- Paperback: 190 pages
- Publisher: Methuen Publishing Ltd (13 Jan 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0413774821
- ISBN-13: 978-0413774828
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 881,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Cold Spring Harbor (Vintage Classics)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
`Yates's prose is as elegant and minimalist as ever... He simply tells the story - in... perfectly pitched language.'
-- www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
-- www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Product Description
All the sorrows of Evan Shepard's loutish adolescence were redeemed at seventeen, in 1935, when he fell in love with automobiles...
In the small suburban town of Cold Spring Harbor, Evan Shephard and his young bride Rachel yearn to escape the mistakes of their parents. But as they discover, families exert a hold as tight as fate, and every way out only ends up back home.
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Harsh Lessons in Life,
This review is from: Cold Spring Harbor (Paperback)
Richard Yates was always interested in failures and outsiders, and in Cold Spring Harbor, originally released in 1986 and the last novel he would write, this is no different. The theme of the book is typical Yates - lonely lost characters struggling through life anyway they can, marriages that are falling apart, people who get drunk to numb whatever pain they’re feeling.The story centres around two families, the Shepards and the Drakes, who meet up by chance when the Shepards car breaks down. What begins as a joyous union soon beings to turn sour, with sadness meeting each character perpetually. There is one mans feelings of being trapped by marriage and his child, a mentally unstable woman and her unrequited love, a teenage boys feelings of inadequacy – each of them dreams of escape and a better life, only to wake to reality every time. The characters, as in all of Yates stories, are brought to life by the faultless dialogue, each scene brought to life by Yates sparse yet descriptive sentences. There are no excess words, no overindulgence, it’s kept sharp and clear and with the last few pages beautifully understated and totally breathtaking. Though it may not be as critically acclaimed a novel as his debut Revolutionary Road, this book should still not be ignored. There is no happy ending to this story but that’s okay – life isn’t all about happy endings and anyway, a happy ending wouldn’t have fit here. Richard Yates was a man who suffered through two divorces (with his wives winning custody of the children on both occasions), TB, alcoholism and depression, finally ending with his premature death caused by smoking induced emphysema. For him, sadly, there was no happy ending either.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A nightmare... Convincing..... Extremely good read....,
By stevieby (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cold Spring Harbor (Vintage Classics) (Paperback)
Yates is new to me and I had no idea what to expect ... what he delivers is so far from the usual Disney / Hollywood fair America endlessly churns out.
It is a deceptively simple story of two families struggling to get along, to do 'the right thing,' to be accepted and loved. But the veneer of polite society is shot through by deeper needs and fears. As the narration switches between characters all appear to have legitimacy and reason, as well as some flaw which grows in their minds like a tumour, dominating their lives. The characters do not grow to overcome their limitations; they are not supported to confront the issues, which instead are covered up, ran away from or disowned. In short, a nightmare! No matter how you wish things will turn out fine in the end, you know it ain't going to happen! Nonetheless, the book is an extremely good read, if not exactly enjoyable! It is convincing in ways few horror stories are.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yates is brilliant,
By
This review is from: Cold Spring Harbor (Vintage Classics) (Paperback)
Having read and loved Revolutionary Road I decided to read more of Yates work (as revolutionary road was my first) and once again I am in love with Yates' brilliant writing. I only finished the book today and I'm still thinking over the themes, ideas and points being made in the story so I won't say much apart froom interesting and entertaining and (so far) Yates' novels are always worth reading.
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