A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A great read, 25 Jul 2001
Once I picked up this book I could hardly put it down. I was totally captivated by the characters who in many ways seemed so ordinary yet so interesting. Cant wait to read Ethan Canin's next novel.

One to float away with...., 03 Mar 2000
...despite being quite firmly rooted in reality, there's something about the way the story unfolds that gives it a vaguely dreamy sense. It may be that there's only one reference in the book to the time in which it is set - there are clues and suggestions in the detail, but only once does the world external to that of the characters personal lives really intrude in the mention of a date. I bought it on a whim because I like the Chrysler building (pictured on the cover), but that's often a good way of buying. Fundamentally about identity and friendship it should raise echoes in anyone's life. I've given it 4 stars because there are sections towards the beginning which tend towards the twee, but the overall poignancy pulls it away from the brink.

A great novel but a better short story, 02 Feb 2000
I first encountered this novel as the Granta short story "orno and marshall", which seemed to encapsulate most of the themes in the novel but considerably more succinctly. Despite this, the novel is superb - Canin has a great eye for character, and at times the prose is excellent. The emptiness of the character's lives is detailed brilliantly, and Marshall is a brilliant foil to bring out the humanism of Orno. I feel that my reading of the novel may have been unfairly precluded by my reading of what was an awesome short story, but I would still recommend it.

One of the best novels of the 1990's, 26 Jan 2000
I first stumbled accross Ethan Canin in the libary, I found his collection of short stories "The palace theif" - and I soon had much hope on Canin as a new breed of American writers to replace the brat pack of the 80's. "For kings and planets" doesn't dissapoint, Canin writes in a way quite unique, he has the ability to create mesmorising charachters, and I felt a connection towards the words I've not felt since reading Fitzgerald. Canin's ability to show family life, to create a real awareness of humanity is uncanny, and I highly reccomend this original, dreamlike, and readable novel to everyone. Canin is the new voice of American literature...

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A great read, 25 Jul 2001
Once I picked up this book I could hardly put it down. I was totally captivated by the characters who in many ways seemed so ordinary yet so interesting. Cant wait to read Ethan Canin's next novel.

One to float away with...., 03 Mar 2000
...despite being quite firmly rooted in reality, there's something about the way the story unfolds that gives it a vaguely dreamy sense. It may be that there's only one reference in the book to the time in which it is set - there are clues and suggestions in the detail, but only once does the world external to that of the characters personal lives really intrude in the mention of a date. I bought it on a whim because I like the Chrysler building (pictured on the cover), but that's often a good way of buying. Fundamentally about identity and friendship it should raise echoes in anyone's life. I've given it 4 stars because there are sections towards the beginning which tend towards the twee, but the overall poignancy pulls it away from the brink.

A great novel but a better short story, 02 Feb 2000
I first encountered this novel as the Granta short story "orno and marshall", which seemed to encapsulate most of the themes in the novel but considerably more succinctly. Despite this, the novel is superb - Canin has a great eye for character, and at times the prose is excellent. The emptiness of the character's lives is detailed brilliantly, and Marshall is a brilliant foil to bring out the humanism of Orno. I feel that my reading of the novel may have been unfairly precluded by my reading of what was an awesome short story, but I would still recommend it.

One of the best novels of the 1990's, 26 Jan 2000
I first stumbled accross Ethan Canin in the libary, I found his collection of short stories "The palace theif" - and I soon had much hope on Canin as a new breed of American writers to replace the brat pack of the 80's. "For kings and planets" doesn't dissapoint, Canin writes in a way quite unique, he has the ability to create mesmorising charachters, and I felt a connection towards the words I've not felt since reading Fitzgerald. Canin's ability to show family life, to create a real awareness of humanity is uncanny, and I highly reccomend this original, dreamlike, and readable novel to everyone. Canin is the new voice of American literature...

Overrated., 07 Sep 1999
Dissapointing. I found that the stories lacked substance and style. Bland writing and bland reading. It was an effort for me to even complete the book (short as it is).

trite and worthless, 02 Sep 1999
Ethan Canin has little to say and he spends a lot of time doing that. I have thrown away more interesting books. This is a poor, poor representative of any kind of decent writing going on today.

easy morality and sentimental tripe, 15 Aug 1999
I approached this book with high expectations, considering the reviews lavished upon it. However, I found Canin to be one of the most disappointing contemporary writers I've had the misfortune of coming across (along with Michael Chabon). His stories are predictable, his attempts at change in his characters vacillates between trite and the kind of easy salvation the media pours into our faces day after day. If you're looking for innovative short stories, look up George Saunders or Jennifer Egan.

