Merry Men

by Carolyn Chute

Book Overview

New York Newsday called Chute's third book about Egypt, Maine, "a passionate and gorgeously written homage to americanca's poor." With Lloyd Barrington, a modern-day Robin Hood, at the head of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0156001918
• ISBN13: 9780156001915
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Mariner Books
• Length: 712 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

It will never be 1870 again

This is a great book in "The Great Books" sense of the word. It's rich and full and, amazing things seem to happen on every page. Take Rembrandt and Velasquez and Dickens and Tolstoy and have them create a portrait of Western Maine. That will give some idea of what this book like. Mrs. Chute, however, is very upset that people cannot be farmers the way they were in the Nineteenth Century. Mrs. Chute is a brilliant writer but she is angry. Whether or not you agree with Mrs. Chute's politics everyone needs to read this book. I am shock to find it out of print. Mrs. Chute is one of the best writers that ever walked the face of Earth.

Too bad about the ending

Living in a small Maine town, I can attest to the veracity of Chute's vision. The characters are well-realized. Many scenes are breath-takingly well-written. Two problems with the novel: (1) It would be better without Chute's sermons about the grotesque evils of hunting & corporate America. (2) It would be a great novel with a different ending. The final act of the protagonist, Lloyd Barrington, is uncharacteristically & gratuitously cruel. That Chute had to change her protagonist's personality shows that she did not know how to end this wonderful, sprawling novel.

A Prize by The Greatest Female Writer of Our Time

Just as "Ulysses" was derided at it's debut, so has this book been. And just like "Ulysses" is now celebrated as a masterpiece of the millenium, so this book will be. Carolyn Chute, with only four titles in print, is the undisputed heavyweight champeen woman writer of the world. If you love Hemingway's wry just under the surface populism, you will love Chute. In fact, if you only read one book in your life, make it this one!

A wonderful book---true-to-life "Maine" characters

Carolyn Chute has an amazing talent at bringing to life the very heart and soul of her characters. This book exemplified that ability. Being from the same part of Maine of which she writes, I can identify strongly with these characters. Reading this book thrust me back in time to my youth in Maine---I was overwhelmed with nostalgia simply because Mrs. Chute wrote so well and was able to breathe life into her story. The characters of this novel were Maine personified. Anyone who grew up in Maine can understand what I mean---it wasn't like reading a novel, but rather was like actually being there and experiencing it. Thank you, Carolyn, for treating me to a part of my life I had previously thought forgotten and past.

A wonderful read; people you care about; get it *now*.

Makes _The Beans_ seem like a primer -- and I like _Beans_. The characters move in and out of our view like players in an Altman movie; as I am sad to leave one scene, so I am delighted by whoever shows up next. I think the ending is somewhat contrived and untrue to (at least my own version of) the protagonist, but that's a matter for discussion; other minds might differ. Shall we talk?