Ruin Creek

by David Payne

Book Overview

Set in 1950's North Carolina, rich with the windswept beauty of its Outer Banks, Ruin Creek examines the early life of characters from Gravesend Light, creating a portrait of a family that breaks apart, heals, and endures. A New York Times Notable Book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452282810
• ISBN13: 9780452282810
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 367 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Southern beach times

Set in the 50's David Payne does a great job of bringing you back to an era gone by. It reminded me of all my family, at our reunions, smoking, cooking and telling tales. The story is told by 3 of the main characters, Jimmy, the Dad, May the Mom, and Joey the 12 year old son. Joey sees things from both sides, and is anchored by his grandda, Pa. Jimmy was to be a doctor, being a great athelete and success thru out his high school career, no one every imagined he would become such an under acheiver. Not even Jimmy. After May told Jimmy she was pregant, he seemed to fall apart. Doing the right thing, Jimmy and May married, but Jimmy would never be the same. He just stopped expecting anything from himself. It was like he just expected to fail. May, continued to love and support Jimmy, mainly for the children. As much as she loved Jimmy, it was becoming clear, he would never be what she needed. A man you could depend on, someone in charge of his life. Someone she could look up too. Jimmy just missed the simple things. Joey was in the middle. He loved both his parents, but leaned more toward his Dad, knowing how weak he was and feeling his Dad really needed him most. And being 12, Joey was struggling with his own identiy. How would he be, a man like his Dad, or a man like Pa. In the background, you were introduced to Jimmy's parents, not the best of folks, and May's parents, Nanny and Pa, the main source of strength Joey and May could always count on. Pa was was the rock. What a great book. I loved it!

Another wonderful Payne book.

A terrific novel by David Payne, author of GRAVESEND LIGHT ... a poignant story told from three different voices within the same family ... I'm a big David Payne fan so I wasn't surprised at how fast I was hooked by this novel ... a kid struggles with the evolving estrangement between his parents and learns a hard lesson ... "a time may come when a person has to let go of what he loves in order to save himself." The Denver Post wrote: "Masterful ... somewhere between Faulkner and Conroy" ... Knucks agrees ... Payne presents characters not always comfortable living in their own skin but they endure nevertheless. Bravo, Mr. Payne ... another book of yours I couldn't put down...

an undiscovered gem

David Payne is one of the most brilliant and insightful students of family at work in this country today. The prose is lapidary; the three first person narrators-- husband, wife and 12-yr.-old Joey-- authentic and distinct. This book is a stirring, if unnoticed masterpiece.

An enjoyable read

I found Ruin Creek to be an exceptional read about the complexties of family life. The story is told from each characters perspective dealing with their own trials and tribulations. As the little boy in the story tries to hang onto what is left of his family he leans on the only secure member left his grandfather. David Payne is able to touch upon a family in turmoil and a little boy trying everything he can to hang onto all that children have, which is their his family.