Fonda and redford star as addie moore and louis waters, a widow and widower whove lived next to each other for years. Our souls at night was inspired, in part, by harufs own marriage and the intimate, latenight conversations he and his wife relished, just like addie and louis. But i found little of that now wait who said what that i have found in other books. But from beyond the grave he died last november haruf reaches out with our souls at night. As with his earlier novels, our souls at night is set on the plains of eastern colorado, in the town of holt. It was kent harufs last book and it was published posthumously. It is about intimacy the nonsexual variety that makes harufs novel so compelling, and about how two people can find a sense of beauty and belonging in each other that. Attendance at the meeting was way down, only four gals attended, but we had a spirited discussion over this short, gem of a book. Again, putting yourself in the place of an observerfamily, would you take any issue with the word decency. Visa, mastercard, american express paypal, diners club and discover. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging confidences and memories. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly folks. He died last november, shortly after it was completed, bringing the saga of holt, colorado, to a breathtaking close.
Yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. When addie tries to make a connection with her neighbor, the two begin sleeping in bed together platonically, with the innocent goal of alleviating their shared loneliness. A novel, this is a great books that i think are not only fun to read but also very educational. The quality of this book was of such that i could forgive the. Our souls at night grpl book club a novel book club kit. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging the confidences and memories. Our souls at night book king county library system. This book really swept me up and moved me, and id like to page through it for a while longer before i return it to the library. I picked this book without giving it any thought and it was my first time reading kent haruf, it definitely wont be my last. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they naturally have known of each other for decades.
Chapter 28 begins with the arrival of addies son gene who came to the house and immediately started. He then wrote notes all over that first draft and retyped it doublespaced on. Our souls at night book club kit chapel hill public. With judy greer, robert redford, jane fonda, bruce dern. Now that i know i have, you knowa limited timeit was. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of our souls at night by kent haruf. Our souls at night is a 2017 american romantic drama film directed by ritesh batra and written by scott neustadter and michael h. This summary of our souls at night includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. But that isnt this movie, which is as comforting, lowkey and unfussy as your grandmothers tablecloth, the one she used every day and not just for company. Addie moore and louis waters are neighbours, in their 70s, living in harufs fictional town called holt. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging the confidences and memories of lives now empty of family, and their hopes for the imminent future.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Our souls at night kent haruf, 2015 knopf doubleday 192 pp. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the imminent. The book is being developed into a netflix original film starring robert redford and jane fonda, which premieres on the platform in september 2017. Their brave adventures their pleasures and their difficulties are hugely involving and truly resonant, making our souls at night the perfect final installment to this beloved writers enduring contribution to american literature. But the novel runs, like harufs others, on the dogged insistence that simple elements carry depth, and readers will find much to be grateful. Our souls at night reading group choices book club. The book is split into three sections, including a first one which alternates chapters between the time of ellie.
Jane fonda and robert redford reunite for our souls at night, a netflix film. Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. When read as a final tribute to a lifelong love, this book becomes a thing of. May 28, 2015 kent haruf died at the end of last year, leaving behind one final tale. And just like addie and louis, haruf proved that youre never too old to reinvent yourself, take risks, find love, and write a great novel. That it turns out were not finished with changes and excitements. Our souls at night was published in 2015 and is now in the process of being adapted for the screen, starring robert redford and jane fonda. Our souls at nightbook club discussion yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. The pair have almost no relationship, but that all changes when addie tries to make a connection with her neighbor. Pdf our souls at night download full pdf book download. Do you see evidence of this struggle in our souls at night.
Our souls at night sounds as if it should be a noirish plunge into existential darkness of ravaged psyches while bloodhounds balefully howl at the moon. I loved our souls at night david nicholls our souls at night is a deeply affecting love story, adapted into a film starring jane fonda and robert redford. Our souls at night ebook epubpdfprcmobiazw3 free download. Our souls at night npr coverage of our souls at night by kent haruf. Our souls at night is an exquisite book made all the more poignant by the fact that. Hes the kind of person, brotherinlaw dave mockingly notes, who has an assigned chore for each day. Our souls at night is just as beautiful as harufs earlier books, albeit somewhat shorter and focused only on addie and louis vs. Addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters. Kent haruf our souls at night e book our souls at night epub our souls at night pdf our souls at night pdf download our souls at night short summary our souls at night subject pan macmillan. Meanwhile, addies grown son is in a troubled marriage. This valedictory novel is on the same elevated plane as plainsong and eventide. It was discussed last year by the 21st century literature group before it was. In the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs inimitable fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters.
Aug 24, 2017 yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. Our souls at night by american novelist kent haruf managed to sooth my soul and stimulate my imagination. Who would have thought at this time in our lives that wed still have something like this. His daughter lives hours away, her son even farther, and addie and louis have long been living alone in empty houses, the nights so terribly lonely, especially. Our souls at night book pima county public library. Free download our souls at night a novel litbook pdf. This is my very first book that i have read by kent haruf. Kent harufs novel, our souls at night, tells the tale of the unlikely love found when addie moore proposes that her neighbor, louis waters, sleeps in the same bed as her because the nights are lonely.
Our souls at night is simply, profoundly, an exquisite homage to love. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of our souls at night. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Reviews and discussion questions for our souls at night are listed along with links to key places and things relevant to the story.
Its also an important reminder that there are still plenty of stories worth telling in the twilight years of one. Louis waters and addie moore are the focus of this bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the future. Kent harufs final novel, the national bestseller our souls at night, is a quiet tale of love and second chances. Its set, like all his previous novels, in the fictional town of holt, colorado. Our souls at night could have been too saccharine to swallow, but thanks to redford and fondas wonderful work, it instead feels as warm and comforting as your grandmothers chicken noodle soup. If you liked the netflix movie of our souls at night. But haruf wrote this novel as an homage to his wife cathy, whom he married later in life as well. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their. The inspiring story of a son and his dying mother, who form a book club that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Kent haruf wrote our souls at night under a death sentence. Louis postdispatch, and the denver post in the familiar setting of holt, colorado, home to all of kent harufs inimitable fiction, addie moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, louis waters. Addie moore has lost her husband, and one day she boldly invites a neighbor, widower louis, whom she does not know well, to come spend the night sleeping with her chastely, just so that she may have someone to talk to and confide in during those particularly lonely earlymorning hours. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. Our souls at night is beautifully written and has such great meaning.
The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night. Our souls at night by kent haruf mount prospect public library. In his final interview, conducted a few days before his death from interstitial lung disease, haruf discussed our souls at night. Kent haruf died at the end of last year, leaving behind one final tale. His writing is direct and moving, it is simple yet profound. Despite knowing his life was coming to a sooner end than it should, or perhaps because of this, he created a story about finding love in the final chapter. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the imminent future. Addie moore and louis waters, a widow and widower, have lived next door to each other for years. In holt, colorado, widower louis waters is initially thrown when the widowed addie moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Book club discussions laura spaulding may 10, 2017 our souls at night, kent haruf, book club discussion comment for our discussion we will be discussing our souls at night by kent haruf in my preparation i have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their spouses. Our souls at night, by kent haruf the new york times. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly.
Robert redford and jane fonda in our souls at night. Our souls at night grpl book club book club kit grand. A book like our souls at night may not offer a groundbreaking plot but this bittersweet novella will leave you with a sense of tranquility and calmness. Our souls at night was inspired, in part, by harufs own marriage and the intimate, late night conversations he and his wife relished, just like addie and louis. In this last book, haruf, a very loved author, seems occasionally to speak to his longtime audience directly, as when louis offers a wry opinion of the. The beautiful poetic prose in this slim book and the theme of love of different kinds in old age work together to create magic. Our souls at nightbook club discussion my head is full. Book discussion our souls at night by kent haruf book. I dont think theres a false word in kent harufs final novel, our souls at night. It is not sensational, it is not edgy, it is not cynical, nor is it freighted with irony like so much modern literature. It is a report from the edge of darkness, made in the. Our souls at night has less grit than eventide, with its dickensian views of the lives of the poor, or plainsong, where favorite characters draw relentless spite. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading our souls at night.
Subscribe to the oprahs book club newsletter sign up for the oprahs book club newsletter get more stories like this. Harufs prose is pareddown and limpid, maybe even more so than in his earlier novels. Read free book excerpt from our souls at night by kent haruf, page 1 of 3. If you liked the netflix movie of our souls at night, try kent harufs book kent harufs book is both fresh and nostalgic. The idea for the book has been floating around in my mind for quite a while. Check out tips, advice, and all the ways the library can help support your group. Our souls at night is a novella rather than a novel, and it has the rather disturbing jewellike clarity typical of the best novellas. Our souls at night robert redford and jane fonda interviews around the set of the movie. Our souls at night is kent harufs final novel, as he passed away in 2014 at the age of 71.
Our souls at night by kent haruf goodreads share book. The film stars robert redford, jane fonda, matthias schoenaerts, and judy greer. If you liked the netflix movie of our souls at night, try. Our souls at night honors the quiet strength of its source material by offering a simple yet sturdy canvas for two talented veteran leads to bring its story. As harufs life was ending his wife worked with him on our souls at night, typing the book into a computer he wrote on a typewriter and getting it ready for submission. This book was written as haruf knew his time was limited. Our souls at night is the final book from the folio prizeshortlisted author of plainsong, eventide and benediction, kent haruf. Important wuthering heights quotes explained sparknotes explanation of the famous quotes in wuthering heights including all important speeches comments quotations and. Addie moore and louis waters have been neighbours for years. As trite as it might sound, our souls at night is a beautiful story. Kent haruf uses simple language to tell the story and the writing is perfection. Daves comments are uttered at a hilarious, chaotic family gettogether that demonstrates the origins of.
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