The Three Lives of Jonathan Force
by Richard Hawley
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Pub Date Jun 15 2016 | Archive Date Oct 31 2016
Description
THE THREE LIVES OF JONATHAN FORCE sets forth the life of its title character from first sense impression to final breath. Jonathan Force is born in the final hours of the Second World War and lives through the early decades of this century. He is unusual and remarkable, in that out of an unpromising and constricting cultural background in the American Midwest he manages in the course of his undergraduate life at Yale to establish an Archimedean point outside of all culture from which to view contemporary life. He becomes a famous psychologist, an internationally renowned social critic and pundit whose published books—Force Fields, Reasonable Force, Uses of Force—strike such surprising and resonant notes that, in the words of his contemporaries, the public has come to think with his ideas rather than about them.
In late middle life, after he has acquired the status of a combined Sigmund Freud, Margaret Mead, and Marshall McCluhan, he experiences a personal revelation which leads him to abandon his famous pundit persona altogether. He lives out his days in a strange reclusivity in Key West, Florida, in the course of which he manages to transcend ordinary life altogether.
Written in Hawley’s vivid, rich prose, THE THREE LIVES OF JONATHAN FORCE is an invigorating book of ideas, a meditation on the lives of boys and men, and a moving story of one man’s search for meaning.
This is a book for fans of Ian McEwan, Jonathan Franzen, Jeffrey Eugenides, and Sebastian Faulks, among others—literary, substantive, and engrossing.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
PRAISE FOR THE WRITING OF RICHARD HAWLEY
For The Headmaster's Papers:
"Mr. Hawley has the poise and vision of a writer who can create a whole world."—John Irving
"Warm and very human, moving and quite special...A novel with singular rewards...Extraordinary." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Comparison with Louis Auchincloss' The Rector of Justin will be inevitable, and male readers will give this novel the edge." —The Boston Globe
"Wry humor and stylistic elegance are consistent...A reminder of the power of the written word to purge, to soothe, to share." —The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Vividly describes the nightmare of a teacher trying to form the mind and character of youth today." —Louis Auchincloss
"Marvelous entertainment. Muriel Spark gave us Jean Brodie, John Knowles gave us Gene Forrester, now Richard A. Hawley has given us John Greeve." —The Dayton Journal-Herald
For The Other World:
"The Other World tracks the evolution of a young boy's spirit as he gains consciousness and slowly emerges from the tangled passageways of childhood into adulthood. Richard Hawley's voice is true and lyrical and does not miss a beat." —Phoebe Stone, author of The Romeo and Juliet Code
"Richard Hawley is one of my favorite writers, a master of insight and invention. The Other World offers a rare dazzling view of an original boy's inner life."—Hilma Wolitzer
"Reminiscent of Frank Conroy's Stop Time and William Maxwell's So Long, See You Tomorrow, this elegaic story cycle brings to life bygone days through the emotional life of its narrator...both a tender and harsh coming-of-age story.” —Ann Hood, author of the Obituary Writer
For The Headmaster's Wife:
"The Headmaster's Wife is shapely and wrenching and good, beautifully written and full of life." —Andrea Barrett, winner of the National Book Award for Ship Fever
"The Headmaster's Wife is a feat of imagination, rich, delicate, and heart-breaking--a fit companion to Hawley's classic, The Headmaster's Papers, it will be embraced by legions of admirers, and form an introduction to those who have not yet discovered his artful and loving fiction." —Beth Gutcheon, author of Saying Grace
Marketing Plan
A major new novel by the author of the beloved classic,
The Headmaster’s Papers
A major new novel by the author of the beloved classic,
The Headmaster’s Papers
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781942515173 |
| PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
Average rating from 1 member
Featured Reviews
Heather E, Reviewer
I judged this book by its cover and didn't expect much out of it. I noticed its length (558 pages), and wondered what I had gotten myself into. I was also a little worried when I started reading the first chapter and there was zero dialogue. In a way it was like reading someone's journal. But then I kept reading. And I didn't want to stop.
Richard Hawley has an incredible way with words and, even without dialogue, is able to bring Jonathan Force to life in an amazing way. I actually thought this was an autobiography at first (And then double checked the name of the author, and it of course isn't.) The first section, which is from the point of view of a young Jonathan, actually felt like I was in the head of an 8-year-old boy. He talked, acted, and felt, exactly how I would expect a child to, which is an impressive feat for any author.
The book continues through two more stages of Jonathan's life (hence the title), each one adding to who he was, who he is, and who he is becoming.
This is an awesome read and I highly recommend it to everyone. 5 out of 5 Stars.
