I attempted to read this book about six months ago.

At that time, for some reason, I just couldn't get into it.

I found it difficult to engage with the story or the writing style.

However, last week, I decided to give it another try.

To my surprise, this time I was able to read 200 pages in a single sitting.

It's really funny how it seems that for some books, it just has to be the right time for them to work out.

Maybe our minds and circumstances change, and suddenly what didn't appeal to us before becomes interesting and engaging.

This experience has made me realize that sometimes we shouldn't give up on a book too easily.

We should be willing to try it again at a different time, as we might discover a hidden gem that we otherwise would have missed.

So, if you have a book that you didn't like the first time you tried to read it, don't be afraid to pick it up again and see if it clicks with you this time around.

My home state! I truly loved it. However, I did not care for the device of having a false intro stating that the story was based on true events. What is the point of this? It seems rather misleading.

On the other hand, I really loved how the housewives on the block griped about their lunk husbands and crabby, bossy, live-in mothers-in-law. It was quite interesting to see how they could all identify with one another. Their shared experiences and frustrations created a sense of camaraderie among them.

Perhaps this is a common theme in many neighborhoods, where women come together to complain and bond over the challenges of married life and dealing with in-laws. It makes me wonder if there are any solutions or ways to improve these relationships. Maybe communication and understanding are the keys.

Overall, while I had my reservations about the false intro, the story did offer some insights into the lives and relationships of the housewives in my home state.

Almost a 5.

It is a magnificent book that truly immerses the reader in the characters within the story.

Surprisingly, the story itself may not be of utmost importance.

The first 250+ pages are simply beautiful, painting a vivid picture.

However, one could argue that the events could have been described in just a few pages.

The portrayal of the down-on-their-luck Detroit family is so vivid that each person is clearly etched in the reader's mind.

The way they navigate through misfortunes, tragedies, joys, and emptiness is nearly perfect.

Nevertheless, I found the last 10% to be rather tiresome and not quite as engaging as the rest of the book.

Overall, it is a remarkable read with some minor flaws towards the end.

Despite this, it still manages to captivate the reader and leave a lasting impression.

It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.

I initially thought this book was truly great.

However, as I delved deeper into its pages, my enthusiasm waned.

It gradually became more and more dull and predictable.

The characters themselves seemed to lose interest, going through their adult lives in a state of total stupor.

Things took a turn for the worse around page 245.

Somehow, I managed to persevere through it, but only until chapter 12.

Who in their right mind would want to read page after page of two boring, half-asleep characters engaging in mysterious '60s-style sex scenes?

What could possibly be interesting about these people?

I slogged through about 30 pages of utter rubbish, hoping to find a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

But alas, there was none.

Now I wonder why on earth I read so much of this book.

If this isn't The Great American Novel, then I don't know what is. Other than Roth's American Pastoral, which lacks the breadth of them, and The Grapes of Wrath, which I read too long ago to make a fair comparison, I can't think of another mid-20th century book that so represents the dream of America and its failure to deliver that dream to its citizens.

The writing is gripping, propulsive, and both fantastic and naturalistic. The author's little game in her introduction of pretending it is based on a real person and the letters to her from a character inserted into the middle of the novel add a little meta-fun.

Highest recommendation, and on to Oates's Wonderland.

Accordingly to a bit of internet research, these are two formulations of the elements of The Great American Novel.

One commentator says:

*It must encompass the entire nation and not be too consumed with a particular region. My view is this is an impossible test. The USA is essentially regional. How can a novel encompass both the South, with its particular history, and the West? How can it cover both rural Middle America and New York City? But them encompasses small town America, rural America and industrial urban America -- what used to be referred to as the "rust belt" in the 1980's and now is the core of MAGA.

*It must be democratic in spirit and form. It's hard to say given recent events what democracy is in America, but them embodies the spirit and struggles of the common people, who are swept along by life and events without the ability to understand or change them.

*Its author must have been born in the United States or have adopted the country as his or her own. Tick

*Its true cultural worth must not be recognized upon its publication. them won the National Book Award and fails this silly test.

