The Short History of a Prince

by Jane Hamilton

Walter McCloud was constantly eclipsed by those around him - his beautiful, talented friends, his flamboyant relatives, his golden-boy brother, Daniel. He was always the outsider, never the star. But the summer of 1972 was a turning point in the life of fifteen-year-old Walter. It was the time when he realized that his great passion for dance would never be matched by his talent; the time when he discovered the funny agony of first love' and the time when he watched his brother declining into a cruel, untimely death.

It is only when, twenty-four years later, Walter returns to fight for the survival of his childhood Eden, his family's lakeside summer home, that he finally discovers a way to reconcile himself to the past in a way that gives hope for the future.

Genres: Fiction, Novels, LGBT, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Book Club, Gay

432 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1998

About the author

Jane Hamilton is an American novelist.

Reviews

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 1999 pre Goodreads. At the time Hamilton was one of my favorite authors and I read all of her books when they came out. Charming story about a now grown ballet dancer fighting to keep his family's summer home while coming to terms with his life.

[Terry Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a quiet, smooth, and wonderful read. Totally unpretentious and almost poetic. Reading it was like gliding across a frozen pond alone at the break of dawn.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked this up I was mostly intriqued by the cover, the ballet shoes on the front. I had already read two of her other books and I'm a fan of Jane Hamilton's. This book did not disappointment. It's about a young man who dreams of getting a big dancing role in the Chicago ballet. He works really hard, has some natural talent, and his family is supportive, though his lessons are expensive and there's some finageling involved with transportation. He's gay, though I think that's only hinted at. It's been awhile since I read it. There was some humor-- it wasn't nearly the heartbreaking downer as the Book of Ruth or Map of the World.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Short History of a Prince" is a coming of age story split across one man's lifetime, showing how "coming of age" is an ongoing process that isn't relegated to any one place in a person's life. As a teenager in the early 1970s, Walter struggled with his sexuality, his feelings for his best friend Mitch, his desire to be a ballet dancer despite having little talent, and the slow death of his older brother from cancer. His crowning moment was landing the part of the Prince in a community theater version of the Nutcracker--this being both a fulfillment of his dreams (to be the Prince) and a backhanded compliment of the worst kind (community theater). A lifetime later, the adult Walter has made the decision to move back to the Midwest (to a fictional town in Wisconsin that is, oddly enough, close to where I live). Amongst the usual life-redefinitions that would accompany such a move, he is forced to reconstruct the year his brother died, face the decisions he made then, and figure out how to come out to his family. All of this is centered around the family's summer house in Lake Margaret. This is a complicated story told in a lot of layers. The main handful of characters are pretty well drawn, but there are a lot of significant characters that amount to little more than sketches, if not stereotypes. Overall, the story was well told, though there were scenes that felt like they went on too long. Stories that are explorations of very ordinary lives don't do much for me, but if that's what you like, this novel will probably work for you, even if you don't live in Southwestern Wisconsin.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this and despite thinking bits were ok my overall response was that this novel was mediocre. Clearly he has something he wanted to say about family, growing up, change, what is important, but the reality its a pretty unlikely family story centered on a summerhouse which, in the absence of primogeniture, will be sold and split up as the original family members age and die and what holds the disparate cousins (originally first but increasingly second and third) together doesn't amount to very much. The narrator, and the author, seem to be stuck in an illusory golden age past - before tv, before internet, before - it doesn't really matter what - it is an illusion. I can't help thinking that this novel is supposed to say something significant, maybe even makes readers feel something significant. The reality is a silly melodrama, more of a soap opera, that has nothing to do with reality.

A waste of time is my final remark about this novel.

[Sean Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming tale of coming into an understanding of oneself that is deeper than the expectations that other people have for you.

[Luka · Rating 2 out of 5]

TW for the book: casual ableism (includes r-slur and cr*****); homophobia and internalized homophobia (includes f-slur, d*ke, q-slur (used in a derogatory way obvsly), and every other word you can think of, I stopped writing shit down after a while; also deals with violence from authority figures); misogyny, slut-shaming, fat-shaming; animal abuse; possibly racism against Native Americans, but I’m not completely sure.. something the character said did not sit right with me, but I’m white and not American, so I’m not completely sure if it was racism or simply weird wording??

I really liked how the book started, structurally. Every chapter, there is a time jump between the past, 1972/’73 when Walter, the protagonist, is 15-16 years old and the present, 1995/’96 when he is in his late thirties. Halfway through the book though the separation stopped making sense, when the respective chapters included flashforwards in the ‘73 sections and flashbacks in the ‘96 ones. It did not make the book confusing per se, but it kind of made the formerly established separation between the past- and present-chapters unnecessary.