Exceptional powerful stories!, 31 May 1999
These stories are definitely among the best, if not the best, I have ever read. However, I first heard them on audiocassete and they are so much more powerful!!! I believe that the audiocassete is out of print, but would be worth great efforts to try to get it. They are read by the author himself. To hear them, adds a unique depth and dimension that can in no way be captured by the written word.

I regret having loaned it out..., 19 May 1999
...because now I'll never see it again. Stated simply, this is a work of art. The stories are inspired, and the characters are handled with such compassion and subtle understanding that it is difficult to believe that this is Canin's first published work. I agree with the critics that it is also his best. Having read _Of Kings and Planets_ recently, I feel that his artistic integrity may be suffering the pressure of compromise coming from his book deal, but it may also be that his subject matter is exhausted. I thought that _Blue River_ was all right, though it was certainly outshined by this gem. I agree with the other reviewers that "We are Nighttime Travellers" and "Star Food" are the kind of stories that stop time dead in its tracks. If he never writes a good book again, Canin should still be regarded as an exceptional success.

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A great read, 25 Jul 2001
Once I picked up this book I could hardly put it down. I was totally captivated by the characters who in many ways seemed so ordinary yet so interesting. Cant wait to read Ethan Canin's next novel.

One to float away with...., 03 Mar 2000
...despite being quite firmly rooted in reality, there's something about the way the story unfolds that gives it a vaguely dreamy sense. It may be that there's only one reference in the book to the time in which it is set - there are clues and suggestions in the detail, but only once does the world external to that of the characters personal lives really intrude in the mention of a date. I bought it on a whim because I like the Chrysler building (pictured on the cover), but that's often a good way of buying. Fundamentally about identity and friendship it should raise echoes in anyone's life. I've given it 4 stars because there are sections towards the beginning which tend towards the twee, but the overall poignancy pulls it away from the brink.

A great novel but a better short story, 02 Feb 2000
I first encountered this novel as the Granta short story "orno and marshall", which seemed to encapsulate most of the themes in the novel but considerably more succinctly. Despite this, the novel is superb - Canin has a great eye for character, and at times the prose is excellent. The emptiness of the character's lives is detailed brilliantly, and Marshall is a brilliant foil to bring out the humanism of Orno. I feel that my reading of the novel may have been unfairly precluded by my reading of what was an awesome short story, but I would still recommend it.

One of the best novels of the 1990's, 26 Jan 2000
I first stumbled accross Ethan Canin in the libary, I found his collection of short stories "The palace theif" - and I soon had much hope on Canin as a new breed of American writers to replace the brat pack of the 80's. "For kings and planets" doesn't dissapoint, Canin writes in a way quite unique, he has the ability to create mesmorising charachters, and I felt a connection towards the words I've not felt since reading Fitzgerald. Canin's ability to show family life, to create a real awareness of humanity is uncanny, and I highly reccomend this original, dreamlike, and readable novel to everyone. Canin is the new voice of American literature...

Overrated., 07 Sep 1999
Dissapointing. I found that the stories lacked substance and style. Bland writing and bland reading. It was an effort for me to even complete the book (short as it is).

trite and worthless, 02 Sep 1999
Ethan Canin has little to say and he spends a lot of time doing that. I have thrown away more interesting books. This is a poor, poor representative of any kind of decent writing going on today.

easy morality and sentimental tripe, 15 Aug 1999
I approached this book with high expectations, considering the reviews lavished upon it. However, I found Canin to be one of the most disappointing contemporary writers I've had the misfortune of coming across (along with Michael Chabon). His stories are predictable, his attempts at change in his characters vacillates between trite and the kind of easy salvation the media pours into our faces day after day. If you're looking for innovative short stories, look up George Saunders or Jennifer Egan.

Exceptional powerful stories!, 31 May 1999
These stories are definitely among the best, if not the best, I have ever read. However, I first heard them on audiocassete and they are so much more powerful!!! I believe that the audiocassete is out of print, but would be worth great efforts to try to get it. They are read by the author himself. To hear them, adds a unique depth and dimension that can in no way be captured by the written word.

I regret having loaned it out..., 19 May 1999
...because now I'll never see it again. Stated simply, this is a work of art. The stories are inspired, and the characters are handled with such compassion and subtle understanding that it is difficult to believe that this is Canin's first published work. I agree with the critics that it is also his best. Having read _Of Kings and Planets_ recently, I feel that his artistic integrity may be suffering the pressure of compromise coming from his book deal, but it may also be that his subject matter is exhausted. I thought that _Blue River_ was all right, though it was certainly outshined by this gem. I agree with the other reviewers that "We are Nighttime Travellers" and "Star Food" are the kind of stories that stop time dead in its tracks. If he never writes a good book again, Canin should still be regarded as an exceptional success.

Four stories of a singular moment, 13 May 2006
In this collection of four short stories by Ethan Canin, the author focuses on a moment in each of the protagonists' lives when something either went right or wrong. One of the stories, 'The Palace Thief', was the basis for the film "The Emperor's Club" starring Kevin Kline (see my review of that film).
I came to this book by way of the film and loved 'The Palace Thief' as I had the film. I had some difficulties with the other stories, though. They are all well written, but at times I felt they lacked punch. Often I found myself not really caring for the characters. Perhaps the stories are too involved with American issues or the American way of life, or perhaps I failed to pick up some of the subtleties.
'The Accountant' was quite funny - a boring, grey, drab accountant suddenly does something unexpected and surprises even himself. 'Batorsag and Szerelem' I found difficult, despite some very simple, but effective boy meets girl narrative. 'City of Broken Hearts' with its son helping his father help to find a new wife somehow didn't ring true for me.
Buy it for 'The Palace Thief' - a remarkable story (although I thought the film was better) - and read the other stories, but no real revelations there.

An delightful collection of enchanting short stories, 12 Jul 2001
The Palace Thief is an excelent example of modern literature. Canin's style is perhaps his strongest asset, it is enjoyable just to read the book and enjoy the way in which it is written. The stories themselves are clever and completely re-readable. This was the first Canin book I have read and perhaps contains some of his finest writings. Nothing else really compares to it.

Like Philip Roth and Robert Penn Warren, Ethan Canin won the Houghton Mifflin Fellowship for rising stars whose first books hit big. His luminous 1988 story collection, Emperor of the Air remains a must-read, and his second novel, For Kings and Planets, is recognizably part of the Canin constellation first established in those stories. Typically, they feature a straight guy (an accountant or some other sober type) transfixed by the spectacle of an out-of- control guy (a delinquent and/or child-prodigy brother or brother figure to the main character). This time it's Orno Tarcher, a Missouri farm boy thunderstruck by his Columbia University classmate Marshall Emerson, a theatrically bratty, sometimes suicidal Manhattan genius. "I grew up with farmers and insurance salesmen," says Orno. "I grew up with Kennedys and insurance salesmen," says Marshall. "I grew up with pigs everywhere," says Orno. "And we had that in common," Marshall replies. (In keeping with their characters, Orno becomes a sensible dentist and Marshall a cynical, coked-up Hollywood producer.)

Canin sensitively evokes Orno's prosaic world--you'd have to read Jane Smiley's The Age of Grief for better fiction about dentistry. But Orno mostly exists to relate Marshall's appealing, appalling antics, his manic raps about his childhood amid the ruins of Istanbul, his sabotage of his own (and Orno's) love life and his oedipal strife with his brilliant but cold parents. "Our family seal is a snake twisted in knots," says Marshall's lovely sister. And, reader, Orno marries her. Page for page, Canin's stories better show off his gift for epiphany, but the novel gives him room to develop character, entangle plots, and make a stab at the heart of the family romance. -- Tim Appelo

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A great read, 25 Jul 2001
Once I picked up this book I could hardly put it down. I was totally captivated by the characters who in many ways seemed so ordinary yet so interesting. Cant wait to read Ethan Canin's next novel.

One to float away with...., 03 Mar 2000
...despite being quite firmly rooted in reality, there's something about the way the story unfolds that gives it a vaguely dreamy sense. It may be that there's only one reference in the book to the time in which it is set - there are clues and suggestions in the detail, but only once does the world external to that of the characters personal lives really intrude in the mention of a date. I bought it on a whim because I like the Chrysler building (pictured on the cover), but that's often a good way of buying. Fundamentally about identity and friendship it should raise echoes in anyone's life. I've given it 4 stars because there are sections towards the beginning which tend towards the twee, but the overall poignancy pulls it away from the brink.

A great novel but a better short story, 02 Feb 2000
I first encountered this novel as the Granta short story "orno and marshall", which seemed to encapsulate most of the themes in the novel but considerably more succinctly. Despite this, the novel is superb - Canin has a great eye for character, and at times the prose is excellent. The emptiness of the character's lives is detailed brilliantly, and Marshall is a brilliant foil to bring out the humanism of Orno. I feel that my reading of the novel may have been unfairly precluded by my reading of what was an awesome short story, but I would still recommend it.

One of the best novels of the 1990's, 26 Jan 2000
I first stumbled accross Ethan Canin in the libary, I found his collection of short stories "The palace theif" - and I soon had much hope on Canin as a new breed of American writers to replace the brat pack of the 80's. "For kings and planets" doesn't dissapoint, Canin writes in a way quite unique, he has the ability to create mesmorising charachters, and I felt a connection towards the words I've not felt since reading Fitzgerald. Canin's ability to show family life, to create a real awareness of humanity is uncanny, and I highly reccomend this original, dreamlike, and readable novel to everyone. Canin is the new voice of American literature...

Overrated., 07 Sep 1999
Dissapointing. I found that the stories lacked substance and style. Bland writing and bland reading. It was an effort for me to even complete the book (short as it is).

trite and worthless, 02 Sep 1999
Ethan Canin has little to say and he spends a lot of time doing that. I have thrown away more interesting books. This is a poor, poor representative of any kind of decent writing going on today.

easy morality and sentimental tripe, 15 Aug 1999
I approached this book with high expectations, considering the reviews lavished upon it. However, I found Canin to be one of the most disappointing contemporary writers I've had the misfortune of coming across (along with Michael Chabon). His stories are predictable, his attempts at change in his characters vacillates between trite and the kind of easy salvation the media pours into our faces day after day. If you're looking for innovative short stories, look up George Saunders or Jennifer Egan.

Exceptional powerful stories!, 31 May 1999
These stories are definitely among the best, if not the best, I have ever read. However, I first heard them on audiocassete and they are so much more powerful!!! I believe that the audiocassete is out of print, but would be worth great efforts to try to get it. They are read by the author himself. To hear them, adds a unique depth and dimension that can in no way be captured by the written word.

I regret having loaned it out..., 19 May 1999
...because now I'll never see it again. Stated simply, this is a work of art. The stories are inspired, and the characters are handled with such compassion and subtle understanding that it is difficult to believe that this is Canin's first published work. I agree with the critics that it is also his best. Having read _Of Kings and Planets_ recently, I feel that his artistic integrity may be suffering the pressure of compromise coming from his book deal, but it may also be that his subject matter is exhausted. I thought that _Blue River_ was all right, though it was certainly outshined by this gem. I agree with the other reviewers that "We are Nighttime Travellers" and "Star Food" are the kind of stories that stop time dead in its tracks. If he never writes a good book again, Canin should still be regarded as an exceptional success.

Four stories of a singular moment, 13 May 2006
In this collection of four short stories by Ethan Canin, the author focuses on a moment in each of the protagonists' lives when something either went right or wrong. One of the stories, 'The Palace Thief', was the basis for the film "The Emperor's Club" starring Kevin Kline (see my review of that film).
I came to this book by way of the film and loved 'The Palace Thief' as I had the film. I had some difficulties with the other stories, though. They are all well written, but at times I felt they lacked punch. Often I found myself not really caring for the characters. Perhaps the stories are too involved with American issues or the American way of life, or perhaps I failed to pick up some of the subtleties.
'The Accountant' was quite funny - a boring, grey, drab accountant suddenly does something unexpected and surprises even himself. 'Batorsag and Szerelem' I found difficult, despite some very simple, but effective boy meets girl narrative. 'City of Broken Hearts' with its son helping his father help to find a new wife somehow didn't ring true for me.
Buy it for 'The Palace Thief' - a remarkable story (although I thought the film was better) - and read the other stories, but no real revelations there.

An delightful collection of enchanting short stories, 12 Jul 2001
The Palace Thief is an excelent example of modern literature. Canin's style is perhaps his strongest asset, it is enjoyable just to read the book and enjoy the way in which it is written. The stories themselves are clever and completely re-readable. This was the first Canin book I have read and perhaps contains some of his finest writings. Nothing else really compares to it.

The great paint stripper, 05 Nov 2003
I unusually read this whole novel after reading the back page summary alone. The premise seemed a rather jaded one- ie the transforming power of university life. But what Canin writes is
a subtle and deeply involving novel. The characters are explored
like peeling away at paint, revealing more paint, but indelibly marking his quiet hero and derailing best friend as fresh and without cliche.
Like for Orno, the freshman from a small town, the new york smells and sights shimmer and cling in your memory. The ordinariness of life is presented with paired down language showing a quiet life is as eventful as any other life.

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.

A great read, 25 Jul 2001
Once I picked up this book I could hardly put it down. I was totally captivated by the characters who in many ways seemed so ordinary yet so interesting. Cant wait to read Ethan Canin's next novel.

One to float away with...., 03 Mar 2000
...despite being quite firmly rooted in reality, there's something about the way the story unfolds that gives it a vaguely dreamy sense. It may be that there's only one reference in the book to the time in which it is set - there are clues and suggestions in the detail, but only once does the world external to that of the characters personal lives really intrude in the mention of a date. I bought it on a whim because I like the Chrysler building (pictured on the cover), but that's often a good way of buying. Fundamentally about identity and friendship it should raise echoes in anyone's life. I've given it 4 stars because there are sections towards the beginning which tend towards the twee, but the overall poignancy pulls it away from the brink.

A great novel but a better short story, 02 Feb 2000
I first encountered this novel as the Granta short story "orno and marshall", which seemed to encapsulate most of the themes in the novel but considerably more succinctly. Despite this, the novel is superb - Canin has a great eye for character, and at times the prose is excellent. The emptiness of the character's lives is detailed brilliantly, and Marshall is a brilliant foil to bring out the humanism of Orno. I feel that my reading of the novel may have been unfairly precluded by my reading of what was an awesome short story, but I would still recommend it.

One of the best novels of the 1990's, 26 Jan 2000
I first stumbled accross Ethan Canin in the libary, I found his collection of short stories "The palace theif" - and I soon had much hope on Canin as a new breed of American writers to replace the brat pack of the 80's. "For kings and planets" doesn't dissapoint, Canin writes in a way quite unique, he has the ability to create mesmorising charachters, and I felt a connection towards the words I've not felt since reading Fitzgerald. Canin's ability to show family life, to create a real awareness of humanity is uncanny, and I highly reccomend this original, dreamlike, and readable novel to everyone. Canin is the new voice of American literature...

Overrated., 07 Sep 1999
Dissapointing. I found that the stories lacked substance and style. Bland writing and bland reading. It was an effort for me to even complete the book (short as it is).

trite and worthless, 02 Sep 1999
Ethan Canin has little to say and he spends a lot of time doing that. I have thrown away more interesting books. This is a poor, poor representative of any kind of decent writing going on today.

easy morality and sentimental tripe, 15 Aug 1999
I approached this book with high expectations, considering the reviews lavished upon it. However, I found Canin to be one of the most disappointing contemporary writers I've had the misfortune of coming across (along with Michael Chabon). His stories are predictable, his attempts at change in his characters vacillates between trite and the kind of easy salvation the media pours into our faces day after day. If you're looking for innovative short stories, look up George Saunders or Jennifer Egan.

Exceptional powerful stories!, 31 May 1999
These stories are definitely among the best, if not the best, I have ever read. However, I first heard them on audiocassete and they are so much more powerful!!! I believe that the audiocassete is out of print, but would be worth great efforts to try to get it. They are read by the author himself. To hear them, adds a unique depth and dimension that can in no way be captured by the written word.

I regret having loaned it out..., 19 May 1999
...because now I'll never see it again. Stated simply, this is a work of art. The stories are inspired, and the characters are handled with such compassion and subtle understanding that it is difficult to believe that this is Canin's first published work. I agree with the critics that it is also his best. Having read _Of Kings and Planets_ recently, I feel that his artistic integrity may be suffering the pressure of compromise coming from his book deal, but it may also be that his subject matter is exhausted. I thought that _Blue River_ was all right, though it was certainly outshined by this gem. I agree with the other reviewers that "We are Nighttime Travellers" and "Star Food" are the kind of stories that stop time dead in its tracks. If he never writes a good book again, Canin should still be regarded as an exceptional success.

Four stories of a singular moment, 13 May 2006
In this collection of four short stories by Ethan Canin, the author focuses on a moment in each of the protagonists' lives when something either went right or wrong. One of the stories, 'The Palace Thief', was the basis for the film "The Emperor's Club" starring Kevin Kline (see my review of that film).
I came to this book by way of the film and loved 'The Palace Thief' as I had the film. I had some difficulties with the other stories, though. They are all well written, but at times I felt they lacked punch. Often I found myself not really caring for the characters. Perhaps the stories are too involved with American issues or the American way of life, or perhaps I failed to pick up some of the subtleties.
'The Accountant' was quite funny - a boring, grey, drab accountant suddenly does something unexpected and surprises even himself. 'Batorsag and Szerelem' I found difficult, despite some very simple, but effective boy meets girl narrative. 'City of Broken Hearts' with its son helping his father help to find a new wife somehow didn't ring true for me.
Buy it for 'The Palace Thief' - a remarkable story (although I thought the film was better) - and read the other stories, but no real revelations there.

An delightful collection of enchanting short stories, 12 Jul 2001
The Palace Thief is an excelent example of modern literature. Canin's style is perhaps his strongest asset, it is enjoyable just to read the book and enjoy the way in which it is written. The stories themselves are clever and completely re-readable. This was the first Canin book I have read and perhaps contains some of his finest writings. Nothing else really compares to it.

The great paint stripper, 05 Nov 2003
I unusually read this whole novel after reading the back page summary alone. The premise seemed a rather jaded one- ie the transforming power of university life. But what Canin writes is
a subtle and deeply involving novel. The characters are explored
like peeling away at paint, revealing more paint, but indelibly marking his quiet hero and derailing best friend as fresh and without cliche.
Like for Orno, the freshman from a small town, the new york smells and sights shimmer and cling in your memory. The ordinariness of life is presented with paired down language showing a quiet life is as eventful as any other life.

A moving story about life, 04 Oct 2003
This is a fictional story of one man's interesting, but not implausible life, written with care and sensitivity by Canin. As August Kleinman's life plays out as do the events of the twentieth century, but these are merely a back drop to the his personal journey. The strands of his life are subtly interwoven until the point comes when the old man must face his actions and repent in order to leave the limbo his mind and body has created. It's an over used phrase, but this novel really is life affirming in it's beautiful rendition of a character seeking to become a better man.

A humane and empathetic look at one man's heart.,, 05 Sep 2003
August Kleinman, an elderly man who has earned a fortune, is diligent, focused, and uncompromising in his beliefs. While he regards these attributes as virtues, other people see him as a man unwilling to bend and reluctant to concede a point, an unlikely "hero" for a book. He has been ejected from a taxi for calling the driver a cheat, has challenged airplane crew by refusing to raise his seatback, and has told a President to his face that he is a coward. He has taken to heart the ironic advice his mother gave him when he was a child, "Take the advice of no one," to which she also added, "And know your enemy."

It is August's overpowering love for his wife Ginger, whom he lost earlier to Alzheimer's disease, which humanizes him for the reader and makes his introspection and his behavior at the end of his life both realistic and emotionally moving. Canin switches back and forth, seemingly randomly, between August's terrifying World War II service as a G.I., his business life, his brief trip to Japan at the end of his life, and his visits with his son and his family, gradually depicting a man who recognizes on some level that he has missed out on some of life's most meaningful experiences.

This is a remarkably sensitive portrait of an often insensitive man who finds that "understanding is not what this life has given [him]." He has never considered "Where did the human soul flower?" As he searches for answers at the end of his life, the reader shares his journey, admiring the simplicity of Canin's message, the clarity of his images, and the strength and dexterity of a prose style that is simultaneously disciplined and lyrical. Mary Whipple

A truly beautiful book, 27 Sep 2002
A wonderfully written book. The language is superb. I really could not put it down. One of the best books I have read all year. The book darts from the past to present, which can sometimes halt the flow of a story, but not in this book. The main character is endearing and enchanting. This book is an effortless read, which comes highly recommended.

A delight, 19 Oct 2001
Another beautifully crafted offering from the expert short story specialist. This is actually a novella, thought its fractured structure makes it feel like a group of affiliated short stories. The writing is vivid and economical, the main character is a marvellously real creation (shades of Saul Bellow's great protagonists), and there's a measured poignancy about the whole performance. Recommended.