A truly powerful book presents the heart-wrenching tale of a father whose whole life is catastrophically altered following the tragic loss of his beloved son. The story delves deep into the profound emotions, vividly exploring the psychological turmoil that a grieving parent experiences. This father is on a difficult journey, trying to find his way through the overwhelming anger and the intense sense of loss, all while striving not to lose his empathetic self. It is yet another remarkable triumph for Oscar Hijuelos, showcasing his outstanding literary prowess. His ability to bring this story to life with such authenticity and depth is truly astonishing. The readers are bound to be captivated by the father's struggle and will be left with a profound understanding of the complex emotions that accompany grief.
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Mr. Ives' Christmas
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Hijuelos' novel tells the story of Mr. Ives, who was adopted from a foundling's home as a child. When we first meet him in the 1950s, Mr. Ives is very much a product of his time. He has a successful career in advertising, a wife and two children, and believes he is on his way to pursuing the typical American dream. But the dream is shattered when his son Robert, who is studying for the priesthood, is killed violently at Christmas. Overwhelmed by grief and threatened by a loss of faith in humankind, Mr. Ives begins to question the very foundations of his life.
Part love story—of a man for his wife, for his children, for God—and part meditation on how a person can find spiritual peace in the midst of crisis, Mr. Ives' Christmas is a beautifully written, tender and passionate story of a man trying to put his life in perspective. In the expert hands of Oscar Hijuelos, the novel speaks eloquently to the most basic and fulfilling aspects of life for all of us.
Part love story—of a man for his wife, for his children, for God—and part meditation on how a person can find spiritual peace in the midst of crisis, Mr. Ives' Christmas is a beautifully written, tender and passionate story of a man trying to put his life in perspective. In the expert hands of Oscar Hijuelos, the novel speaks eloquently to the most basic and fulfilling aspects of life for all of us.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 1,1995
This edition
- Format
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256 pages, Paperback
- Published
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December 23, 2003 by Harper Perennial
- ISBN
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9780060927547
- ASIN
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0060927542
- Language
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English
About the author
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Oscar Hijuelos (born August 24, 1951) was an American novelist. He is the first Hispanic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi School, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and studying writing at the City College of New York (B.A., 1975; M.A. in Creative Writing, 1976). He then practiced various professions before taking up writing full time. His first novel, Our House in the Last World, was published in 1983 and received the 1985 Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome. His second novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, received the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was adapted for the film The Mambo Kings in 1992 and as a Broadway musical in 2005.
Hijuelos has taught at Hofstra University and at Duke University.
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi School, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and studying writing at the City College of New York (B.A., 1975; M.A. in Creative Writing, 1976). He then practiced various professions before taking up writing full time. His first novel, Our House in the Last World, was published in 1983 and received the 1985 Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome. His second novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, received the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was adapted for the film The Mambo Kings in 1992 and as a Broadway musical in 2005.
Hijuelos has taught at Hofstra University and at Duke University.
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A beautifully written, quietly contemplative book awaits. It delves deep into the profound themes of love, unendurable loss, grief, isolation, and forgiveness. This is not a book that is centered around Christmas or a typical seasonal read. If that is your specific desire, then you should look elsewhere. However, if you have the opportunity to pick up this book, do not hesitate. Oscar Hijuelos is a truly gifted writer. His words have the power to touch your heart and make you reflect on the human experience. The story he weaves is one that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page. It is a book that invites you to slow down, to think, and to feel. So, if you are in the mood for a book that will challenge you and move you, then this is the one for you.
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A story of profound loss, glimmering hope, the arduous process of letting go of grief, and the complex journey of faith unfolds before us.
Edward Ives' life commences in tragedy when, as a mere infant, he is orphaned at the tender age of two in 1924 and placed in a foundling home. Fortunately, he is adopted by a man who had a similar start in life. As the years progress, he learns valuable skills working beside his adoptive father in the print shop. Moreover, through his father's example, he gains a solid foundation of faith. Time marches on, and he secures a job at an advertising company as a commercial artist, thus beginning to craft a life of his own. He gets married, has children, and they continue to live in the city.
The years fly by in this narrative, starting from the mid-1920s when he was adopted, progressing to the 1940s when he begins his advertising career, followed by marriage and the successive arrival of children. By 1967, their children are still at home, life is good and moving in a gratifying direction. Their comfortable daily routine provides a sense of soothing normalcy. Their 17-year-old son, Robert, is contemplating a life in the priesthood, and their lives seem to have settled into a satisfactory rhythm. Christmas is approaching, and the city is filled with the joy and hustle and bustle of the season.
And then, the unthinkable occurs. Their beloved son Robert is shot and killed by another teenage boy.
The family's reactions and the changes they undergo are shared, along with the responses of friends who offer their assistance in various forms, be it providing food, holding a hand, simply being there, or even those who express a willingness to seek vengeance.
Faith is lost and then, slowly but surely, found again. The divisions that follow, the pulling away, the sense that no one else can understand, as each family member experiences and endures this grief in their own unique way. It changes each of them; some draw closer to faith, while others push it away. For some, despair becomes a deep pit to sink into and wallow in. For others, there is a desperate reaching for something to hold onto, and a kind of faith is gradually renewed.
This story is both heartbreaking and yet it beautifully showcases the gift of both giving and receiving forgiveness.
