The Weekend Man

by Richard B. Wright

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451050037
• ISBN13: 9780451050038
• Release Date: May 1972
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 175 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Classic

I would vehemently disagree with the articulate reviewer from Las Vegas: this IS the Great Canadian Novel because Wes Westrum is "Canada." His understated, accommodating, bland-on-the-surface but kind and loving loyalty to those he loves (and his secret lusts) -- that's Canada (I'm a transplanted Canadian). (Actually, I'm a transplanted Brit who grew up in Canada.) When I read this book as a young bewildered man in the early seventies it seemed so real, so dead-on. Thirty years later I reread it and found it hadn't aged a bit. True, further time may judge it harshly but I hope not: a beautifully written, poignant, touching tale that pretty much sums up the most wonderful country on Earth.

A quiet, heartfelt, and humorous read

The Weekend Man is Richard B. Wright's early novel of a sales rep. in a Toronto educational publishing house (c.1970). Wes Wakeham is 30 and estranged from his wife (however, they are trying to put things back together, and they also have a mentally-challenged young son). He is unsure what direction his life should (or could) take (personally and professionally). In fact, he appears stuck, or unmotivated, having no reason to take action one way or the other. He often thinks of the past (getting the "nostalgies"). Wes usually does not have (or does not offer up) opinions on matters.While the description of Wes may sound hopeless or depressing, the reader (and probably Wes) still holds out a glimmer of hope for him turning his life around (he is only 30 - I am 44 so I know much can happen in the coming years!). And this is not a depressing book (at least not for me). Many readers may find Wes a frustrating character, or, like me, many may feel that they can relate in many respects to his feelings, reflections and predicament. I just wish the novel was longer, or would have a sequel. I was sad to reach the end of the book (suitably ambiguous with loose ends hanging). But maybe it's best to imagine Wes' future, and hope for the best.I was surprised that no one has reviewed this book. My rating is based on my enjoyment of the novel. It is very humorous in a very natural, easy going way. The book is "quiet", the pace slow, almost languid, but this is part of its appeal. It does not contain major revelations, over-the-top confrontations or conflicts, all-out "action", etc. It creates a mood, like a great "late night" jazz recording. The author writes "small" here, effectively describing the small nuances of the characters (without cliche), or the feel of a winter street or neighbourhood of a Toronto suburb. He can conjure up evocative images of people or places using just a few words. The characters are realistic and believable.Overall, I loved this book. It takes place just before Christmas and I read it (purposely) during the Christmas period last year (I like to sometimes match a novel's setting with my actual physical place and surroundings to enhance the experience of the read). If the character of Wes or the storyline appeal to you, or you can (happily) imagine a wintry suburb (in this case Scarborough disguised as Union Place) and a small-business atmosphere c.1970, and fragile but endearing humans and relationships, then I highly recommended this novel.Note: The copyright date in my book was 1997 for some reason (renewed?), so I first had trouble with figuring out the period of the story since many things early on pointed to the late sixties or so (eg., the car Wes drives, women's role in the office place). I then thought he was writing a "period piece". I soon discovered somewhere below the copyright the mention that the book was first published in 1970.This is the first Richard B. Wright novel I have read. I look forward

Often funny, dreary

The Weekend Man, Richard Wright's novel of a sales representative in an educational publishing house wading through life, is often hailed as a classic. I disagree, not because this isn't a good book -- it is -- but it lacks something, or perhaps it has too much of other things -- melancholy, perhaps immobility. The book is humorous, as Wright offsets incongruent elements; his timing is excellent. But there is something that drags you down about this novel. You want Wes Wakeham to wake up, to throw off his dreary everyman appearance and at the very least disagree with someone. But that's the whole point, I know, that he doesn't. Well, the device works -- Wes grinds you down. You want success for him that he doesn't want for himself. But success finds Wakeham whether he wants it to or not, with women, his job, his son.The setting, Toronto about 1970, is sweet, almost quaint. The world was much quieter before the advent of 24-hour news services and the Internet, as Wright aptly shows. (The novel was first published in 1970, so it is a novel of the times, not a period piece.) The sexual and office politics are on the money. The characters are believable. They are everyone we know.A fine novel, but not a masterpiece, not the great Canadian novel. A good read, all the same.