The characters are very flawed, but you can still find yourself rooting for them. Well... most of them. One of them can go eat a dick tbh. I don’t really want to go into more detail, because to me the characters were the most interesting part, the plot was mostly just background noise. So, I’m not going to spoil any of the characterizations.
In addition to the plot not being that engaging, the ending was also kind of lacklustre and very predictable. Maybe it is just me, but I was sure that the big thing at the end would happen either way, so when it actually ended there, I was a little disappointed. Like… That’s it? Okay then.

Ultimate thoughts: definitely dated, would probably not recommend. If you are not bothered by anything listed in the TW above, you can pick this up, but I personally think that half of the shit was really unnecessary, like… I get the homophobia, it’s part of Walter figuring himself out in the seventies, but why bring in a disabled person with no function in the plot, just so you can call him the r-slur in a couple of sentences. Like… what was the reason

Update: dropping the rating from three to two stars, because every time I think about this book, the ableism makes me angry and it kinda ruins the entire thing for me

[André · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review : In De kleine geschiedenis van een prins beschrijft Jane Hamilton de passie van een jonge man, Walter McCloud, voor ballet. Via de geschiedenis van een zomerhuis in Winsconsin vertelt zij hoe een gezin en de plaats die de zoon daarin inneemt plotseling kunnen veranderen. Het zomerhuis is al generaties lang in de familie maar dreigt nu verkocht te worden. Dit is de achtergrond waartegen zich Walters verhaal afspeelt.



Walter is tijdens zijn middelbare-schooltijd bevriend met Susan en Mitch, die net als hij aan ballet doen. De vriendschap is niet helemaal zonder complicaties, want Walter is verliefd op Mitch, Mitch is verliefd op Susan en Susan is weer verliefd op Walters ongeneeslijk zieke broer Daniel. Walter heeft het heel moeilijk om dit alles te verwerken. Zijn ouders hebben door de ziekte van zijn boer geen tijd voor hem. Er wordt in het gezin zo wie zo al weinig gesproken over dit soort toestanden. Walter wordt geen balletdanser maar wel speelgoedfabrikant.



De kleine geschiedenis van een prins is een roman over vriendschap, familie en ontluikende seksualiteit en puberteit.

[Valerie Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an adolescent, Walter McCloud wants to be a great dancer and hopes to dance the Prince in the Nutcracker. As he struggles with the limits of his talents and is coming to the realization that his two best friends - Susan and Mitch - are more talented, his older brother is diagnosed with cancer. Daniel, the brother, falls in love with Susan. Walter, in turn, falls in love with Mitch. The book alternates between Walter’s adolescent and adult voices.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

i started and abandoned this novel in 1998 and then picked up again a few days ago, now that i'm a year older than the protagonist in the later chapters. it's been a while since i've read something so so contemporary but also so fully of its not too-long-ago time with characters that are so cavalierly racist and ableist. This is one of those books where you empathize with but don't necessarily like the main characters . Walter's so enveloped in self-loathing that presents itself in such nasty judgements -- his nasty asides about the physical appearance of his poor teenage students!! -- that I found him difficult to like, even as I felt deeply sorry for his teenage circumstance and the self-loathing man he later became -- how he always assumed the worst of everyone's motivations to spare himself from being let down, or comforted, or vulnerable. It ends on a hopeful note, but woof he was tough to swallow.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is my third book by this author ... oh wow, she is definitely a firm favourite author now.

'a map of the world' was a 5 star book ..!!

i thoroughly enjoyed this one. human emotions - she describes it so beautifully ... you totally go through the emotions with the character.

*spoiler alert*

the scene where he puts on the ballet clothes and what happens after that - his toes bleeding, his lover laughing at him - oh my word, it was gut-wrenching.

i was so satisfied with the end. my husband brought me a cup of divine coffee when i had five pages left to read, so i was completely satisfied ..!! ;)

[Circe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is one of my long-time favorites. People toss around the world elegaicbut this book truly is - a rembrance of a lost brother, a lost teenager, a lost pre-AIDS community of extraordinary, ordinary gay men in urban areas. The writing is brilliant, funny and knowing, never spiteful. Sometimes, the protaganist's midwestern, early 90's (?) family seems a little more enlightened than was generally so at the time, but there is always a bittersweet edge to keep it from becoming too implausible. I just love this book and the gorgeous writing and have read it several times for the sheer pleasure of it.

[Donna Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book started out really slow (Hamilton has a tendency of giving way too much background), the pace picks up and it turned out to be a good book. Hamilton manages to create some of the most self-absorbed characters I have ever seen. None of them are really appealing, but in the end they change (slightly). The only character who remains self-absorbed to a point where she is in no way likeable is Sue Rawson. I found it interesting that in the beginning, I thought that she would be the one character that I would grow to like, but as the book went on, I liked her even less.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as well as The Book of Ruth. The story was about the struggle a young man (Walter) had with his sexual orientation as well as the death of his brother (during high school) Walter experiences a betrayal that is difficult for him. I think the author could have explored the dynamics of the large extended family and how his mother dealt with things (maybe because of the her birth order in this large family. The character Sue Rawson was important but in my mind under developed.

