We might ascend the stairs and delve into matters of greater relevance. There lies Leander's bureau drawer, within which we discover a withered rose - once yellow - and a wreath of yellow hair, the remnant of a Roman candle that was ignited at the turn of the century, a boiled shirt upon which an explicit image of a naked woman is drawn in red ink, a necklace crafted from champagne corks, and a loaded revolver.

4 ½ stars

John Cheever (1912-1982) had his first short story published in The New Yorker in 1935, marking the beginning of a prolific career. His reputation as a short story writer soared, and his debut novel, The Wapshot Chronicle, won the National Book Award in 1958. Subsequently, he published three more novels: The Wapshot Scandal (1965), Bullet Park (1969), and Falconer (1977). However, he was predominantly renowned for his short stories; some critics have even asserted that Cheever is one of the most significant short fiction writers of the 20th century, and he has been dubbed “the Chekhov of the suburbs”.

Born in New York, Cheever's stories are set in Manhattan, the Westchester suburbs, and the coastal towns stretching from New York City to Boston. Connecting his stories to the suburban world does not imply that he idealized the suburban lifestyle that emerged during the decades when he matured and wrote. In fact, many of his works also convey “a nostalgia for a vanishing way of life, characterized by enduring cultural traditions and a profound sense of community” in the smaller towns along this coast, “as opposed to the alienating nomadism of modern suburbia”.

The Wapshot Chronicle

As a chronicle, one might assume that the novel recounts “important historical events”; yet, this would be ironic, as the events related in the third-person narrative hold significance only for the characters experiencing them, and a few friends and neighbors in the fictional town of St. Botolphs, situated just inland of the aforementioned coast. The characters include the father, Leander Wapshot, the mother (referred to as Mrs. Wapshot, though Leander reveals in his internal dialogues that her name is Sarah), Leander's two teenage sons, Moses and Coverly, and Leander's “cousin” (albeit with a slight complication regarding their separate grandmothers), Honora. She plays a role disproportionate to that of a cousin, due to the following facts: (a) she inherited a substantial sum, (b) she was raised by Leander's father (one of her “uncles” - with that same complication), (c) she has never married, (d) she wishes to leave her wealth (which also serves as a sporadic loan source for Leander) to his sons, but (e) only on the condition that they produce male heirs. A crucial turning point in the chronicle occurs when Honora unfortunately witnesses a sexual incident involving one of the sons.

However, the previously mentioned Cheever theme of “nostalgia for a vanishing way of life” became palpable to me as I commenced reading the novel. Actual dates are not frequently mentioned, especially in the initial portion, yet as I perused Cheever's peculiar and poignant prose, I felt as though I was perusing a picture – a Norman Rockwell painting depicting small-town New England life in the first third of the century.

Here is a lengthy passage about the Wapshot house - situated rather dilapidatedly on its acreage some distance outside St. Botolphs - and its inhabitants.

The house is easy enough to describe but how to write a summer's day in an old garden? … It is dusk and the family has gathered … Leander is drinking bourbon and the parrot hangs in a cage by the kitchen door. A cloud passes over the low sun, darkening the valley, and they feel a deep and momentary uneasiness as if they apprehended how darkness can fall over the continents of the mind. The wind freshens and then they are all cheered as if this reminded them of their recuperative powers … But as we see the Wapshots, spread out in their rose garden above the river, listening to the parrot and feeling the balm of those evening winds that, in New England, smell so of maidenly things – of orris root and toilet soap and rented rooms, wet by an open window in a thunder shower; of chamber pots and sorrel soap and roses and gingham and lawn; of choir robes and copies of the New Testament bound in limp morocco and pastures that are for sale, blooming now with rue and fern – as we see the flowers, staked by Leander with broken hockey sticks and mop and broom handles, as we see the scarecrow in the cornfield wears the red coat of the defunct St. Botolphs Horse Guards and that the blue water of the river below them seems mingled with our history, it would be wrong to say as an architectural photographer once did, after photographing the side door, “It's just like a scene from J.P. Marquand.”

