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On Golden Pond
This is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who are returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the forty-eighth year. He is a retired professor, nearing eighty, with heart palpitations and a failing memory but still as tart-tongued, observant and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger, and the perfect foil for Norman, delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé.
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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401 people want to read
About the author
Ernest Thompson
9 books22 followersErnest Thompson’s work has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, Writers Guild and Broadway Drama Guild Awards and been nominated for a Tony, an Emmy and a British Academy Award. His plays have been seen in theatres around the world, his most enduring, On Golden Pond, translated into 30 languages and presented in more than 40 countries. Current projects include the film sequel to On Golden Pond, the plays Some Parts Missing and Ask/Answer and the novel Out Clause coming in 2023. With his writer wife Kerrin Thompson, he established Rescind Recidivism, a prison writing program giving inmates a chance to feel creative as well as human, capable and worthy.
For more than forty years, Ernest has been weaving stories with a unique clarity and understanding of the human condition, writing characters with a precision that makes you swear you know them or are them. His latest, The Book of Maps, will take you on a painfully beautiful cross-country journey through love and loss, laughing all the way, and, ultimately, leaving you with a greater appreciation for anyone who has gone the distance to find redemption.
For more than forty years, Ernest has been weaving stories with a unique clarity and understanding of the human condition, writing characters with a precision that makes you swear you know them or are them. His latest, The Book of Maps, will take you on a painfully beautiful cross-country journey through love and loss, laughing all the way, and, ultimately, leaving you with a greater appreciation for anyone who has gone the distance to find redemption.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 5, 2020
Originally a play,this was adapted as a film.The writer of the play also wrote the screenplay for the film and the two are essentially similar.However,I prefer the movie which was shot on a beautiful location.
Movie review :
This film was Jane Fonda's tribute to her father and succeeded beyond expectations.
I remember sitting in a movie theatre in Pakistan to watch this one and there were hardly half a dozen people there.Not surprising as this was not a typical Hollywood product.But this film was magic,a firm favourite.
This was Henry Fonda's last film,and he got an Oscar.It is a poignant portrayal of a troubled father daughter relationship and his daughter Jane Fonda plays the role.In real life too,this father daughter duo had their share of troubles with each other.
Katherine Hepburn is Fonda's wife,I wasn't too impressed by her in this role.A rather obnoxious kid,the son of his daughter's fiance,stays with Henry Fonda's character and gives him a fair bit of trouble.
The script is also about growing very old and the increasing helplessness that comes with it.But the best thing about this film,for me,is the location.It was filmed on Squam Lake New Hampshire.This was the perfect choice,it makes it visually stunning.
The film was nominated for ten Oscars and won three.As good as a movie can be,five stars.
Movie review :
This film was Jane Fonda's tribute to her father and succeeded beyond expectations.
I remember sitting in a movie theatre in Pakistan to watch this one and there were hardly half a dozen people there.Not surprising as this was not a typical Hollywood product.But this film was magic,a firm favourite.
This was Henry Fonda's last film,and he got an Oscar.It is a poignant portrayal of a troubled father daughter relationship and his daughter Jane Fonda plays the role.In real life too,this father daughter duo had their share of troubles with each other.
Katherine Hepburn is Fonda's wife,I wasn't too impressed by her in this role.A rather obnoxious kid,the son of his daughter's fiance,stays with Henry Fonda's character and gives him a fair bit of trouble.
The script is also about growing very old and the increasing helplessness that comes with it.But the best thing about this film,for me,is the location.It was filmed on Squam Lake New Hampshire.This was the perfect choice,it makes it visually stunning.
The film was nominated for ten Oscars and won three.As good as a movie can be,five stars.
March 19, 2020
A nice story that sparkles because of its simpleness. Not much happens overall in this book, but that makes this story great. I also liked how it was written as a play and so I really enjoyed reading it. All the people are a little odd in how they act, but they seem to fit together very well. A story about love and difficult people.
November 23, 2022
Dementia, irascibility, family. Perhaps touching and comic. Probably sentimental and shallow.
March 28, 2017
Time transcended as I perused this a 3rd time. This reminds me of my own grandparents and idyllic summers at lake & river homes except the grandfather is very cranky at times because of his dementia. It's really a simple but effective plot about family/ parental love, turmoil, and the imperfections of our own lives.
