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This Side of Brightness weaves historical fact with fictional truth, creating a remarkable tale of death, racism, homelessness--and yes, love--spanning four generations. Two characters dominate Colum McCann's narrative: Treefrog (born Clarence Nathan Walker), a homeless man with a dark and shameful secret, and his grandfather Nathan Walker, a black man who came north in the early years of the century to work as a "sandhog", digging the subway tunnels beneath Manhattan. Tunnelling is perhaps the most dangerous occupation a man could have; in the close, dark and dangerous pits far beneath the city streets, differences such as colour or ethnic background cease to matter and Walker soon becomes friends with his crewmates: two Irishmen and an Italian. Then an explosion in one of the tunnels literally blows Walker and three other men up through the earth and into the East River. Walker survives but his best friend Con O'Leary is never found. Leary leaves behind a wife and young daughter whom Walker marries many years later. Walker's tale is told in alternating chapters with Treefrog's, who, like his grandfather, chose a hazardous profession--this one high up in the bright sunlight--as a construction worker building skyscrapers. But madness has brought Treefrog out of the light and back to the tunnels his grandfather helped dig as he scrapes out a meagre existence among the drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes and petty criminals that make up the homeless community. But the grimness of McCann's tale is leavened by the beauty of his prose and the intimations all through the book that, even on this side of darkness, redemption is possible. Guy Smit
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Amazon.com
This Side of Brightness weaves historical fact with fictional truth, creating a remarkable tale of death, racism, homelessness--and yes, love--spanning four generations. Two characters dominate Colum McCann's narrative: Treefrog, a homeless man with a dark and shameful secret, and Nathan Walker, a black man who came north in the early years of the century to work as a "sandhog," digging the subway tunnels beneath Manhattan. Tunneling is perhaps the most dangerous occupation a man could have; in the close, dark, and dangerous pits far beneath the city streets, differences such as color or ethnic background cease to matter, and Walker soon becomes friends with his crewmates: two Irishmen and an Italian. Then an explosion in one of the tunnels literally blows Walker and three other men up through the earth and into the East River. Walker survives, but his best friend Con O'Leary is never found. Leary leaves behind a wife and young daughter whom Walker marries many years later.
Walker's tale is told in alternating chapters with Treefrog's, who, before his slide into homelessness, chose a hazardous profession--this one high up in the bright sunlight--as a construction worker building skyscrapers. But madness has brought Treefrog out of the light and back to the tunnels that Walker helped dig as he scrapes out a meager existence among the drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, and petty criminals that make up the homeless community. But the grimness of McCann's tale is leavened by the beauty of his prose and the intimations all through the book that, even on this side of darkness, redemption is possible. -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verfügbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.
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Format:Taschenbuch
In this epic novel, Mr McCann combines both historical facts and fiction. On the historical side, the story opens with the digging of a railway tunnel under the East River in New York in 1916. The reader follows the main character, a coloured man called Nathan Walker, a sandhog who struggles daily with his shovel against the earth. The working conditions are atrocious: the heat, the noise, the dirt, the physical strain - the digging was done by manpower in these days. Later Nathan marries Eleanor O'Lear, a white woman of Irish descent. Such a marriage was considered by most New Yorkers as a disgrace at that time. They bring up two children, both a social and a financial challenge.
Parallel to Nathan Walker's story, the reader follows another character, a homeless man nicknamed Treefrog who made his home in one of the many disused tunnels in New York in the 1990s. At first there appears to be no connection between Nathan and Treefrog but soon enough the reader discovers how and why they are linked in the novel.
With a marvellous narrative for its economy, Mr McCann constructs a beautiful epic story of laughter and tragedy, of sadness and small victories. It is an authentic account about homelessness, about living below the rich and about the stronghold of the past.
Parallel to Nathan Walker's story, the reader follows another character, a homeless man nicknamed Treefrog who made his home in one of the many disused tunnels in New York in the 1990s. At first there appears to be no connection between Nathan and Treefrog but soon enough the reader discovers how and why they are linked in the novel.
With a marvellous narrative for its economy, Mr McCann constructs a beautiful epic story of laughter and tragedy, of sadness and small victories. It is an authentic account about homelessness, about living below the rich and about the stronghold of the past.
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Format:Taschenbuch
As an African-American reader from New York (who read this book as part of a college course) I find that it was a searing portayal of family life and inter-racial relationships. The prose was marvelous and surprising and I find the dialogue always believable. Maybe not everyone's favorite book, but one of mine for certain -- along with Toni Morrisson and John Edgar Wideman.
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Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
McCann skips gracefully between two wonderfully-told stories, tying them together in a stunning climax, in this his new novel. His ability to paint pictures of prose rarely ceases to amaze - pictures that range from beauty to despair. The book spans generations of a family - from early memories of cranes dancing in Georgia to playgrounds in Manhattan, and ties in the history of the construction of subway tunnels through to their modern-day shelters of despair. The history that is highlighted here is fascinating - histories of rascism, love, politics and friendship. And the reader gets drawn into each and every one - involved with, and part of each one. One feels that McCann must have spent huge amounts of time researching, combined with prolonged periods of time with the people who reside in these tunnels - his writing and emotions are so real. This is a novel to buy, soak up and talk about. Watch it closely, it is destined for greatness (or at least a Booker).
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"Lord, I ain't seen a sunset since I come on down"
"This side of brightness" erzählt die Geschichte zweier Männer, deren Leben untrennbar mit den Tunneln unter Manhattan verbunden sind. Lesen Sie weiter...
Vor 17 Monaten von W. Öschelbrunn veröffentlicht
Didn't live up to its potential
This book is quite mysterious and intriguing, yet in the final analysis something seems to be missing. Lesen Sie weiter...
Veröffentlicht am 7. März 2000 von Gail Dohrmann
Over-rated
The prose is turgid and laboured. A real slog and not the shining prose people talk about. The PR for this writer is better then the prose. Sorry
Am 10. Januar 2000 veröffentlicht
Brilliant, moving story of one family in New York
I was overwhelmed with emotion at the beauty of this novel. I had never heard of the book before someone mentioned it on the internet and I"m certain it will become a huge... Lesen Sie weiter...
Veröffentlicht am 20. Dezember 1999 von Alan Scheer
Reach exceeds grasp
The author is clearly a talented writer, but this is not a fully realized novel. MCCann seems to be reaching.... Maybe next time.
Am 13. Dezember 1999 veröffentlicht
Good book group material
I came upon this book inadvertently during some surfing on Amazon. I was intrigued by the reviews & ordered it. Lesen Sie weiter...
Am 6. Dezember 1999 veröffentlicht
Insightful & emotionally wrought, with incredible characters
This is a provocative, rich novel. Living only blocks away from the tunnels in Riverside Park, where many of the characters make their home, I was astonished at they way the author... Lesen Sie weiter...
Am 7. November 1999 veröffentlicht
An exceptional novel about loss and redemption
"This Side of Brightness" is a remarkable, spellbinding tale covering several generations of Irish-Americans and Afro-Americans here in New York City. Lesen Sie weiter...
Am 3. August 1999 veröffentlicht
What's all the fuss?
Really, I don't understand what all the raves were about. To me, this book was striving for greatness but fell fall short. Lesen Sie weiter...
Am 19. Juli 1999 veröffentlicht
Haunting tale of three generations
The way McCann weaves two storylines into one is amazing. He keeps you guessing until the very end. A terrific commentary on the evolution of New York, as well.
Veröffentlicht am 15. Juli 1999 von bscott@oklahoman.com
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