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Late Air
Breadloaf and New York Public Library fellow, Jaclyn Gilbert's LATE AIR, a tale of a fanatical Yale cross country coach sent reeling into the ghosts of his past after an early morning practice run on the golf course goes horrifically wrong, injuring his star runner and churning up all that has lain dormant around the coach's fragmented life and marriage.
- GenresFiction
316 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2018
74 people are currently reading
980 people want to read
About the author
Jaclyn Gilbert
1 book33 followersJaclyn Gilbert received her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and BA from Yale University. She is the recipient of a research fellowship from the New York Public Library, a contributor to the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She has led writing workshops at the Valhalla Correctional Facility, the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, and Curious-on-Hudson in Dobbs Ferry. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and Weimaraner, Phin. Late Air (Little A, 2018) is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 3, 2019
Still not sure what this book was about
I read the whole book and kept waiting for something to start clicking with the story line, but I never got it. It felt like a waste of time to read.
I read the whole book and kept waiting for something to start clicking with the story line, but I never got it. It felt like a waste of time to read.
October 19, 2018
Via my book blog at https://cavebookreviews.blogspot.com/
You get tragedy where the tree,
instead of bending,
breaks.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
We all have tragedy visit us at some point in life. I thought I was safe until my late adult years when family members became seriously ill. I was in disbelief that all these kinds of things could happen to us. The novel Late Air examines what we do with when that tragedy hits our lives. Do we fold or struggle on, day by day.
Gilbert focuses on the characters Murray and Nancy, husband and wife. Murray is the women's track coach at Yale and Nancy is a literary archivist at The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, also at Yale. The couple works exceptionally long, selfless hours at their jobs. The work is their passion. Murray is obsessive about time. He lives by his stopwatch, each of his track students has a time that they must strive to better. He wants winners. He has had winners in the past.
A tragedy in their lives challenges all that they are, and it puts the reader in a situation of "what if" I had to try to live through all that. Gilbert creates a narrative where one survives by grasping on to life, barely breathing most days. Her other main character holds on to his stopwatch and has to come to terms with real life when he can't get the times out of his head.
I enjoyed reading this novel, packed with real life that we often have no idea exists in the real world, but it does. Gilbert has many more books to write, and I hope to read them soon.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
You get tragedy where the tree,
instead of bending,
breaks.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
We all have tragedy visit us at some point in life. I thought I was safe until my late adult years when family members became seriously ill. I was in disbelief that all these kinds of things could happen to us. The novel Late Air examines what we do with when that tragedy hits our lives. Do we fold or struggle on, day by day.
Gilbert focuses on the characters Murray and Nancy, husband and wife. Murray is the women's track coach at Yale and Nancy is a literary archivist at The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, also at Yale. The couple works exceptionally long, selfless hours at their jobs. The work is their passion. Murray is obsessive about time. He lives by his stopwatch, each of his track students has a time that they must strive to better. He wants winners. He has had winners in the past.
A tragedy in their lives challenges all that they are, and it puts the reader in a situation of "what if" I had to try to live through all that. Gilbert creates a narrative where one survives by grasping on to life, barely breathing most days. Her other main character holds on to his stopwatch and has to come to terms with real life when he can't get the times out of his head.
I enjoyed reading this novel, packed with real life that we often have no idea exists in the real world, but it does. Gilbert has many more books to write, and I hope to read them soon.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 10, 2018
I kept wanting to give up but continued reading because I felt obligated to since I won the ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. Finally though, at page 216/305, I couldn't take it anymore - the incredibly boring characters that still had not developed, the insufferable coach, the weird relationship between Nancy and Richard, and the continued speculation of what kind of relationship Murray had with his runners. I tried really hard to finish the book, but the plot barely moved forward. Absolutely none of the characters were likable or fully developed.
October 24, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'Murray’s fist tightened over his watch, numbers slipping like sand.'
What began as a romantic, surprising love in Paris when Murray (a marathon runner, olympic competitor, coach for Yale) and Nancy ( literary archivist) first meet in a cafe, turns into marriage. Her family isn’t thrilled about his background. Just finishing her PhD, her mother wanted far more for her than someone with Murray’s less than stellar background. Not even after marriage and a child are her parents able to open their hearts. Murray himself doesn’t have many familial connections with both parent’s deceased and a brother who dropped off West when their mother was ill. Together, they create a family of their own to build upon, chosing to focus on their careers and marriage.