Another commentator identifies several types of GAN. It can be:

*subject to mysticism and stands the test of time. I think American mysticism is wrapped up in American Exceptionalism, the belief in the divine inspiration of the Founding Fathers and the US Constitution and America's unique mission in the World. I'll put that aside. 54 years and it is still highly regarded. Tick

*the romance of the divide", which imagines national rifts in the "form of a family history and/or heterosexual love affair"—race often plays a role. This is a family history but is not about a national rift but rather the incompleteness and violence of the American culture, which leaves its members lost and unfulfilled. This is the other side of the American Dream, and this tells the story of the rift between the dream of America and its actuality.

*encapsulates the American Dream and see its protagonist rise from obscurity. This novel challenges the American Dream. All of the characters have that Dream, but it remains only a dream for them and bears no relationship to their lived reality. They dream of greatness, love and an ordinary life embedded in society, but have no sense of how to achieve that, except through fantasy.

*composed of a diverse cast of characters "imagined as social microcosms or vanguards" and who are placed with events and crises that serve to "constitute an image of 'democratic' promise or dysfunction". The Depression, the Second World War, the growth of industrial Detroit, the movement to the cities, the Great Northern Migration of African Americans to the urban north, the 1960's riots and 1960's radicalism are all treated. But what is wonderful in them is that the diverse characters are fully realised individuals, not social microcosms or vanguards. This is art, not an essay on America, and The Great American Novel should be art, not an essay.

[Having recently developed a predictable, ambulance-chasing fascination with Detroit, following the Mark Binelli Detroit book - like me and several million others - I approached this as an important ‘Detroit Novel’.]

It is truly superb. Beyond its Great American scale and its extensive range of gritty themes such as female disempowerment, racism, poverty, urban breakdown, violence, and the American Dream, etc., there are some exceptionally fine depictions of seduction, lust, and love. The characters are vivid and real - not just because they are well-crafted, but because they are so changeable, elusive, and - frankly - crazy (which endows them with a very human unknowability and unpredictability). For instance, when Nadine (who is really quite hot) does what she does (plot spoiler), I was as astonished as our hero and had no inkling it was coming. This is a great aspect.

I would also say that this has the finest and most chilling vignette of racism I think I have ever encountered in fiction. That scene where Jules goes to a gas station; a cop and the store owner are laughing with an older black man who has a facial scar caused by his wife throwing a boiling pan of water with sugar in it at him. They are laughing with him about how it happened, and he is explaining that she put the sugar in so it would burn more - and he is laughing too. It is ingeniously insidious: on the surface, we are seeing the camaraderie of a white cop and a poor black man, but in reality, we are seeing a victim, stripped of dignity, being laughed at. That is my ‘eel in a horse’s head / Tin Drum’ moment in the novel.

It is also clever. I really appreciate the examination of fiction through Maureen’s dismissal of the ‘fictional’ Joyce Carol Oates’ view that ‘fiction gives life form’ and of her own past affection for Jane Austen. The afterword and forward are also interesting in what they attempt to do (although now looking a little clumsy). This was the first time I had read a somewhat modern novel starring the author and didn't feel that it was a bit of a gimmick (unlike Paul Auster).

This is the first of hers that I have read. It turns out it is part of a larger series. Something to look forward to indeed.

Published in 1969, Loro, in 1973 it was released in Italy under the title “Quelli”.

It is the third novel of the American epic.

The author herself writes in the afterword: “(…) because what is life, in its essence, if not an epic adventure?”

The four volumes of this cycle of novels are unconnected to each other, having neither common characters nor environmental contexts, and thus can be read independently.

What unites them is rather the intention to give space and voice to the stories of ordinary families who, over time, make choices and face the events of life, making their existences special.

It is as if, in living the daily routine, we do not realize how special each of us can be.

In Loro, in addition to the family microcosm, the social aspect contained in the title itself is central.

“Loro” is the personal pronoun that creates barriers; it unites and at the same time excludes “the others” who, on the one hand, are those belonging to an affluent bourgeoisie, and on the other hand, the other poor people with whom one struggles every day and who are distinguished by different races and nationalities.