[Arthur Van Erps · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Hmmm” comes to mind when trying to explain and write out my feelings towards this book. I absolutely adore how Hamilton creates scenery and dialogue, or how an entire paragraph can suddenly turn into written art that begs the reader to earmark the page so that you can reminisce later. That being said, the story itself isn’t really all that interesting, it takes an excruciatingly long time for it to go somewhere and by the end i’m not really sure it went anywhere. Maybe that’s the point though, the pointlessness of it all. Who knows? (I don’t).

[Lisa McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Jane Hamilton is brilliant, but this book falls one step short. Had she written this novel from the point of view of her protagonist, I would have been engaged. I would have been dazzled. Every time she permits her Prince to speak, I love what I hear. The flat, neutral, midwestern tone of the omniscient narrator does him a disservice.
If only this were the penultimate draft, and not the final product.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this at Maegers and Quinn for $2 mostly because it was signed by the author. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this book even though I adhered to my 100 page rule (100 pages - age = # of pages before I read before I give up). The main character, Walter, is very off putting. He's like your uncle that you'd wish would just stop talking - stop pitying yourself, stop trying to "improve" other people. I wish the whole story would have been about Mrs. Gamble instead.

[Rhyena · Rating 4 out of 5]

moving story and exploration of the internal life of the main character but something was lacking. it resolved slowly as the character reconciles with himself and the life he has created but there is no catharsis on his part or his parents and either that needed to be intentionally dealt with or something. Hamilton is terrific and I love all her books and will read anything she writes in the future!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It certainly took everything I had to finish this book. It isd a story told in a gay man's voice about his life. He wanted to be a ballet dancer, but everything sort of ends when his older brother gets sick with cancer. His life goes on, but it never got me excited about it. I was rather disappointed with this story from Jane Hamilton.

[Stacey B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story by Jane Hamilton. Very interesting main character, a boy with a love of ballet, two good friends, and a brother suffering from a terminal illness. I liked the way the story shifted from Walter's youth to present time, balancing then and now and eventually coming together to illustrate how Walter's past shaped his future.

[C. Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book. Jane Hamilton has an easy illustrative writing style that I really enjoyed. I found the story to be captivating at times, and slow and lacking momentum at others. Overall, I'd say this is a great book, both for the story and for the way the author makes the characters relate-able and aggravating in a beautiful way.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

By all accounts this coming of age story should have resonated with me. A gay man struggles with his sexuality, his competence as an artist and his place within his family following his brother's death from cancer. However, it lacks the emotional intensity and complexity of the other books by Jane Hamilton that I have read.

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book. While Jane Hamilton often makes me feel such an upwelling of despair and pathos that jumping off a bridge seems reasonable, this book could be considered "Jane Hamilton Lite". It addresses the same issues she covers in other books, but with a far lighter touch.

[Tammy Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the way that Jane Hamilton weaves her stories. This one was even more interesting as part of it is set in Wisconsin where we both live. I liked the way she went back and forth from childhood to adulthood and back for the main character and his friends.

[Krin Cosner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great novel about a teenage boy coming to terms with his sexuality, his love of classical music and ballet. His brother is dying, his best friends are betraying him and years later he is a family guy and great teacher. His fantasy life, introspection make a wonderful story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love Jane Hamilton! The main character couldn't be farther from my own, yet I became him as I read this. I was running out of the building in a tu-tu...

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quit about half way through. Couldn't get into it, especially all the blahblahblah about ballet. Felt like a chore....

[Mjlathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible

[Deane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place in 1972-73 and 1995-96 starting with Walter being a 15 year old mixed-up teenager and as a highschool English teacher in a very small town in 1995-96 with every other chapter moving easily from the 70's to the 90's

He is the narrator of the story and shares so many of his thoughts, ideas, dreams, fantasies of his early years and the later years in the 1995-96 era.

He had a somewhat lonely life at home because his 18-year old brother was dying of cancer and the parents focused 95% of their time with him at home and in hospital depending upon Walter to look after himself and to be responsible. Walter does resent this non-intended rejection and does do some non-responsible things; some funny, some destructive; some sexual.

He has decided he is a homosexual and although most people recognize that, he doesn't actually admit it until he is much older; his mother is not surprised and accepts his acknowlegement with encouragement.

When Walter is younger he searches for his place among the ballet classes he loves, the school friends and his home. The older Walter seems to be able to teach English to highschool students with no problems he can't handle; but he is also involved in trying to find a way to buy the decades-old home on Lake Margaret that all his family relatives have come to call their own but now can't afford the selling price asked by the main stockholder since she doesn't want any more responsibility or taxes to pay.

The last chapter is a beautiful one with Walter solving so many inner problems, problems of living in a small town, the house on Lake Margaret and his relationship with his mother in particular.