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Such Kindness
Tom Lowe’s identity and his pride are invested in the work he does with his back and his hands. He designed and built his family’s dream home, working extra hours to pay off the adjustable rate mortgage he took on the property, convinced he is making every sacrifice for the happiness of his wife and son. Until, in a moment of fatigued inattention, shingling a roof in too-bright sunlight, he falls.
In constant pain, addicted to painkillers at the cost of his relationships with his wife and son, Tom slowly comes to realize that he can never work again. If he is not a working man, who is he? He is not, he believes, the kind of person who lives in subsidized housing, though that is where he has ended up. He is not the kind of person who hatches a scheme to commit convenience-check fraud, together with neighbors he considers lowlifes, until he finds himself stealing his banker’s trash.
Who is Tom Lowe, and who will he become? Can he find a way to reunite hands and heart, mind and spirit, to be once again a giver and not just a taker, to forge a self-acceptance deeper than pride? To one man’s painful moral journey, Dubus brings compassion with an edge of dark absurdity, forging a novel as absorbing as it is profound.
In constant pain, addicted to painkillers at the cost of his relationships with his wife and son, Tom slowly comes to realize that he can never work again. If he is not a working man, who is he? He is not, he believes, the kind of person who lives in subsidized housing, though that is where he has ended up. He is not the kind of person who hatches a scheme to commit convenience-check fraud, together with neighbors he considers lowlifes, until he finds himself stealing his banker’s trash.
Who is Tom Lowe, and who will he become? Can he find a way to reunite hands and heart, mind and spirit, to be once again a giver and not just a taker, to forge a self-acceptance deeper than pride? To one man’s painful moral journey, Dubus brings compassion with an edge of dark absurdity, forging a novel as absorbing as it is profound.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
362 people are currently reading
9336 people want to read
About the author
Andre Dubus III
39 books1,124 followersAndre Dubus III is the author of The Garden of Last Days, House of Sand and Fog (a #1 New York Times bestseller, Oprah’s Book Club pick, and finalist for the National Book Award) and Townie, winner of an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature. His writing has received many honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Magazine Award, and two Pushcart Prizes. He lives with his family north of Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
September 10, 2023
It’s easy to feel sorry for someone who is down and out, perhaps not as easy to really empathize, to know what happened to them to get them to that point, to know what’s in their head and heart. Tom Lowe, a decent hardworking family man who tried to build a comfortable home and life for them reflects on his past and present in this first person, introspective novel.
Andre Dubus III does a great job of taking the reader into Tom’s head and heart and divulges how through a combination of bad luck and financial overreach, ends up disabled and living in a low income subsidized apartment. Tom experienced not just a set back, but a full blown crisis and the walls come tumbling down. Now, a broken man, physically and emotionally, it’s hard to say at times which is more painful.
His story is a depressing one, and it’s not easy to read because of that. He’s filled with guilt and resentment. I rooted for him as he tries to manage because I came to know that he is a good man, who has made some mistakes . I rooted for him because he wants to do the right thing , and mostly because of how much he loves his son. It’s a little gritty at times, a little bit philosophical, but not preachy as a series of kindnesses from strangers and family and Tom himself change his mindset. I expected a different ending, but Dubus gives us a fitting one.
I received a copy of this book from W. W . Norton Company through Edelweiss.
Andre Dubus III does a great job of taking the reader into Tom’s head and heart and divulges how through a combination of bad luck and financial overreach, ends up disabled and living in a low income subsidized apartment. Tom experienced not just a set back, but a full blown crisis and the walls come tumbling down. Now, a broken man, physically and emotionally, it’s hard to say at times which is more painful.
His story is a depressing one, and it’s not easy to read because of that. He’s filled with guilt and resentment. I rooted for him as he tries to manage because I came to know that he is a good man, who has made some mistakes . I rooted for him because he wants to do the right thing , and mostly because of how much he loves his son. It’s a little gritty at times, a little bit philosophical, but not preachy as a series of kindnesses from strangers and family and Tom himself change his mindset. I expected a different ending, but Dubus gives us a fitting one.
I received a copy of this book from W. W . Norton Company through Edelweiss.
October 18, 2025
Tom is depressed. He knows this, and he also knows why he’s in this state. He once had it all: he and his family lived in the house of his dreams, a house he’d built himself; he was married to a loving wife, who he absolutely adored; he had a young son he could eventually endow with the skills he’d accumulated and then perfected. But now he has nothing. He lives in squalid conditions in a small subsidised apartment, unable to work and barely getting by financially. His wife is long gone, now married to a rich and successful guy whom Tom has never even had a conversation with. His son, too, is practically estranged, away at college with their contact limited to the occasional email exchange.
It all went wrong when Tom had an accident. As a self-employed carpenter, he was working on a roof, something he was used to, but on this day, he inexplicably fell. The resulting physical damage cost him his livelihood and, eventually, his house and his marriage. He puts the blame firmly in the hands of firstly the bank who lent him so much money that he’d found himself under increasing pressure to work long hours to meet the mortgage repayments. Secondly, he hates the insurance company, who refused to pay out following the accident, as he’d fallen behind on his monthly payments. Thirdly, he resents Big Pharma because he was in so much pain following his required operations that he became addicted to painkillers. Yes, Tom definitely believes that he’s the victim of this wicked triumvirate.
To rub salt in the wound, Tom has now had his car impounded and fines levied, which he’s unable to pay. So now he has no transport. All of this information is conveyed early on leaving Tom stewing over what he’s failed at, what he’s lost, and who he blames. His downward spiral appears to have now hit rock bottom. But no, he's to find that there’s still further to go. It’s tempting to think that this whole tale of woe is something that is not only depressing for the unfortunate hero of this tale but also for the reader too. But that’s not really the case. The facts are laid out succinctly and in a matter of fact way, and yet there is a sense that something interesting is around the corner for this man.
I won’t go into how things play out from here, other than to say that a small act of kindness manages to make a huge difference to how Tom starts to interpret his situation. There’s a lot in this story about love and loss and what’s really important in life and what isn’t. There’s also a telling moment when Tom’s now ex-wife questions why those who struggle to simply survive can’t turn their attention to how they might grow and prosper. Actually, it’s very clear that these people simply aren’t able to thrive like those offered an abundance of help and support. It’s such an obvious point, and yet it was something of a light bulb moment for me, it caused me to question some of my own perceptions about people I’ve met and about whom I’ve potentially made false judgements .
This story put me in mind of a character from Tom Wolfe’s novel A Man in Full. In Wolfe’s book, a character called Conrad Hensley comes into the possession of a book written by Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus, whilst serving prison time. As a result, something clicks for him. He sees a way in which he can not only endure but also thrive. It gives Conrad a framework for thinking and acting. Both novels adopt a similar theme, and although they take very different routes, each story had a significant impact on me. I cared for both of these characters, and I wanted something better for them. And if they couldn’t achieve more, I at least wanted them to find a better way of coping, of seeing their circumstances in a different light.
If I have one problem with this tale, it’s that Tom’s moment of clarity comes courtesy of an act of charity, an act unbidden and somewhat surprising. From this point, not only does he behave differently to people he meets, but they also behave differently toward him – or at least that’s his perception. The change in attitude on both sides is now universal. Does this reflect real life? Well, perhaps to a degree, but I’m not sure it’s ever quite so black and white as depicted here.
Dubus has written a number of very fine novels and short stories and also a wonderful memoir, Townie, in which he details his early life growing up in tough New England towns. Perhaps he’s overshadowed somewhat by his father – an outstanding essayist and short story writer – but he really shouldn’t be overlooked. I recommend his work to anyone who enjoys a book that stirs the emotions, one that’ll leave you thinking long after you’ve finished the last page.
My thanks to W. W. Norton & Company for providing an early copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It all went wrong when Tom had an accident. As a self-employed carpenter, he was working on a roof, something he was used to, but on this day, he inexplicably fell. The resulting physical damage cost him his livelihood and, eventually, his house and his marriage. He puts the blame firmly in the hands of firstly the bank who lent him so much money that he’d found himself under increasing pressure to work long hours to meet the mortgage repayments. Secondly, he hates the insurance company, who refused to pay out following the accident, as he’d fallen behind on his monthly payments. Thirdly, he resents Big Pharma because he was in so much pain following his required operations that he became addicted to painkillers. Yes, Tom definitely believes that he’s the victim of this wicked triumvirate.
To rub salt in the wound, Tom has now had his car impounded and fines levied, which he’s unable to pay. So now he has no transport. All of this information is conveyed early on leaving Tom stewing over what he’s failed at, what he’s lost, and who he blames. His downward spiral appears to have now hit rock bottom. But no, he's to find that there’s still further to go. It’s tempting to think that this whole tale of woe is something that is not only depressing for the unfortunate hero of this tale but also for the reader too. But that’s not really the case. The facts are laid out succinctly and in a matter of fact way, and yet there is a sense that something interesting is around the corner for this man.
I won’t go into how things play out from here, other than to say that a small act of kindness manages to make a huge difference to how Tom starts to interpret his situation. There’s a lot in this story about love and loss and what’s really important in life and what isn’t. There’s also a telling moment when Tom’s now ex-wife questions why those who struggle to simply survive can’t turn their attention to how they might grow and prosper. Actually, it’s very clear that these people simply aren’t able to thrive like those offered an abundance of help and support. It’s such an obvious point, and yet it was something of a light bulb moment for me, it caused me to question some of my own perceptions about people I’ve met and about whom I’ve potentially made false judgements .
This story put me in mind of a character from Tom Wolfe’s novel A Man in Full. In Wolfe’s book, a character called Conrad Hensley comes into the possession of a book written by Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus, whilst serving prison time. As a result, something clicks for him. He sees a way in which he can not only endure but also thrive. It gives Conrad a framework for thinking and acting. Both novels adopt a similar theme, and although they take very different routes, each story had a significant impact on me. I cared for both of these characters, and I wanted something better for them. And if they couldn’t achieve more, I at least wanted them to find a better way of coping, of seeing their circumstances in a different light.
If I have one problem with this tale, it’s that Tom’s moment of clarity comes courtesy of an act of charity, an act unbidden and somewhat surprising. From this point, not only does he behave differently to people he meets, but they also behave differently toward him – or at least that’s his perception. The change in attitude on both sides is now universal. Does this reflect real life? Well, perhaps to a degree, but I’m not sure it’s ever quite so black and white as depicted here.
Dubus has written a number of very fine novels and short stories and also a wonderful memoir, Townie, in which he details his early life growing up in tough New England towns. Perhaps he’s overshadowed somewhat by his father – an outstanding essayist and short story writer – but he really shouldn’t be overlooked. I recommend his work to anyone who enjoys a book that stirs the emotions, one that’ll leave you thinking long after you’ve finished the last page.
My thanks to W. W. Norton & Company for providing an early copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2023
SUCH KINDNESS is another gem from Andre Dubus III. His compassion for his characters -- abused by an uncaring universe and the careless humans who walk the planet -- is so full and nonjudgmental that you will come to respect them and care for them in the ways we all deserve. We talk a lot in writing classes about things like a "hero's journey." In Dubus's latest, we see that walk with all its pain, and what can happen when -- despite remorseless physical and emotional agony -- we get to the other side.
May 30, 2023
'When people are trying to survive, they don't thrive'.
This is the story of Tom Lowe and his fall. His literal fall from a roofing job, leaving him in chronic pain and addicted to painkillers, and his metaphorical fall from the 'perfect' life he had built. He is a broken man. After all, he didn't deserve this. He worked all hours to provide for his family, keep on top of his mortgage and build his wife's dream house. He's even studied at college. Yet, somehow people look at him as some type of, 'degenerate and not a man with an education and the skills to build.' All Tom wants to do now is find a way to get back his car and see his estranged son for his twentieth birthday. It's a two-hour journey away, but it's a revelation on life and living.
'Such Kindness' is about finding kindness in everyday life. It highlights the tension between being a 'giver' and a 'taker' of being 'worthy' as opposed to feeling 'entitled'. 'I've been waiting for...apologies and restitutions from everyone who had a hand in delivering me to what I thought was a useless life.' Instead of living a life martyred to the problems which seem to weigh upon us, we need to just live the life we are dealt with. 'I have not been playing my hand at all, I've been rejecting it.' In spite of life's curve balls, we need to be gracious for the life that we have and the others within it. 'These good things that have been happening, they've come because my recent misfortunes have forced me to pick up my hand and actually look at it'.
This is a very thought-provoking book that cascades light on humanity and one man’s journey toward a deeper understanding of himself and the world to which he belongs. At times Tom's story meanders, however, the lulls give time to mull over and digest the words and distill meaning. Small pebbles of epiphanies drop throughout the book, landing in a pool of consciousness, which ripple with deeper understanding. I believe that anyone who read this book would discover value and personal takeaways from it.
This is the story of Tom Lowe and his fall. His literal fall from a roofing job, leaving him in chronic pain and addicted to painkillers, and his metaphorical fall from the 'perfect' life he had built. He is a broken man. After all, he didn't deserve this. He worked all hours to provide for his family, keep on top of his mortgage and build his wife's dream house. He's even studied at college. Yet, somehow people look at him as some type of, 'degenerate and not a man with an education and the skills to build.' All Tom wants to do now is find a way to get back his car and see his estranged son for his twentieth birthday. It's a two-hour journey away, but it's a revelation on life and living.
'Such Kindness' is about finding kindness in everyday life. It highlights the tension between being a 'giver' and a 'taker' of being 'worthy' as opposed to feeling 'entitled'. 'I've been waiting for...apologies and restitutions from everyone who had a hand in delivering me to what I thought was a useless life.' Instead of living a life martyred to the problems which seem to weigh upon us, we need to just live the life we are dealt with. 'I have not been playing my hand at all, I've been rejecting it.' In spite of life's curve balls, we need to be gracious for the life that we have and the others within it. 'These good things that have been happening, they've come because my recent misfortunes have forced me to pick up my hand and actually look at it'.
This is a very thought-provoking book that cascades light on humanity and one man’s journey toward a deeper understanding of himself and the world to which he belongs. At times Tom's story meanders, however, the lulls give time to mull over and digest the words and distill meaning. Small pebbles of epiphanies drop throughout the book, landing in a pool of consciousness, which ripple with deeper understanding. I believe that anyone who read this book would discover value and personal takeaways from it.
April 19, 2023
I’ve been in my own jail, son. I think I’m finally finding out how to be free.
from Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III
Most of us live on the lip of a void, one step away from disaster.
A fall leads to loss of work, which leads to loss of home. Constant pain leads to addiction to opioids and alcohol. And then comes the loss of your family, unwilling to continue the fall with you.
Who is to blame? The hospital doctors who couldn’t repair your broken body? The broker who sold you the bad mortgage and took the house you built with your own hands? The man who slept with your wife and took her from you?
All you know is that you are left with nothing but anger, pain and loss and blame, but especially anger at the people who did this to you.
Tom Lowe won’t stop striving. He had worked nonstop to build his wife, born to abundance, the perfect house. Now, he is determined to find a gift for his son’s twentieth birthday. But his fall never seems to end. Having lost his health, his career, his house, his wife and child, he losses his car and his phone, too. Walking through the bitter snow, sockless in old work boots, his hips flaring in pain with every step, he strives. He is determined to be there for his son.
Tom is surrounded by others trapped in poverty. He becomes a fatherly friend to a young mother. Tom pulled himself from poverty by hard work–until things went awry– but she remains trapped. He wants to protect her from the abusive boyfriend and the man who is committing a crime.
Learning that his son is in danger, Tom sets off to go to him. He must rely on the help of strangers. He is shown kindness.
And he changes. He begins to accept the life he has and the people in this life.
Compassionate yet gritty, this story reminds us of the false values that drive us to bad decisions, the value of kindness, and the freedom of acceptance.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
from Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III
Most of us live on the lip of a void, one step away from disaster.
A fall leads to loss of work, which leads to loss of home. Constant pain leads to addiction to opioids and alcohol. And then comes the loss of your family, unwilling to continue the fall with you.
Who is to blame? The hospital doctors who couldn’t repair your broken body? The broker who sold you the bad mortgage and took the house you built with your own hands? The man who slept with your wife and took her from you?
All you know is that you are left with nothing but anger, pain and loss and blame, but especially anger at the people who did this to you.
Tom Lowe won’t stop striving. He had worked nonstop to build his wife, born to abundance, the perfect house. Now, he is determined to find a gift for his son’s twentieth birthday. But his fall never seems to end. Having lost his health, his career, his house, his wife and child, he losses his car and his phone, too. Walking through the bitter snow, sockless in old work boots, his hips flaring in pain with every step, he strives. He is determined to be there for his son.
Tom is surrounded by others trapped in poverty. He becomes a fatherly friend to a young mother. Tom pulled himself from poverty by hard work–until things went awry– but she remains trapped. He wants to protect her from the abusive boyfriend and the man who is committing a crime.
Learning that his son is in danger, Tom sets off to go to him. He must rely on the help of strangers. He is shown kindness.
And he changes. He begins to accept the life he has and the people in this life.
Compassionate yet gritty, this story reminds us of the false values that drive us to bad decisions, the value of kindness, and the freedom of acceptance.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
November 29, 2025
The anointed savior of American Literature and perhaps Savoir Faire of heart-on-their-sleeve Massholes with sharpened number two pencils does it again!
Andre is always willing to take bold risks as means to portray abundant grit and scarred human emotion. The mere thought of writing about broadcasting sex online for money (even in a fiction novel by a kind and seasoned veteran) is a debilitating fucking knife-gut. I had to physically put the book down to recompose myself and stop the metaphysical bleeding.
It physically hurts me reading those printed words because I devoutly believe that's one of the few true sacred things left that should never ever be transactionally exploited regardless of any suffocations by debt.
But alas, you keep reading as if treading water just to stay alive; keeping your head barely enough above rising sea levels.
I once sent someone who I thought was my friend a sweater in the mail several years ago because I was just trying to be kind. It even snowed the exact same day it was delivered; a great day to have an extra layer! That person lied to the police about me while their vulpine female führer conditioned them through the process of hurting someone out of jealousy and spite for... inflated internet likes. Masked police officers unsuspectingly banging on the door of your quiet home yelling, "Do you want to go to jail!?!" because you simply tried to purchase something is probably the polar opposite of kindness and demonstrates an inane pecuniary judgement. The entire preposterous ordeal might have rivaled the unfathomable real life trauma of someone actually putting a gun to my head at the ripe 'ole age of sixteen or being choked by a former roommate because you offered to share food with them.
"Oh don't be silly, you've been wonderful." (139)
I was just trying to be kind.
How the hell are you supposed to act when you are down on your luck and someone steals all your tools?
Some of the most intimate and peaceful conversations I have had in life have been with cab drivers (not ride shares from apps on a phone). They could be secret angels for all I know because they keep you safe and are more-often-than-not humane listeners. I still keep their cards and written numbers in my wallet even though I generally fear calling people on the telephone. Calling someone on the telephone without positive intention is like jumping off a diving board with an open wound into a pool of sharks at midnight.
I once dated an older woman for several months who didn't disclose that she was still married, living with her husband, and was working as a private dancer on the weekends. I just tried to be kind. She kissed me first and then later stole my personalized signed copy of Townie from my friend, Andre that literally said, "Keep up the great work helping people." She also stole my copy of The Tao of Pooh!
"She turns to me, her phone still pressed to her ear, and points to the full mug of coffee, then at a bowl of creamer and packets of sugar. Such kindness." (144)
I was just trying to be kind.
I let a former female overnight camp coworker borrow my vintage copy of Siddhartha during the summer of 2010 because I wanted to be kind. The same, "professional" foundry that harangued the oppidan duty of handwritten communications using postage stamps and envelopes.
When I kindly asked her about it on LinkedIn last month she responded, "Joe, I have no idea what book you're talking about but please stop commenting on my professional posts about it. Camp was over 15 years ago I have no memory of that."
She blocked me on LinkedIn even though we were friends 13 years ago (not over 15) and I just wanted to try and get my vintage copy of Siddhartha back.
I was just trying to be kind.
I recruited a female sports journalist when I was working for a publishing company because I thought it was important to make sure female voices were heard too (at least the ones that didn't physically abuse you or hit you in the face...). I let her borrow a one-of-a-kind signed copy of Outside Pitch by Captain Michael Rutstein so she could understand the meaningful writing we were trying to accomplish on the streets of Boston. I even sent her winter gloves in the mail to keep her writing hands warm in the winter. Several years later when I saw her talking about baseball on cable television, I asked her if she still had my book. She lost it because she was unaware of its true value.
I was just trying to be kind.
