I just finished reading Bewilderment by Richard Powers. I’m shaken. This story will stay with me for a long, long time. I’ve mentioned before that Powers is a brilliant writer. His works are fiction and he somehow manages to tell a compelling, heart-filled story that is laced throughout with science or music or nature or the universe.
This book spoke of climate change and what we are doing to life on this planet. It spoke of the universe and planets and whether there might be life elsewhere, billions of light years away. Above all, it told the story of a widower and his young son – a child who is on the autism spectrum – and their grief for the death of wife/mother, their deep bond. A love story.
Frankly, it’s all I can think about right now.
Powers has once again taken me by the hand and turned me inside out.
I can’t recommend it enough. But – it’s not passive reading material. You are challenged throughout, challenged to take in big ideas, to try to wrap your mind around concepts that, if you’re right-brained like me, might require a bit of slow, concentrated reading. It’s worth it.
I cannot praise this man enough.
So. It’s Sunday. We’re due for rain. Don is snoozing in the living room. I’m not sure what I’ll do today other than my Sunday washing of the bedding. Maybe paint? I’ll certainly start another book from my To Be Read pile.
I’ve temporarily disabled the Comment Reply Notification because it’s acting up. Hopefully, it will be soon be resolved by the plugin author.
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
sounds like a great book, thankyou for the recommendation
Jillxo
Thanks so much for commenting, Jill! Readers always tell me they want to hear about the books I read, but not one comment today until 4:30! I actually checked to make sure the blog was working!
Stay safe.
I also thought it sounded like a good book. It will go on my list, for sure. I have quite a few held on waiting lists right now, but nothing seems to be coming up. Happy Sunday, what’s left of it!
Watch, I bet they all come up at once!
Stay safe, Shanna.
Bewilderment is at my local library, which is located 8 houses from me on the same block! Sounds like a great read. I will check it out tomorrow. Thanks!
How lucky you are to have your library just down the street!
Thanks, Lottie.
Stay safe.
It is always wonderful to read a book that really changes you. Hugs!
I just checked out Bewilderment from the Library!
Yay! I hope you like it, Linda.
It is – and rare!
Stay safe, Linda.
I have added it to my list. Like you said to Shanna, it seems they all come in at once! I have 4 waiting at the library to be picked up.
It was a sunny day today until supper time when it clouded up again. Chance of snow overnight. Again. Hate it.
Hope your day was lovely!! And on to a new week. Take care.
A pox on snow, Chris!
It’s sunny here today and I’m going to enjoy it as we have 3 days of rain Wed – Friday.
Stay safe.
Some books just do this to a person. I’m not at all familiar with the title or the author but this is indeed a powerful review.
I’ve written about the author before here on this blog – especially when I wrote about The Overstory during lockdown.
I think you’d find his books very powerful, Jeanie.
I have to say that Bewilderment did not affect me positively; however, I assume that was the author’s intent. There is no doubt that Powers is an amazing and gifted writer – The Overstory took my breath away on many levels and is one of the three or four most meaningful books I’ve ever read. I was anxious to read Bewilderment as soon as I heard about it because it promised to carry on the themes left dangling, so to speak, at the end of The Overstory. It is just as brilliant as The Overstory, and I am not surprised at the plot, because that is of course the meaning of the earlier book. A few people – in this case a boy with autism – see the truth plainly and simply before their eyes and engage their whole person to do something about it – whereas “normal” people just keep creating the problems. Which is what is happening all over our world today. What I think about Powers since I read The Overstory is that he wants to rub all our faces in the fact of this phenomenon – that what we regard as “normal” is actually the problem. He doesn’t pull any punches in Bewilderment because it is written out of rage – at least that’s what I felt. I do think that your readers who haven’t read The Overstory first won’t get the full effect of Bewilderment.
I don’t feel that this is a theme confined to The Overstory or Bewilderment. But it’s definitely sharpened and more specific in intent in those two books.
As for the Overstory, I’ve repeatedly plugged it here on the blog in the almost two years since I first read it, so hopefully, some of the blog readers have since read it.
As for the full effect, you might be right, but this book packs a powerful punch on its own.
Thanks, Anne.
Stay safe.
Of course that theme is not unique to these two books, but somehow reading news articles about the latest IPCC report (when one can find them, that is) doesn’t give the gut punch that fiction can do. I read an interview with Richard Powers after I finished The Overstory in which he said that all he wants to do with the rest of his life is write it over and over – I’d say he seems to be doing just that. Here’s that interview if you’re interested. http://www.conjunctions.com/print/article/richard-powers-c70
Thanks, Anne. I will definitely read it. I think you’re right – fiction makes it MUCH more powerful.
xo
I just picked up Bewilderment from the library and am going to start reading it, hopefully today. I couldn’t get into The Overstory. Neither could Brian. So, it’ll be interesting to see what we think of this one.
xoxo
Well, if you didn’t like The Overstory, I doubt you’ll like this.
Stay safe.