The adventures of Leander's sons, as they set sail from St. Botolphs to forge their own paths in life, along with the ongoing events of Leander, Mrs. Wapshot, and Honora back in St. Botolphs, form the bulk of the Wapshot family's chronicle. Although it is not thrilling in a heart-pounding sense, nor saturated with sex or violence, there are some surprisingly dark, or perhaps more accurately described as foreboding and unexpected, occurrences. These not only add a touch of spice to the consistently engaging read but are, as Wiki informs us, another characteristic of Cheever's perspective – this darker streak seemingly connected to Cheever's hidden homosexuality and associated feelings of guilt regarding this concealed inner life, with the agony of this guilt alleviated by drink.

There is an interview with his daughter published in the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...) in which she expresses very positive sentiments towards her father and a sense of sadness that he felt so much guilt about something that has ceased to impose such a burden of shame/guilt on many, as was the case until the more enlightened recent years.

Some readers may not be particularly enamored with this rather tame story or the somewhat soft conclusion. But for me, the book was a wonderful read. If you have a potential interest, it might be advisable to explore some of his short stories to determine if they might provide the impetus to read this novel (or his final novel Falconer, considered by some to be his finest). Stories worth seeking out include “The Enormous Radio”, “Goodbye, My Brother”, “The Five-Forty-Eight”, “The Country Husband”, and “The Swimmer”.

For my part, I'll be on the lookout for more of Cheever's works.

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The book delves into the life of a New England family.

They are neither aristocratic nor proletarian, but rather one of the first families in a provincial littoral town. This social position grants them all the places of honor in the annual 4th of July parade.

The narrative has a somewhat disjointed chronological structure, filling in background details as necessary. It mainly focuses on the two Wapshot sons, Moses and Coverly. As they grow into adolescents, they leave their family home and town to seek their fortunes in the big cities of New York and Washington. They experience failure and then manage to recover, ultimately finding a measure of happiness.

The eccentricity of their father, Leander, a ferryboat captain, stands in contrast to the genteel respectability of their mother.

The writing tone is mostly a lightly ironic mid-20th century New Yorker style. However, there are some modernist elements in the fluctuation of the narrative voice. It travels back to 18th century family diaries and drops into Leander's exaggeratedly telegraphic letters and interior monologues.

Regrettably, my copy, which was too disintegrated to keep, had nice illustrations credited as "annotations" by Alex Tsao.

If you read "The Wapshot Chronicle" looking for any kind of conventional story, you're out of luck.

For the most part, Cheever doesn't seem to even concede the need for it. What he does do, brilliantly, is combine poetry and prose into some of the most gorgeous language I've ever read.

It's all in service of spinning a disjointed, but fascinating tale that makes me stop reading from time to time, stunned by the combinations of words his imagination moves him to set down in sometimes bewildering order.

I planned to put in an example here, but that's silly. I can't sum up John Cheever. His writing is a complex tapestry of emotions, ideas, and vivid descriptions that defy easy categorization.

Each sentence seems to be carefully crafted, like a precious gem, to create a larger picture that is both beautiful and thought-provoking.

The story may not follow a traditional narrative arc, but it takes the reader on a journey through the lives of the Wapshot family, filled with love, loss, and the human condition.

Overall, "The Wapshot Chronicle" is a masterful work of literature that showcases Cheever's unique talent and vision.

\\n  By turns comic, surreal, bawdy, and heart-breaking, the story in "The Wapshot Chronicle" takes readers on a wild ride.\\n

The cast of characters initially appears overwhelming. However, the novel soon focuses on the New England Wapshot family. There's Leander, the ageing father and former sea-dog who is now captain of a short-trip tourist ferry. His wife, Sarah Wapshot, is the founder and president of the Woman's Club of St. Botolph's. Their eldest son, Moses, is a licentious sportsman, while the younger son, Coverly, worships Moses but is more restrained in his tastes. Additionally, there's Leander's eccentric Cousin Honora, a rebellious and comic mainstay of the community.

In his "Chronicle", Cheever presents a vivid vision of the human condition. His characters have dreams of achievement, make progress, only to suffer great setbacks. They fall in love, experience unbearable heartbreak, and yet discover that life can still be lived even when it seems impossible, filled with absurdity. The tale is bittersweet, with moments of great comedy but lacking easy sentimentality. It's like a richly flowering garden built on the unforgiving foundations of solid stone.

I found Cheever's writing to be hugely absorbing, and "The Wapshot Chronicle" was almost a page-turner for me. But it's not for everyone. My wife struggled and couldn't get into it. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this novel for those who appreciate a complex and engaging exploration of the human experience.

