A Long Day's Dying

by Frederick Buechner

A Long Day's Dying is a mid-twentieth-century Jamesian novel that foreshadows many of the themes in Mr. Buechner's later writing—faith, trust, and the complex relations of family and friends. The story follows Tristram Bone, a rotund man of wealth and "organized leisure" but a failure with women, and Elizabeth Poor, a rich, charming, and beautiful widow and Bone's unrequited love interest, through a series of encounters with friends and family, affairs real and imagined, gossip, jealousy, and innuendo. We also meet Bone's servant Emma and his pet monkey Simon; the novelist George Motley; the arrogant and seductive academic Paul Steitler, Elizabeth's naïve son Lee, and her omniscient mother Maroo.

Genres: Fiction, Spirituality, Novels, Christianity, American, Literature

267 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1949

About the author

Frederick Buechner is a highly influential writer and theologian who has won awards for his poetry, short stories, novels and theological writings. His work pioneered the genre of spiritual memoir, laying the groundwork for writers such as Anne Lamott, Rob Bell and Lauren Winner.

His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entered Union Theological Seminary in 1954 where he studied under renowned theologians that included Reinhold Niebuhr, Paul Tillich, and James Muilenberg. In 1955, his short story "The Tiger" which had been published in the New Yorker won the O. Henry Prize.

After seminary he spent nine years at Phillips Exeter Academy, establishing a religion department and teaching courses in both religion and English. Among his students was the future author, John Irving. In 1969 he gave the Noble Lectures at Harvard. He presented a theological autobiography on a day in his life, which was published as The Alphabet of Grace.

In the years that followed he began publishing more novels, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Godric. At the same time, he was also writing a series of spiritual autobiographies. A central theme in his theological writing is looking for God in the everyday, listening and paying attention, to hear God speak to people through their personal lives.

Reviews

[Justin Pitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about being human and the ways we care about and hurt one another. Incredibly deep character development and a breathtaking writing style. Hard to believe Buechner wrote this when he was 22 years old.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buechner has an uncanny way of bringing to life the intricate motives that shift in relationships. His images are poetry. I wanted to rate this book 3.8 but did not find this was an option. I want to read more of his works.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

His descriptions of his characters’ thoughts, feelings, emotions were deep and complicated. Wonderful choice of words. Curious characters. Wish he would have developed Leander a bit more. Impressive for his first novel at such a young age.

[carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew. Vivid writing. Not one likable character.

[Emmish]

From d brooks

[Bumby Scott]

I just could not get into it.