Our souls at night salt lake county library services. When an author begins a novel with and then there was the dayas kent haruf begins our souls at night, a brief, final testament completed shortly before his death last novemberyou know he knows we know what hes talking about. Our souls at night until further notice, this group will meet via zoom. Jun 28, 2016 kent harufs final novel, the national bestseller our souls at night, is a quiet tale of love and second chances. Our souls at night was inspired, in part, by harufs own marriage and the intimate, late night conversations he and his wife relished, just like addie and louis.
Jun 26, 2015 gary fisketjon, editor of our souls at night and vice president and editoratlarge of alfred a. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they naturally have known of each other for decades. Louis postdispatch, and the denver post in the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs inimitable fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters. Now that i know i have, you knowa limited timeit was. Our souls at night is written in plain, simple language. Our souls at night by kent haruf is a tale of the relationship between two aging neighbors who lived in the rural midwestern united states. Louis postdispatch, and the denver postin the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs inimitable fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters. Our souls at night vintage contemporaries by kent haruf. Knopf publishing, sits down with the posts ron charles, editor of book world, to discuss. Ridley scotts alien set on a whaling ship in 1850s. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation.
Our souls at night, by kent haruf the new york times. Our souls at night book club discussion yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. But from beyond the grave he died last november haruf reaches out with our souls at night. With busy schedules and the immense list of new books released every single day, its hard. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their. Neighbours in a small town whove both lost their spouses decide to sleep together at night, to avoid loneliness. Until further notice, this group will meet via zoom. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly folks. A year later, the first chapter of our souls at night was read at our wedding. Our souls at night kent haruf, 2015 knopf doubleday 192 pp. In the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs inimitable fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters. There is no huge drama here, indeed it couldnt really be said to have a plot in the usual sense. It was an easy read with a meaningful message about companionship and compassion.
Editor gary fisketjon discusses our souls at night. Jul 02, 2015 the first draft book club will discuss kent harufs devastating final book, our souls at night, on wednesday, july 22. In his final interview, conducted a few days before his death, haruf discussed our souls at night. One day, addie moore, a widow, asked louis waters, a widower, to sleep in her bed with her, but only for companionship, not for anything physical. Recognition 1986 whiting award for fiction 1999 finalist for the 1999 national book award for plainsong.
Mar 16, 2021 mount prospect public library book discussion questions. Other articles where our souls at night is discussed. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly. An awardwinning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through fast companys distinctive lens whats next for hardware, software, and services our annual guide to the bus. A with cathy haruf, kent harufs wife, we ask her to talk. Our souls at night 2017 our souls at night 2017 user. For our discussion we will be discussing our souls at night by kent haruf in my preparation i have gathered the following material to enhance. To get started, apply for a book club library card at your local branch. Our souls at night is a very nice story about loneliness, compassion, and friendship. The idea for the book has been floating around in my mind for quite a while. Their brave adventures their pleasures and their difficulties are hugely involving and truly resonant, making our souls at night the perfect final installment to this beloved writers enduring contribution to american literature. Kent haruf wrote our souls at night under a death sentence. In his final interview, conducted a few days before his death from interstitial lung disease, haruf discussed our souls at night. Our souls at night is both affirming and heartbreaking, as well as wonderfully romantic.
As with his earlier novels, our souls at night is set on the plains of eastern colorado, in the town of holt. Our souls at night book pima county public library. This valedictory novel is on the same elevated plane as plainsong and eventide. One way to include all members is to write questions on an index card for e.
Harufs books often express the struggle of decency against smallmindedness, and this eloquent novel is no exception. Ron charles of the washington post called it a tender, carefully polished work that it seems like a blessing we had no right to expect. The author, made famous for his plainsong trilogy set in rural colorado, received a terminal lung disease diagnosis before he. May 28, 2015 our souls at night is a novella rather than a novel, and it has the rather disturbing jewellike clarity typical of the best novellas. But haruf wrote this novel as an homage to his wife cathy, whom he married later in life as well. Addie moore and louis waters are neighbours, in their 70s, living in harufs fictional town called holt. Kent harufs book our souls at night had a tremendous impact on my life. Our souls at night by kent haruf from lemuria books. Openended questions help ignite discussions involving the whole group. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their spouses.
Book club discussions are great conversations based on a common book that everyone has read. Our souls at night brings veterans robert redford and jane fonda together for a heartfelt movie, set in a small town in colorado. I thought its one of the most beautiful books ive read in my entire life. Delve deeper into the books making the charts, and get tips for keeping your reading group engaged. And just like addie and louis, haruf proved that youre never too old to reinvent yourself, take risks, find love, and write a great novel. Physically, it is a small book, and its size and compactness. This is a book that stayed with me long after i ready it. Our souls at night by kent haruf, opens a new window. Discussion questions for our souls at night are listed. Our souls at night book club kit douglas county libraries.
