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The Man Who Cried
There are men who can at times be stirred by the power and conflict of their own emotions to the point of shedding tears. Such a man was Abel Mason. Unhappily married to the shrewish Lena, he sought release in a love affair that soon ended in brutal tragedy. Abel left home, taking with him his young son, Dick, and together they tramped their way to the North where his roots lay.
It was a hard and sometimes traumatic journey, and at its end there seemed to open up whole new vistas of life and experience. But the spectre of the past remained, and the burden of its secrets continued to play a major part in shaping both Abel and his sonâ s destiny.
It was a hard and sometimes traumatic journey, and at its end there seemed to open up whole new vistas of life and experience. But the spectre of the past remained, and the burden of its secrets continued to play a major part in shaping both Abel and his sonâ s destiny.
278 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
32 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Cookson
501 books683 followersCatherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 14, 2018
Another brilliant story by Catherine Cookson. Loved her books.
June 16, 2020
A great saga told from the man's point of view. Abel is at times a complicated man whose weakness with women at times gets him in to some difficult issues, an affair with a married woman leading to her death, running away from his own wife who abuses both himself and their son whom he takes with him and resulting in him committing bigamy to give his son a settled home. His life further becomes complicated by his relationship with his sister in law which will have tragic consequences. Yet for all of this Abel is an engaging character whom you do have sympathy with. Again Cookson explores the social history of the 1930s and 1940s and the suffering and impact of the war on the daily lives of ordinary working people and of the complex relationships of dysfunctional families.
April 9, 2014
Catherine Cookson quality. A touching story. Abel Mason, the man who could be stirred by the power and conflict of his own emotions, to the point of shedding tears.
June 4, 2023
Abel Mason spends his life loving four women. The love changes over time, and he becomes entangled because of his habit of running away or withholding the truth when he believes there is no other alternative. Still, other than his first wife, the other women all love him in return, and this novel is full of the mysterious workings of the human heart and the often irrational ways people have of trying to deal with it.
October 23, 2023
Haven’t read any Catherine Cookson for a long time but have read all of them in the past And have a complete Catherine Cookson set of books
This was a good place to start ,every character in the book is believable and you feel sympathy for Abel even though he is a womaniser. The development of Dick is well written and the ending is poignant.
This was a good place to start ,every character in the book is believable and you feel sympathy for Abel even though he is a womaniser. The development of Dick is well written and the ending is poignant.
May 7, 2020
I'm afraid this one wasn't for me. Compared to other Cookson novels, I found it cheesy and hard to take seriously. Everything fitted together too conveniently and I gave up halfway through. Sorry Catherine.
March 27, 2018
Another enjoyable read from Catherine Cookson. As usual I raced through her book. A bit sad at times.
April 15, 2019
Must read this novel it tells you about the man's nature very well 👍🏻
October 4, 2019
I loved it happiness and sadness
January 5, 2022
Pretty awful but I was very bored.
Very unpleasant characters.
Did not really care about any of them.
Very unpleasant characters.
Did not really care about any of them.
November 20, 2008
This book is one of her really good books. This was made into a TV series.
Back Cover Blurb:
There are men who can at times be stirred by the power and conflict of their own emotions to the point of shedding tears. Such a man was Abel Mason. Unhappily married to the shrewish Lena, he sought release in a love affair that soon ended in brutal tragedy. Abel left home, taking with him his young son, Dick, and together they tramped their way to the North where his roots lay.
It was a hard and traumatic journey, and at its end there seemed to open up whole new vistas of life and experience. But the legacy of the past remained, and the burden of its secrets would continue to play a major part in shaping Abel's destiny and Dick's character alike.
Back Cover Blurb:
There are men who can at times be stirred by the power and conflict of their own emotions to the point of shedding tears. Such a man was Abel Mason. Unhappily married to the shrewish Lena, he sought release in a love affair that soon ended in brutal tragedy. Abel left home, taking with him his young son, Dick, and together they tramped their way to the North where his roots lay.
It was a hard and traumatic journey, and at its end there seemed to open up whole new vistas of life and experience. But the legacy of the past remained, and the burden of its secrets would continue to play a major part in shaping Abel's destiny and Dick's character alike.
May 18, 2012
I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.
June 22, 2010
As in most of Cookson's books she writes with strong female characters overcoming some miserable circumstance or misfortune. I also love the English accents given her characters. If you like books set in old England and well developed characters, you will enjoy books by Catherine Cookson!
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July 28, 2011Not one of the better Catherine Cookson's I must admit. The first section of the book was quite entertaining as Abel and his son go travelling and meet different characters along the way but then it all gets a bit monotonous and you wonder where the story's going.
September 9, 2012
a brilliant book could not put it down
September 15, 2014
This was a book I picked up on a sale rack at one of the castle shops when I was in England.
It was a very moving story.
It was a very moving story.
October 13, 2015
Read this is hospital and found it to be one of Ms. Cookson's most touching...
April 3, 2011
Another good read. Look forward to wathcing the movie.
July 1, 2015
Not nearly as compelling as the other Cookson novels I've read!!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews