of cricket, where he revisits his lost childhood and, thanks to a friendship with a charismatic and charming Trinidadian named Chuck Ramkissoon, begins to reconnect with his life and his adopted country. As the two men share their vastly different experiences of contemporary immigrant life in America, an unforgettable portrait emerges of an "other" New York populated by immigrants and strivers of every race and nationality.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780307388773 (0307388778)
ASIN: 307388778
Publish date: May 7th 2009
Publisher: Vintage
Pages no: 256
Edition language: English
Along with the NYT, I counted this as one of my own best reads of 2008--which was, by the way, a complete surprise, since the blurb struck me as wholly unexciting and almost pretentious. However, the book was a thorough delight: gorgeous, tragic, full of a lasting emotional resonance.
I don't get it. I like to flatter myself that I'm not a particularly unperceptive reader, but when it comes to this book, I don't get it. I don't get anything about it. I don't hate it, but I have no idea what this book is about. I have no idea why it won so many prizes.I don't get it.(Disclaimer: I...
This book was ok! I didn't connect with the story when cricket was involved, although I do understand when someone seeks refuge for the world and its problems in a game. But I really liked the parts about Hans' relationships with his wife, mother and friends. Hans seems to be seeking... something...
This is a well written book covering some difficult and very emotive subjects. Joseph O'Neill writes well, though I did find it difficult to connect with some of the characters in the book. Perhaps the events of the book have so much depth and poignancy that it's difficult for the characters to stan...
I see that others loved this book, me, not so much. The main character was just so lethargic, so uncaring of the world around him. Actually, he didn't even seem to care about himself. His wife (another winner! Very self absorbed) left him and he couldn't seem to do anything about it. He had no frien...