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Loading... The Far Field: A Novel of Ceylon (2001)39 | None | 649,161 | None | None | In the tradition of Conrad, Kingsolver, and Ondaatje, Edie Meidav weaves from the tragedy of colonialism an epic first novel of stirring intensity. It's 1936, the world is sliding into war, and Henry Fyre Gould has left behind the salons of New York City for the British colony of Ceylon, the tear-shaped island off the coast of India. Driven by an arrogant faith in his ideals and convinced of his heroic destiny, he storms into the village of Rajottama, determined to build a model Buddhist society. Grand and intimate, witty and poignant, THE FAR FIELD is the story of Henry's education and transformation. He lands in a village that buzzes with colorful eccentrics: a mysterious sugar-voiced boy, Johnny, who serves as his aide; the Buddhist monk with a taste for potted ham; Pushpa Pilima, the sharp-tongued aristocrat and rebel. There is also Nani, Henry's beautiful and enigmatic maid, a center of controversy in the village and the object of the dreamer's infatuation. Expecting to winthe people's hearts with his various projects, Henry instead slowly begins to unravel. He discovers that his spiritual utopia is a tinderbox of conflict and suspicion, and his dangerous obsession and meddling plans finally strain tensions to the point of disaster, sending Henry on a hallucinatory journey toward salvation. Fusing brave eloquence and sly humor, Meidav grapples with the consequences of the West's fascination with the East and explores the nature of faith and love. THE FAR FIELD, a singular work of sweeping imaginative power, introduces an original and important new voice in fiction.… (more) |
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God got this much right. | |
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America has munitions and strapping machines. Pg 201 Daen, they would say, as they do to him now, tee-heeing or boohooing. Daen which really means next week or more often than not never. Daen which is never the now he presumes as hgis birthright. Never the now that cuts straight through all flab to reality's nitty-gritty. Never the now which means now. (216) | |
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▾References References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (1)▾Book descriptions In the tradition of Conrad, Kingsolver, and Ondaatje, Edie Meidav weaves from the tragedy of colonialism an epic first novel of stirring intensity. It's 1936, the world is sliding into war, and Henry Fyre Gould has left behind the salons of New York City for the British colony of Ceylon, the tear-shaped island off the coast of India. Driven by an arrogant faith in his ideals and convinced of his heroic destiny, he storms into the village of Rajottama, determined to build a model Buddhist society. Grand and intimate, witty and poignant, THE FAR FIELD is the story of Henry's education and transformation. He lands in a village that buzzes with colorful eccentrics: a mysterious sugar-voiced boy, Johnny, who serves as his aide; the Buddhist monk with a taste for potted ham; Pushpa Pilima, the sharp-tongued aristocrat and rebel. There is also Nani, Henry's beautiful and enigmatic maid, a center of controversy in the village and the object of the dreamer's infatuation. Expecting to winthe people's hearts with his various projects, Henry instead slowly begins to unravel. He discovers that his spiritual utopia is a tinderbox of conflict and suspicion, and his dangerous obsession and meddling plans finally strain tensions to the point of disaster, sending Henry on a hallucinatory journey toward salvation. Fusing brave eloquence and sly humor, Meidav grapples with the consequences of the West's fascination with the East and explores the nature of faith and love. THE FAR FIELD, a singular work of sweeping imaginative power, introduces an original and important new voice in fiction. ▾Library descriptions No library descriptions found. ▾LibraryThing members' description
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An American romantic dreamer Henry (set in the 1930's before WWII) has his mind set on creating a Modern Utopia in Sri Lanka. Will the people of Sri Lanka be despondent to Henry's dream? | |
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