the gravedigger's daughter

It has more than earned a place on my Favorites shelf. Pseudonyms ... “The danger of motherhood. Intrigued to read other Oates' books. The first thing I noticed was something not related to the actual book, but the Kindle edition. Share. There is not a lot happening here, but at the same time, a lot takes place. It was a story of an immigrant family escaping Germany in a refuge boat sailing into New York Harbor in 1936. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Gravedigger's Daughter: A Novel (P.S. 3 Shazams. Joyce Carol Oates is at once one of my favorite authors and also a challenge to read! The GraveDigger’s Daughter Barrens Salem Union Cemetery. Get up to 3 months free. The descriptions aren't boring, the story goes smoothly and the characters are 3D. I enjoyed the book, and there are some powerful and shocking episodes, covering the life of the protagonist (from the title) through childhood and into late middle age, running from her demons (including echoes of Nazi Germany), and reinventing herself along the way, with some success. It is a bit more linear than some of her other work, but she does like to float back and forth in time. Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. Embarking upon an extraordinary odyssey of erotic risk and ingenious self-invention, she seeks renewal, redemption, and peace—on the road to a bittersweet and distinctly “American” triumph. She is very prolific, though- it could be that I'm just reading the wrong things. This book, though, like some others she has written, left me with a hole. The book is emotionally provocative and touches many heavy themes: abuse, murder, religious intolerance, socioeconomic distinctions, corrupt authorities, etc. But Rebecca's unique survival story, one in which she crafts a new identity to serve as a camouflaged flak jacket, was compelling enough to keep me going. Oates' style is the most beautiful I've yet encountered, non-sophisticated, but appealing at the same time. She has killer lines, which she often uses as repetitive phrases or tropes effectively throughout the book. ISBN-13: 9780061236839 Summary In 1936 the Schwarts, an immigrant family desperate to escape Nazi Germany, settle in a small town in upstate New York, where the father, a former high school teacher, is demeaned by the only job he can get: gravedigger and cemetery caretaker. Something went wrong. The unpleasant feeling of reading about all this anger, together with the deft anxiety-inducing plot, made me read fast, fast, fast, barely skimming some sections. Please try your request again later. I have finished reading TGD. Jacob Schwart, a high school teacher, is fleeing Nazi Germany with his pregnant wife, Anna, and their two sons, Herschel and August, in 1936. Here the father—a former high school teacher—is demeaned by the only job he can get: gravedigger and cemetery caretaker. Please try again. ― Joyce Carol Oates, The Gravedigger's Daughter. “Three days later on October 29, 1959, the Pontiac registered in the name of Niles Tignor would be discovered, gas tank near-empty, keys on the floorboards beneath the front seat, in a parking lot close by the Greyhound bus station in Rome, New York.”. The Gravedigger’s Daughter is a rather long novel, but it is worth the investment in time, for it is compelling reading. However, Oates' structure is beautifully puzzling as she starts the novel when Rebecca is in her twenties, on her way home from work. This book, though, like some others she has written, left me with a hole. This was my necessary breezy read after the last one. It is easy to get into but also easy to fall right back out of- I guess that's what I will say. PLAY FULL SONG. So, I read some of the reviews prior to listening to this story and was almost tempted to bypass this novel. A young woman wishes to fulfil her father's will and become a gravedigger, like him . It was very well-written, but I just could not handle how ungodly depressing it was. It is definitely a character driven tale and one that kind of takes it's time in the telling. Oates's Rebecca is coarse, crude and at times maddeningly self-deluding, with a tendency to avoid self-reflection or self-examination, especially when doing so might mean confronting hard truths. This is a book about identity, about coming to terms with your past and being who you are. When local prejudice and the family''s own emotional frailty give rise to an unthinkable tragedy, the gravedigger''s daughter, Rebecca heads out into America. It is easy to get into but also easy to fall right back out of- I guess that's what I will say. The Gravedigger's Guild By Susan Farris Alice Matins is dead. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Oates explained that she decided to write about her family only after her parents died (in 2000 and 2003), adding that her "family history was filled with pockets of silence. The novel is written in 2007, so it can simply be related a modern context. 3 Shazams. Elena Yeung Country. The Gravedigger's Daughter A Novel (Book) : Oates, Joyce Carol, 1938- : In 1936 the Schwarts, an immigrant family desperate to escape Nazi Germany, settle in a small town in upstate New York, where the father, a former high school teacher, is demeaned by the only job he can get: gravedigger and cemetery caretaker. And while in a sense, I did find pity and drama in this book, they were far from the sugar-coated and sweet, naive rendition I expected. THE GRAVEDIGGER'S DAUGHTER is a sprawling, challenging portrait of a life that seems entirely plausible, even in its violence and sadness. TRACK. About the immigrant experience. Joe Ciardiello Rebecca is the daughter of Jacob and Anna Schwart, German-Jewish refugees from Hitler. I love her style and while the story is quite graphic in its violence and abuse, it was not gratuitous, but necessary, handled well. I like the detail she uses to describe a character; enough so that one feels they really know somebody and know when the character behaves in a way that we would not expect from them. LYRICS. PLAY FULL SONG. Good times... A character's worst fear should be to appear in a Joyce Carol Oates novel. Embarking upon an extraordinary odyssey of erotic risk and ingenious self-invention, she seeks renewal, redemption, and peace--on the road to a bittersweet and distinctly “American” triumph. The Gravedigger's Daughter is the story of Rebecca Schwart's life described in terms of how she accommodated men to gain physical security: her father, her employers, men who made passes, her first lover, her son, her future father-in-law, and her eventual husband. There is an odd coincidental turn that I thought could have had more build-up or foreshadowing to make it more dramatic. I can understand why some of the issues were unresolved, such as Rebecca's parents' stories and backgrounds in Germany. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Featured In. It also examines how well we know each other, even in our most intimate relationships. We all recognize them, not as “types” but for the subtitles and internal dialogues that expose who they really are. ). Share. The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates tells the story of Jacob Schwart, a high school teacher, who, after fleeing Nazi Germany with his pregnant wife Anna and two sons, Herschel and August, end up arriving and making lives for themselves in the United States. I can even understand why the brothers were never found. It also explores the unjust relationship between a man and a woman, particularly when sexism was at its peak, in the 1905’s. Who, including some of my favorites like Elizabeth Strout, Aylet Waldman or Ann Patchett, honed talents all, compares to Oates? Perceived and actual intolerance by members of the community only exacerbate the family's frail mental health and, ultimately, tragedy strikes when our protagonist, Rebecca, is only 13 years old. The Gravedigger's Daughter is unquestionably one of Oates' finest novels, rendered in taut, vivid language, with an emotional power some of her novels lack." But there were these phrases that Oates kept returning to, such as the final one, "There should be some reason she survived," (p. 551). . It's the second thing I've read by this author, who seems to be really well-appreciated by the world, but I am still ambivalent about her work. The Gravedigger’s Daughter is a 2007 novel by American author Joyce Carol Oates, based loosely on the life of her grandmother and maternal grandfather, the latter who attacked his wife, threatened Oates’ grandmother, then killed himself. Look over her forty some books and marvel at the diversity of her characters, created with nuance as alive-on-the-page individuals. When I reached for my first book by Joyce Carol Oates, The Gravedigger's Daughter, I must admit I was expecting a somewhat sugar-coated and sweetened novel about a poor little girl, daughter of refugees from pre-war Germany, who grows up being mocked and bullied by her peers. Fleeing Nazi Germany in 1936, the Schwarts immigrate to a small town in upstate New York. I have been reading Oates books since High School. More By and About This Author. The Gravedigger's Daughter. This story depicts the tale of the Shwarts who, in the mid 1930s, fled Nazi Germany and have been reduced to life in a tiny cottage while their father, a former school teacher, can only find work as a cemetary caretaker. Sign-in or Try it free for 3 months. The father was a Math teacher, but takes the only job that he can in America, digging graves. But there were these phrases that Oates kept returning to, such as the final one, "There should be some reason she survived," (p. 551). Perceived and actual intolerance by members of the community only exacerbate the family's frail mental health and, ultimately, tragedy strikes when our protagonist, Rebecca, is only 13 years old. A generation thing I guess. When local prejudice and the family's own emotional frailty give rise to an unthinkable tragedy, the gravedigger's daughter, Rebecca heads out into America. The Gravedigger's Daughter 17min | Short , Comedy , Drama | 2017 (Israel) A gravedigger leaves only one request in his will - that one of his sons take on his profession. Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Medal of Humanities, the National Book Critics Circle Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction, and has been several times nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. One afternoon in September 1959 a young woman factory worker was walking home on the towpath of the Erie Barge Canal, east of the small city of Chautauqua Falls, when she began to notice that she was being followed, at a distance of about thirty feet, by a man in a panama hat. In many ways "The Ditchdigger's Daughters" adheres to the well worn path of a genre best described as the black struggle in an injust white America. However, contrary to what I read by others, I had a different take on this story considering this story is typically not in the genere that I tend to read or listen. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Overall I would recommend the book. The Gravedigger's Daughter ~*~Prologue~*~ When I look in the mirror every morning, I hate myself. And perhaps it was intentional, but it would have been interesting to include more about the lost family links than the rather quick meeting that occurs. Copy. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Create Video Clip. This book in particular I heard about from a professor I had a few years ago. It also explores the unjust relationship between a man and a woman, particularly when sexism was at its peak, in the 1905’s. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. There are some interesting things about immigration, and maybe gender, the holocaust... A wonderful multi-layered novel of penetrating psychological insight and human understanding from a master. So, readers may be a bit surprised that his... From one of the greatest literary forces of our time, an intensely realized, masterful epic of a young woman's struggle for identity and survival in post - World War II America. In "The Gravedigger's Daughter," Joyce Carol Oates explores the impact of childhood abuse on the development of a woman's identity. Be the first to ask a question about The Gravedigger's Daughter. And reflective. She often writes of troubled young women who become victims to brutish men because of making bad choices and having low self-esteem. I guess I liked this book, but reading it once is plenty for me. The cousin was a holocaust survivor and in her letter makes some vague references to the holocaust. I see … Album . by Ecco. Embarking upon an extraordinary odyssey of erotic risk and ingenious self-invention, she seeks renewal, redemption, and peace—on the road to a bittersweet and distinctly “American” triumph. They are a Jewish family who emigrated to … Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2011. It explores how the specter of World War II and the Holocaust affected even those who escaped its immediate impact – sometimes fatally so. The Gravedigger's Daughter. The family tries to assimilate to America, while at the same time maintaining their prejudices and believes about Americans. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Once again, I must diverge from the critics who loved this Joyce Carol Oates novel. I see … Hope you enjoy it. It is her 36th published novel. The Gravedigger’s Daughter Books After local prejudice and the family’s own emotional frailty result in unspeakable tragedy, the gravedigger’s daughter, Rebecca, begins her astonishing pilgrimage into America, an odyssey of erotic risk and imaginative daring, ingenious self-invention, and, in the end, a bittersweet—but very “American”—triumph. Gravedigger's Daughter . I don't know where to start, so I'll just list the major problems: a bloated and disjointed narrative, overwrought prose, and a nonsensical epilogue. Here the father—a former high school teacher—is demeaned by the only job he can get: gravedigger and cemetery caretaker. One letter reads as follows: The first half of this novel was so angry, practically dripping with Jacob Schwart's spittle-rage and Tignor's controlling misogyny! I tried reading it from the library, but other priorities got in the way. I'd never read anything by Joyce Carol Oates, although a friend recommended her books. Chautauqua Falls, New York . tags: children , motherhood , parenting. The prologue of The Gravedigger’s Daughter begins and ends with the chilling statement, “In animal life the weak are quickly disposed of.” This quote is repeated throughout the novel, and it is even included in the epistolary section at the very end (572). Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Ecco $26.95 (592p) ISBN 978-0-06-123682-2. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Love her books. PODCAST. The Gravedigger's Daughter ~*~Prologue~*~ When I look in the mirror every morning, I hate myself. Review: The Gravedigger’s Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates. Her ability to characterize leaves me tearing up my fiction and scurrying off to try my hand at poetry or perhaps an essay – anything that doesn’t involve trying to create characters that always fall flat if I read any single line from a book Oates writes. And while in a sense, I did find pity and drama in this book, they. A gravedigger leaves only one request in his will - that one of his sons take on his … Click here to see the rest of this review When I reached for my first book by Joyce Carol Oates, The Gravedigger's Daughter, I must admit I was expecting a somewhat sugar-coated and sweetened novel about a poor little girl, daughter of refugees from pre-war Germany, who grows up being mocked and bullied by her peers. If you are an optimistic reader, feel free to imagine that happy scene and the happy life of married-with-children Zack. The Gravedigger's Daughter Joyce Carol Oates, 2007 HarperCollins 624 pp. Embarking upon an extraordinary odyssey of erotic risk and ingenious self-invention, she seeks renewal, redemption, and peace—on the road to a bittersweet and distinctly “American” triumph. This one is about a woman who has a really hard childhood and young adulthood and gets a lot of abuse, and then she goes on. More By and About This Author. Subscribe Now The family’s hope for a new and happy life is quickly dashed, as this land of promise falls short of their dreams. ARTIST. And the epilogue...creating more issues that are never resolved. May 29th 2007 Honestly, the main character can't seem to go ten pages without getting the shit kicked out of her (literally and figuratively) by all the Mean Bad Men in her life. When local prejudice and the family's own emotional frailty give rise to an unthinkable tragedy, the gravedigger's daughter, Rebecca heads out into America. The same friend chose this book for our book group read so I bought it for my Kindle. About family, battered women and their husbands. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The first half of this novel was so angry, practically dripping with Jacob Schwart's spittle-rage and Tignor's controlling misogyny! This extract from The Gravedigger’s daughter, by Joyce Carol Oates, is in many ways a modern interpretation of the downfall and trap of marriage. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Books > Thrillers. I found the ending just as satisfying as a novel like this can provide. Irish author Eoin Colfer is best known for his wildly popular middle grade series Like. Embarking upon an extraordinary odyssey of erotic risk and ingenious self-invention, she seeks renewal, redemption, and peace—on the road to a bittersweet and distinctly “American” triumph. Honestly, the main character can't seem to go ten pages without getting the shit kicked out of her (literally and figuratively) by all the Mean Bad Men in her life. Her most recent novel is A Book of American Martyrs. The Gravedigger’s Daughter is very much a book of two halves, split between Rebecca’s life as a child, living with her father, Jacob Schwart, a troll-like figure of a man and Anna, her mother and her two brothers.

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