Days of Awe

by Hugh Nissenson

Book Overview

Washington Post Best Books of 2005.Philadelphia Inquirer Top 10 Fiction Pick, Fall 2005At age 67, Artie Rubin finds his world shaken to its foundation by events he cannot control. His tale his both... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1402205511
• ISBN13: 9781402205514
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

A masterful story of life, love, and death

This is book to read and reread as one absorbs the meaning of life, tragedy, and love. Funny, heartbreaking, and humane.

"Happiness lies in feeling part of ordinary things."

"The Days of Awe," by Hugh Nissenson, is set on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the months before and after 9/11. The protagonist is sixty-seven year old Artie Rubin, who is working on his twentieth book, "Norse Myths Retold and Illustrated." Twelve of Artie's books on world mythology are still in print and some are considered cult classics. However, he is feeling old and tired, and fears that his talent may be waning. Still, Artie is grateful for the companionship of his loving wife, Johanna, and their married daughter, Leslie, who is expecting her first child. Nissenson's writing style is a blend of disparate elements--third person narrative, emails, diary entries, the inner thoughts of each character told in the first person, and snippets of Artie's book in progress as he struggles to perfect both his text and illustrations. There are no clear-cut chapters, just demarcations by date, starting in August 2001 and ending three months later. If this style sounds messy and disorganized, it is, but it works well. The author explores a whole host of themes, including whether religious belief has any value, how people cope with their fear of infirmity and death, the importance of family ties, the pleasure and fulfillment of work, and the ephemeral nature of happiness. Yet, "The Days of Awe" is not heavy and ponderous. There are many witty and humorous scenes along with some dark and heartbreaking ones, and the narrative is both fast-moving and engrossing. The characters are beautifully delineated. Although Artie has never been an observant Jew, he longs to reconnect with his dead father, Samuel, by rediscovering his Jewish roots. Johanna scorns religion, and wants her husband to come to his senses. After the tragedy of 9/11 and a series of health crises that afflict his friends and family, Artie experiences an emotional meltdown that forces him to reevaluate what is really important to him. "The Days of Awe" is a deeply moving kaleidoscope of all the ordinary events and relationships that makes life beautiful, intolerable, unpredictable, and wonderful.

AWESOME!

In an incredibly, almost prescient manner Nissenson has produced a book that brings the reader into the heart of intercultural and marital anomalies and problems. His writing style is brilliantly sprite. The entire book can be read in about 4 to 5 hours and it tends to keep you at it. The pages flash by as Nissenson describes the interactions and dysinteractions of the family and it members. The story is primarily about his main character Artie. While Artie is the main character, it is difficult to actually name a protagonist in this story. Nissenson has crafted the text so that there are several main characters. But in particular, the story centers around the character Artie and his wife and daughter. With some expert prose, Nissenson discusses the impending heart problems of Artie's wife along with the religious philosophy and the change within Artie as he ages. His change in perspective toward religion, until it becomes obsessive is illustrated. Finally, his failure to cheat death of taking his wife, despite his religious fanaticism is clearly spelled out by the author in the manner of her death. Previous to this book, all of Nissenson's work has been either about the future or the past. In this book, he takes on the present. And his book deals with all these normal and terrible life problems against the backdrop of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on NYC which is where the book takes place. Once again, Nissenson has produced a classic piece of literature for those who enjoy the subtle and the grand. The book is highly recommended for all readers interested in domestic relationships and how they tend to shape personality and action.

Life and Death and The City

Hugh Nissenson has given us a touching, realistic, sweet and sad portrait of a couple greeting their own mortality with fear, loathing, and, ultimately, respectful acceptance. The book hums with the telling details of everyday life for a family of New Yorkers and their friends and relations against the distant but affecting background of the 9/11 attacks. If you were in the city in those dramatic days, you'll recognize the eerie mood of tragic helplessness. For curious non New Yorkers, the book provides a fascinating glimpse of how it felt to be so few degrees of separation away from public catastrophe. I laughed, I cried and, most important, I thought a lot as I read DAYS OF AWE. Don't be hesitant because of its themes and subject matter. This is definitely a book to ENJOY--a short family saga heavy on both humor and thoughtfulness.

Awed for Days

This compelling and exquisitely wrought novel ­ from a National Book Award and Pen-Faulkner Award finalist ­ at once luminous and discreet is Hugh Nissenson¹s masterpiece. At 67, Artie Rubin, author of illustrated books of mythology, finds his world shaken to its foundation. With breathtaking insight into the human condition and a delightful dry sense of humor, Nissenson finds the symbols, the language, and the wisdom to shed light on seemingly unfathomable aspects of all our lives. Even as it questions the meaning and purpose of life, The Days of Awe resonates on many levels, offering a story of heartbreak and hope, portraying the soul¹s endurance and confirming the fidelity of love, all while laying bare the myths of post-millennial America. An amazing read- I HIGHLY recommend it.