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Ironweed William Kennedy 9780743263061 Books

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Ironweed William Kennedy 9780743263061 Books

This is not a happy book, but it is a view into the life of homeless people and their sorrows and trouble.


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Ironweed William Kennedy 9780743263061 Books Reviews

You may have seen the movie. You may feel it evokes Albany, NY. But reading this gave me insight into the mind of my own homeless alcoholic, my younger brother.

Like the protaganist, my brother doesn't have to be homeless. But the requirements of the straight life are just too much.

Why would anyone choose this? How can my brother prefer sleeping outside in the cold, being dirty and hungry? He had a good job, was a homeowner, a husband, is still a father and grandfather.

William Kennedy has given me a clue. I'll never really get it, but Ironweed got me closer.
I am on a quest to read all novels that have won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. IRONWEED is one of my favorites of the novels I have read so far. One passage from the book continues to speak to me "If you love something well enough...you will die for it; for when we love with all our might, our silly little selves are already dead and we have no more fear of dying."
The characters were very 3 dimensional and clearly communicated. The style of the story telling was enjoyable and easy to read. Very illustrative, much like Earnest Hemmingway's or Steinbeck's characters.
IRONWEED by William J. Kennedy was the latest selection for a book club I've recently joined. The premise of the club is to read a novel and then view the movie (at the group meeting) that was based on the novel. As I expected, the movie paled in comparison to the book, despite the screenplay being written by Kennedy himself. Jack Nicholson plays the main character (Francis) and Meryl Streep is his "wanna be" socialite girlfriend (Helen), but this star power doesn't elevate the story beyond what Kennedy had already done in the novel.

Set during the "Great Depression," IRONWEED is a great look at the underbelly of society drunks, homeless, impoverished, and in that regard the story is timeless. I enjoyed the characters' quirkiness and the loosely connected plots, but more significantly to me were the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and love. The love aspect may be hard to spot, but it is there, unconventionally, in many of the character's interactions.

This favorable recommendation comes with a warning it can be a depressing read, definitely not a happy one, and while I found it inspirational, it will not conjure any blithe emotions. IRONWEED is definitely not a June beach read, being more apropos to a long winter night, indoor, by a warm fire.
There are so many things happening in this brief novel. This is another book that I have given away over and over, have purchased over and over, and still recommend to anybody who I think might fit the bill of interest. (I still haven't watched the movie...)
THIS WAS A FASCINATING LOOK AT DEPRESSION ERA ALBANY - THE CHARACTERS THAT DWELLED THERE. KENNEDY'S WRITING STYLE HAD ME ENGROSSED ALL THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. MERYL STREEP SINGING "HE'S ME PAL" WAS ABSOLUTELY UNFORGETTABLE. (SAW THE MOVIE TOO) I LIKED THIS BOOK SO WELL I BOUGHT TWO OF KENNEDY'S OTHER BOOKS....
FRANK - SAN CLEMENTE, CA
Finally, a Pulitzer I enjoyed! The harsh realities for Francis and Helen really puts the reader into their situation, as grim as it is. But yet Francis still maintains a positive attitude, something many could not. Loved the authentic language throughout; it really sold it.
This is not a happy book, but it is a view into the life of homeless people and their sorrows and trouble.