This past week an older woman I used to work for sent me a passive aggressive text message from her iPhone accusing me of using the back door of her store, something I hadn't even thought about opening since being accused of stealing $15, a lower hourly wage than what was initially agreed on with a real handshake, and having my hours cut from 35 to 20 to 16 in just three weeks. I made one sale that was 769% of the total I was supposed to make in a scheduled three-hour shift after I gave a formal two weeks' notice. We weren't allowed to accept any tips, and I never did.
I never stole money from her.
"She smiles and sits back in her chair with the satisfied air of one who's doing her job well. How fortunate people are to have jobs." (196)
I was just trying to be kind.
I guess I should feel grateful because in this day and age some laggard ladies lack the grace or wherewithal to say or even write the two magic words of gratuity anymore.
"But this new road I'm on, it feels like it might be able to lead me to parts of myself that may make me a better man too. Or at least better than I was." (212)
I was just trying to be kind.
Reading Such Kindness by my old friend, Andre Dubus III was like lighting a match in a rainstorm when you're stranded on an island of doubt. It was just enough to make a fire to keep you safe and warm for at least one more night.
"I'm thinking about reading Siddhartha again." (308)
https://images.gr-assets.com/photos/1...
Andre is always willing to take bold risks as means to portray abundant grit and scarred human emotion. The mere thought of writing about broadcasting sex online for money (even in a fiction novel by a kind and seasoned veteran) is a debilitating fucking knife-gut. I had to physically put the book down to recompose myself and stop the metaphysical bleeding.
It physically hurts me reading those printed words because I devoutly believe that's one of the few true sacred things left that should never ever be transactionally exploited regardless of any suffocations by debt.
But alas, you keep reading as if treading water just to stay alive; keeping your head barely enough above rising sea levels.
I once sent someone who I thought was my friend a sweater in the mail several years ago because I was just trying to be kind. It even snowed the exact same day it was delivered; a great day to have an extra layer! That person lied to the police about me while their vulpine female führer conditioned them through the process of hurting someone out of jealousy and spite for... inflated internet likes. Masked police officers unsuspectingly banging on the door of your quiet home yelling, "Do you want to go to jail!?!" because you simply tried to purchase something is probably the polar opposite of kindness and demonstrates an inane pecuniary judgement. The entire preposterous ordeal might have rivaled the unfathomable real life trauma of someone actually putting a gun to my head at the ripe 'ole age of sixteen or being choked by a former roommate because you offered to share food with them.
"Oh don't be silly, you've been wonderful." (139)
I was just trying to be kind.
How the hell are you supposed to act when you are down on your luck and someone steals all your tools?
Some of the most intimate and peaceful conversations I have had in life have been with cab drivers (not ride shares from apps on a phone). They could be secret angels for all I know because they keep you safe and are more-often-than-not humane listeners. I still keep their cards and written numbers in my wallet even though I generally fear calling people on the telephone. Calling someone on the telephone without positive intention is like jumping off a diving board with an open wound into a pool of sharks at midnight.
I once dated an older woman for several months who didn't disclose that she was still married, living with her husband, and was working as a private dancer on the weekends. I just tried to be kind. She kissed me first and then later stole my personalized signed copy of Townie from my friend, Andre that literally said, "Keep up the great work helping people." She also stole my copy of The Tao of Pooh!
"She turns to me, her phone still pressed to her ear, and points to the full mug of coffee, then at a bowl of creamer and packets of sugar. Such kindness." (144)
I was just trying to be kind.
I let a former female overnight camp coworker borrow my vintage copy of Siddhartha during the summer of 2010 because I wanted to be kind. The same, "professional" foundry that harangued the oppidan duty of handwritten communications using postage stamps and envelopes.
When I kindly asked her about it on LinkedIn last month she responded, "Joe, I have no idea what book you're talking about but please stop commenting on my professional posts about it. Camp was over 15 years ago I have no memory of that."
She blocked me on LinkedIn even though we were friends 13 years ago (not over 15) and I just wanted to try and get my vintage copy of Siddhartha back.
I was just trying to be kind.
I recruited a female sports journalist when I was working for a publishing company because I thought it was important to make sure female voices were heard too (at least the ones that didn't physically abuse you or hit you in the face...). I let her borrow a one-of-a-kind signed copy of Outside Pitch by Captain Michael Rutstein so she could understand the meaningful writing we were trying to accomplish on the streets of Boston. I even sent her winter gloves in the mail to keep her writing hands warm in the winter. Several years later when I saw her talking about baseball on cable television, I asked her if she still had my book. She lost it because she was unaware of its true value.
I was just trying to be kind.
This past week an older woman I used to work for sent me a passive aggressive text message from her iPhone accusing me of using the back door of her store, something I hadn't even thought about opening since being accused of stealing $15, a lower hourly wage than what was initially agreed on with a real handshake, and having my hours cut from 35 to 20 to 16 in just three weeks. I made one sale that was 769% of the total I was supposed to make in a scheduled three-hour shift after I gave a formal two weeks' notice. We weren't allowed to accept any tips, and I never did.
I never stole money from her.
"She smiles and sits back in her chair with the satisfied air of one who's doing her job well. How fortunate people are to have jobs." (196)
I was just trying to be kind.
I guess I should feel grateful because in this day and age some laggard ladies lack the grace or wherewithal to say or even write the two magic words of gratuity anymore.
"But this new road I'm on, it feels like it might be able to lead me to parts of myself that may make me a better man too. Or at least better than I was." (212)
I was just trying to be kind.
Reading Such Kindness by my old friend, Andre Dubus III was like lighting a match in a rainstorm when you're stranded on an island of doubt. It was just enough to make a fire to keep you safe and warm for at least one more night.
"I'm thinking about reading Siddhartha again." (308)
https://images.gr-assets.com/photos/1...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 13, 2023Andre Dubus III has been a favorite author of mine since reading The House of Sand and Fog. My opinion only grew after seeing and hearing him speak at an author event.
Sometimes it's just attitude that allow changes.
Not all authors could pull this story off. Sometimes, it's how you put words of wisdom into your character's mouths. This has always been the joy of reading anything by Andre Dubus III. The plot is fairly simple, yet soon you realize the results are more complex. Kindness has, and always will go a long way in how you view our world.
Thank you, Andre Dubus III , for creating the character, Tom Lowe, a man who once had it all, job, wife, child, only to have it all blow up when he experiences a work related fall off a roof, which leaves him in severe pain with no recovery, physically or mentally; alone and on the verge of homelessness. Makes one think of how quickly things can go south; just how some of those panhandling (not Tom's style) and homeless, got where they are. Never having experienced anything like this, Such Kindness, really made me think and will stay in my mind when I see or hear about those seeking assistance.
One friend of mine who reviewed Such Kindness wondered if a change of attitude can change a life? I'm a believer and how Tom becomes one too, makes for a wonderful read.
My sincere thanks to Edelweiss, W. W. Norton & Company, and Author, Andre Dubus III, for providing an early DRC of Such Kindness.
Sometimes it's just attitude that allow changes.
Not all authors could pull this story off. Sometimes, it's how you put words of wisdom into your character's mouths. This has always been the joy of reading anything by Andre Dubus III. The plot is fairly simple, yet soon you realize the results are more complex. Kindness has, and always will go a long way in how you view our world.
Thank you, Andre Dubus III , for creating the character, Tom Lowe, a man who once had it all, job, wife, child, only to have it all blow up when he experiences a work related fall off a roof, which leaves him in severe pain with no recovery, physically or mentally; alone and on the verge of homelessness. Makes one think of how quickly things can go south; just how some of those panhandling (not Tom's style) and homeless, got where they are. Never having experienced anything like this, Such Kindness, really made me think and will stay in my mind when I see or hear about those seeking assistance.
One friend of mine who reviewed Such Kindness wondered if a change of attitude can change a life? I'm a believer and how Tom becomes one too, makes for a wonderful read.
My sincere thanks to Edelweiss, W. W. Norton & Company, and Author, Andre Dubus III, for providing an early DRC of Such Kindness.
July 31, 2023
5 stars, and then some.
I highly recommend this book, but it will probably not be for everyone. To read about a deeply depressed and very broken-down white middle-aged man will probably keep some readers away. I understand, but this book grabbed me immediately and made me care desperately for this desperate human being. I felt his pains, his confusions, his guilts, his resentments - yes, all plural - and I saw him, a man who felt so invisible to the world, in no small part because he had dropped out and largely checked out, too. But this author, wow, he made this modern-day secular Job just someone I wanted and needed to see find his way out and up.
I won't say if Tom Lowe Jr. does or doesn't find what he needs, but I will say, this novel asks you to look deep, deep within, at the rot that is happening in so much of our society, at how disposable so many of us feel and/or are treated, at what it means to see all you've done wrong, all the ways you've hurt others, but also how to try to move on, to move forward, to maybe even forgive others and ourselves. And I am grateful.
So, again, not a novel that everyone will want to take on, but for me, this might only be the end of July but this book will be in my Top Five of 2023.
Many thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to the publisher as well, as I also received a free print ARC of the book.
I highly recommend this book, but it will probably not be for everyone. To read about a deeply depressed and very broken-down white middle-aged man will probably keep some readers away. I understand, but this book grabbed me immediately and made me care desperately for this desperate human being. I felt his pains, his confusions, his guilts, his resentments - yes, all plural - and I saw him, a man who felt so invisible to the world, in no small part because he had dropped out and largely checked out, too. But this author, wow, he made this modern-day secular Job just someone I wanted and needed to see find his way out and up.
I won't say if Tom Lowe Jr. does or doesn't find what he needs, but I will say, this novel asks you to look deep, deep within, at the rot that is happening in so much of our society, at how disposable so many of us feel and/or are treated, at what it means to see all you've done wrong, all the ways you've hurt others, but also how to try to move on, to move forward, to maybe even forgive others and ourselves. And I am grateful.
So, again, not a novel that everyone will want to take on, but for me, this might only be the end of July but this book will be in my Top Five of 2023.
Many thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to the publisher as well, as I also received a free print ARC of the book.
July 20, 2023
(3.4)
"I didn't think much about my mother and father. Or at least I didn't think I did. What had occurred to me, though, is that I never felt as if I really belonged to the people I came from."
This book, from very early on, spoke to me. It spoke to me so much that it reminded me of my childhood and also who I've come to know as myself. In my 40's, it's taken quite some time to figure out who I am and to understand why I am the way I am; some guy that was in denial of his upbringing and the pain that was caused due to neglect and abuse.
Dubus III's 'Such Kindness' introduces a father that at first you feel pity for - Tom Lowe Jr has had his share of misfortunes. But then after reading through a few pages, you realize that it was of his own doing. Sure, just like me, he grew up in a broken home which shaped his personality, but overall he's a bad parent just like his own.
Reading this over a span of 3 days, I found myself thinking it was much too long and could've easily been a great short story, but also punishing myself by immersing gradually into this cold, cold world.
The things you go through in life make you stronger, but that anger within can be released slowly as you let it go.
"I didn't think much about my mother and father. Or at least I didn't think I did. What had occurred to me, though, is that I never felt as if I really belonged to the people I came from."
This book, from very early on, spoke to me. It spoke to me so much that it reminded me of my childhood and also who I've come to know as myself. In my 40's, it's taken quite some time to figure out who I am and to understand why I am the way I am; some guy that was in denial of his upbringing and the pain that was caused due to neglect and abuse.
Dubus III's 'Such Kindness' introduces a father that at first you feel pity for - Tom Lowe Jr has had his share of misfortunes. But then after reading through a few pages, you realize that it was of his own doing. Sure, just like me, he grew up in a broken home which shaped his personality, but overall he's a bad parent just like his own.
Reading this over a span of 3 days, I found myself thinking it was much too long and could've easily been a great short story, but also punishing myself by immersing gradually into this cold, cold world.
The things you go through in life make you stronger, but that anger within can be released slowly as you let it go.
May 7, 2024
Here's one indication of how good this novel is:
By around page 35, I had to put the book down, and I did not want to pick it up again. Not because it was terrible--but rather, because it was so real, so honest, so painful, and so powerful that I suffered too much while reading it. I was too worried and depressed about Tom Lowe, the narrator. Everything was going horribly wrong in his life, and I didn't see how he could ever climb out of his lonely, dirt-poor existence in subsidized housing, trading in his EBT checks for cheap vodka in order to drown out the fiery pain in his pelvis from a bad accident while fixing a roof.
That's only one example of author Andre Dubus III's extraordinary talent. In addition, his descriptions are wonderfully sharp and original, and the plot constantly took unexpected twists.
(I previously reviewed his novel "Gone So Long" and gave it one of my rare 5 stars.)
And here's one final example:
For about the first 100 or 150 pages, I took Tom's worldview for granted. He's been the victim of layers and layers of bad luck, corporate greed, and unfairness. First there was the accident. Two operations failed to ease his pain, his insurance company weaseled out of covering the costs, and doctors got him addicted to opioids. Because of his injuries, he could no longer earn a living in the only trade he knows, construction work. His banker tricked him into an adjustable-rate mortgage, then foreclosed when he couldn't keep up the payments. In the midst of all this, his wife informed him that she was leaving him for another man.
But gradually, Tom starts to realize that he's been denying the truth behind these facts. Slowly, he starts to take responsibility for his share of the "luck" and "unfairness."
And I realized that Dubus is such a good writer that first he sucked me totally into Tom's point of view, and now he's opening my eyes simultaneously with Tom's.
My main criticism is that Tom's reinvention is too quick and extreme. In virtually a single day, he goes from being a drunken bum to almost a saint. (I was reminded of Prince Myshkin in Dostoevsky's "The Idiot.") And honestly? I didn't like the new Tom as much as I think I was supposed to. While I certainly admired him for pulling himself together and for reaching out to help people like a mom with a flat tire in a snowstorm or an elderly neighbor, I found myself annoyed with his over-the-top generosity.
But many readers may be inspired by Tom's metamorphosis. In any case, this novel's power, writing, and character insights far outweigh its faults.
Kind of like the way Tom's goodness outweighs his faults?
By around page 35, I had to put the book down, and I did not want to pick it up again. Not because it was terrible--but rather, because it was so real, so honest, so painful, and so powerful that I suffered too much while reading it. I was too worried and depressed about Tom Lowe, the narrator. Everything was going horribly wrong in his life, and I didn't see how he could ever climb out of his lonely, dirt-poor existence in subsidized housing, trading in his EBT checks for cheap vodka in order to drown out the fiery pain in his pelvis from a bad accident while fixing a roof.
That's only one example of author Andre Dubus III's extraordinary talent. In addition, his descriptions are wonderfully sharp and original, and the plot constantly took unexpected twists.
(I previously reviewed his novel "Gone So Long" and gave it one of my rare 5 stars.)
And here's one final example:
For about the first 100 or 150 pages, I took Tom's worldview for granted. He's been the victim of layers and layers of bad luck, corporate greed, and unfairness. First there was the accident. Two operations failed to ease his pain, his insurance company weaseled out of covering the costs, and doctors got him addicted to opioids. Because of his injuries, he could no longer earn a living in the only trade he knows, construction work. His banker tricked him into an adjustable-rate mortgage, then foreclosed when he couldn't keep up the payments. In the midst of all this, his wife informed him that she was leaving him for another man.
But gradually, Tom starts to realize that he's been denying the truth behind these facts. Slowly, he starts to take responsibility for his share of the "luck" and "unfairness."
And I realized that Dubus is such a good writer that first he sucked me totally into Tom's point of view, and now he's opening my eyes simultaneously with Tom's.
My main criticism is that Tom's reinvention is too quick and extreme. In virtually a single day, he goes from being a drunken bum to almost a saint. (I was reminded of Prince Myshkin in Dostoevsky's "The Idiot.") And honestly? I didn't like the new Tom as much as I think I was supposed to. While I certainly admired him for pulling himself together and for reaching out to help people like a mom with a flat tire in a snowstorm or an elderly neighbor, I found myself annoyed with his over-the-top generosity.
But many readers may be inspired by Tom's metamorphosis. In any case, this novel's power, writing, and character insights far outweigh its faults.
Kind of like the way Tom's goodness outweighs his faults?
October 21, 2024
***3.5 Stars*** I've read and enjoyed this author in the past. I especially loved his novel, House of Sand and Fog.
This novel is very well written but dark with unrelenting sadness. I just wasn't in the right headspace at this time to appreciate his fine writing.
This novel is very well written but dark with unrelenting sadness. I just wasn't in the right headspace at this time to appreciate his fine writing.
July 9, 2023
This was a bit of a slog. It is difficult to write about this novel for two reasons: 1) I adore Andre Dubus III and have read each of his previous works, taken a writing class from him and have used Townie to facilitate a memoir type book discussion that left the readers speechless. (in a good way)
2) I can’t find a negative word written in response to this novel. From The NY Times to hundreds of industry reviews to Amazon readers rhapsodizing about the book, I’m apparently the sole outlier who was utterly disappointed. After soul searching and self-evaluating my dislike of the characters, frustration with the goody goody plot, the endless repetition of certain physical descriptions (no spoiler here) and the lack of any actual arc of action… I have decided to own my response and just say, this book just doesn’t achieve what I suspect Dubus was trying to…one’s life can turn on a dime, yep. The world is populated both by ne’er-do-wells, criminals and hopeless losers, as well as kind and generous folk who pop up in the midst of our toughest moments. I get it. But did I care about these characters? Did I find the trajectory, not so much of Tom’s external struggles as his internal dialogue and endless down on his luck life choices as heavy handed and tiresome? Could I feel empathy for his bad choices and string of mistakes? Nope. I just wanted the book to end.
I trust myself enough as a seasoned reader to believe in my own criticism… but I remain baffled that no one has called out this book as mediocre, which it is- but I’m willing to put all my bets on Dubus’ next one being better… after all, I remain a loyal fan.
2) I can’t find a negative word written in response to this novel. From The NY Times to hundreds of industry reviews to Amazon readers rhapsodizing about the book, I’m apparently the sole outlier who was utterly disappointed. After soul searching and self-evaluating my dislike of the characters, frustration with the goody goody plot, the endless repetition of certain physical descriptions (no spoiler here) and the lack of any actual arc of action… I have decided to own my response and just say, this book just doesn’t achieve what I suspect Dubus was trying to…one’s life can turn on a dime, yep. The world is populated both by ne’er-do-wells, criminals and hopeless losers, as well as kind and generous folk who pop up in the midst of our toughest moments. I get it. But did I care about these characters? Did I find the trajectory, not so much of Tom’s external struggles as his internal dialogue and endless down on his luck life choices as heavy handed and tiresome? Could I feel empathy for his bad choices and string of mistakes? Nope. I just wanted the book to end.
I trust myself enough as a seasoned reader to believe in my own criticism… but I remain baffled that no one has called out this book as mediocre, which it is- but I’m willing to put all my bets on Dubus’ next one being better… after all, I remain a loyal fan.
July 8, 2023
RTC. Superb. As always with this author!
February 26, 2024
A good hearted, hard working family man falls far from grace when he falls off a roof of a house he’s repairing, which causes a devasting injury and his life falls apart. His family falls apart. He gets addicted to painkillers. He is now living in section 8 housing, has a ratty car that has been towed away and can’t pay fines to get it back. There’s so much more of a life not well lived and he reflects back on his ex-wife, his son, the house he lovingly built with his own hands…we get to see the two extremes and how easy it is for one incident to make it/break it. And the desperation to claw your way back to sone kind of life, some sanity, some kindness and graciousness. To see where some issues first started, even when things were going good. Just don’t see them, or want to see them. And then, like dominos, one thing leads to another to another and then his world falls apart.
This man, Tom, has a good heart. He always has had a good heart just got off track along the way and as he gets off the painkilling drugs and tries to right some of his former wrongs, with his family and assorted neighbors in his community unit. I could feel his pain in his mind and heart and hips. The hips he injured that now makes him disabled/unable to work. He talks of a fire burning in his hips when pushing himself to walk, stand.
Unfortunately, with his life status, he is driven to commit a crime, of stealing his bankers trash with hopes of finding convenience checks to cash.
This is a sad, depressing story but it’s an important story to tell. Not everyone who hits bottom has the capacity or wants to turn their life around. This example of Tom doing some little things, like sweeping the elderly woman’s stairs of snow in his complex is a start. She invites him in for coffee - good coffee - not warm brown rancid water. And a homemade bread that he’s forgotten what something like that actually tastes like. He chats with this woman and here is the beginning of one friendship, that is one of more to come that will help him get out of his situation and drive him. He may not be ever able to get the life back that what he has, but he certainly can do better in this life that he has.
This man, Tom, has a good heart. He always has had a good heart just got off track along the way and as he gets off the painkilling drugs and tries to right some of his former wrongs, with his family and assorted neighbors in his community unit. I could feel his pain in his mind and heart and hips. The hips he injured that now makes him disabled/unable to work. He talks of a fire burning in his hips when pushing himself to walk, stand.
Unfortunately, with his life status, he is driven to commit a crime, of stealing his bankers trash with hopes of finding convenience checks to cash.
This is a sad, depressing story but it’s an important story to tell. Not everyone who hits bottom has the capacity or wants to turn their life around. This example of Tom doing some little things, like sweeping the elderly woman’s stairs of snow in his complex is a start. She invites him in for coffee - good coffee - not warm brown rancid water. And a homemade bread that he’s forgotten what something like that actually tastes like. He chats with this woman and here is the beginning of one friendship, that is one of more to come that will help him get out of his situation and drive him. He may not be ever able to get the life back that what he has, but he certainly can do better in this life that he has.
July 5, 2023
A novel that really teeters on the edge between heart-rending and cloying. Tom Lowe Jr., 54, a carpenter/builder, has been disabled for years. A fall from the roof of his own house, surgeries, pain in his hips, an addiction to painkillers, being caught in a disastrous subprime loan, and he has lost his wife, lost meaningful touch with his son soon to turn 20, is living in Section 8 housing, with nothing left to his name except for his monthly disability checks. A keenly observed work about those at the bottom of society, below working-class where everything is impossible, where having a cellphone is a luxury, where others look down on you without even knowing your story. Still it teeters, even as it compels, with Tom being affected by more and more terrible events, a rash of them that surely would make most people simply give up. And yet from this, Tom finds the strength to change his views, taking stock of himself, locating generosity and kindness and giving, a parable perhaps of what it takes to survive with nothing in a hard-hearted America.
Thanks to Netgalley and W.W. Norton for an ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and W.W. Norton for an ARC.
December 8, 2022
SUCH KINDNESS starts strong and carried me all the way through. I really wanted to know where the main character would end up.
Here's the plot in a nutshell: Before and after his literal fall, Tom Lowe makes some compounding bad decisions. After he hits bottom, he finds a way to stop blaming others and redeems himself by caring for others.
This isn't nearly as dark as many of his other books. I loved the growing sense of hopefulness in the last half of the book. This is my new favorite book from Andre Dubus!
Here's the plot in a nutshell: Before and after his literal fall, Tom Lowe makes some compounding bad decisions. After he hits bottom, he finds a way to stop blaming others and redeems himself by caring for others.
This isn't nearly as dark as many of his other books. I loved the growing sense of hopefulness in the last half of the book. This is my new favorite book from Andre Dubus!
June 12, 2023
Am I a good person?
At one point or another, I think we all ask ourselves that question.
What values do good people hold? For Tom Lowe, they're honesty, kindness, and hard work. But it took him far too long to figure that out.
It took him falling off a roof, constructing a home he couldn't afford to pay the adjustable rate mortgage on. It took getting addicted to oxy, if only to tame the fires burning inside his broken body. It took living in Section 8 housing, a world away from his ex-wife and only child. It took concocting an idea to commit identity theft and grand larceny, only to realize that would be a low from which there would be no redemption.
The first hundred pages of this book are enough misery to convince any committed reader to add Such Kindness to their Did Not Finish (DNF) shelf, but if you press on you will find a story worth being told, even if the main character is someone with whom you do not build a literary bond.
The second half of this novel teaches us the value of presence, of fundamentally caring for other people. As Dubus writes, "It's important to unapologetically love things and people, especially people," and to "hold onto love."
If the people in your life are a gift, the community you live in are a force, for better or worse. Much like the main character, Tom, comes to discovers after years of setting beams for homes he'll never afford to live in himself, "every single one has to support the other or the house will fall."
Dubus has his finger on the pulse of the downtrodden and forgotten, for whom the American dream is just a dream ever unrealized. Unlike The House of Sand and Fog, which arguably was his magnum opus, his protagonist (if you can call him that) may have found redemption, but was not himself redeeming enough to widely recommend Such Kindness to others.
3 out of 5
At one point or another, I think we all ask ourselves that question.
What values do good people hold? For Tom Lowe, they're honesty, kindness, and hard work. But it took him far too long to figure that out.
It took him falling off a roof, constructing a home he couldn't afford to pay the adjustable rate mortgage on. It took getting addicted to oxy, if only to tame the fires burning inside his broken body. It took living in Section 8 housing, a world away from his ex-wife and only child. It took concocting an idea to commit identity theft and grand larceny, only to realize that would be a low from which there would be no redemption.
The first hundred pages of this book are enough misery to convince any committed reader to add Such Kindness to their Did Not Finish (DNF) shelf, but if you press on you will find a story worth being told, even if the main character is someone with whom you do not build a literary bond.
The second half of this novel teaches us the value of presence, of fundamentally caring for other people. As Dubus writes, "It's important to unapologetically love things and people, especially people," and to "hold onto love."
If the people in your life are a gift, the community you live in are a force, for better or worse. Much like the main character, Tom, comes to discovers after years of setting beams for homes he'll never afford to live in himself, "every single one has to support the other or the house will fall."
Dubus has his finger on the pulse of the downtrodden and forgotten, for whom the American dream is just a dream ever unrealized. Unlike The House of Sand and Fog, which arguably was his magnum opus, his protagonist (if you can call him that) may have found redemption, but was not himself redeeming enough to widely recommend Such Kindness to others.
3 out of 5
March 4, 2023
Andre Dubus III's new book focuses on many of his same themes of belonging and identity. Such Kindness features Tom Lowe - a man who (like man men) has tied his identity to his ability to provide and his livelihood. He has built his family's dream house but in the process of building, he falls. The injury begins a cycle of turbulence and poor choices as he is quickly addicted to painkillers and begins to make more and more poor choices.
The book is more about the people he comes into contact with and how they impact his life. Unlike many of Dubus's stories, this is one with a woven through with a ribbon of hope. If you like contemporary stories, books about identity and the long journey to find it, or just are a lover of the wordsmith ability of Andre Dubus III, Such Kindness is for you! #Suchkindness #andreadubusIII #wwnorton
The book is more about the people he comes into contact with and how they impact his life. Unlike many of Dubus's stories, this is one with a woven through with a ribbon of hope. If you like contemporary stories, books about identity and the long journey to find it, or just are a lover of the wordsmith ability of Andre Dubus III, Such Kindness is for you! #Suchkindness #andreadubusIII #wwnorton
July 17, 2023
Reread: July 2023
Read this a month later, and now I'm wondering if I have a new favorite Dubus novel.
Original Review: June 2023
The best feeling is when your most anticipated read from your favorite author turns out to be a 5 star.
Read this a month later, and now I'm wondering if I have a new favorite Dubus novel.
Original Review: June 2023
The best feeling is when your most anticipated read from your favorite author turns out to be a 5 star.
July 23, 2023
So. Preachy.
August 18, 2023
Is it skill or a remarkable lack thereof that Dubus can make the central character of a redemption story so freaking unbearable and sanctimonious?
