Reading “Olive Kitteridge”, which I loved, might have spoiled me for the rest of Strout's work. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. Lucy Barton spends 9 weeks in the hospital in the 1980s in New York City following complications from a surgery. Elizabeth Strout is the author of several novels, including: “It interests me how we find ways to feel superior to another person, another group of people. Lucy Barton is recovering slowly from what should have been a simple operation. A new book by Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout is cause for celebration. Her mother, to whom she hasn't spoken for many years, comes to see her. And she also muses about writing, what it means to her, and how she was inspired by a number of people, including another author. To see what your friends thought of this book, Oh my goodness yes, unfortunately. As she recovers from surgery complications, a shocked Lucy receives a five day visit from her estranged mother who can only express her feelings by telling stories of old acquaintances and their imperfect lives; and while listening, Lucy Barton revisits her. But … It is after all written by Elizabeth Strout. What at first felt like a simple, quietly understated series of snapshots of a woman’s life, has turned into a powerful novel that packs its punch through everything that is not spoken. While it may be true that not every reader likes having the space between tiles, for me, squinting and mulling were part of the pleasure. I had the luxury of reading My name Is Lucy Barton in one sitting -- and if you can that's how I highly recommend this very short jewel of a novel be read. I loved the way the author put these words together -, A book like this that’s short on words, but rich in meaning begs for a metaphor to describe it. It's more of an experience than a story. During the day, the building’s beauty receded, and gradually it became simply one more large structure against a blue sky, and all the city’s buildings seemed remote, silent, far away. This book! Lucy was pretty specific in her vagueness. My Name Is Lucy Barton is a short, sparse novel and every word, every incident related is carefully chosen. But “My Name Is Lucy Barton” is the story of a daughter who loved her mother, and that is a very different story. There were solid, valuable messages in this gentle story delivered in a tentative and scattered way. When I first started reading this I had the feeling that it was going to be a remarkable story. In this novel she takes a woman looking back on the nine weeks she spent in the hospital (I can relate) when her two daughters were young. [ My Name Is Lucy Barton was originally produced by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr for the London Theater Company at the Bridge Theatre in June 2018. It seemed to mostly provide a setting for Lucy to reflect and assess her past life of living in very poor, abusive and dysfunctional family. This is the trademark of Elizabeth Strout's work, these somewhat interconnected stories. I was so wrong about that . Through Lucy Barton, Strout has made a remarkable virtue of the novelist's trick - often missed - of telling enough but not too much. I was so sad about her poor, abusive and emotionally disconnected family upbringing. Her mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken for many years, comes to see her. This is all very confusing. If it is the actual novel that I just finished, I'm completely missing the point. I also thought when I first met Lucy Barton that this was going to be a story about an ordinary woman . What a beautifully told “un-fairy tale”. Interesting and touching read narrated in the form of multiple short stories as with Olive Kitteridge. What follows is a sample of what we. With enough distance, a picture does emerge. With enough distance, a picture does emerge. This is illustrated with perfection in this tale. In this short book I came to know what an extraordinary character Lucy Barton is . An ordinary story with an extraordinary character. I was in tears at one point as Lucy desperately tries in vain to reach out to her mother for love, kindness or affection…something that her mother is sadly incapable of giving. The story is written many years later, with her time in the hospital as her focal point -- but the time span runs from her childhood to the present. As one I know I can flog, think of Strout’s profile here as an artful little mosaic. It's all in the conversations, the dialog, the exchange of thoughts and ideas.....and even in those moments when words, themselves, are not even necessary. At times I felt as though I was listening in on a casual conversation between. The novel is also full of keen observations about how childhood travels forward into adulthood. It is also the work of a more mature writer, scaling new heights. 212-239-6200. So what the hell’s going on? **Updating this to 5★**I was totally captivated by this soulful, unassuming narrative that packs a punch of emotion. Knitting this powerful narrative together is the brilliant storytelling voice of Lucy herself: keenly observant, deeply human, and truly unforgettable. She recalls her upbringing - the tough times and fleetingly disturbing moments that aren’t delved into too deeply but remembered with clarity; she speaks of the people in her life, their impact and how grateful she is to them all; her flawed life she acknowledges honestly with raw emotion. “Compelling… The title character of My Name Is Lucy Barton, Rona Munro’s crystalline stage adaptation of Elizabeth Strout’s 2016 novel… may be the most translucent figure now on a New York stage.”