Gravesend Light

by David Payne

Book Overview

Joey Madden, the eleven-year-old narrator of Ruin Creek, is Joe now, a twenty-eight-year-old, Duke-trained anthropologist back on the Outer Banks doing ethnographic fieldwork in Little Roanoke, a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385473389
• ISBN13: 9780385473385
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Teacher's/Reader's Delight

I have assigned Gravesend Light as a required text in my Introduction to Anthropology course at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. It has been a real hit with the students, providing them with close-up view of anthropological field work, along wih some of the theoretical issues on the presumed objectivity of the anthropologist. Yet, Gravesend Light is not some dry academic work. On the contrary, it pulses with passion, suspense, and vision. It makes you think, feel, cry, worry, celebrate, and so much more, with characters that you can neither remain neutral towards nor fast forget. The story revolves around Joe Madden, an anthropologist doing field work in the Outer Banks. Payne had already introduced Joe in a previous novel, Ruin Creek, where as young Joey he/we saw the break up of his parent's marriage (-- by the way, many of my students could not resist reading Ruin Creek as well during the semester). Gravesend Light presents Joey as an adult, an anthropologist, whose choices in life were shaped by his reaction to the break up of his parents. Anthropology and field work, with their emphasis upon observation, constitute an evolving theme in the development of the novel, as Joe is drawn into a web of relationships and events leading to a climactic storm at sea. There are some surprises at the end, which I will leave for the reader to find out for her/himself. I should also mention that some readers may find Payne's choice to switch character's perspectives confusing; just keep reading as this will soon become an enjoyable feature of the novel, and integral to its own point of view. A final note: I have read all of Payne's works, and each has touched my life in a special, often insightful, way. Most of over the sixty students who read the novel have reported the same. I strongly recommend Gravesend Light as well as any and all of Payne's works, both to other anthropology instructors and to every other reader.

A magnificent undertow.

I first saw David Payne on cable channel Book TV. He was explaining how GRAVESEND LIGHT was nearly "orphaned" and not published. What a shame that would have been. This was a wonderful read, start to finish, and I will surely be going back to his prior works. Joe's claim that there are two covenants: "self-realization and self-sacrifice-and that they are completely incapatible" rang throughout this wonderful journey. And we will all of us (men) learn much from the strength of Day. I was sucked into the undertow of this story from the start and I never wanted to escape. It was an magnificent undertow. At times I drifted; other times I was carried willingly. Bravo, Mr. Payne. This was a wonderful read.

Enlightening

Payne's observation of events and people are extraordinary. His theme of a personal, inner quest leading to a crisis that ultimately leads to redemption is successfully accomplished by a cast of well developed characters -- all of whom you feel you know so well by the end of the book. Payne has a rare gift of inner sight into life -- very philosophical - very rewarding. Payne is not a mass producer of pulp, but a thoughtful and powerful writer. A gourmet feast to be enjoyed.

A GREAT READ!

Once again David Payne has written a book that one cannot put down until the very end! Since Early From The Dance, this writer has captivated all of our inner feelings about who we are and our endless search to discover ourselves. His characters are very real and allow us to see ourselves and those we all know in our journey toward understanding this complex life. The love story is one with which men and women can both identify and the supsense of the unfolding events makes this book hard to leave. He portrays the Outer Banks and its people in a beautiful way. More than a "good beach read", Gravesend Light confronts the many different realtionships and the issues we all deal with in our lives. I look forward to his next book!

He's back!

I've been waiting 7 years since "Ruin Creek" for a new book by David Payne. Was it worth it? I just finished it tonight and the answer is YES! YES! YES! This is Payne back to "Early from the Dance" form. My copy of that book is dog-eared, coffe-stained beatup and passed around from so many friends reading it, and for so many I know that book is THE book, the one defining book of books. I liked "Ruin Creek," but Early was my love. Is GRavesend Light better? I honestly don't know. But it's right there. The suspense is more intense in this one, the characters he writes about are grownups now. The sea adventure for my money was better than The Perfect Storm, and he made me look at an evangelical preacher in a way I never thought I would, with tolerance. I loved the character of Day, the feisty feminist OB who takes on this tough, crusty little fishing town. But the best thing of all for me is that, under the love story and the adventure, Payne is still writing about the search for who we are. I loved it. Period. Where has he been?