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Fall Asleep Forgetting
An elegant man, restaurant owner and poet, designs his end-of-life drama to be performed on a beach in early September. He fails to include, however, the intensity of hiswife's sexual nature, an unlikely third party, and the forces of human nature that rip through this small community of misfits living on Long Island's eastern tip.
Whether black or white, gay or straight, young or old, liberal or conservative - all struggle with humor and heart to survive this summer of 2001. Some are plagued by overindulgence in lavish foods or religious zeal or sexual desire. Their lives collide in surprising ways and each, at some point, is provided an opportunity to act heroically.
These are individuals to be remembered, maybe treasured, or possibly, even forgiven.
In the end, you may want to revisit your own definitions of love, religion,and sexual identity . . . maybe even consider the way that a death might become a form of group salvation.
Whether black or white, gay or straight, young or old, liberal or conservative - all struggle with humor and heart to survive this summer of 2001. Some are plagued by overindulgence in lavish foods or religious zeal or sexual desire. Their lives collide in surprising ways and each, at some point, is provided an opportunity to act heroically.
These are individuals to be remembered, maybe treasured, or possibly, even forgiven.
In the end, you may want to revisit your own definitions of love, religion,and sexual identity . . . maybe even consider the way that a death might become a form of group salvation.
- GenresFiction
254 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
24 people want to read
About the author
Georgeann Packard
4 books11 followersGeorgeann Packard is a writer, graphic designer, and photographer who also designs, draws and installs landscapes on the North Fork of Long Island. This is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 14, 2010
Received this in a First Reads giveaway. It's not my normal genre, but I'm trying different things, and based on the description of the book, I was thinking it might be one of those quiet books that sneaks up on you. It was a quiet book, but more in the sense that I didn't feel any attachment to the characters.
I found it difficult to get into, as the shorter chapter writing style made it difficult for me to find a "flow" to the narrative. In the first half of the book, I felt like we were skimming over the characters and back story. In the second half, Paul and Claude had more of a presence and the other characters just floated around the periphery.
The extended descriptions of Claude's photography made me think that I was reading a description of the author (based on her bookflap bio as a photographer). And then the photography just suddenly disappeared!The photographs themselves did appear in the latter half, but the process of taking the photos was gone. If someone is relying on a behavior (in this case, taking photographs) as a coping mechanism as it seemed Claude was doing, it wouldn't suddenly go away as things get more confusing. This made me start to wonder what else might change suddenly. It's hard not to be distracted from the story when other thoughts creep in like that.
I wanted to like the book more because Paul's story interested me, but the pacing and character development really detracted from my appreciation of the story.
I found it difficult to get into, as the shorter chapter writing style made it difficult for me to find a "flow" to the narrative. In the first half of the book, I felt like we were skimming over the characters and back story. In the second half, Paul and Claude had more of a presence and the other characters just floated around the periphery.
The extended descriptions of Claude's photography made me think that I was reading a description of the author (based on her bookflap bio as a photographer). And then the photography just suddenly disappeared!The photographs themselves did appear in the latter half, but the process of taking the photos was gone. If someone is relying on a behavior (in this case, taking photographs) as a coping mechanism as it seemed Claude was doing, it wouldn't suddenly go away as things get more confusing. This made me start to wonder what else might change suddenly. It's hard not to be distracted from the story when other thoughts creep in like that.
I wanted to like the book more because Paul's story interested me, but the pacing and character development really detracted from my appreciation of the story.
January 9, 2011
Although occasionally clumsy and overwrought (especially when we’re given sneak peeks at Paul’s poetry or Claude’s diary entries), the language used by Packard is for the most part rich and evocative, especially in the descriptions of the surrounding landscape, the food consumed, and the unvoiced tensions between her characters.
It’s the structure, pacing and two-dimensional characters which weaken Fall Asleep Forgetting.At times, it feels as though some characters have been introduced only to increase difference, conflict and drama. But since any close-knit community has tensions, these characters’ larger-than-life attributes come across as clichéd and unnecessary. Overall, an uncomfortable read and one which for me fell flat.
(Excerpt from full review of Fall Asleep Forgetting at For Books' Sake)
It’s the structure, pacing and two-dimensional characters which weaken Fall Asleep Forgetting.At times, it feels as though some characters have been introduced only to increase difference, conflict and drama. But since any close-knit community has tensions, these characters’ larger-than-life attributes come across as clichéd and unnecessary. Overall, an uncomfortable read and one which for me fell flat.
