The Falling Boy

by David Long

Book Overview

David Long's luminous debut novel The Falling Boy begins with a wedding of two lovers and ends with the reconciliation of two sisters. In between, Long charts the turbulent inner life of his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684800349
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: Scribner
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Oh, what humans do to each other...

It would be an uninteresting world if no one made mistakes, wouldn't it? What would we write and read about? In this book, the path to error, and the path out of it, are shown with understanding, clarity, pain, and courage. As these four sisters pursue their lives, one sister's husband observes, intrudes, upsets and finally helps to restore family balance. The book gives us an interesting portrayal of the web woven by connected women--and gave me some empathy for the men who are enmeshed, and yet somehow excluded by the ties that bind us. A quiet, well-written novel of betrayal and forgiveness; read it for the characters, remember it for the lessons.

A Wonderous Book

On many different levels, the Falling Boy is a joy to read. The story of Mark Singer and the family he marries into is a fairly simple one, but the reach of the novel is so much greater. David Long invests the ordinary with so much meaning and life, without making his observations at all contrived. The Falling Boy will make you look at your own familiar surroundings in a new light.A perfect read for a quiet day.

Spectacular Novel of Contemporary Life

I have just finished reading this exquisite novel and I know it will be with me for days to come. Mr. Long has written a beautiful story, not just about marital infidelity but about the "messiness" of life in general. His characters are distinctly drawn without ever becoming archtypes, recognizable even if we have never met anyone exactly like them. There is so much here that strikes a chord of recognition not in a showy, lightning striking way but as gentle thoughts curling up in those many recesses our souls develop as we age and experience. The short story writer that Mr. Long is shows in the well-crafted but clean prose that is a hallmark of this novel. Thank you, Mr. Long. I look forward to reading your other work.

An extraordinary novel

This is one of the best novels I've read in years. The characters are real and extremely well-developed. The plot moves at the perfect pace--fast enough to keep you interested, but not so break-neck that it stretches reality. The ending is perfect. As for the prose--some sentences are like poetry. This is a GREAT book!

A Compelling Read

This well written novel is a compelling read once the plot has developed.Mr Long is a good wordsmith,and his characters are well defined.The story is believable with adequate suspense.If I were to offer any criticism it would be that,on occasion,the author employs somewhat abstract phrases to modify or set a mood.In certain instances I found it difficult to understand the meaning of these phrases.This novel had the potential for considerable expansion with various subplots.I suspect that the author was intentionally conservative and did not attempt the sweeping epic in his first novel.In any event,its a good read.I will look forward to Mr Long's next effort