Edward Ives' life commences in tragedy when, as a mere infant, he is orphaned at the tender age of two in 1924 and placed in a foundling home. Fortunately, he is adopted by a man who had a similar start in life. As the years progress, he learns valuable skills working beside his adoptive father in the print shop. Moreover, through his father's example, he gains a solid foundation of faith. Time marches on, and he secures a job at an advertising company as a commercial artist, thus beginning to craft a life of his own. He gets married, has children, and they continue to live in the city.
The years fly by in this narrative, starting from the mid-1920s when he was adopted, progressing to the 1940s when he begins his advertising career, followed by marriage and the successive arrival of children. By 1967, their children are still at home, life is good and moving in a gratifying direction. Their comfortable daily routine provides a sense of soothing normalcy. Their 17-year-old son, Robert, is contemplating a life in the priesthood, and their lives seem to have settled into a satisfactory rhythm. Christmas is approaching, and the city is filled with the joy and hustle and bustle of the season.
And then, the unthinkable occurs. Their beloved son Robert is shot and killed by another teenage boy.
The family's reactions and the changes they undergo are shared, along with the responses of friends who offer their assistance in various forms, be it providing food, holding a hand, simply being there, or even those who express a willingness to seek vengeance.
Faith is lost and then, slowly but surely, found again. The divisions that follow, the pulling away, the sense that no one else can understand, as each family member experiences and endures this grief in their own unique way. It changes each of them; some draw closer to faith, while others push it away. For some, despair becomes a deep pit to sink into and wallow in. For others, there is a desperate reaching for something to hold onto, and a kind of faith is gradually renewed.
This story is both heartbreaking and yet it beautifully showcases the gift of both giving and receiving forgiveness.
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The story was good. However, despite the size of the book, it was a very long and boring read for me. The plot might have had its interesting aspects, but the way it was presented made it difficult for me to stay engaged. The pacing was slow, and there were long stretches of text that seemed to drag on without much happening. I found myself constantly looking at the page number, hoping that the end would come soon. Maybe it was just my personal taste, but I expected more excitement and action from a story of this nature. Overall, while the story had potential, it failed to capture my attention and keep me interested throughout the entire book. It was a disappointment, considering how much I had been looking forward to reading it. I would not recommend this book to others who are looking for a fast-paced and thrilling read.
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I braced myself for a very sad book. After all, no parent would ever wish to outlive their child. This is a heart-wrenching concept that can bring tears to anyone's eyes. However, to my surprise, the sad event was introduced early in the story. Instead of wallowing in grief, the novel took a different turn and became more of a profound meditation on sadness. The lives of the characters were portrayed in a quiet yet well-considered manner. It reminded me of the characters created by Colm Toibin or Alice McDermott, who are complex and multi-dimensional. I truly appreciated the message of faith that was woven into Ives' story. It added a layer of depth and hope to the narrative. But what really struck me was the idea of being able to bravely move forward in the face of tragedy. Despite the pain and loss, the characters in the book found the strength within themselves to carry on. This was a powerful and inspiring message that left a lasting impression on me. Overall, I thought the book was wonderful and would highly recommend it to others.
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This one has been perched on my bookshelf for years. It has become my holiday tradition to start the book and then set it down before coming to the end. This year, however, I decided to truly savor this redemptive existential tale. It is a mature and melancholic one, filled with deep emotions and profound thoughts. There are distinct echoes of Dickens and of the ultimate Christmas tale - Christ's birth, death, and sacrificial resurrection. Fans of Hijuelos will surely find familiar connections to Our House in the Last World. Primarily, it is a story of one man's spiritual quest, of losing faith and then rediscovering meaning in the most unexpected ways. It is a tale that is both sad and beautiful, tugging at the heartstrings and making one reflect on the deeper aspects of life. The author has masterfully crafted a narrative that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. It is a book that I will no doubt revisit in the years to come, eager to explore its depths once again.
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The article initially engaged me, but as I progressed through it, approximately a third of the way in, my interest began to wane. From that point on, it seemed as if I was just continuously plodding along, step by step, without much excitement or anticipation. It's a rather common experience when reading something that starts off strong but fails to maintain the same level of intrigue. Perhaps the content became too repetitive or lacked the necessary depth and variety to keep me fully invested. Nevertheless, I continued to read, hoping that something would change and reignite my interest, but unfortunately, that moment never came. In the end, it was a bit of a disappointment, as I had high expectations based on the promising beginning. However, it also serves as a reminder that not all written works can hold our attention throughout, and we must be prepared for such instances. Maybe in the future, I'll be more cautious in my initial assessments and look for more consistent quality in the content. This way, I can avoid getting bored and ensure a more enjoyable reading experience overall.
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This is an extremely terrific book. It delves deep into the challenge that gets presented to one's unwavering belief in God when life seems to constantly shit on you. Hijulos is truly a wonderful and talented writer. His work is of such high caliber that he was most definitely deserving of the Nobel Prize. Everyone, without a doubt, should take the time to read this book. It has the power to make you think, question, and perhaps even find a new perspective on life and one's relationship with the divine. It's not just a book; it's an experience that can touch your soul and leave a lasting impression. So, don't miss out on this literary gem. Grab a copy and embark on this journey of self-discovery and spiritual exploration.
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