There are certain writers whose works have the power to touch your soul with just a few words. J.D. Salinger achieved this for me in "Catcher in the Rye" and "Nine Stories", and Jack Kerouac did the same in "Vanity of Duluoz" and "The Dharma Bums". And John Cheever has that effect on me almost always. He portrays the simple, lovable, yet highly complex rogue that resides within all of us.

Seriously, who couldn't instantly like someone with a smile like that? This is, incidentally, my second reading of "Bullet Park". Similar to "Catcher in the Rye", I didn't think much of it on the first read many years ago. Perhaps I was seeking something more exciting and explosive, with numerous plot twists.

Last year, while in a second-hand bookstore, I had the urge to pick up a collection of Cheever's short stories, perhaps inspired by seeing some of his stories adapted for installments of the classic American TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". After finishing that outstanding collection, I started watching "Mad Men", and everything seemed to fall into place. Anything that unravels suburban normality speaks to me, quite possibly because I experienced the collapse of that myth firsthand.

"Bullet Park" is a book about a man named Paul Hammer, who decides that his life goal is to drive his neighbor Elliot Nailles into a cross at the local community church. However, the book is more deeply symbolic than that. It is a deeply allegorical novel where the pursuit of the American Dream substitutes religious belief, and its death mirrors the loss of spirituality in highly advanced and developed capitalist countries.

Hammer's motive is complex. Why are we jealous of our neighbors in the first place? In Hammer's case, he covets Nailles' perfect role as a lover to his wife and a father to his son. Midway through the novel, the narrative switches to first person, and we see Hammer's perspective. We discover that he had a difficult upbringing and fell in love with the wrong woman, who became his distant wife.

Soon enough, Hammer switches his target to Nailles' son Tony. Tony is in the midst of recovery from depression, but ironically, Nailles copes with his son's illness by becoming addicted to "happy pills". Tony is caught in a spiral because he is denied the chance to be different. In suburbia, conformity is the norm, and the pursuit of even the most placid dreams can be a difficult journey.

The flimsy suburban ideal raises our expectations to such heights that we are left reeling at the slightest disappointment. It's better to just conform, as one character says. "Bullet Park" is a short but meaningful read, offering a challenging and metaphorical story framed by beautiful and simple writing. Cheever is profound, and his writing, even at its heaviest, has an intoxicating elegance that makes you think you haven't fully understood him, when in reality, what he is saying is already within you.

Like a far superior rendition of A. M. Homes's May We Be Forgiven, or perhaps the most abysmal episode of Midsomer Murders one could envision. Maybe it's the most peculiar book I've ever perused.

This is a novel centered around anti-climax, aimlessly fiddling with one's hands in their pockets, and the futile inertia of suburban existence. It is written by an author who appears rather indifferent to his own storyline. I seldom found it humorous, and I was never overly enamored with Cheever's writing. However, as a complete package, it just...feels appropriate. The conflict between Cheever and, say, the novel as a distinct entity only becomes fully evident once it has already concluded. I anticipate that this will linger in my thoughts for some time.

Note: This book is extremely homophobic, but being aware that Cheever was bisexual makes it, at least in my view, considerably more tolerable.

John Cheever's least successful novel is, without a doubt, my least favorite one.

Set in the late 1960s, during the height of the "God, how I hate Suburbia" trend in American literature, this novel alternates between oddly angled suburban satire and implied violence.

For example, a French teacher is described as having a sexy mouth because of working through "strenuous French vowels." However, despite its title, most of the violence in BULLET PARK is actually psychic anguish.

This alone is not un-Cheever, but the meandering plot is.

BULLET PARK is best suited for completionists and American Studies majors.

For more extended suburban satire where personal and social concerns intertwine, one should watch the movie AMERICAN BEAUTY.

For top-notch Cheever in novel form, it is recommended to read FALCONER instead.

It has a lot to say and is extremely difficult to put down.

Cheever's command of the sentence is, as always, truly impressive. His life's thesis regarding the suburbs is present in this work, although it may not be entirely consistent with his short stories. Instead of presenting us with a depressed-soul's malaise, he gives us a vapid yet happy protagonist. This protagonist is tormented by his inability to perceive people and events as they truly are and is ultimately stalked by Hammer, the physical embodiment of counter-culture.

Billed as a "dark suburban tale," this story is actually something quite different. It resists easy categorization, which makes it unique. I thoroughly enjoyed the few days I spent reading it. In fact, I find myself unable to classify and file it neatly in my brain, which is a positive aspect in almost every situation. I liked the structure of the story. Even though my ultimate judgment is that I was left either a little more or a little less satisfied, this was still a highly impactful read that left a lasting impression on me.

I picked this up at a used book sale nearly two years ago and finally had time to pick it up.

Are you a fan of Mad Men? This book, which is set in suburban 1960s New York, could run parallel to Don and Betty Draper.

It has a dry, dark humor that gets more creepy as the story progresses. It tells the story of two men, Hammer and Nailles, with a climactic interaction at the end.

The story explores how in that particular time and place, a man's duty and his desires were in great conflict.

It's a quick read, and I can't recall anything else quite like it.

The book offers a unique perspective on the social and cultural norms of the 1960s, as well as the internal struggles that men faced during that era.

It's a must-read for anyone interested in history, psychology, or just a good story.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

¡Alucinante! The first part brings us close to a terrain that the American author knows very well: the life in the residential neighborhoods, the tranquility and the problems of the middle-class families, their mediocre existence, the passing of time among lawns and swimming pools. These are situations that Cheever described skillfully in his stories and which made them call him the "Chekhov of the suburbs".

Cheever's works offer a vivid and detailed portrayal of the seemingly ordinary yet complex lives of people in these suburban settings. He delves into the hidden emotions, the unspoken desires, and the daily struggles that often go unnoticed. Through his writing, we get a glimpse into the true nature of human relationships and the impact of the suburban environment on individuals.

The full review can be found at http://0enliteratura.blogspot.pe/2011.... It provides a more in-depth analysis of Cheever's works and their significance in the literary world.

I purchased Bullet Park based on my great enjoyment of Falconer, yet another remarkable novel by Cheever. I have a deep affection for suburban novels such as this one and Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

At the outset, I was rather annoyed by the cutesy character names like Hammer and Nailles. However, I soon got over it due to Cheever's immense writing prowess. He has an uncanny ability to capture those wild thoughts that a person has but refrains from expressing. What I enjoyed the most was the second major part of the book, which delved into the story of Paul Hammer, a world-weary and dissipated individual who was far too insulated from reality for his own well-being. The first part, concerning Eliot Nailles, a life of relative non-desperation, and his son, Tony, was somewhat weaker, although not terrible. I couldn't help but wonder what might have occurred had Cheever made the Nailles character more substantial and intertwined the stories of the two men instead of presenting them in large, separate blocks. Perhaps the abrupt ending could have been enhanced by this.

While the book does manage to capture an element of the phoniness that lies beneath the veneer of upper middle-class suburbia, I felt that I could have done with more of that exploration. Nevertheless, no one can wax lyrical about our less than seemly, all-too-human flaws quite like Cheever. For his remarkable gift of revealing our forbidden thoughts, I will undoubtedly continue to seek out his works.

One of the most realistic novels I have ever read.

With its simple and impactful narrative style, it explains through character analyses what the life in the suburbs, which is a part of the American Dream, is really like.

The old-fashioned minded characters who try to hold on in a changing world, the turmoil, the false friendships, and in the midst of all this, someone who decides to become a murderer.

I also want to read the author's other books. This novel not only presents a vivid picture of suburban life but also makes the readers think deeply about the human nature and the society.

The characters are so well-developed that they seem to come alive in front of our eyes.

The story is full of twists and turns, which keeps the readers on the edge of their seats.

It is a must-read for those who are interested in American literature and the exploration of human nature.

Another book that found its way onto my list to be read in a rather forgettable manner.

I must have been pondering some of the more well-known books by this particular author, which perhaps overshadowed this one in my mind.

Would it be accurate to say that this book is strange? I awarded it four stars precisely because of that, having a unique appreciation for the odd and unusual.

In the book, two characters are named Hammer and Nails. Try to make sense of that one. There are numerous characters in this book who seem to deviate from the norm.

Or perhaps it is simply the perspective of the main character in the book that makes many people appear slightly off-kilter.

I simply relished the experience of reading this book without having any specific inkling about what the central point might be.

Some individuals seem to believe that it has something to say about suburban life.

But I think I will simply leave it at the fact that, overall, this was an enjoyable experience, despite lacking any significant understanding of what it was all about!

The book is divided into two parts, with each part focusing on one of the protagonists: Elliot Nailles and Paul Hammer.

The plot takes place in Bullet Park, a typical suburban area in the United States populated by the so-called middle class. The residents there are all good citizens who prioritize the moral values of the family.

Nailles represents one of these social pillars, while Hammer is an outsider who has to prove whether he deserves to be part of this community. He has a secret purpose: to kill Nailles' son.

I liked the first part, which focuses more on Nailles' family. Given the premise, I was very curious to know the reason for this objective. However, this expectation cooled due to the hasty way the story was concluded. I thought the author could have developed the ending better.

Reading history

"Imagine then a small railway station, ten minutes before sunset. Beyond the platform, the waters of the Wekonsett River flow, reflecting the gloomy dusk light."

The cockroach, that hairy and black thing.

It is omnipresent, unless we find a human form, or a place, or a country, or a city, or a house where the cockroach cannot enter.

Walking, jumping from hotel to hotel, from city to city, or even hurrying with a purposeful air, but without a destination, through the streets of Lisbon or New York.

For everything to become wonderful, wonderful, wonderful again.

Cheever, a great friend of those who carry a bête-noir.

The cockroach seems to be an inescapable presence in our lives. It can be found in the most unexpected places, scurrying around and causing a sense of unease. We try to avoid it, but it always manages to find its way into our spaces. Whether we are traveling from one place to another or simply going about our daily lives in a big city, the cockroach is there, lurking in the shadows. However, despite its unappealing appearance, there is something almost fascinating about this creature. It has managed to survive and thrive in a variety of environments, adapting to changing conditions and finding ways to avoid being caught. Perhaps we can learn something from the cockroach's ability to persevere and find a way forward, no matter what obstacles come our way.

After a very long delay, I finally had my first reading of Cheever. And I must say, it was truly remarkable. The writing is of a high caliber, with a style that immediately grabs the reader's attention. The plot is engaging and captivating, keeping me hooked from start to finish. It's a reading experience that I found highly satisfying. I can't wait to repeat this "Cheever" experience again. I'm sure there are many more hidden gems to discover in his works. Each page seems to unfold a new world, filled with complex characters and intricate storylines. It's like embarking on a literary adventure that leaves you with a sense of fulfillment and a desire for more.