December 12, 2018
So lovely and funny I can hardly stand it. The plot has a satisfying arc and resolution, and each character carries his/her own weight. I especially enjoy how similar Chelsea and Norman sound. Practically enemies, she was still raised and influenced by him.
February 3, 2023
Liked the premise but wanted it to be so much more than it was. Every character other than Norman was written horribly and was so bland. And Norman was just an awful, unredeemable man. He had very little character development. The two female characters were written horribly and had nothing to them. There was so much potential, they could be such strong, inspiring characters, but instead Ernest made them weak and constantly the villain and end up forgiving Norman way too soon.
Only getting two stars because I like Charlie and the first 2 scenes and the last of the play. I love the lake house summer vibes and some of the issues that were brought up but truly never felt like they were written well or resolved. The more I worked on this show, the angrier it made me.
Only getting two stars because I like Charlie and the first 2 scenes and the last of the play. I love the lake house summer vibes and some of the issues that were brought up but truly never felt like they were written well or resolved. The more I worked on this show, the angrier it made me.
March 15, 2025
Hard to believe that it was better reading it.
December 7, 2024
On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson
First published 1979
GR blurb -
Although Norman Thayer thinks that his forty-eighth summer spent with his wife in Maine at their home on Golden Pond will be his last, their daughter's fiancé's son inspires him to forge ahead with new spirit.
My thoughts
The movie adaptation of this play was something I watched decades ago when it was first shown on TV. It popped into my mind recently as I was contemplating my own life with the prospect that I will turn 80 next year. Not that I was looking for inspiration or anything, but I was reviewing my life experiences with respect to where my 'head' is at now. I decided to give the original play a go and I'm glad I did.
Nothing earth shattering was revealed but it reinforced the importance of healthy family relationships which I'm lucky and grateful to have. Although not a feature of this play I am also thankful for meaningful friendships which I also have.
I was left with a positive feeling about my life and abundantly grateful that I feel that I have tremendously significant relevance. I'm glad I read the play. 4 stars for sure.
First published 1979
GR blurb -
Although Norman Thayer thinks that his forty-eighth summer spent with his wife in Maine at their home on Golden Pond will be his last, their daughter's fiancé's son inspires him to forge ahead with new spirit.
My thoughts
The movie adaptation of this play was something I watched decades ago when it was first shown on TV. It popped into my mind recently as I was contemplating my own life with the prospect that I will turn 80 next year. Not that I was looking for inspiration or anything, but I was reviewing my life experiences with respect to where my 'head' is at now. I decided to give the original play a go and I'm glad I did.
Nothing earth shattering was revealed but it reinforced the importance of healthy family relationships which I'm lucky and grateful to have. Although not a feature of this play I am also thankful for meaningful friendships which I also have.
I was left with a positive feeling about my life and abundantly grateful that I feel that I have tremendously significant relevance. I'm glad I read the play. 4 stars for sure.
September 24, 2017
Ethel and Norman Thayer go to their summer home on Golden Pond. Norman is suffering from memory issues, and he keeps talking about death. When his daughter, with whom he has always had a difficult relationship, shows up with her boyfriend and the boyfriend's son, a new door opens to give new life to Norman and the whole family.
Norman and his daughter Chelsea's humor was too combative and sarcastic for me to enjoy. Several of the conversations, written in the late 1970s, also made me rather uncomfortable. The memory loss hit too close to home for me. The bright spot in the play is very understated and only clear at the very end, so overall it's a rather depressing play.
After reading this play, I don't think I want to see it performed. It is well-written, but definitely not my type of drama.
Norman and his daughter Chelsea's humor was too combative and sarcastic for me to enjoy. Several of the conversations, written in the late 1970s, also made me rather uncomfortable. The memory loss hit too close to home for me. The bright spot in the play is very understated and only clear at the very end, so overall it's a rather depressing play.
After reading this play, I don't think I want to see it performed. It is well-written, but definitely not my type of drama.
July 19, 2014
So I've seen the movie (hasn't everyone), but I am auditioning for the play next week and had never read the text. I picked it up at the library for a quick perusal this afternoon.
