Thomas Williams (6) (1926–1990)

Aaron Benham, writer, professor, husband, father, is having a midlife crisis.

He's stalled on his latest novel; he's dealing with the hysterical mother of a missing student as well as the worried wife of a doctoral candidate who won't finish his thesis; and he's disappointed his family once again by forgetting about the family trip they had planned. During that long weekend alone, while his family has gone on without him, Aaron wrestles with age-old questions: Who am I? How did I get here? show more What is my purpose?

Set in New England of the early 1970s, the novel ranges through time and memory and fiction itself. We are treated to Aaron's stream of conscience reminiscences of WWII Army life, the goings-on of the present day, and his struggles with his novel. In fact, we spend a lot of time inside Aaron's novel itself..."a thinly disguised memoir of his college days," to quote the back cover. And even some time inside the novel's novel...each story interconnected by outside events, haunting regrets, and foolish young decisions. Aaron's world allows him to be selfish and self-indulgent -- a guilty flaw he fully recognizes and explores at length through his own internal dialogue and that of Allard Benson, the alter ego of his novel. By the time we reach the conclusion, Aaron may or may not be a better person, but he's certainly aware.

Although it took me a little while to get into the rhythm, the story flowed easily, with beautiful language, well-drawn fully-fleshed characterizations, and smooth transitions. Well worth reading.

Thank you, LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the opportunity to read this book. show less

[this review is of the Bloomsbury USA 2011 reprint edition, as part of the LT Early Reviewers program]

A book that certainly deserves to be back in print. With a deft hand, Thomas Williams gives us a story of a writer giving us a story; weaving story on story until the reader is happily lost in the layers. In these pages is childhood, youth, coming-of-age, adulthood, responsibility, recklessness, struggles to keep things from changing, struggles to move on, and struggles to make the world show more live up to our dreams. If I started to describe the stories, I'd never stop writing. William's is a master craftsman and this work left me with that rare but delicious sense of coming out of a dream that, for me, marks the best of fiction. Thank you Bloomsbury for bringing this back, and for giving us the brilliant afterword by WIliams' daughter, author Ann Joslin Williams.

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Story within story within story. So many layers, so many opportunities to confuse and frustrate, yet Williams manages to be piercingly clear while he delights. Simultaneously a coming of age story and a retrospective view from middle-age that is filled with elements of regret and cynicism.

Aaron Benham, university professor and author, is struggling to write his latest novel while he also struggles to make sense of his current life. The novel unfolds before our eyes, a story seemingly based show more on events in Aaron's early life. Williams' novel takes its name from a physicial attribute of a character in Benham's novel, one Harold Roux. Harold, most confident and comfortable while briefly living in Lilliputown, an illusion filled creation of his eccentric landlord couple, has his world view and self image shattered, while Benham's alter ego (Allard Benson) moves deftly from his novel to become a springboard for Benham's reflections on his life, marriage, family, and career.

This novel won the National Book Award in 1975, deservedly so. There are many passages I took time to read multiple times, to mark down, to share with friends. It is a book well worth reading - and well worth the current re-publication. show less

You have to admire the intricate construction of this layered novel of nested stories which confirms a long held suspicion that writers are well-served by the mining of their own lives. Happily, the author does not rely on clever devise alone, as the writing is strong, with well-drawn, believable characters struggling with life's challenges. The story-within-a-story design allows the author to explore the various themes from a multitude of perspectives, deepening the narrative. In less deft show more hands, this novel could easily have become muddied and confused, but Thomas Williams has a firm hold of his reins throughout. show less