\\"So you're going down to bury her.\\" It was a statement, and he said it reflectively, as though meditating upon it; then - \\"And do you think you can go home again?\\"

Nie sądzę, by Thomas Wolfe wiedział dokładnie, co go czeka. Jednak You Can't Go Home Again, jego finalna i wydana pośmiertnie powieść brzmi jak ostatnie słowo i ostatnia wola. Jest zarówno pożegnaniem, jak i wyzwaniem rzuconym tym, którzy zostaną. To wiadomość od autora: zostawiam za sobą taki świat i się martwię.

You Can't Go Home Again to ostatnie słowa Wolfe'a ku czytelnikom, a ja po raz pierwszy poczułam, że być może tej książki już drugi raz nie przeczytam.

The United States, in the late 1900s. George Webber realizes his dream - his first novel is published. The young man prepares for triumph, but he cannot predict the consequences of his words.

For it was one of the qualities of this time that men should see and feel the madness all around them and never mention it - never admit it even to themselves.

I don't know exactly what the editorial process was like for this book, but it makes a much better impression than The Web and the Rock. Wolfe's words seem unrestricted, and the feeling returns to the reader that it is truly the author speaking to us, beyond time, and not just a faint, disjointed, and stitched recording. When it comes to narrative, stylistic richness, and plot, I place You Can't Go Home Again on a par with Of Time and the River and consider these novels to be the author's best works, striking in their beauty and intensity.

Only that Thomas had matured even more. In You Can't Go Home Again, for the first time, he speaks so loudly and fearlessly on social and political themes; I never thought I would see him in such a creation, and how happy I am. The chapter on World War I veterans, Black Thursday, or the book dedicated to the situation in Hitler's Germany is outstanding work. Thomas experiences a change in his worldview, value system, and attitude towards others. As he himself admits, he is a different person than the author of Look Homeward, Angel. This can be seen as, for the first time in a long time, Wolfe notices other people and reacts empathetically to their presence and events. The author also says goodbye here to his long-time editor and friend, Max Perkins, on the pages of the novel. Although I was afraid of this part, it impressed me with respect, sincerity, openness, and... naturalness. The end was gentle. That's just how it is, love doesn't die.

In You Can't Go Home Again, Thomas Wolfe returns to his roots, trying to explain to us why he made such decisions and not others. I understood and felt a sense of relief.

Although formally it is a continuation of The Web and the Rock, it seems to answer the questions raised in Of Time and the River.

I never knew a man like you before, and if I had not known you, I never could have imagined you. And yet, to me you are inevitable, so that, having known you, I cannot imagine what life would have been for me without you.

Thomas, I don't know what happened later and if you are there now. If so, I hope you look at the world with a bit of worry, but also a heart full of hope. I understand what you wanted.

You can't go home again, but look towards home, angels.

Yesterday, after reading the last sentence, there was only silence left for me.

We are \\"the hollow men, the hollow men\\"? Brave Admiral, do not be too sure.

What an incredibly remarkable book this is!

Wolfe is astonishingly insightful and a highly perceptive observer of human nature. He indeed rambles to a considerable extent and diverges onto all kinds of tangents. However, the prose is so powerful that ultimately, I didn't mind that aspect as much. Likely, some people might lose patience with such characteristics. I'm certain that from a less accomplished writer, I would have.

As a matter of fact, I actually purchased this book several years ago, and it had simply been sitting on my bookshelf. (This occurs to me quite frequently as I often buy books at a faster pace than I can finish reading the ones I've already purchased.) It wasn't until my wife and I were in Asheville, NC, which is Thomas Wolfe's hometown. Something then triggered my memory of it. We were having lunch at a restaurant near the college, having already completed the activities we had planned to do. At that moment, my wife looked up Asheville attractions on her phone and discovered that Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry's graves were essentially just around the corner. So, we went and paid our respects. And I thought, "Oh hey, I have a book by him that I never read." Consequently, when we returned to Oregon, I picked up the hefty volume. Although it took me some time (after all, it's over 700 pages, cut me some slack), it was most definitely worthwhile. I will most assuredly read more of his works.

It has taken me nearly a month to read this extremely long book, and finally, I have completed it.

I actually liked it more than the three-star rating I gave it, but not enough to rate it any higher. Why? The writing was good, yet it was ridiculously verbose. Wolfe goes on and on about every person the main character meets in his life, every place he visits, and every conversation he has with others. But to what end? It's a huge book with practically no plot; essentially, it's a book filled with a great deal of beautiful writing.

A competent editor could have easily halved the length of this book, but again, to what purpose? It would still lack a plot, and many of the lovely words would be lost.