Murray is more than passionate about his girls, in Nancy’s mind maybe obsessed. Having moved to New Haven more for his work than hers, there are small resentments. Never easy in making friends, she finds her own footing and befriends colleagues to share the thoughts in her mind with as Murray becomes more distant, and their intimacy recedes. Often ashamed of the jealousy she feels over Murray’s ‘girls’, Nancy tries to channel all her energy into her newborn, Jean. But the days collect in loneliness, the maternal feelings don’t come naturally and Murray is always preoccupied by his stopwatch, training. She needs her work too, this she knows. Being stuck home all day isn’t nourishment to her mind, soul. She isn’t bonding naturally, her child is often a squalling bundle of energy. She is exhausted, depressed, and lonely. In time, her little family is working again and everything feels good, though Murray is forgetful of important things, his mind never committed to Jean and Nancy.
Present day, sixteen years later Nancy and Murray are nowhere they thought they’d be. Tragedy has struck one of Murray’s star athletes, and the suffocating horrors of his own past suffering merges with present day. Now, he is beginning to see all the things he missed but is it too late, this breath of air? Could all the ridiculous fears, accusations and guilt from the past have some grain of truth? Is the injury Becky sustained his fault? Did he push his girls too hard? Was he a little too involved with others? Did he spend too much time running away from Nancy and Jean? Could anything he did or didn’t do change either outcome?
Time has its way with all the characters in this novel. Marriage through tragedy is a different beast, and sometimes it takes the passage of years to understand our choices, our mistakes, to confront our pain. Sometimes we understand too late that our partner’s betrayal may well be rooted in our own. This novel is an exploration of pain and love. You don’t have to be interested in runners (sports) to take meaning from the story, it’s much more about relationships, marriage, family. It burns slowly, takes you back and forth through Nancy and Murray’s lives, but those of you married long enough can relate especially partners who have trudged through loss together. If you haven’t known tragedy, you will one day. Grief and sorrow comes around for us all. It is the price we pay for being alive, for love.
Publication Date: November 13, 2019
Little A
'Murray’s fist tightened over his watch, numbers slipping like sand.'
What began as a romantic, surprising love in Paris when Murray (a marathon runner, olympic competitor, coach for Yale) and Nancy ( literary archivist) first meet in a cafe, turns into marriage. Her family isn’t thrilled about his background. Just finishing her PhD, her mother wanted far more for her than someone with Murray’s less than stellar background. Not even after marriage and a child are her parents able to open their hearts. Murray himself doesn’t have many familial connections with both parent’s deceased and a brother who dropped off West when their mother was ill. Together, they create a family of their own to build upon, chosing to focus on their careers and marriage.
Murray is more than passionate about his girls, in Nancy’s mind maybe obsessed. Having moved to New Haven more for his work than hers, there are small resentments. Never easy in making friends, she finds her own footing and befriends colleagues to share the thoughts in her mind with as Murray becomes more distant, and their intimacy recedes. Often ashamed of the jealousy she feels over Murray’s ‘girls’, Nancy tries to channel all her energy into her newborn, Jean. But the days collect in loneliness, the maternal feelings don’t come naturally and Murray is always preoccupied by his stopwatch, training. She needs her work too, this she knows. Being stuck home all day isn’t nourishment to her mind, soul. She isn’t bonding naturally, her child is often a squalling bundle of energy. She is exhausted, depressed, and lonely. In time, her little family is working again and everything feels good, though Murray is forgetful of important things, his mind never committed to Jean and Nancy.
Present day, sixteen years later Nancy and Murray are nowhere they thought they’d be. Tragedy has struck one of Murray’s star athletes, and the suffocating horrors of his own past suffering merges with present day. Now, he is beginning to see all the things he missed but is it too late, this breath of air? Could all the ridiculous fears, accusations and guilt from the past have some grain of truth? Is the injury Becky sustained his fault? Did he push his girls too hard? Was he a little too involved with others? Did he spend too much time running away from Nancy and Jean? Could anything he did or didn’t do change either outcome?
Time has its way with all the characters in this novel. Marriage through tragedy is a different beast, and sometimes it takes the passage of years to understand our choices, our mistakes, to confront our pain. Sometimes we understand too late that our partner’s betrayal may well be rooted in our own. This novel is an exploration of pain and love. You don’t have to be interested in runners (sports) to take meaning from the story, it’s much more about relationships, marriage, family. It burns slowly, takes you back and forth through Nancy and Murray’s lives, but those of you married long enough can relate especially partners who have trudged through loss together. If you haven’t known tragedy, you will one day. Grief and sorrow comes around for us all. It is the price we pay for being alive, for love.
Publication Date: November 13, 2019
Little A
November 12, 2018
Late Air follows a couple, Nancy and Murray, a librarian and cross country coach who first meet in Paris, from the beginnings of their relationship to the present day, moving back and forth between then and now. The dual narrative also focuses on Murray's running team, after an incident involving one of the girls (in the present day) changes everything.
This is a story of obsession, relationships, disappointment, and I found the first half gripping. Unfortunately the book lost its way a little in the latter half and it felt like there was a bit too much going on. A solid debut, nonetheless.
Thank you Netgalley and Little A for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of obsession, relationships, disappointment, and I found the first half gripping. Unfortunately the book lost its way a little in the latter half and it felt like there was a bit too much going on. A solid debut, nonetheless.
Thank you Netgalley and Little A for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2018
Beautifully written but terribly sad. Time shifts back and forth as Gilbert tells the story of Murray and Nancy, divorced in the present but still tied to one another in so many ways. Murray, a coach, begins to both reflect and decompensated when his star runner, Becky, is horribly injured in a freak accident. There is a tragedy in the couple's past which led to the dissolution of the marriage and it echoes into the present. This is both dramatic and restrained, a hard tightrope to walk. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
November 23, 2018
Profoundly sad but beautifully written, Late Air is the story of a college running coach and his wife who struggle with a terrible loss. Both dealing with the loss in their own quietly destructive ways, things come to a head when one of the coach's protegees has a freak accident during training. This book was so good! There was very little hype and I had no expectations going in except for the reviews I read on Goodreads. While running is the background for the book, it's not a main player in the story. Highly recommended.
September 24, 2018
The writer, Gilbert, captivates the reader with her spirit and her sense of losses in life. Late Air is not as focused on running as it is about what happens when ones’ competitive personality gets in the way of love and fails miserably in dealing with losses in life.
Whether you’re competing in a sport or not, Late Air is a compelling read!
Whether you’re competing in a sport or not, Late Air is a compelling read!
November 21, 2018
Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for my free digital review copy!
It has taken me a while to get to this review and I'm still very unsure how I feel. I thought this was such a raw, unscripted look at grief and the many ways a marriage can crumble and fail. Murray and Nancy are so different and I was completely fascinated with how they behaved as a couple. However, because of those differences it was also difficult for me to believe that they would have ever even come together. I loved learning about the history of their relationship, but I needed just a little more of it in order to be convinced of its' validity.
I have never been into sports and I have also never been into running, so it was hard for me to form attachments to the coaching aspect of the novel. Murray felt very detached and solely focused on his work, but he did not seem to have any clue how to care for his girls. At times he really broke my heart, but in others nothing he did made any sense.
Many passages felt incomplete to me and so much detail seemed to be left out of the story line. I think that if the book wasn't told from Murray's perspective I would have liked it more. Nancy's sections were definitely my favorite and I found her to be a fascinating character.
It has taken me a while to get to this review and I'm still very unsure how I feel. I thought this was such a raw, unscripted look at grief and the many ways a marriage can crumble and fail. Murray and Nancy are so different and I was completely fascinated with how they behaved as a couple. However, because of those differences it was also difficult for me to believe that they would have ever even come together. I loved learning about the history of their relationship, but I needed just a little more of it in order to be convinced of its' validity.
I have never been into sports and I have also never been into running, so it was hard for me to form attachments to the coaching aspect of the novel. Murray felt very detached and solely focused on his work, but he did not seem to have any clue how to care for his girls. At times he really broke my heart, but in others nothing he did made any sense.
Many passages felt incomplete to me and so much detail seemed to be left out of the story line. I think that if the book wasn't told from Murray's perspective I would have liked it more. Nancy's sections were definitely my favorite and I found her to be a fascinating character.
January 6, 2019
Looovved! Gilbert’s ability to draw you into each characters emotional turmoil is spot-on...Particularly, the relationship of Murray and his wife, Nancy and the difficulties that they endure while Murray struggles to maintain control and professionalism as a college running coach dealing with an unbelievable situation with his star runner!
