Our Souls at Night (Vintage Contemporaries)

I liked the story. That they could find companionship. I didn't like that her son interfered. They weren't harming anyone

This is a profoundly moving and realistic depiction of two aging people in small town America who turn to each other for support. They are able to reflect on their previous lives which have been lived in proximity to each other, even they were not close.

I usually read a novel before watching the movie based upon it. This time is an exception. I stumbled across the movie starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda on Netflix first. These two actors are favorites of mine. They drew me to watch the film. Their performances brought Addie and Louis to life. The story lingered in its bittersweet simplicity, resonating long after the credits. Once I discovered it came from a novel, I had to read it.Kent Haruf writes in an unusual style, without enclosed dialogue quotation marks and often omits commas. It took a few pages to adjust, but once I did, the strength of his storytelling swept me along the meandering current of this small town story of two unforgettable characters amidst their lonely years of aging. It is authentic in thought, feeling, and often painful reality of the often not-so-golden years. The beauty of their friendship is their honesty. Both understand the reality of their lives. The tragedies, mistakes, and failures of their pasts can't be changed. There are no rose-colored glasses for either of them. Addie has the courage to admit she's lonely and to do something about it for as long as possible. Both are better for it. It doesn't have a pat happy ending, but I'm not sure one would have worked. Neither does it end with complete sadness. Addie's courage initiated their friendship and her resolve rekindles it even under changed circumstances. Family is first, but her adult son can't dictate everything. She wouldn't be the Addie the reader comes to love otherwise. Louis grows stronger in character because of her. Even though their choices aren't the exact ones I'd make, I'll never forget them. I'll read more novels by this author.

Our Souls at NightBy Kent HarufReviewed by Jay GilbertsonThis novel is barely 180 pages long. You can read it in one swoop. But don’t. Relish it. Take slow, easy bites; sit alone and be with author Haruf’s words. They’re gems. Each one selected as carefully as one gets dressed for church or a party or a funeral. I had the pleasure of listening to a talk by local author Nickolas Butler and he had this book in his hands as he took the podium. That was enough validation to read this for me. Need more? Haruf is the author of Benediction, Eventide, Plainsong, The Tie That Binds and Where you Once Belonged. Not only is the story totally and completely compelling, it is, but the writing. Well, here, have a chew on this; “That’s sort of like marriage, isn’t it.”“What is?”“Cold Feet.”“It can be.”“Yes. Well, I’m just going to say it.”“I’m listening,” Louis said.“I wonder if you would consider coming to my house sometimes to sleep with me.” “What? How do you mean?”“I mean we’re both alone. We’ve been by ourselves for too long. For years. I’m lonely. I think you might be too. I wonder if you would come and sleep in the night with me. And talk.” There. That’s what the entire tale is built around. That question. Think about it. All the elderly that are shuffling through big, empty houses on streets like yours and mine. Maybe you know someone like Addie Moore or Louis Waters. We all do. They sit alone in movie theaters and are put in the back, if they even go, of restaurants. You see them at the mall walking in circles. Usually an older woman, but there are a lot of men out there too. Makes you wonder. And of course author Haruf takes it many steps further, this request to sleep together has ramifications. First, one of Addie’s kids has a boy that needs taking care of. A messy relationship isn’t panning out. The boy comes to live with Addie for a while. Add in gossip from nosey neighbors and you have a storm brewing out of, what you first imagined to be no one’s business but two old people trying not to be so alone. Yet, for a while, they find each other. “You’re being too hard on yourself again. Addie said. Who does ever get what they want? It doesn’t seem to happen to many of us if any at all. It’s always two people bumping against each other blindly, acting out of old ideas and dreams and mistaken understandings. Except I still say that this isn’t true of you and me. Not right now. Not today.” There is a hitch, of course. I’m not going to spoil it for you because I know you’re going to read this. It should be on every book club’s list as this is a subject that is going to get more and more discussion as all the Baby Boomers out there find themselves in a very similar situation as Addie and Louis. What will you do?• Email; jay@jaygilbertson.com

Le livre est arrivé à temps et il était en parfait état.

I enjoyed the book. Lively, adventurous and poignant

Addie Moore faz uma proposta inesperada ao seu vizinho, Louis Waters, e depois de muito hesitar, faz uma proposta: “Eu gostaria de saber se você consideraria vir à minha casa às vezes para dormir comigo. [...] Quero dizer somos os dois solitários. Estamos sozinhos por muito tempo. Por muitos anos. Estou solitária. Gostaria de saber se você viria e passaria a noite comigo. E conversássemos”. Ela, do alto de muitas décadas de vida e viúva, faz essa proposta a ele, que está nas mesmas condições.Assim começa OUR SOULS AT NIGHT (no Brasil, NOSSAS NOITES, lançado pela Cia das Letras, com tradução de Sonia Moreira), romance postumamente publicado que Kent Haruf escreveu pouco antes de morrer, aos 71 anos, em 2014, por isso não é de se duvidar que as ansiedades e aflições de seus personagens são as mesmas que ele enfrentava com a idade.Seu romance é delicado e preciso em sua percepção de uma sociedade na qual as expectativas de vida é cada vez mais alta, mas que essa mesma sociedade não sabe muito bem o que fazer a uma parcela da população que atinge certa idade. É como se esperassem que vivessem sob algum código do passado, da época de sua criação e juventude, negando-lhe alguns dos direitos que os mais jovens têm.O relacionamento de Addie e Louis, a princípio, pelo menos, não tem nada de romântico. É praticamente um arranjo prático, mas que escandaliza a pequena cidade onde moram no Colorado. Logo a história chega aos ouvidos do filho dela, e se transforma num conflito. É quando o mundo real irrompe e atrapalha o idílio entre o casal de protagonistas.Com uma prosa, ao mesmo tempo, direta mas também poética, Haruf dá conta de laços que unem seus personagens de forma terna, mas também transgressora. Não se espera que eles reencontrem o amor – ou algo parecido – a essa altura de suas vidas, mas eles infringem esses limites, e encontram consolo um no outro.

ロバート・レッドフォードとジェーン・フォンダ主演で映画化されており、映画がよかったので原作も読みました。　主人公二人のやりとりをじっくり味わいながら少しずつ読み進めました。人生の終わりを迎えようとしている2人が、だからこそ、真に大切なものとは何かを迷いなく選択。その率直さと勇気にエールを送りたいと思いました。読み終えるのが惜しいような気持ちでした。　女性である評者にとって、著者が男性であるのもよかった。このような繊細な気持ちを持った男性がいるかもしれない、ということは感動です。著者が女性であったら、この男性はまったく空想の産物のように感じられたかもしれません。　終わりの方で、抗えない世間の常識、みたいなものが出てきて、これはファンタジーだったのか、とも思いました。世間の常識にのっとった交際をしていたら、二人の関係も違ったものになったかもしれません。いろいろなことを考えさせられました。読んでしみじみ、よかった、と思った小説です。

Like all of Kent Harouf's novels I read, this one strikes for its subtleness and delicacy, the precision of the feelings described and yet without voyeurism or indiscretion.