I was only familiar with Cheever by his name and through the short story "The Swimmer." In my opinion, this is a crucial book for any writer to peruse. This fellow Cheever possessed a depth that is not commonly witnessed. Undoubtedly, it must have been astonishingly risqué when it was first published in 1957. There is a significant amount of sexuality, and several characters directly grapple with homosexuality. However, throughout the story, there are quirky and fascinating characters, and the writing is truly excellent.

I purchased this particular book instead of a collection of Cheever's short stories because my library didn't have a copy. I believe this is an oversight, and I might even donate my copy to the library. First, I'll check if my friend Tommy desires it. I think he would appreciate it. I contemplated that reading more of Cheever's work was an important matter, and it only cost around 5 bucks including shipping.

There is a sequel titled "The Wapshot Scandal." I might read it at a later stage, but I won't rush out to obtain it immediately. I have a couple of other books in progress and some writing to attend to.

**The Wapshot Chronicle: A Captivating Tale**

The Wapshot Chronicle is a remarkable twin Bildungsroman that follows the lives of Moses and Coverly. It is framed by the letters, journaling, and loneliness of their father, Leander. This novel is like a crazy beautiful 20th Century version of Great Expectations, delving into the depth and breadth of a family, its secrets, and its flaws. The two brothers are burdened with the responsibility of ensuring that Old Honora's keeps paying the bills, both for them in the future and for their parents in the present.

Cheever populates his novel with a cast of unforgettable characters. There are dominating mothers, idiosyncratic and co-dependent guardians, changeable wives, and costly lovers. The trinity of Wapshot men float through the story in a wayward, rudderless boat. Their lives are constantly taking on water, and they seem doomed to be blown further from the shore by the dominant humor of the nearest strong-willed female.

The characters in The Wapshot Chronicle are truly amazing. The language and narrative are incredible. Cheever's satire and ribald humor constantly engage the reader, leaving a lasting impression. This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves good literature.

"Man is not simple. Hobgoblin company of love always with us."

― John Cheever, The Wapshot Chronicle

Not at all what I expected.

Yes, there are indeed WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) who commit adultery, and some of them do. However, it's not in the context of suburban cocktail parties as one might typically assume. Instead, these WASPs are poor and they live on a farm in a small town.

They don't frequent backyard pools but rather swim in rivers and swimming holes. The men seem to be driven by testosterone, while the women are motivated by a combination of anger and righteousness.

Yet, despite their flaws and idiosyncrasies, these are enchanting characters within an eccentric family. It's truly impossible not to like them.

The book is filled with many hilarious passages that keep the reader engaged and entertained. At times, it reminds me of the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, with its vivid and magical descriptions. Other times, it has the feel of Mark Helprin's writing, with its unique charm and style.

Sometimes, I find myself wondering where the book is headed. The plot can be a bit wendy at times, and I question what Cheever is doing. Additionally, I can't help but think about how many more pages might be stuck together with the sticky food residues from decades long past.

Overall, this book is a fascinating read that offers a unique perspective on the lives of these unlikely characters.

Poche parole, anzi una sola... CAPOLAVORO... Questo romanzo è davvero straordinario.

Alcune pagine sono in perfetto stile inglese (intendo UK), soprattutto le parti descrittive dei paesaggi. L'autore descrive la cittadina usando la seconda persona plurale, il che ti coinvolge direttamente nella storia.

In questo romanzo, si ride e si piange. Le emozioni sono forti e coinvolgenti. Ti porta in un mondo diverso, dove puoi sperimentare nuove sensazioni.

È un libro che non puoi perdere. Se vuoi leggere qualcosa di coinvolgente e di qualità, questo romanzo è quello giusto per te.

Non aspetti altro, compra questo libro oggi stesso e immergiti nella sua storia affascinante.

I've been on a Cheever blitz, devouring all of his short stories, and now this.

Wow, what an experience it has been. He is truly a remarkable writer. His stories are not only funny but also have a dark undertone that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

And the surprises just keep coming. I have a particular affinity for his short stories. Although carrying that book around is no easy feat, it's like hauling bricks.

What amazes me the most is his ability to get inside the heads of so many diverse characters, especially women. He manages to capture their thoughts, emotions, and desires with such precision and authenticity.

It's as if he has a magical key that unlocks the mysteries of the human psyche. Cheever's writing is a testament to his genius and his deep understanding of the human condition.

Zio Pipino Marzapane

I initially had a negative prejudice towards this book due to its terrifying cover that had repelled me for years. However, I also had a positive prejudice because of my previous reading of "Il nuotatore", a beautiful story.

Cheever tells of this New England family, a worthy representative of a natural American aristocracy. Arriving from England in 1630, they are white, beautiful, elegant, athletic, and experts in nautical sports. They are born and raised in one of those splendid wooden houses with high ceilings where children can play in the dust and sunlight until they reach adulthood.

The proud eccentricity of the characters is emphasized. There are several women who display this characteristic in the tones of authoritarianism, the exhibition of a very showy rich woman, and multiple personalities (Honora – Justina – Melissa). The most beautiful thing is that these women keep the sane-minded men of the family in check for various reasons.

A family tradition followed for centuries is keeping a diary, and hilarious excerpts are reported. The local color stories are rather funny, but I found the adventures of the protagonists boring and sad.

Because, as befits a natural aristocracy, it has surpassed its past glories and tends to decline. I didn't like the somewhat fairy-tale tone with which Cheever accompanies these Wapshot through the tribulations of their lives. It seems a bit out of tune and almost disrespectful, although I believe it is a quirk of the author (but I don't like the quirks of authors).

I would say that the family as a whole sounds improbable because the most absurd characters, instead of being accepted for what they are, have a great influence on the others, either for money or for love. However, I don't exclude that Cheever has a better vision of interpersonal dynamics than mine and that what seems improbable to me actually happens with a certain frequency. The figures of the two brothers, Moses and Coverly, are well represented, the confident one and the timid one, who nevertheless fight their war in their own way to assert themselves in life, always loving each other. In particular, Coverly touched my heart. He is abandoned by his beloved wife Betsey, and when she unexpectedly returns, he goes out in the rain to steal a rose from the neighbors' garden "because she had become his little one again, his little grimace, his little, sweet sparrow". Blessed sweetness.

Some people wonder who is Zio Pipino Marzapane? And he is the most eccentric of St. Botolphs, a little man descended from a dynasty of sea wolves who doesn't have these virile ambitions. In fact, he usually wanders around naked among the branches. In the civilized St. Botolphs, he is not the object of mistreatment. He is only told "Go home, Pipino, and put something on".

Everyone claims that the contents of this book - let alone Cheever's other endeavors in long form narrative - are botched amalgamations, tenuously unified by exceptional vignettes and shorts. I'm not going to dispute that, but I will contest whether that's a negative aspect. The Wapshot Chronicle is a peculiar tasting menu of moods and voices. Its lack of attention to an overarching plot - indeed, this book meanders - makes it an unpredictable journey, yet it is also a delightful one.

Each moment is appropriately presented and Cheever's artfully snotty authorial voice reigns supreme. This turns out to be both an advantage and a flaw. No one can describe water like Cheever, and nearly every scene depends on this little talent of his. A few paragraphs will pass, and then he'll offer an incredible description of a New England beach or raindrops in a spider web. There's also a fascinating take on epistolary journaling where the patriarch of the Wapshot clan expresses his sorrow through clipped and subtly crushing shorthand. These little flashes of brilliance demonstrate the enormity of Cheever's gifts, but they are of a specific time. That is to say that The Wapshot Chronicle has not aged well. It is definitely worthy of the 1958 National Book Award, but, with its dated depictions and its tendency towards corniness, it is an emblem of that era, preserved in amber and hermetically sealed.

Nevertheless, I was generally impressed. Tragi-comic family sagas are truly my favorite, and Cheever does not disappoint. His fractured style leaves me with a thousand scenes to reflect on positively.

A family saga unfolds, vividly recounting the lives of one family residing in the small Massachusetts town of St. Botolphs.

The story, at times, may seem a bit mundane, yet it is filled with colorful characters and outlandish events. Take, for instance, Moses Wapshot's naked trek across a castle roof in a desperate attempt to find his fiancé's bedroom.

This novel offers a sharp and incisive understanding of the subtleties that pervade small town life. It delves deep into the unusual human foibles that are so characteristic of such a place.

It is truly a good read that captivates the reader's imagination and takes them on a journey through the lives and experiences of the Wapshot family.

The vivid descriptions and engaging narrative make it a book that is hard to put down.

Whether it's the ordinary day-to-day activities or the extraordinary events that occur, the story of the Wapshot family in St. Botolphs is one that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.