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Rules for Old Men Waiting - by  Peter Pouncey (Paperback) - 1 of 1

Rules for Old Men Waiting - by Peter Pouncey (Paperback)

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About this item

Highlights

  • A brief, lyrical novel with a powerful emotional charge, Rules for Old Men Waiting is about three wars of the twentieth century and an ever-deepening marriage.
  • About the Author: Peter Pouncey was born in Tsingtao, China, of English parents.
  • 240 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Historical

Description



About the Book



In a house on the Cape, a dying historian who long ago played rugby for Scotland, creates a list of rules by which to live out his last days. The most important rule, to "tell a story to its end," spurs him to invent a strange and gripping tale of men in the trenches of the First World War.



Book Synopsis



A brief, lyrical novel with a powerful emotional charge, Rules for Old Men Waiting is about three wars of the twentieth century and an ever-deepening marriage. In a house on the Cape "older than the Republic," Robert MacIver, a historian who long ago played rugby for Scotland, creates a list of rules by which to live out his last days. The most important rule, to "tell a story to its end," spurs the old Scot on to invent a strange and gripping tale of men in the trenches of the First World War.

Drawn from a depth of knowledge and imagination, MacIver conjures the implacable, clear-sighted artist Private Callum; the private's nemesis Sergeant Braddis, with his pincerlike nails; Lieutenant Simon Dodds, who takes on Braddis; and Private Charlie Alston, who is ensnared in this story of inhumanity and betrayal but brings it to a close.

This invented tale of the Great War prompts MacIver's own memories of his role in World War II and of Vietnam, where his son, David served. Both the stories and the memories alike are lit by the vivid presence of Margaret, his wife. As Hearts and Minds director Peter Davis writes, "Pouncey has wrought an almost inconceivable amount of beauty from pain, loss, and war, and I think he has been able to do this because every page is imbued with the love story at the heart of his astonishing novel."



Review Quotes




Advance Praise for Rules for Old Men Waiting

"A deeply sensual, moving, thrilling novel that calls for a second and third reading-it is that rich."
-Frank McCourt

"This is a wonderful novel of a man's experience, and it touches every chord: a wholeness to which each incident crucially contributes so that wars and loves and losses, and mortality itself, are lived by the reader. The book is charged with the excitement of intelligent existence-and distinguished, above all, by its great humanity."
-Shirley Hazzard

"A stunning piece of work, beautifully composed and finished. It's very much its own thing, but in its reach, intelligence, and power it recalls Lampedusa's The Leopard and Marai's Embers, along with something of Norman MacLean. Old Men belongs on that same shelf."
-Ward Just

"A tender, beautifully expressed rumination on love and loss by a highly intelligent and marvelously brave old man."
-Louis Begley

"Mr. Pouncey writes with enough style and elegance to bring envy into the heart of many a good novelist."
-Norman Mailer



About the Author



Peter Pouncey was born in Tsingtao, China, of English parents. At the end of World War II, after several dislocations and separations, the family reassembled in England, and Pouncey was educated there in boarding schools and at Oxford. A classicist, former dean of Columbia College, and president emeritus of Amherst College, Peter Pouncey lives in New York City and northern Connecticut with his wife. This is his first novel.
Dimensions (Overall): 8.0 Inches (H) x 5.3 Inches (W) x .6 Inches (D)
Weight: .6 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 240
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Historical
Publisher: Random House Group
Theme: General
Format: Paperback
Author: Peter Pouncey
Language: English
Street Date: May 30, 2006
TCIN: 91286092
UPC: 9780812973969
Item Number (DPCI): 247-09-4095
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.6 inches length x 5.3 inches width x 8 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.6 pounds
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Q: What is the main theme of the novel?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
  • A: The novel explores themes of war, love, loss, and the complexities of marriage.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What historical events are depicted in the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
  • A: The book covers three wars of the twentieth century, including the First World War.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: Who is the protagonist of the story?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
  • A: The protagonist is Robert MacIver, a historian reflecting on his life and experiences.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What genre does this book belong to?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
  • A: The book is categorized under fiction, literature, and historical genres.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What motivates the main character to tell his story?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
  • A: MacIver is motivated by his rule to tell a story to its end as he faces death.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 15 days ago
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