The main character in the book is an author, and he aims to write as truthfully as possible, which is a noble objective. However, Wolfe seems uncertain about where the book is headed and appears to have simply decided to jot down, in detail, everything that occurs to his character. In the end, I felt, strangely, both empty and overstuffed.

Several months ago, I was listening to an OTR (old time radio) show titled NBC university theatre.

This show presents a condensed version of classic/celebrated books in the form of a radio play.

During the show, I heard an interesting ending of a train scene.

At the conclusion of the show, they announced that it was from Thomas Wolfe's You Can't Go Home Again.

The scene where a man was attempting to escape Germany and was captured piqued my interest in reading the book.

I had no understanding of what the story was about or who the author was, but it was sufficient for me to seek out the entire story.

I discovered that this scene is just a small part of what the novel endeavors to convey.

When reading this book, which is quite similar to an autobiography in a fictionalized sense, meaning the author drew from his life and the people he knew to craft a story.

The Jewish man's attempt to flee Germany, but being prohibited from traveling, especially taking money out of the country due to being a Jew, was witnessed by Wolfe when he visited Germany in 1936.

Throughout his life, he was a frequent traveler to Europe and had many friendly acquaintances in Germany.

He wished to visit the country again in 1936 during the Olympics.

He noticed a significant change from his last visit five years earlier, not only in his friends but also in many things he witnessed during his stay that troubled him.

Upon his return to the USA, he wrote a story in The New Republic called "I Have a Thing to Tell You."

His books were soon banned in Germany, as was he himself.

He passed away at the age of 38 in 1938 from complications of miliary tuberculosis of the brain caused by pneumonia.

This novel, along with "The Web and the Rock," was written posthumously.

Many authors, such as Ray Bradbury and Jack Kerouac, were influenced by Wolfe.

You Can't Go Home Again is a story about George Weber, a first-time writer, wondering if he will ever be able to pen a second book and his longing for fame.

There are numerous parallels to his life and the people he knows.

He writes about a vast number of people he encounters from 1920 - 1930, their concerns, and his observations.

What makes this book truly interesting is that he is living during the pre-stock market crash, the Depression, and the rise of Hitler in Germany.

He has a unique way of philosophizing about his life, others, and the world around him.

You get a different flavor of the despair of The Depression compared to Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath.

The mania of his hometown before and after the crash, the trivialities of certain wealthy individuals in NYC, the hopelessness and suicide of countless people, and the description of a man jumping out of a hotel window sill are unforgettable.

In the end, you gain a better understanding of what it was like to be someone living during those times.

One chapter reveals that classics are out and a nonentity considered intelligent of the times was regarded as art because a person of class deems it so, but in reality, it was a farce.

He views everyone, including himself, under a microscope, which reveals all the positive and negative aspects of humanity.

In the end, you can't return to life as you were in your youth or even go back to your hometown without things being different, and striving to change what needs to be changed for the betterment is always something to strive for, even if you are a fatalist.

Some excerpts:

"There came to human image of man's whole life upon the earth. It seemed to him that all-man's life was like a tiny spurt of flame that blazed out briefly in an illimitable and terrifying darkness, and that all man's grandeur, tragic dignity, his heroic glory, came from the brevity and smallness of this flame. He knew his life was little and would be extinguished, and that only darkness was immense and everlasting. And he knew that he would die with defiance on his lips, and that shout of his denial would ring with the last pulsing of his heart into the maw of all-engulfing night."

"Life had recently become too short for many things that people had once found time for. Life was simply too short for the perusal of any book longer than two hundred pages. As for 'War and Peace' - no doubt all 'they' said of it was true - but as oneself - well, one had tried, and really it was quite too - too - oh, well, life simply was too short. So life that year was far too short to be bothered by Tolstoy, Whitman, Dreiser, or Dean Swift. But life was not too short that year to be passionately concerned with Mr. Piggy Logan and his circus of wire dolls."

"Here a town of fifty thousand people who had so abdicated every principle of personal and communal rectitude, to say nothing of common sense and decency, that when the blow fell they had no inner resources with which to meet it. The town almost literally blew its brains out."

"It is only now, as I look back upon those years, that I can see in true perspective the meaning of what was happening to me then. For human nature is, alas, a muddy pool, too full of sediment, too murky with the deposits of time, too churned up by uncharted currents in the depths and in the surface, to reflect a sharp, precise, and wholly faithful image. For that, one has to wait until the waters settle down. It follows, then, that one can hope, however much he wishes that he could, to shed the old integuments of the soul as easily and completely as a snake sloughs off its outworn skin."

NBC University Theatre December 18, 1949

https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com...

This is a book that demands your commitment to reading.

It is a remarkable work that showcases the truly outstanding talent of Thomas Wolfe.

He posthumously became my literary hero with this book, which was published in 1938 after his departure from this world.

I affectionately refer to him as the poet novelist.

His words are like precious poetry interwoven within the fabric of the story of his life.

If you are a writer, or a reader with a keen interest in world-class writing talent, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

It is a literary gem that has the power to inspire, move, and captivate.

Pick it up, immerse yourself in its pages, and discover the magic that Thomas Wolfe has created.

You will not be disappointed.

I don't read a lot of fiction. However, ever since I was in high school, I've been told that Thomas Wolfe was one of America's greatest writers. Since, unlike Fitzgerald and Hemingway, I have never been required to read his work, I thought I would begin with You Can't Go Home Again, which has been called his magnum opus. The book surprised me.

To start with, I didn't have any affection for the characters. Generally speaking, to truly enjoy fiction, I must like or at least be able to relate to the characters. But in this case, I was either completely indifferent towards, or actively disliked, all of them. Next, the writing style could be quite challenging. I understand that the style was intended to mirror the atmosphere that George Webber, the main and semi-autobiographical character, was immersed in. But it was still difficult to get through. George indeed had his problems.

What made me keep reading were the moments of astonishing genius that shone through. I would find myself on the verge of throwing the book into the backyard, only to be suddenly stopped short by an astounding insight into human character that seemed to come out of nowhere. These moments kept me going.

In the end, I found myself both pleased and annoyed by George's sincere yet arrogant claims that his understanding of how a person should behave is the only proper way. After finishing it, I discovered that the book was published posthumously by Wolfe's editor. This is not Max Perkins on whom Fox Edwards was based, but the editor Wolfe left Perkins for. That clarified some things. I give this book a high rating because, despite its flaws, it compelled me to face the unpleasant traits in human beings and society. Sometimes I don't know the truth until someone like Wolfe points it out. One day, I may summon the courage to read Wolfe again.

Thomas Wolfe's "You Can't Go Home Again" is an essential novel that demands our immediate attention.

We should set aside whatever we are currently reading and immerse ourselves in this literary masterpiece. Wolfe's untimely death at 37 left a wealth of unfinished manuscripts, but the editors' assembly of "You Can't Go Home Again" is seamless.

The novel is highly autobiographical, with George Webber as Wolfe's stand-in. It explores the consequences of literary success and the social firestorm that can follow.

The publication of Webber's debut novel causes a stir in his hometown, much like what Wolfe experienced with "Look Homeward, Angel."

Literary success comes at a price, and Webber realizes he can never truly go home again.

The novel also engages with the American Dream, asking us to consider its consequences.

Book VI, "I Have a Thing to Tell You," offers a chilling look at Nazi Germany before World War II.

Wolfe's disillusionment with Germany is palpable, and his account provides a valuable historical perspective.

Overall, "You Can't Go Home Again" is a sprawling, chaotic, and wondrous novel that showcases Wolfe's genius.

It is a must-read for everyone, as it reminds us of our shared status as exiles.

I cannot say I enjoyed this book. It was such a strange reading experience that I often think the time I spent on it was a waste.

The narrative was perhaps one of the oddest I've ever come across. Let me illustrate. Imagine the plot as a dinner in a restaurant. You'd expect a starter, then a main course, and finally a dessert. Well, the book starts with a well-thought-out starter, but then you get distracted by a car accident you witness through the restaurant window. Somehow, you forget about the main course and instead get deeply involved in discussing the virtues of the car's engine involved in the accident. This diversion lasts a while, and later you realize the main course is waiting, but you fast forward and find you're almost done with it, with only the final bite remaining. You get distracted a couple more times before finally getting back to dinner, which ends with a seemingly bottomless cup of espresso.

The story centers on George Webber, an aspiring American writer from the South who wrote a book about his hometown. He lives in New York, and his first book is published and becomes a hit, except in his hometown where everyone hates it. They think he portrayed them all negatively, but in reality, he was just being honest, and the townspeople were simply full of themselves.

He struggles with this reaction and lives in Brooklyn, worrying about it. This is the part where I think he should cry me a river. He tries to find a new homeland, so to speak, and goes to Europe. He falls in love with Europe but is again disillusioned by the political changes there. The book ends with a long letter to his publisher, saying he's leaving and wanted to say goodbye. He then goes back to the United States, years after thinking this country isn't for him anymore.

The strange thing is that I wanted to like the book. I can see parallels between the autobiographical main character and my own experiences with my hometown, assuming I have one. I left the Philippines in 2005, seemingly for good, and haven't been back since 2011. I have no connection with that country anymore, and given what I know about the town I used to live in and the people there, it's not appealing to go back. Also, given the direction my life has taken, I definitely don't see myself living in the Philippines again, let alone in my hometown.

So there are many connections I could make with the main character, yet I found it very hard to identify with him. He's too emotional, too wrapped up in his irrational feelings, and too vain, so to speak. It felt like his hormones were on overdrive. And that's definitely not me. It's a pity that the narrative and the overall story structure add another level of difficulty.

The text is just too rhapsodic, with plenty of diversions left and right. Sometimes I'd start reading a paragraph and wonder what its connection was to the rest of the story. In any case, I found the text frustrating and quite inaccessible. I usually read books all the way to the end even if I don't like how it's going, but frankly, this is the first book where I seriously considered stopping it halfway and leaving it unfinished. I didn't, but unfortunately, the text didn't improve in the end.

Overall, I didn't like this book. I picked it up because I wanted to read a Southern author, but it seems I chose the wrong book or author from the start. I give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

See my other book reviews here.

Magari Katsia Tomas Vulfi. Hm, is it George Weber?

This simple sentence seems to pose a question. It makes one wonder who Magari Katsia Tomas Vulfi is and what the connection is to George Weber. Maybe they are acquaintances, colleagues, or have some other relationship.

The use of "Hm" indicates a moment of thought or hesitation, as if the speaker is trying to recall or figure something out.

It could also imply that there is some uncertainty or doubt in the speaker's mind.

Overall, this short sentence creates a sense of mystery and curiosity, leaving the reader eager to know more about these two individuals and their story.

The essence of Time is Flow, not Fix.

The essence of faith is the knowing that all flows and that everything must change.

Sooner or later we’re all strangers in town, even if we never leave. Friendships, jobs, businesses morph. Life happens and we evolve. There are no human museums.

This obsession so preoccupied Wolfe that his final novel, published in 1940, ran over 650 pages. As his semi-autobiographical protagonist is ostracized for literary success at the expense of his personal acquaintances and discovers the futility of fleeing to find a new home. It’s a long read in hours but a short leap to universal truth. Even I, the slowest reader I know, never lost the thread of interest over the months I took to digest it. However, I’m glad I went with hardcopy instead of Audible. Some stories, like life itself, need to be experienced over the long haul.

Home, the crux of my own writings, is less the state of Maine or New Hampshire than a state of mind. Entire blocks of the little town where I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s are now unrecognizable. But I catch snatches of home in the smell of the sea, the cry of a seagulls piercing September’s rain, and the sight of aged asphalt shingles in a newly gentrified slum.

Time is constantly flowing, and with it, everything in our lives changes. Friendships may fade, jobs may come and go, and the places we once knew may transform. This is the reality that Wolfe explored in his final novel. The protagonist's journey shows us that even in the face of success, we may lose the things that truly matter.

For me, home is not just a physical location. It's a feeling, a state of mind. Despite the changes in the town where I grew up, I can still find those precious moments that remind me of home. The smell of the sea, the sound of seagulls, and the sight of familiar objects all bring back memories of a time when life was simpler.

In conclusion, we must embrace the flow of time and the changes that come with it. We should cherish the memories of the past while also looking forward to the future. And most importantly, we should always remember that home is not a place, but a feeling that will always be with us.

I finally had to give up on this book halfway through.

It seems to wander aimlessly, going into great and loving detail with a gush of words to describe people and places that then vanish without a trace.

Surprisingly, I find that I don't even like George.

Some of the characters are memorable, but they aren't present long enough to make any real difference.

I keep wondering why I'm reading all these words (words, words, words - I truly feel like Eliza Doolittle).

I have a preference for novels that have a distinct beginning, a middle, and an end.

Halfway through this book, I still feel as if I'm at the very beginning, and I'm not even remotely interested in the end, whatever it might be.

This book is like taking a leisurely float down a beautiful river.

You get on, enjoy the sights, not really caring where you end up or what you see, and then simply get off at the end.

However, that's not the kind of journey I desire.

If you happen to enjoy that sort of thing, you'll probably love this book.

I set a date to finish it, but in reality, it's more like the date I gave up.

My mom just revealed, upon my questioning, that this was her favorite book.

In a household where books and storytelling have always been of utmost importance, it truly came as a surprise to me that I didn't know this fact before.

Books have been a constant source of joy, knowledge, and inspiration in our family. We have spent countless hours sharing stories and discussing the characters and plots of various books.

I have always been an avid reader myself, and I have a deep appreciation for the power of words and the magic that a good book can bring.

Now that I know my mom's favorite book, I feel a stronger connection to her and a greater desire to explore this particular piece of literature.

I hope I can find some time soon to pick up this book and discover what makes it so special to my mom.

Maybe it will open up a new world of ideas and emotions for me, just as it has for her.

I can't wait to embark on this literary journey and share my thoughts and feelings with my mom.

It will be a wonderful opportunity for us to bond and deepen our understanding of each other through the medium of a beloved book.