Richard fords let me be frank with you the new york times. Richard ford returns with four deftly linked christmas stories narrated by the iconic frank bascombe. Richard ford is the author of the sportswriter and independence day. As you read richard ford, the harder you look, the sadder and funnier it. In let me be frank with you, ford returns with four deftly linked stories.
Let me be frank with you by richard ford in richard fords brilliant collection of four short stories, protagonist frank bascombe returns to be frank about touchy topics. Let me be frank with you by richard ford digested read. Visiting a dying friend, frank comments on the death package he still talks like a salesman. Here, in let me be frank with you, ford returns with four deftly linked stories narrated by the iconic bascombe. In his trio of critically acclaimed, bestselling novels, richard ford illuminated the zeitgeist of an entire generation through the divinings and wit of his nowfamous literary chronicler, frank bascombeone of the most indelible and provocative characters in modern american literature.
These linked novellas form a longawaited coda to three novels describing in detail and detail is the. Let me be frank with you audiobook listen instantly. Let me be frank with you audiobook by richard ford. In four richly luminous narratives, bascombe and ford attempts to reconcile, interpret and console a world undone by calamity. A quartet of masterful novellas that returns richard ford to the territory that sealed his reputation as an american master. Back to gallery in 2006, shortly after publication of the lay of the land, the third novel to feature frank bascombe. He is winner of the prix femina in france, the 2019 library of congress prize for american fiction, and the princess of asturias award in spain. Let me be frank with you by richard ford readers digest. The novelist returns with his favorite protagonist for a coda that is both fitting and timely. Richard fords aging everyman surveys his life, and the battered new jersey landscape, after hurricane sandy. This time our loquacious hero muses on life and retirement in four slyly. Happily, ford has given readers one last chance to enjoy his knowing, wry protagonist. Richard ford let me be frank with you by richard ford digested read john crace reduces the fourth frank bascombe novel to 750 words taking in.
Now in let me be frank with you, ford returns to the territory that established him as an updike for the contemporary era, in a quartet of novellalength bascombe stories, set in in the aftermath and amid the calamitous circumstances of hurricane sandy. Richard fords hero returns in let me be frank with you. Frank bascombe returns in richard fords let me be frank. Canada 2012 chronicles the experiences of a man whose life is shaped by his parents bungled attempt to rob a bank during his youth.
Let me be frank with you is the bascombe book that wasnt meant to be. Richard ford on let me be frank 2019 national book. Let me be frank with you by richard ford goodreads. Richard fords frank bascombe books, of which let me be frank with you is the fourth, are essentially a study of one character. In richard fords fourth frank bascombe book, let me be frank with you, his everyman hero is 68, retired and living in default mode. Hurricane sandy has recently scarred new jersey, wrecking the shore, creating a need for hundreds of volunteer grief counselors, and overheating local talk radio. As in all of the bascombe books, fords guiding spirit is the old comics maxim that promises if nothings funny, nothings truly serious. Ford made his critical and popular breakthrough by introducing frank bascombe in the sportswriter 1986 and then continued his progression with the pulitzer prize winning independence day 1995 and the epic the lay of the land 2006.
Richard ford is the pulitzer prizewinning author of the bascome novels and the new york times bestselling novel canada and let me be frank with you. Richard fords let me be frank with you picks up shortly after 2012s hurricane sandy, which inflicted reallife devastation across wide. Let me be frank with you, a new frank bascombe book by richard ford. A frank bascombe book by ford, richard from amazons fiction books store. Now sixtyeight, and again ensconced in the welldefended new jersey suburb of haddam, bascombe has thrivedseemingly if not utterlyin the aftermath of hurricane sandys devastation. Whether youve been a bascombe insider since the sportswriter or are encountering fords unforgettable inventions newly here, let me be frank with you is a moving, wondrous, extremely funny odyssey, showcasing the maturity and brilliance of.
Twitter facebook email an unflinching series of narratives, set in the aftermath of hurricane sandy, insightfully portraying a society in decline. Now sixtyeight, frank resides again in the new jersey. Let me be frank with you by richard ford the boston globe. The failed novelist, onetime sportswriter and real estate agent has been spotted again in his fictional new je. He is the 2016 recipient of the princess of asturias award for literature in spain. Richard ford introduced the world to his protean literary everyman, frank bascombe, aspiring novelist turned sportswriter turned real estate agent, in. It is a moving and wondrous and extremely funny odyssey through the america we live in at this moment. Let me be frank with you serves as an apt vitrine for mr. Fords writing is brilliant, and that ought to be enough for any reader, but im not sure if a 20 or 30 or 40something would quite appreciate let me be frank as much as someone like me, one. Fords nowfamous literary chronicler, frank bascombe, is one of the most provocative and anticipated characters in. Let me be frank with you hardcover a frank bascombe book. After 2006s lay of the land, the third in a trio of elegant and affecting novels to. A brilliant new work that returns richard ford to the hal.
Sixtyeightyearold frank has retired from selling real estate, but in the first story. Richard ford opens his latest book with a scene of shellshocked. Richard ford said he focused on houses in the wake of the storm in his new book, let me be frank with you, because they have an almost iconic status. Richard ford recently exchanged emails with deborah treisman, who has been his editor at the magazine since 2004, on the subject of his new book, let me be frank with you, a. Author richard ford says let me be frank about aging and. Richard ford plans to pen a fifth novel in his frank bascombe series which began with the 1986 breakout the sportswriter. In let me be frank with you, bascombe returns to narrate four deftly linked stories, having thrivedseemingly if not utterlyin the aftermath of hurricane sandy. In fords new book, let me be frank with you, his fourth about frank bascombe, frank is 68, still wealthy, remarried and retired from the realty business, having long ago given up. Let me be frank with you by richard ford 2014, hardcover.
Richard ford receives library of congress prize for american fiction at 2019 national book festival duration. Ford detailed bascombes senescence in the novellas comprised in let me be frank with you 2014. In wildlife 1990 ford depicted a teenager in montana who witnesses the breakup of his parents marriage. Let me be frank with you does nothing to diminish this welldeserved reputation. In four richly luminous narratives, bascombe and ford. A reserve of fewer, better words could help, i think, by setting an example for clearer thinking, he pronounces.
Let me be frank with you, a new frank bascombe book by. Richard ford to write 5th novel in frank bascombe series. Now, in let me be frank with you, ford reinvents bascombe in the aftermath of hurricane sandy. In let me be frank with you, novelist richard ford. Like each of the novels in the bascombe trilogy, the four long stories that make up let me be frank with you are set on the eve of a holiday, in this case christmas 2012. Richard fords latest novel in a series of bestselling novels, let me be frank with you, is a page turner that will keep you hooked this winter. Let me be frank with you, by richard ford ecco share.