I found it rather surprisingly simple; the movie adds a lot of action (I suppose that is required), but also adds more depth and believe-ability to the relationship between Norman and Billy.
My memory was that it was primarily about Norman's relationship with the three of them: Ethel, Chelsea, and Billy but the play focuses mostly on the marriage. The difficulty between Chelsea and Norman comes across in the text as a bit forced (rather than real tension).
Overall it is still a compelling character piece and quite cute, but not as funny as I expected.
I found it rather surprisingly simple; the movie adds a lot of action (I suppose that is required), but also adds more depth and believe-ability to the relationship between Norman and Billy.
My memory was that it was primarily about Norman's relationship with the three of them: Ethel, Chelsea, and Billy but the play focuses mostly on the marriage. The difficulty between Chelsea and Norman comes across in the text as a bit forced (rather than real tension).
Overall it is still a compelling character piece and quite cute, but not as funny as I expected.
July 23, 2017
Unabashedly loved this. A genuine relationship expressed in sweet sarcasm. The perfect atmosphere.
November 14, 2022
I was surprised at how charming a comedy On Golden Pond turns out to be. The movie always felt mawkish to me; but the play is a hearty and mostly very upbeat slice of life, about this old married couple facing what they worry (but never admit) will be their final summer on the shores of the lake they love in the Maine woods. The Thayers--Norman and Ethel--live simply and routinely. He's a retired professor who was born cantankerous and crotchety, it would seem; he likes to fish and read and annoy his wife and be left alone. She, something of a grande dame out here in the semi-wilderness, in the cabin that was once her father's, lives to putter: to watch the loons and swat the bugs and look out for her husband.
For his eightieth birthday this summer, she's invited their estranged daughter Chelsea to pay a visit. They haven't seen one another in eight years. Chelsea turns up with a boyfriend--Bill, a dentist--and a 13-year-old boy, Bill's son, Billy. Father and daughter fall to scraping as is their pattern; in one of the play's most delicious scenes, Norman launches a relentless attack of irony and sarcasm on poor Bill. But when Chelsea and Bill head off to Europe for vacation, they leave Billy behind; Norman unpredictably bonds with the boy who is the son he never had and the grandson he didn't realize he was wishing for.
And that's really just about it, in terms of plot. Mostly, On Golden Pond is a study in character, and a rich and reliable one at that. Norman and Ethel are at the center, of course, but there are lovely moments when we get to know Chelsea, Billy, and even a bit about Bill; there's also Charlie the mailman, who fits into the Thayer household as comfily as an old slipper.
Ernest Thompson's script is much funnier than I expected. Yet there are moments of real import, such as the scene when Norman first understands that his memory is starting to fail, that tug on the heart; and there are other moments of pure uplift and joy, like one where Ethel, in a reminiscing reverie, sings some of the old camp songs she first learned five or decades before.
For his eightieth birthday this summer, she's invited their estranged daughter Chelsea to pay a visit. They haven't seen one another in eight years. Chelsea turns up with a boyfriend--Bill, a dentist--and a 13-year-old boy, Bill's son, Billy. Father and daughter fall to scraping as is their pattern; in one of the play's most delicious scenes, Norman launches a relentless attack of irony and sarcasm on poor Bill. But when Chelsea and Bill head off to Europe for vacation, they leave Billy behind; Norman unpredictably bonds with the boy who is the son he never had and the grandson he didn't realize he was wishing for.
And that's really just about it, in terms of plot. Mostly, On Golden Pond is a study in character, and a rich and reliable one at that. Norman and Ethel are at the center, of course, but there are lovely moments when we get to know Chelsea, Billy, and even a bit about Bill; there's also Charlie the mailman, who fits into the Thayer household as comfily as an old slipper.
Ernest Thompson's script is much funnier than I expected. Yet there are moments of real import, such as the scene when Norman first understands that his memory is starting to fail, that tug on the heart; and there are other moments of pure uplift and joy, like one where Ethel, in a reminiscing reverie, sings some of the old camp songs she first learned five or decades before.