Tom is a prick - a completely oblivious prick who stumbles through life silently judging the people around him and then is perplexed and shocked when they don’t pay him any mind or give a shit what kind of sage advice he has to dispense. Even when he has flashes of insight he inevitably reverts back to his “wow these people would really learn a lot if they just listened to me” superiority that even the dimmest of people can sense and are repelled by.
One of my previous bosses used to say “you can be arrogant or you can be stupid but you better not be both” - Tom would have been well served if he heard this in his own life but let’s be honest, jerkoffs like him don’t take advice from others, they are only programmed to give it out to others, typically on an unsolicited and unwelcome basis.
I hated this book so much. I wish I could have given it zero stars.
Tom is a prick - a completely oblivious prick who stumbles through life silently judging the people around him and then is perplexed and shocked when they don’t pay him any mind or give a shit what kind of sage advice he has to dispense. Even when he has flashes of insight he inevitably reverts back to his “wow these people would really learn a lot if they just listened to me” superiority that even the dimmest of people can sense and are repelled by.
One of my previous bosses used to say “you can be arrogant or you can be stupid but you better not be both” - Tom would have been well served if he heard this in his own life but let’s be honest, jerkoffs like him don’t take advice from others, they are only programmed to give it out to others, typically on an unsolicited and unwelcome basis.
I hated this book so much. I wish I could have given it zero stars.
June 17, 2023
2.5 Stars.
Well-meaning but frustratingly overwritten. I applaud Dubus for writing about the working-class, but there's simply no restraint here. He is a better stylist than this.
Well-meaning but frustratingly overwritten. I applaud Dubus for writing about the working-class, but there's simply no restraint here. He is a better stylist than this.
July 2, 2023
4.25 Dubus is great at writing/describing his characters.
August 19, 2023
We are all one tragedy away from ruin. Tom is a carpenter, self employed, with a wife and child he loves. Things begin to spiral down one day when he falls off a ladder. Tom becomes a broken man, physically and emotionally. This is a character study of a man who can no longer provide for his family, who becomes addicted to pain killers and is depressed. At first glance, this story seems like it would be deppressing. Had i known what this book was about i probably would not have read it. Sometimes, i don't read the blurbs because i like surprises. I am so glad I read this book. My highest praise to this masterful author. I could not stop listening to this audio book read by the author. I felt so many emotions, but most of all I was rooting for Tom to succeed. My world view has been challenged. This literary work is one of the best books i have ever read and i highly recommend it.
October 27, 2023
I don’t give many 5-star ratings.
The writing was amazing, and I felt so much for the main character, Tom Lowe, that I found myself thinking about his dilemma at odd times throughout my day, brainstorming how he could start improving his situation. I haven’t felt that engaged in a book in a long time.
The writing was amazing, and I felt so much for the main character, Tom Lowe, that I found myself thinking about his dilemma at odd times throughout my day, brainstorming how he could start improving his situation. I haven’t felt that engaged in a book in a long time.
August 20, 2023
Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tom Lowe’s fall at work changed everything. It led to opiate addiction, divorce, and estrangement from his only son. When he comes up with a financial scheme, he begins to realize change is needed.
House of Sand and Fog is one of my favorite books so I was excited to read this one. It is quite depressing, following Tom and the poverty that he lives with and around but in the end it is hopeful. Tom really grows with the story and it’s certainly a story you want to read page by page as it slowly happens. Despite the terrible things that have happened and are happening, Tom is always to see small kindnesses and use those to shape himself and the future.
“It’s like love is always with us, like it’s simply floating in the atmosphere and we just have to walk through it and breathe it in again.”
Such Kindness is available now.
Tom Lowe’s fall at work changed everything. It led to opiate addiction, divorce, and estrangement from his only son. When he comes up with a financial scheme, he begins to realize change is needed.
House of Sand and Fog is one of my favorite books so I was excited to read this one. It is quite depressing, following Tom and the poverty that he lives with and around but in the end it is hopeful. Tom really grows with the story and it’s certainly a story you want to read page by page as it slowly happens. Despite the terrible things that have happened and are happening, Tom is always to see small kindnesses and use those to shape himself and the future.
“It’s like love is always with us, like it’s simply floating in the atmosphere and we just have to walk through it and breathe it in again.”
Such Kindness is available now.
November 24, 2023
3.5*, though a tough read in subject and initially, in style. This may be another book, like Demon Copperhead, where the author tries to capture, in their writing style, the state of mind of the drug addicted and then recovering main character. I struggled initially with the sudden flashbacks to an earlier time in Tom's life. Perhaps though these did just come upon Tom so they had to be written this way. The writing was so good that on a long walk that Tom was forced to make, in boots that rubbed his feet raw because he wore no socks, I could feel his pain. Another night, while reading, I felt physically unwell and I truly think it may have come from empathy with Tom!!
Tom started leading a decent life, was gainfully employed, married and had a son. Then, he fell off a roof while working and became addicted to pain pills. Then his life unraveled until... No spoilers here!
Recommend cautiously as this is a difficult, but worthwhile read.
Tom started leading a decent life, was gainfully employed, married and had a son. Then, he fell off a roof while working and became addicted to pain pills. Then his life unraveled until... No spoilers here!
Recommend cautiously as this is a difficult, but worthwhile read.
June 26, 2023
This beautiful work of literary fiction is my first contender for my favorite book of the year. This character driven novel takes you on Tom Lowe's journey from a successful self-made builder to a near destitute broken man fighting his way back from an opioid addiction. He's wrestling with feeling useless and sorry for himself, then something happens to change Tom's perspective. His path to healing is amazing and redemptive. I am so glad I picked this one up. Wow. The bar is high to take Such Kindness out of my top spot for 2023.
April 25, 2023
Tom Lowe falls from a three story roof and his life is never the same. After multiple surgeries he gets addicted to pain pills, loses his home, his wife and son because she won't follow him on his descent down the bottomless pit.
Somehow, he finds the tools and a way to pull himself out of the abyss. He learns to live with chronic pain and make a life through acceptance and helping others. This book is full of compassion and gentleness for the people we walk by every day that are down on their luck. It is difficult to read in places and very philosophical. I think this would make an I'deal book club selection because there is so much to discuss.
My thanks to WW Norton and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy.
Somehow, he finds the tools and a way to pull himself out of the abyss. He learns to live with chronic pain and make a life through acceptance and helping others. This book is full of compassion and gentleness for the people we walk by every day that are down on their luck. It is difficult to read in places and very philosophical. I think this would make an I'deal book club selection because there is so much to discuss.
My thanks to WW Norton and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy.
April 24, 2023
“Such Kindness” is an emotionally wrenching book that I could not put down.
Tom, the main character has lost his family, his home, his livelihood, and is in great physical pain due to an accident.
The moral dilemmas he faces in his attempts to turn his life around are staggering.
His vulnerability and compassion are beautifully described.
I highly recommend this amazing novel.
Tom, the main character has lost his family, his home, his livelihood, and is in great physical pain due to an accident.
The moral dilemmas he faces in his attempts to turn his life around are staggering.
His vulnerability and compassion are beautifully described.
I highly recommend this amazing novel.
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