– The New York Times “Munro's play stands quite well on its own, distilling the crucial elements of Strout's work into a steadily moving, compelling narrative of its own.” There were solid, valuable messages in this gentle story delivered in a tentative and scattered way. I had the luxury of reading My name Is Lucy Barton in one sitting -- and if you can that's how I highly recommend this very short jewel of a novel be read. How quick we are to judge others based on too little, the folly of dreading something which invariably ends up in having to go through it twice. But thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to attempt to understand this novel. It's clear that Lucy's mother, Lydia, remembers certain things very … Every page I reread seemed rich and wow-y. Whether one likes her characters or not (and truthfully some are unlikable if understandable, she makes the reader feel something. At times I felt as though I was listening in on a casual conversation between mother and daughter, while at other times I felt I was on the receiving end of an interview with Lucy. January 12th 2016 In this novel she takes a woman looking back on the nine weeks she spent in the hospital (I can relate) when her two daughters were young. The narrative begins with Lucy Barton reflecting on her life from the hospital bed where she spent 8 weeks after getting an infection from surgery. This was in New York City, and at night a view of the Chrysler Building, with its geometric brilliance of lights, was directly visible from my bed. On paper, the script of My Name is Lucy Barton is merely 36 pages long, and it reads nicely as a short story. But after sticking my nose back into the book, I’m changing my tune. My version was more like notes where each note could have been formed into a chapter and the chapters could have been organized into a story. My Name Is Lucy Barton--like all of Strout's fiction--is more complex than it first appears, and all the more emotionally persuasive for it." My first Strout. The book opens with Lucy recuperating in the hospital after an operation. A powerful short book that is filled with the wisdom that only comes with age. It's the one that Strout has written, and it's also the one that Lucy writes as she remembers her mother's visit and the childhood memories it evokes. She makes allusions but I'm not quite sure what conclusion reader should draw, See all 41 questions about My Name Is Lucy Barton…, Goodreads Picks for Tournament of Books 2017, My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - 3 stars, My Name Is Lucy Barton, by Elizabeth Strout, Good Minds Suggest: Elizabeth Strout's Favorite Character Studies. “My Name Is Lucy Barton” is a short book, not even 200 pages. And yet it’s a powerful addition to Strout’s body of work. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Lucy Barton is recovering slowly from what should have been a simple operation. It's hard to describe what it's about. Whether one likes her characters or not (and truthfully some are unlikable if understandable, she makes the reader feel something. During this time, her mother whom she is estranged with, visits and stays for 5 meaningful days. -- San Francisco Chronicle "A short novel about love, particularly the complicated love between mothers and daughters, but … Like a conversation, the book meandered from thought to thought, bringing up different people and past events. Her mother, to whom she hasn't spoken for many years, comes to see her. A snippet of information here, a hint of something there and we are eventually pretty sure her childhood was not just deprived but also abusive. We cross swords in games of subterfuge while we clasp tightly to our deepest secrets which we label "ours" and certainly not "theirs". MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON by Elizabeth Strout ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 2016 From Pulitzer Prize– winning Strout (The Burgess Boys, 2013, etc. She doesn’t use many tiles, but the ones she does display are carefully colored and placed. It's hard to describe what it's about. At its core it's a contemplative novel -- a novel about trying to make sense of life, trying to see how all the pieces fit together. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy. Read it. She recalls and mentions many things in passing and leaves much to the reader's imagination. An ordinary story with an extraordinary character. My Name Is Lucy Barton tells the story of a woman, named Lucy, as she recovers from an illness and tries to make sense of/peace with her complicated relationship with her mother. She recalls her upbringing - the tough times and fleetingly disturbing moments that are. Her estranged mother, whom she has not seen in a long time, makes the journey to visit her. I'm wondering. My mother had a terrible time telling me she loved me. The simple and quiet books are starting to become a favourite of mine. I was in tears at one point as Lucy desperately tries in vain to reach out to her mother f. What a beautifully told “un-fairy tale”. Is the mother daughter relationship believable? Her unexpected visit forces Lucy to confront the tension and longing that have informed every aspect of her life: her impoverished childhood in Amgash, Illinois, her escape to New York and her desire to become a writer, her faltering marriage, her love for her two daughters. One of my favourite novels ever is 'Olive Kitteridge' (the TV adaptation is equally brilliant)…so I was eagerly looking forward to reading ‘My Name Is Lucy Barton’. I must have read a different version of the book than everyone else. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. She also captures my heart by carrying through on an inspiration from her discovery of reading in grade school: “I will write and people will fell less alone!”. In My Name is Lucy Barton, there are no plot twists to distract or verbal acrobatics to charm: the story must rest instead on its bare emotional truth. My Name is Lucy Barton is a 2016 novel by the American writer Elizabeth Strout. There was a time, and it was many years ago now, when I had to stay in a hospital for almost nine weeks. As the story of Lucy unfolds the characters and events from the sequel are brought up. Her mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken for many years, comes to see her. • To order My Name Is Lucy Barton for £10.39 (RRP £12.99) go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. I was personally puzzled by her lengthy stay in the hospital. I so enjoyed this book and getting to know Lucy. I was personally puzzled by her lengthy stay in the hospital. Lucy has a troubled childhood. In a visit by her estranged mother while sick in the hospital she extends that capacity to the point of forgiving her for her failures of neglect and abuse during her childhood. Her mother comes to stay with her in the hospital for a few days, which leads Lucy to dwell on her childhood of utter poverty in rural Illinois and her fraught relationship with her parents and siblings. Praise for My Name Is Lucy Barton “A quiet, sublimely merciful contemporary novel about love, yearning, and resilience in a family damaged beyond words.”