January 27, 2022
Really shocked this has less than 1000 ratings, because if I remember correctly, the film adaptation was a pretty huge hit and nominated for Best Picture. I didn’t understand the acclaim for the movie, and am surprised to find the source material worse than the adaptation.
The conflict here is so barebones, nothing happens. There’s internal conflict, then there’s having characters go “agghh I’m gonna die!!” and “I had a shitty childhood!” with absolutely no sufficient context or background given to justify it. The characters were supremely one-note, and the incessant repitition of the phrase “you old poop” was really jarring and grating. It’s a little sweet, and some of the lines were pretty funny, but overall, this play is just forgettable.
The conflict here is so barebones, nothing happens. There’s internal conflict, then there’s having characters go “agghh I’m gonna die!!” and “I had a shitty childhood!” with absolutely no sufficient context or background given to justify it. The characters were supremely one-note, and the incessant repitition of the phrase “you old poop” was really jarring and grating. It’s a little sweet, and some of the lines were pretty funny, but overall, this play is just forgettable.
January 22, 2019
Cute, enjoyable play about a long-married couple at their summer home in Maine. I thought the relationship with their daughter seemed needlessly stilted – and no doubt borderline dysfunctional to make the play more ‘artistic’ – but On Golden Pond is difficult to dislike, mostly because Norman and Ethel’s relationship is so charming and well sketched. Recommended.
May 26, 2017
It is a nice story about an old couple with their little struggles and the nature of therlir lifes. Chealsea is the daughter and she tries to reestablish the lost relation with her father. It is full of subtleties and a nice play.
December 31, 2017
Booooooring.
July 14, 2019
i would have adored it in theatre
Want to read
October 21, 2019I loved the movie years ago
December 8, 2019
Loved this screenplay. Witty and drama and so much more!
September 4, 2023
Only thing better was the movie. A beautiful story.
June 28, 2022
It was nice to read the play "On Golden Pond" I had seen the movie years ago and even seen the play version. This is a good play about an older couple Norman Thayer almost 80 and his wife Ethyl going on 70. They have come to their lake house for four months. It takes place from mid May to mid September. Norman's health is not so good and sometimes his memory fails him. Later in the summer they Thayers daughter, Chelsea comes with her fiancee and his son thirteen year old Billy. Norman and Chelsea have a complicated relationship so she stays away for years. It is decided that Billy should stay with the Thayers while Chelsea and Bill go to Europe. For one month the boy stays. Norman takes him fishing which Billy enjoys. the two form an unlikely friendship. When Chelsea returns there is hope she and Norman can try to heal Their difficult relationship. a play about getting older and finding Their way. a great play.
September 23, 2011
This is one of the few instances where the movie outstripped the original text. This might be attributed to the talented cast assembled for the 1970s sleeper. I can't help but read Ethel, Norman and Chelsea as Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda and his daughter Jane, respectively. The play is about rebuilding estranged family relationships with new blood bridging the generations, and about fresh starts no matter what your age. The "resuscitation" of Norman via the 13 year old Billy might be trite, but no less true. The dialogue is simple and direct and escapes the trap of sentimentality. Fans of the movie may not find any additional material to gain insight into the characters, the movie actually builds on their relationships better than the play, but it is still an enjoyable read.
October 6, 2023
Just a beautiful play, with great love and affection written into the characters of Norman and Ethel Thayer. Deals strongly with the aging process, as Norman approaches his 80th birthday, and Ethel turns 70. The setting is tranquil as is the lake outdoors. Very nostalgic.
July 10, 2015
Ahhhh... This play is so sweet and beautiful! I loved it very much! It was a refreshing read to kick of July! I just wish it was longer than 70 pages!!! I want more of the characters, and golden pond, and Normans bitter humour! I'll have to pick up the actual novel very soon because I NEED more!
Want to read
July 7, 2008One of my favourite films, full of kindness, humaneness, lyricism and humour. So I'd love to read this book
March 6, 2014
Oh how good
October 1, 2009
Had the read through, continued to memorize.
Read
August 8, 2011An excellent play, if you don't think about it too much. Enjoyable if not logical.
November 5, 2012
can a play be "quaint"? cause even if one can't this one found a way to be.
December 3, 2012
Nice, quick read. Very touching!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews