Book Notes | ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’
The Modern Library ranked The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers seventeenth on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Time magazine included it in its 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. In 2004 the novel was selected for Oprah's Book Club.
McCullers was born on February 19, 1917, in Columbus, Georgia. She took writing classes at Columbia University and New York University from 1935 to 1936. She died from a brain hemorrhage on September 29, 1967.
Published in 1940, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter was her debut novel; she was 23 at the time of publication. The novel enjoyed a rapid rise to the top of the bestseller lists, although it received a divided reception from the critics. Kirkus Reviews wrote: “Direct, uncompromising, a distinguished piece of writing whose very subject matter will make it almost impossible to sell.”
Set in the 1930s, in a southern town much like the one in which McCullers was raised, the book revolves around the enigmatic figure of John Singer, a deaf-mute who finds himself on his own after 10 years of sharing a silent routine with his only friend and fellow deaf-mute, Spiros Antonapoulos.
When Antonapoulos, after a stretch of increasingly erratic behavior, is committed to an asylum, Singer finds himself more isolated than ever—until he comes to board in the house of the Kelly family and becomes the confidant of four of the town’s loneliest souls: the café owner Biff Brannon, the heavy-drinking political radical Jake Blount, the Black doctor Benedict Copeland, and a 12-year-old girl with dreams of a musical future, Mick Kelly. These four characters, estranged from family, friends, and community by the remoteness of their longings, find consolation in the hushed politeness of Singer’s company.
We had a good discussion when the UMRA Book Club met on July 21, although members found McCullers’ novel dark and bleak. We questioned why the book was so popular when it was first published, and why it is on so many current lists of best novels. Not many in our group would recommend the book to others.
— Diane Madlon-Kay, UMRA Book Club I
Book Club I in July
Fri, Jul 21 2023, 2pm
Diane Madlon-Kay will lead the discussion of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 21.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.