Read it!
Read it!
December 31, 2018
Thank you for this Kindle copy that I received as a winner in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I enjoyed the story of the marriage of an elite running coach and his wife, a librarian. Although it is not a cheery read, the characters just step off the page.
I enjoyed the story of the marriage of an elite running coach and his wife, a librarian. Although it is not a cheery read, the characters just step off the page.
December 16, 2018
Jaclyn Gilbert's Late Air is a beautifully imagined and insightful novel populated by characters you can't help but fall in love with—flawed, as we are all flawed, and haunted by love and the trauma of events outside their control. Gilbert brings us along, expertly, as Murray and Nancy embark on a deeply moving and redemptive journey to the other side of grief. Simply a stunning debut.
December 11, 2018
Still pondering this one. A little difficult to follow the time-hops for me. I was frequently confused who was alive and who was dead. I did finally understand Murray's confusion and obsession with the stopwatch. Nice effort for a first novel.
December 2, 2018
A Gem!
Multi-layered yet simple, in the way that life can be. The author deftly shows how each character complicates every minor moment so much that they miss the effects of the major ones. And with devastating consequences. It’s hard to read sometimes, because you may see yourself reflected somewhere and not in a good light.
But, I still highly recommend it. It’s excellently written.
Multi-layered yet simple, in the way that life can be. The author deftly shows how each character complicates every minor moment so much that they miss the effects of the major ones. And with devastating consequences. It’s hard to read sometimes, because you may see yourself reflected somewhere and not in a good light.
But, I still highly recommend it. It’s excellently written.
December 2, 2018
Multi-layered yet simple, in the way that life can be. The author deftly shows how each character complicates every minor moment so much that they miss the effects of the major ones. And with devastating consequences. It’s hard to read sometimes, because you may see yourself reflected somewhere and not in a good light.
But, I still highly recommend it. It’s excellently written.
But, I still highly recommend it. It’s excellently written.
October 6, 2018
It is perhaps not a surprise that every one of the characters in this novel struggles for air. Whether stifled within a relationship, emotionally suppressed by mourning or physically restricted by an horrific accident, each appears imprisoned by their circumstances and consequently restricted in their expression.
Both compelling and moving, I felt myself drawn to, and able to empathise with, each perspective.
Perhaps, increased light to go with the shade would have offered a more impactful read. As with the most affecting cinematic experiences, a moment of tragedy hits its mark with greater force when it follows a burst of laughter, and there is not a lot of laughter here.
Nevertheless, Gilbert has crafted an engaging read with an authorial voice that put me in mind of Fredrik Backman's "Bear Town'. Somewhat impressive as this is her first book.
Both compelling and moving, I felt myself drawn to, and able to empathise with, each perspective.
Perhaps, increased light to go with the shade would have offered a more impactful read. As with the most affecting cinematic experiences, a moment of tragedy hits its mark with greater force when it follows a burst of laughter, and there is not a lot of laughter here.
Nevertheless, Gilbert has crafted an engaging read with an authorial voice that put me in mind of Fredrik Backman's "Bear Town'. Somewhat impressive as this is her first book.
October 18, 2018
1.5, rounded up to 2.
I feel bad saying that but I didn't like the book that much, specially the style it's written. It's "too much" of everything. I love books being exciting, fast-paced when the situation shouts for it, but no matter which point I, as the reader, must be able to jump into the situation and keep up with pace, calmness, highs and lows, characters and their pasts and their nows. I think this is the hardest to accomplish, I know I could never do it. Story telling without gibing away the feeling of telling but being a part lf it. This book, Late Air, is like being presented a race by a narrator who jumps through space, character, time, events, and all of this without breathing or letting you breathe and consider and feel. I hope I'm in the minority here, and that many other readers see it different.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy!
I feel bad saying that but I didn't like the book that much, specially the style it's written. It's "too much" of everything. I love books being exciting, fast-paced when the situation shouts for it, but no matter which point I, as the reader, must be able to jump into the situation and keep up with pace, calmness, highs and lows, characters and their pasts and their nows. I think this is the hardest to accomplish, I know I could never do it. Story telling without gibing away the feeling of telling but being a part lf it. This book, Late Air, is like being presented a race by a narrator who jumps through space, character, time, events, and all of this without breathing or letting you breathe and consider and feel. I hope I'm in the minority here, and that many other readers see it different.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy!
January 4, 2019
Loved this book especially the depiction of Murray, one of the main characters in Late Air. I was hooked at the first scene with its intensity and drama. It is the story of a Yale women's running coach and how he deals with major losses. The book took me on an emotional ride with its depictions of the sport of collegiate running, marriage and tragedy. We see the story from alternating points of view of Murray and his wife Nancy. Gilbert knows how to develop and explore her characters!
Read
October 2, 2019Ugh - book had a good premise but it did not deliver..... man coaches Yale's girls cross country team and his top runner goes down during an early morning run on the golf course from apparent golf ball strike (but this is never confirmed). Book changes rapidly between points in time and it is not always clear if it is the past or present.
November 10, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a free ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
Late Air can best be described as an odd book in a mainstream way. The coach shows he cares about his athletes, himself, his wife and their child through actions. He obsesses about counting things, keeping in control, and producing results. By staying regimented he can achieve what he wants for himself and others. Much of the book is about his goals and coaching his Division 1 athletes. It’s fascinating, sad and a bit horrifying to read about the inner workings of his brain. The book can be seen as a warning against a singular focus mindset.
Despite the catch being so focused, the story was a bit all over the place. At times I got lost and other times I didn’t really care. There are many life lessons to be learned, but I didn’t really care about the characters.
All in all, a cautionary tale against obsession, but not as amazing as I had hoped.
Late Air can best be described as an odd book in a mainstream way. The coach shows he cares about his athletes, himself, his wife and their child through actions. He obsesses about counting things, keeping in control, and producing results. By staying regimented he can achieve what he wants for himself and others. Much of the book is about his goals and coaching his Division 1 athletes. It’s fascinating, sad and a bit horrifying to read about the inner workings of his brain. The book can be seen as a warning against a singular focus mindset.
Despite the catch being so focused, the story was a bit all over the place. At times I got lost and other times I didn’t really care. There are many life lessons to be learned, but I didn’t really care about the characters.
All in all, a cautionary tale against obsession, but not as amazing as I had hoped.
October 9, 2020
The book immediately showed us the obsessed behavior of the main character. Oddly creepy to me. It did propel me to want to learn more. The relationship he had with his wife versus his female athletes was a bit weird. I felt like his behavior was as a result of how he was raised and the relationship he had with his father. I found the whole story all a bit strange. Also, the way the book was broken into the separation stories of him and his wife. It felt like his wife's life moved on into the future, but when the author came back to the main character's life, it felt like time had not moved?
January 21, 2019
3.5 stars. This book is sad. It's the story of two people that suffered a devastating loss and is in the present 18 years after that loss. It shows how they each coped and handled it. At times it is vague and the writing is sometimes dream like, as you aren't quite sure what the author is referencing. I do like the it show both ends of the spectrum on how people deal with a loss. The end left me disappointed as it was vague with loose ends.
January 27, 2019
If you have had a broken heart. Don't read this.
If you have had a broken heart, you must read this.
So painful at times I had to gasp out loud but so beautifully handled, so expertly timed, that I was grateful for the reminder of the original love, love that is the only power great enough to break a heart.
If you have had a broken heart, you must read this.
So painful at times I had to gasp out loud but so beautifully handled, so expertly timed, that I was grateful for the reminder of the original love, love that is the only power great enough to break a heart.
February 1, 2019
I gave this book three stars because I liked it. However, it was a sad book because of all the tragedy in this couple's life. The husband was into his job as a college girls running coach and the wife suffered a loss she never could get over until some twenty years later. If only they could have come back together before then.
May 21, 2022
A beautifully written story. I felt like I got to be a fly on the wall in Murray and Nancy’s lives and enjoyed learning all about their very human traits. I think this book is worth a shot if you love the written word and reading it in the most elegant of prose.
September 23, 2018
Lovely writing, super depressing. Reviewed for Booklist.
December 9, 2018
very slow
January 19, 2019
Depressing and a little disturbing. A coach, driving around in his golf cart because he's ruined his body, grooming young athletes to follow in his footsteps
August 14, 2019
It was a good book but heartbreaking. The story was crafted nicely.
December 24, 2020
I kept listening to this book hoping this book book would get better. Sad to say it didn't. I am still not sure what the book was about
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews