Celestial Navigation

by Anne Tyler

Book Overview

"Tyler is steadily raising a body of fiction of major dimensions." THE NEW YORK TIMES Thirty-eight-year-old Jeremy Pauling has never left home. He lives on the top floor of a Baltimore row house where he creates collages of little people snipped from wrapping paper. His elderly mother putters in the rooms below, until her death. And it is then that Jeremy is forced to take in Mary Tell and her child as boarders. Mary is unaware of how much courage...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039449038X
• ISBN13: 9780394490380
• Release Date: January 1974
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 273 Pages
• Weight: 1.36 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Eyes Fixed on the Stars

"Celestial Navigation" is one of Tyler's most profound works, and my personal favorite of her books. Through a series of publically unimportant, though personally tragic human losses, two people meet who seem to have nothing in common except the most basic need of a mate. What they actually have in common, however, is their method of "navigating" life: their vision fixes on one goal, as ancient mariners fixed a telescopic gaze on a star, or the horizon, to guide them across the trackless oceans. The protagonists' desire to reach their goals in a world they do not understand determines every decision each one makes, even if it is wrong, will lead to disaster, or will ultimately break their hearts. The same may be said for almost every other character. You will not regret this read.

Amazon's description of this book is inaccurate

The synopsis and book review for this book are incorrect. Jeremy's mother is already dead at the opening of the book which begins with his sister fretting because Jeremy does not perform his responsibilities as the son of a recently departed widow.Jeremy's sister does not move in with him. She merely stays at the house for the duration of the funeral. Jeremy's boarders do not "bring home babies" because he is the father of those babies.Many of the other reviews posted by readers focus on how miserable the characters are. But an underlying theme seems to be the role of the artist in our society. Jeremy's mental process of artistic creation is very unique,and in contrast to what most people believe "normal" should be. Readers shouldn't dismiss the characters because they seem pathetic. Instead, they should read between the lines to see the struggles that are taking place inside the characters as they try to define their lives in terms of social relationships and artistic vision.I recommend this book to anyone who makes art or who wants to know how the process of making art is at odds with the rules society expects people to follow.

She paints a wonderful tale once again.

Celestial Navigation is definitely one of my favorite books by Anne Tyler. With her extrordinary talent, she has become the master of modern contemporary writers. There is no one whose books I'd rather find myself reading than hers. Celestial Navigation is simply touching; the character of Jeremy Pauling is moving in his awkward attempt at gaining the love of the woman he so greatly admires. However, don't be fooled. Tyler's stories aren't entirely about love; they are about life and the strength needed to get past the everyday struggles that we all undoubtably face. Anne Tyler's novels are like fantastic jewels, both rare and precious. I only hope that in the remaining books I have yet to read by Tyler, that I find the joy I have found thus far.

Touching story filled with real characters & amazing insight

Though the story is quiet, with little or no action, Tyler has some of the sharpest and deepest inights into human behavior and thoughts that I have ever read. Each chapter is written in the voice of a different character, and each character is absolutely complete, unique and so real. The story is of people getting by, finding their way through their lives, and the writing is magical. Each character, though troubled, is easy to identify with in their own ways. The result is a touching, detailed, and extremely truthful book.