—The Boston Globe “It is Lucy’s gentle honesty, complex relationship with her husband, and nuanced response to her mother’s shortcomings that make this novel so subtly powerful.” Lucy Barton had a difficult childhood. My Name Is Lucy Barton confirms Strout as a powerful storyteller immersed in the nuances of human relationships, weaving family tapestries with compassion, wisdom and insight. Her family is impoverished and lives in an isolated area, making it almost impossible for Lucy and her older siblings to make friends. In a visit by, A quiet but moving reverie by a resilient woman on various timepoints in her life, revealing the distorted lens by which she views life around her and the troubling experiences of her past. We’d love your help. She learns to harness the vital power of simple kindness transmitted from people around her through simple acts and gestures. This book is universally loved by my friends and I understand why that is, though I can't embrace this book as others have. An apparently simple tale of a woman's life from early hardship to later success, yet nothing about it is actually simple. This is a glorious novel, deft, tender and true. My Name Is Lucy Barton is indeed about love, or really, the complexity of misshapen familial love. Don’t ever worry about story. The title character of “My Name Is Lucy Barton,” Rona Munro’s crystalline stage adaptation of Elizabeth Strout’s 2016 novel, is hardly a woman of mystery. Sorry. In some ways Lucy becomes the epitome of the flawed way we all survive by filtering reality and numbing ourselves. The few days her mother spent at her bedside, a mother she has been estranged from for many years, and tries to find a sort of peace or at least understanding of the family she has left. “I like writers who try to tell you something truthful,” comments the eponymous narrator of “My Name Is Lucy Barton.” … Is the reader supposed to know what in particular has kept lucy away? “You will have only one story,” she had said. In some ways Lucy becomes the epitome of the flawed way we all survive by filtering reality and numbing ourselves. Masterly -- Anna Murphy My Name Is Lucy Barton intrigues and pierces with its evocative, skin-peeling back remembrances of growing up dirt-poor. She says she had never heard of such a thing happening before. It's a tender, poignant, and introspective look at relationships and imperfect love. I am totally in awe of this writer's talents. I admire the style of it and I acknowledge that the story was deliberately designed and assembled as it was, even though that was the piece that kept me from connecting with it the way others have. A quiet but moving reverie by a resilient woman on various timepoints in her life, revealing the distorted lens by which she views life around her and the troubling experiences of her past. Just me, my tea and the beautiful powerful words of this magnificent story. My Name is Lucy Barton is a 2016 novel by American author Elizabeth Strout. Lucy Barton tells much of her story from a hospital bed where she has endless time to think back to her childhood and her life since. I admire the style of it and I acknowledge that the story was deliberately designed and assembled as it was, even though that was the piece that kept me from connecting with it the way others have. How is it that we can truly know the inner workings of another human being? The story is told in a series of flashbacks, beginning with Lucy's time in the hospital when she was younger. Lucy recalls that her earliest memories of her parents are accompanied by a feeling of loneliness. I don't think she was forced to fellate him. She's someone I'd want to know and a character I'll remember. My Name Is Lucy Barton (Amgash #1), Elizabeth Strout. You have only one.” ― Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton She learns to harness the vital power of simple kindness transmitted from people around her through simple acts and gestures. My Name is Lucy Barton is a short, simple, and quiet story that took me away from the noise and to that quiet place that I love. This book is universally loved by my friends and I understand why that is, though I can't embrace this book as others have. My Name is Lucy Barton is presented episodically, as a series of events and memories from Lucy’s past. Her bestselling novels, including Olive Kitteridge and The Burgess Boys, have illuminated our most tender relationships. It considers the perception of poverty by those who live both inside and outside of it. But eventually she became a hero to me in several ways. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. The ways in which we show our love can be vastly different. Lucy’s point of view intertwined with the story told by the other characters makes this set amazing. At its core it's a contemplative novel -- a novel about trying to make sense of life, trying to see how all the pieces fit together. Welcome back. It happens everywhere, and all the time. She doesn’t use many tiles, but the ones she does display are carefully colored and placed. As she recovers from surgery complications, a shocked Lucy receives a five day visit from her estranged mother who can only express her feelings by telling stories of old acquaintances and their imperfect lives; and while listening, Lucy Barton revisits her own memories of terror, isolation and the "thing" she does not want to remember in order to make peace with herself and her family. Fortunately, my outgoing daughter taught her how to love bef. It was May, and then June, and I remember how I would stand and look out the window at the sidewalk below and watch the young women — my age — in their spring clothes, out on their lunch breaks; I could see their heads moving in conversation, their blouses rippling in the breeze. Now, in My Name Is Lucy Barton, this extraordinary writer shows how a simple hospital visit becomes a portal to the most tender relationship of all — the one between mother and daughter. 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