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beckca03's review against another edition
2.0
Life is too short to listen to mediocre books. I got through more than half of this 500-ish page book (and let’s just say that audiobooks can be measured like dog years if the book is bad). The rambling script just wasn't cutting it. I was really hoping for more.
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book set in the 70's that follows Corey a young teenager who has learned the value of hard work from his father. His attention to details and willingness to work impresses a local wealthy businessman with an interest in politics. He hires Corey to do work around the house. Corey gets to know all the members of the family, especially the two daughters while working and is even invited to take part in some of their family activities. As he goes off to school, he also becomes involved in a presidential campaign that has shades of Ted Kennedy to it. Overall I liked this book, but it jumped around so much that it was hard to stay invested sometimes.
bookiesanta's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed reading America America, even though it sat on my nook "unopened" for years. I believe this was a "free Friday book" , back when B&N was doing that with e-books, given the price, my expectations were not overwhelming. But this is a well read, cleanly written book about growing up on the wrong side of the coin, yet finding yourself around important people. Who, after all, are just people, ramming aside others on the highway of life, except that, because they are important, because they are more intelligent and ambitious, we invest ourselves in them. America reminded me of Oates's "Black Water", in that both deal with Cappaquiddick-like incidents. (Though Black Water is a more direct reference) I will have to check out more of Canin's books.
cedickie's review against another edition
2.0
When will authors quit using "America" in any title they're too lazy to actually put effort into? I would have given this book 2.5 stars, but half stars just aren't allowed. The book isn't terrible. The plot is somewhat intriguing and the characters are fairly endearing. However, having just finished Great Expectations, I found the plot a little too familiar. Boy with uneducated family becomes involved with rich family, gets sent to prestigious boarding school, falls in love with probably the wrong woman, benefactor involved in crime, turns his back (to a small extent) on family, etc. The main difference between America, America and Great Expectations? Canin is an okay write, Dickens was a great writer.
The book switches back and forth between Corey (the main character) as a boy, teenager, young adult, and his current life. I guess Canin is trying to best convey a sense of nostalgia by switching back and forth so much. The issue is that the narrator is at his strongest as an adult. In his younger days, the narrative seems forced, like Canin wasn't fully comfortable with the character. All the characters seem too innocent and good to be true, making later "twists" of the plot all too predictable. Towards the end of the book, a third person narrative appears, revealing answers to the book's "mystery." However, Corey doesn't know what we know at this point, and chooses not to explain some of his own mysteries (such as why he ultimately marries the woman he does), which hurts the book more than helps it. Although it flows pretty easily for being fairly long, it probably should have been about 150 pages shorter. A lot of the story line around Bonwiller became repetitive and some of the thrown in info about his family seemed a little bit irrelevant.
The book switches back and forth between Corey (the main character) as a boy, teenager, young adult, and his current life. I guess Canin is trying to best convey a sense of nostalgia by switching back and forth so much. The issue is that the narrator is at his strongest as an adult. In his younger days, the narrative seems forced, like Canin wasn't fully comfortable with the character. All the characters seem too innocent and good to be true, making later "twists" of the plot all too predictable. Towards the end of the book, a third person narrative appears, revealing answers to the book's "mystery." However, Corey doesn't know what we know at this point, and chooses not to explain some of his own mysteries (such as why he ultimately marries the woman he does), which hurts the book more than helps it. Although it flows pretty easily for being fairly long, it probably should have been about 150 pages shorter. A lot of the story line around Bonwiller became repetitive and some of the thrown in info about his family seemed a little bit irrelevant.
emilyisreading2024's review against another edition
5.0
America America was one of my favorite reads last year. I think Ethan Canin is such an impressive writer. I have recommended this book to several friends, who have all enjoyed it.
kchiappone's review against another edition
3.0
Not a bad novel, but one that made me question, "why?" too often in a negative way. There were several turns that weren't very important, and the author seemed to have a need to tie up every loose end. The bigger problem is the sense that there is nothing of tremendous significance. The writing is decent, but I kept thinking, "does this matter?" both in regards to the plot and the message that the book appears to be trying to send.
wsk56's review against another edition
4.0
This engaging novel takes place in the early 70's and is narrated by present day Corey Sifter, a newspaper publisher in a small town in upstate New York. It is a coming of age story, but also an historical novel about presidential politics. It involves the fictional Senator Henry Bonwiller, who runs in the Democratic primaries against Ed Muskie and George McGovern, and his ultimate undoing. Sixteen-year-old Corey, the son of a laborer, is hired to work for the powerful Liam Matarey, who takes the boy under his wing and provides him first with work, then an education. Corey becomes witness to Bonwiller's political campaign and becomes entwined with the Matarey family.
Corey is strongly influenced by Mr. Metarey, but also by his own parents. We see his character develop as a result of his early years and we understand the person he has become because of events he has seen unfold.
We watch him in the present day as he mentors a young woman and continues a close relationship with his father. Despite what could have been a corrupting influence, he has developed a good sense of justice and morality. This is a fine and satisfying novel on many levels, with well-developed characters. Canin sees the ending through to its ultimate conclusion without, with the exception of Christian, loose ends. We are allowed to see how it all turns out. Canin is a gifted writer and this is an exceptional story I will not soon forget.
Corey is strongly influenced by Mr. Metarey, but also by his own parents. We see his character develop as a result of his early years and we understand the person he has become because of events he has seen unfold.
We watch him in the present day as he mentors a young woman and continues a close relationship with his father. Despite what could have been a corrupting influence, he has developed a good sense of justice and morality. This is a fine and satisfying novel on many levels, with well-developed characters. Canin sees the ending through to its ultimate conclusion without, with the exception of Christian, loose ends. We are allowed to see how it all turns out. Canin is a gifted writer and this is an exceptional story I will not soon forget.
lindsayharmon's review against another edition
3.0
I fell in love with Ethan Canin's writing in For Kings and Planets, and I've liked most of his other stuff as well, particularly the short stories. This one treads some familiar ground with a naive working-class kid who gets involved with a wealthy family and goes to boarding school, with the twist that the father of the wealthy family he works for gets him involved in the political campaign of Sen. Henry Bonwiller, a fictitious candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination who is derailed by a scandal involving a dead mistress (but supposedly Canin wasn't even thinking about Ted Kennedy while writing this. Uh huh.). The plot is interesting and most of the characters are compelling, although Corey's reminiscences about his own naivete can be a little much at times. But ultimately I felt like this book needed a heavier edit--parts of it were slow to the point of tediousness.
roscoehuxley's review against another edition
4.0
A moving, poignant novel -- seemingly based on a variety of true political incidents. Corey Sifter tells the story of a presidential candidate, and the incident the brought him down. Corey had been working for the politician's his primary supporter. Corey tells the story from present day, in scenes and snippets. We know Corey marries, but he doesn't name his wife until well into the novel..... but why he ended up with this woman is never explained.
mpstory's review against another edition
3.0
Super readable book set in Western New York, narrated by a newspaper publisher looking back on some extraordinary events that changed him as a young man. It deals with a presidential candidate dealing with a scandal, a wealthy family trying to live up to the efforts and ideals of their ancestors and a working class family adjusting to a changing world.
I found the book incredibly engaging until the last 50 pages or so. I can see why it appeals to so many others and I think I would recommend it to people who don't mind some lulls in the writing and aren't easily irritated by stories about politicians.
I found the book incredibly engaging until the last 50 pages or so. I can see why it appeals to so many others and I think I would recommend it to people who don't mind some lulls in the writing and aren't easily irritated by stories about politicians.