Very Old Bone

by William Kennedy

Book Overview

For William Kennedy fans, Albany conjures up a tapestry of great beauty and complexity in which the lives of an Irish American family are woven. Earlier Albany novels, including Ironweed, a Pulitzer Prize-winner, whetted our appetites. Now Very Old Bones treats us to one last look at the odd and turbulent Phelans, circa 1958. Stretching the boundaries of life as the Phelans know it, this powerful work flows back and forth in time, riding on the melody...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670834572
• ISBN13: 9780670834570
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 292 Pages
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A good book ; maybe , but not for me.

After reading the customer reviews I had great hopes of enjoying this book.I agree with most of what the reviewers had to say;but I still found it long,convoluted and not very enjoyable. One reviewer suggested that Kennedy was in a class with Steinbeck and one day might even win a Pulitzer,I hope he's right.Steinbeck is one of my favorites but I am sure not to everyone's liking.By the way I read Riding the Yellow Trolly Car and didn't care for it either.However;that's me ,give it a go,others really liked it.

Why Read Very Old Bones?

I have read Very Old Bones and thought that the theme is true to life. Many people look at their ancestors to discover something of themselves. I found the narration interesting using Orson Purcell, the illegimate child of Peter Phelan to portray the Phelan family. I have also read Ironweed and found that some of my questions about protagonist Francis Phelan (in Ironweed) answered or more informative anyway. Enjoyed both books. I love Kennedy's style.

Wonderful book, rich in story and charachter.

One of my favorite books. Reads like an old friend. It is a thrill to read his Albany series, as the books relate to each other. Just like a family conversation, one sentance may relate to a person or event from a previous book in which you know the whole story. Read this one first, then any of the others.

This is a fantastic book

William Kennedy is one of America's best living writers. This is far away his best book. Although it shares characters and events with other books in Kennedy's 'Albany Series', its not necessary to have read any of Kennedy's previous work to enjoy Very Old Bones. Kennedy's greatest skill is in his dialogue. He allows his characters to speak for themselves, rather than mouth his own intentions. As a result, his work gives wonderful insight into one family, one city, and one point in time. Despite the fact that his most recent work, The Flaming Corsage, was a waste of paper, Kennedy will one day be the deserving winner of a Nobel Prize. After reading Very Old Bones go back and read the jury's commentary on the Nobel Prize given to John Steinbeck. Their words could just as easily been written about Kennedy. His is a fine American voice.

Beautifully written, disturbing plot, nice ending.

A wonderfully written book about family ties and the effects of ancestors on future generations. The subject matter was somewhat disturbing . The Phelan clan is very disfunctional. As the story unwinds we see the possitive but mostly negative results of their disfunctional life. Orson the bastard son , in search for his identity. Peter , Orson's father and his unacceptance of Orson. Malachi the most disfunctional of them all. The story unfolds to tell the lives of all the relatives. The family had many heart aches though they were not shared. Most of the family members had their personal problems . I feel most of the disfunction was rooted in their past. Very well written, at times raunchy, at other times touching. This book is a serious read. You must give it full attention or you can get off track fast. This is not a book that you can skip a chapter and still follow. This is the first book I have read by William Kennedy but now I will want to read "Ironweed" to read more about the Phelan clan.