The old lady was waiting, sitting in a chair on the porch. Our souls at night, his final work, was published posthumously in 2015 and received wide praise. Local sports things to do business travel politics usa today obituaries e. As addie and louis come to know each other bettertheir pleasures and their difficultiesa beautiful story of second chances unfolds, making our souls at night the perfect final installment to this beloved writers enduring contribution to american literature. Our souls at night is as much a book about love late in life as it is about the connection between two people no matter their age. Rainy day books will present an instore book club discussion of our souls at night by kent haruf.
June 2015 indie next list in his final novel, haruf once again casts an aura of. Classic holocaust account is an autobiographical novel its small business saturday. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such. First draft book club to discuss our souls at night, 722. Here are 18 gifts that support small businesses sections show more follow today in her first book club pick since allegations that some parts of her last s. The whole panel was hooked by ian mcguires bloodthirsty tale the north water. The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night, the final novel from acclaimed author kent haruf questions and topics for discussion. Rainy day books book club discussion of our souls at night. How does the modest action in our souls at night open onto larger insights about getting older. For the zoom meeting information, register for the groups email list. Reading groups for children and parents can bring families closer.
The movie is directed by ritesh batra and based on the novel with the same name by kent haruf. Book discussion our souls at night by kent haruf book lovers. Even a slow reader like me should be able to finish such a short book in less than a day. Harufs fiction ratifies ordinary, nonflashy decency, but he also knows that even the most placid lives are more complicated than they appear from the outside. Our souls at night is simply, profoundly, an exquisite homage to love. Louis waters and addie moore are the focus of this bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the future. Find resources for your book club, whether it meets in your living room or across cyberspace. Our souls at night vintage contemporaries paperback. Aug 24, 2017 our souls at night book club discussion yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. Aug 16, 2016 kent harufs our souls at night made marieke hardy cry. Our souls at night print the page add to a calendar using ical share page on facebook share page on twitter. When read as a final tribute to a lifelong love, this book becomes a thing of. These four celebrity book clubs are surprisingly goodand certainly worth a look. A novel more winesburg that mayberry, holt and its residents are shaped by physical solitude and emotional reticence.
Jennifer maloney, the wall street journal about the author kent haruf is the author of five previous novels and, with the photographer peter brown, west of last chance. It is a touching and thoughtprovoking tale of love found in the later stages of life. Our souls at night new york public library overdrive. Our souls at night is a simple, graceful and tender story of elderly louis and addie who while seeking companionship share a touching relationship, quietly at night, sharing their stories of their past, happiness, missed opportunity, mistakes and grief. Our souls at night night book, books you should read, inspirational. Several in our group have lost spouses and the story resonated with everyone. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging confidences and memories. Mount prospect public library book discussion questions. Our souls at night is just as beautiful as harufs earlier books, albeit somewhat shorter and focused only on addie and louis vs. Download our souls at night a novel pdf book by kent haruf.
Addie drove her car into the alley behind her neighbor ruths house, got out and went up to the back door. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the. Inspired by the idea of an older couple having a romance, so deftly portrayed in the book, i asked an old friend of mine to be my sweetheart. Attendance at the meeting was way down, only four gals attended, but we had a spirited discussion over this short, gem of a book.
Our group of women meets for a 34 day retreat every year in march and each year a book is selected for us to read and discuss. Despite knowing his life was coming to a sooner end than it should, or perhaps because of this, he created a story about finding love in the final chapter. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. Although our souls at night appears to be a quick read because it is a short book, it is not. Ann hulbert, the atlantic blunt, textured, and dryly humorous. It is about intimacy the nonsexual variety that makes harufs novel so compelling, and about how two people can find a sense of beauty and belonging in each other that, while not healing the wounds of the past. Reviews and discussion questions for our souls at night are listed along with links to key places and things relevant to the story. Jun 07, 2015 our souls at night does not avoid this candor, but it goes lighter on its subjects.
Now that i know i have, you knowa limited timeit was important to me to try to make good use of that time. Registrants will be sent the zoom meeting information by email one day before the meeting. Theyre really really stoked about getting in, and about drinking, and about really everyth. In his final novel, haruf once again casts an aura of spiritual resonance over the small town of holt, colorado. Beneath the surface of reticent livesand of harufs calm prosethey prove unexpectedly brave. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging the confidences and memories. She later starred in book club 2018, a romantic comedy about four old friends who add spice to their club and their livesby reading e. As a recently popular book club novel, our souls at night has received a lot of interest of late not least because of the film tiein version. Our souls at night by kent haruf mount prospect public library book discussion questions. A book like our souls at night may not offer a groundbreaking plot but this bittersweet novella will leave you with a sense of tranquility and calmness.
I guarantee to each customer that comes into jimmy johns that they will want to come back and order more. Shop and save on gifts for everyone on your list sections show more follow today setting up a book club for your children will no. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the imminent future. Kent harufs novel, our souls at night, tells the tale of the unlikely love found when addie moore proposes that her neighbor, louis waters, sleeps in the same bed as her because the nights are lonely. Mary mcbride, bookseller, will discuss our souls at night in detail with the attendees. In the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters.
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