“Love and money” this was supposed to be the original title.

Starting from the late 1930s to the late 1960s, the novel tells the story of the Wendall family.

It begins with Loretta who is not yet a mother but just a girl like many others.

The start is intense: within two chapters, she will find herself next to a corpse, will be raped and find herself pregnant and married to her own attacker!.

After a series of relocations, Loretta arrives in the turbulent Detroit:

an economic center due to the presence of the Ford automobile company and, at the same time, a powder keg of social unrest that will erupt in the riots of 1967.

From Loretta, always ready to rise again after every failure, to her four children, especially two of them are in the spotlight: Jules and Maureen, and it is Maureen herself who writes a letter to Joyce Carol Oates herself, reminding her of having been her student in the evening classes and sharing her drama.

And there is a fine line that divides reality and imagination and runs through the entire novel;

it twists and turns among the pages, mimicking itself, and just one step is enough to be on one side or the other.

So the author writes in an introductory note, stating from the outset that:

“This is a historical work in narrative form… that is, in a personal perspective, which is then the only possible type of history.”

Literature borrows from reality and the writer returns a reinterpreted story.

So the Wendalls are a rewrite of a typical American family from the metropolitan suburbs. They are children trapped in adult bodies, forced to play scripts written by others.

The role of women that we already know, as well as that of men destined to get lost in the fumes of alcohol.

They nurse the anger of the eternal losers, venting it with a useless racism and leading a life between sleep and wakefulness.

A story where the absence as well as the overwhelming presence of wallets full of money or banknotes hidden in a poetry book that no one will read is noticeable.

Money that appears and disappears but leads nowhere.

The real difference is between those who, like Loretta, react and rise again, and those who, like Maureen, succumb and then mimic...

A beautiful novel that, despite being hefty in terms of the number of pages and also in terms of content, I read with ease.

“When you suffer as I have suffered, you don't learn anything from suffering, suffering doesn't teach you anything, nor does it make you a better person, it simply destroys you...”

Joyce Carol Oates, born in 1938, is an incredibly prolific writer.

She embarked on her writing career at an early age and has never looked back. With over 50 novels, hundreds of short stories, along with plays, poetry, and non-fiction works to her name, her output is truly remarkable.

Her first novel was published in 1964 when she was just 26 years old. Then, in 1969, at the young age of 31, she published "Them," which won The National Book Award.

Many years and numerous awards later, Oates believed that "Them" and "Blonde" (2000) were the works she would be most remembered for and that she would most recommend to a new reader, although she also noted that she could have easily chosen many other titles.

"Them" tells the story of a struggling family who end up living in Detroit from 1937 to 1967. The novel centers around three characters: Loretta Wendall, her son Jules, and daughter Maureen. This "white trash" family lives in Detroit, trying to survive through marriage and any means of obtaining money.

These are not likeable characters; they lead lives of misery and longing. Both Loretta and Maureen turn to prostitution at different times in their lives, while Jules uses violence to try to get ahead.

In addition to prostitution, the novel includes elements such as rape, shootings, throat-cutting, a plane crash, fires, and mental breakdowns, with an underlying theme of racism throughout. All of this leads up to the 1967 race riots in Detroit, where Jules plays a significant role.

This is not a heartwarming story, but Oates's writing is outstanding. She makes you eager to read on and find out what happens to these characters. It's astonishing to think that she was only 31 when this book was published and had enough life experience to tell such a story.

I have read several other novels and short story collections by Oates and consider her one of the best in the field. I also have several of her books on my to-be-read shelves that I'm looking forward to getting to soon.

Joyce Carol Oates is an author I have truly come to cherish.

I begin reading one of her books, and before I know it, I am completely hooked and unable to put it down.

I find myself completely immersed in her captivating stories, her vivid characters, and her engaging narrative.

This particular book is no exception. It is an epic and sprawling tale that delves into the dark and tumultuous life of a family.

The family is haunted by a litany of tragedies and hardships, including murder, death, spousal beatings, child abuse, prostitution, and even a riot.

And that's not all. There are also dashed hopes, lowered expectations, grinding poverty, and a general sense of insanity that pervades the entire narrative.

The author provides us with a wealth of inner dialogue, which makes me wonder: does she believe that everyone is a little bit insane?

Perhaps everyone is, in some way or another. The story is undeniably juicy, filled with lurid and gothic details that are both delicious and compelling.

The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is that the love scenes were a bit off-putting for me. But that could just be my personal taste.

I often find literary descriptions of new love to be a bit sickening. Overall, though, this is a remarkable and unforgettable book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a dark and engrossing read.

As soon as she read the first page of a novel, her heart skipped a beat.

She was not only pleased but also startled and excited to discover that this was real, the captivating world of the novel.

It was as if she could step right into it and become a part of the story.

She could draw near to a man and, through half-closed eyes, assess him without ever really looking at him.

It was a strange sensation that coursed through her blood, an intuitive understanding that she couldn't quite explain.

There were certain cycles to go through in this complex dance of emotions.

The cycle had begun when he had opened the door of his car for her, a simple yet significant gesture.

And in a minute or two, it would end with his sudden paralyzed tension, his broken breath against her face, and the familiar urgent signs of a man's love.

"With you, Jules," she said, "I can't think of my life or remember what it is.

I can't remember myself. It's as if I were walking somewhere and music began to play very loud, making me deaf, and someone took my hand to lead me away.

Why not? How can I remember who I am? What does it matter? I've been waiting for you for three days."

"Other people have loved me and I knew what that was, exactly," she continued.

"But you love me like somebody calling out my name in a crowd, and it makes my heart race like never before."

A friend gave me this book when I took my first college position at a community college. It was truly a remarkable moment. The book has turned out to be an extremely insightful one. It delves deep into the lives and minds of those we strive to educate. It provides a wealth of knowledge and understanding about the students we encounter in the college environment. Reading this book has opened my eyes to the various challenges and opportunities that come with teaching at a community college. It has made me more aware of the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the students. I have found myself constantly referring back to the lessons and ideas presented in this book as I go about my daily teaching duties. It has truly become an invaluable resource for me in my journey as an educator at the community college.

Most people are familiar with the Detroit riot of 1967, which serves as the finale of Joyce Carol Oates' early novel Them.

However, not as many remember the rioting that occurred in 1984 when the Tigers won the World Series. I was a 4th year Surgery resident at Henry Ford Hospital and provided care for three of the shooting victims that night.

Them, written in 1969, won the National Book Award and put Oates on the map. It is actually largely based on the early life of one of Ms. Oates' students, who is the character Maureen.

The story begins in an unnamed "fair-sized city on a midwestern canal" in 1937. It follows Loretta and two of her children, Jules and Maureen, to a rural community and then to Detroit over a 30-year span.

The novel is largely a collection of young people's existential thoughts and yearnings. These carry the meat of the plot as much or more than the characters' actions. In this sense, I was reminded of Steinbeck (especially In Dubious Battle, and to a lesser extent The Grapes of Wrath) and Dostoevsky.

There is a lot of daydreaming. The family never has any money and lives in various levels of poverty and even squalor. In that light, I was also taken back to The Jungle by Sinclair Lewis.

Nothing on earth is sadder than parents who are so unhappy that they belittle their own children.

Listen to Loretta: "The things a woman has to take from men can drive her crazy."

And Jules: He "... didn't want $19,000... he wanted a wilderness, a clearing in the wilderness..."

And Jules' friend: "... the fact is that you have nowhere to go, like me, and that's exactly what we all want to change... something more permanent, something transcendent -"

I imagine Oates' stimulus and thought processes as she conceived and wrote Them were strongly influenced by the precepts of The Summer of Love in San Francisco in 1967 as well. In this early work, her style is over-the-top and stream-of-consciousness laden.

Not only the thoughts but the actions of her characters become increasingly disjointed as the time of the riot nears.

Not surprisingly, Oates in 1969 had more talent in producing interesting plot than in the eloquent or arresting writing that I love so much in her mature works.