"There was an old man who dwelt in the land of New Mexico, and
he lost his wife." From that opening line, this tender novella is
at once universal and deeply personal. The nameless narrator, a
writer, shares his most intimate thoughts about his wife, their
life together, and her death. But just as death is inseparable from
life, his wife seems still to be with him. Her memory and words
permeate his days. In "The Old Man's Love Story," master
storyteller Rudolfo Anaya crafts the tale of a lifelong love that
ultimately transcends death.
An elegy not just for the dead but for the vitality of youth,
the old man's story captures both the heartaches and ironies of old
age. We follow him as he proceeds through days of grief and memory,
buying his few groceries, driving slower than the other travelers
on the road. He talks with his wife along the way. "Go slow," he
hears her admonish. As he sits in the garden with their dogs, he
senses her worry over his loneliness. A year passes. He longs to
care for someone, but--to love again?
Like characters in Anaya's previous fiction, the old man lives
in a real New Mexico, but one inhabited by spirits. Death provides
a gateway to other worlds, just as memories connect him to other
times and places. When he eventually begins a new friendship with a
woman, a widow, they share a bittersweet understanding of joy mixed
with sorrow, promise mixed with loss.
Anaya's reflections, as shared through the experiences of this
old man, point to the power and importance of love at every stage
of life. Lyrical and earthy, sad yet suffused with humor, " The Old
Man's Love Story" will speak to all readers, perhaps especially to
those who have suffered a recent loss.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