(Excerpt from full review of Fall Asleep Forgetting at For Books' Sake)
May 10, 2010
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I was pleased, as I am an avid reader of many different genres. The blurb looked interesting, so I eagerly began at once. I must admit, in all honesty, that I did not care for this novel. Immediately, it reminded me of books assigned in college. Ones where we learn about the "Human Condition". I am sure this is just me, as I am not especially fond of books that are meant to be ironic. The writing style is somewhat poetic. The characters are really just characatures. None of them are incredibly enjoyable, but I guess that was the author's intention.
I have limited, yet valuable time in which I can read. I ask myself, will I learn anything from this book, or will it entertain me. I like books that can do both. This did not fall into either catagory and I was left disappointed. I am afraid I cannot recommend.
I have limited, yet valuable time in which I can read. I ask myself, will I learn anything from this book, or will it entertain me. I like books that can do both. This did not fall into either catagory and I was left disappointed. I am afraid I cannot recommend.
May 14, 2010
***First Reads Winner***
Based on the blurb, I thought this book sounded very interesting. Unfortunately, none of the characters made me feel involved in their stories; I mostly found them irritating. I found myself wanting to hear more about Cherry & less about Claude.
The sexual nature of the book originally intrigued me with the transvestite, gay lovers & of course the obligatory town whore. As the book continued, I feel like there was way too much emphasis on the relationship between Claude and Sloan. I found myself wondering if this book should have had a lesbian genre label on it.
While Packard truly does write in a lovely poetic style, I found the book less focused on Paul's journey through cancer and more focused on his wife's sex life.
Based on the blurb, I thought this book sounded very interesting. Unfortunately, none of the characters made me feel involved in their stories; I mostly found them irritating. I found myself wanting to hear more about Cherry & less about Claude.
The sexual nature of the book originally intrigued me with the transvestite, gay lovers & of course the obligatory town whore. As the book continued, I feel like there was way too much emphasis on the relationship between Claude and Sloan. I found myself wondering if this book should have had a lesbian genre label on it.
While Packard truly does write in a lovely poetic style, I found the book less focused on Paul's journey through cancer and more focused on his wife's sex life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2011
Georgeann Packard’s extraordinary debut novel, Fall Asleep Forgetting, is filled with such an array of original and motley crew of characters, we become almost spoiled for choice as we turn each delicious page of erotic food and heady sex. As the sleeve of the book tells us: “Whether black or white, gay or straight, young or old, liberal or conservative—all struggle with humor and heart to survive this summer of 2001. Some are plagued by overindulgence in lavish foods or religious zeal or sexual desire. Their lives collide in surprising ways and each, at some point, is provided an opportunity to act heroically.” Paul Lang is a restaurant owner and poet, but with darker thoughts than average. He has decided to end his life and goes about arranging his will, hoping to secure some financial security for his wife. Despite having a head start in this endeavor, he fails to realize that sometimes even the best of plans never work the way they are originally intended. While heading eastward on a train, he soon reveals a sense of the demons within his head as the train makes an unannounced stop at the edge of town. It’s a grim place, with dilapidated buildings covered in weeds. His words sum up the place and his mood. “Could this day be even one shade bleaker?” As the train moves on in its journey, so does our story, bringing us to a trailer park on Long Island Sound named Cherry Grove—a trailer park whose inhabitants we are never likely to forget. Even the trailer park is a story within itself. Once known as Paradise Grove Trailer Court, it remained named thus until Stephan Kazmierczak, known in Manhattan’s East Village as Cherry Pickens, came back to inherit it from his parents, with intentions of leaving his/her mark on the whole area. Along with Cherry, there are a multitude of characters: Claude, county employee living in a silver Airstream Flying Cloud, is a diarist with dark secrets; Saugerties, a nasty homophobe and Korean War veteran; Sonny and Rae, parents of nine-year-old tomboy, Six, the real star of the story. Six is a mix of Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, and Mathilda from Leon. She is the anchor for some of the drifting souls in and around the trailer park. Six is such a memorable character that this reviewer would not be surprised to see her featured again in another novel from Packard. With such a large ensemble of characters and situations, Fall Asleep Forgetting could very well have turned out to be nothing more than a jumbled disaster. Thankfully, in the skilful hands of Packard, this has not happened, and it’s to her credit she has managed such an achievement. A master class in sparse, clear prose, Fall Asleep Forgetting is a compelling and mesmerizing read, infused with an elegiac ambience. It will make you laugh and cry in equal measures. You’ll not fall asleep forgetting this book.
July 20, 2010
Fall Asleep Forgetting is an absorbing novel and one I’ll find hard to forget. The loose-knit community of Cherry Grove trailer park, an odd group of misfits living on Long Island’s eastern tip, has welcomed me in. And everyone I’ve met has played their part.
The story starts with a fragment from before, from 1956 when a woman called Fada steps out on her own. But suddenly it’s May 2001, and the year has me wondering; the chapter headings all seem to lead to September…
Still, this tragedy is small. A stranger has died. Claude, who guards East Marion County Park has found the body. And nothing’s very important about it, except that maybe Paul is dying too, in a quieter, less unexpected way.
Paul cooks. He creates great beauty from food. He structures picnics like seven-course delights, and decorates his restaurant to keep the mind inside, not out enjoying the weather. Enjoy both, he might tell you, but focus on one.
Paul’s wife Sloan is the quiet one. You never quite know what she’s thinking, but you try to guess, and you learn her past through others, feel oddly sorry for that and for her future.
Cherry’s a fine one, making her own divided path, volatile but hugely kind. And Rae, who treads a different road, more conventionally unconventional you might say, is mother to Six, the small world’s wildest child.
Old Saugerties spouts rules and regs and seems to hate them all, while Six spouts questions and the Bible. But all the world’s instructions can’t control love and death. And few, it seems, can even prepare us for them.
Claude’s diary creates a picture as absorbing as her photographs. Sloan’s silence and sensuality build questions on sex and desire. Six’s queries demand thought. And even dying makes beauty in the September sun; beauty and pain, but focus on one.
A few months spent in their company makes these strangers become friends; a few hours reading by the warmth of a fire when summer seems unwilling to start; a few nights wondering at the secrets of the heart…
Small tragedies can be the biggest disasters to child or adult both, or a chance to grow. And sometimes it takes a community like Cherry Grove, nurtured and saved, to nurture and save. Not an easy book, not a rapid read, not a simple tale in sight; Fall Asleep Forgetting will have me drifting to the rhythms and beauty of its words, still trying to rationalize somehow all the things that happened there.
With thanks to the Permanent Press for giving me a bound galley for review.
The story starts with a fragment from before, from 1956 when a woman called Fada steps out on her own. But suddenly it’s May 2001, and the year has me wondering; the chapter headings all seem to lead to September…
Still, this tragedy is small. A stranger has died. Claude, who guards East Marion County Park has found the body. And nothing’s very important about it, except that maybe Paul is dying too, in a quieter, less unexpected way.
Paul cooks. He creates great beauty from food. He structures picnics like seven-course delights, and decorates his restaurant to keep the mind inside, not out enjoying the weather. Enjoy both, he might tell you, but focus on one.
Paul’s wife Sloan is the quiet one. You never quite know what she’s thinking, but you try to guess, and you learn her past through others, feel oddly sorry for that and for her future.
Cherry’s a fine one, making her own divided path, volatile but hugely kind. And Rae, who treads a different road, more conventionally unconventional you might say, is mother to Six, the small world’s wildest child.
Old Saugerties spouts rules and regs and seems to hate them all, while Six spouts questions and the Bible. But all the world’s instructions can’t control love and death. And few, it seems, can even prepare us for them.
Claude’s diary creates a picture as absorbing as her photographs. Sloan’s silence and sensuality build questions on sex and desire. Six’s queries demand thought. And even dying makes beauty in the September sun; beauty and pain, but focus on one.
A few months spent in their company makes these strangers become friends; a few hours reading by the warmth of a fire when summer seems unwilling to start; a few nights wondering at the secrets of the heart…
Small tragedies can be the biggest disasters to child or adult both, or a chance to grow. And sometimes it takes a community like Cherry Grove, nurtured and saved, to nurture and save. Not an easy book, not a rapid read, not a simple tale in sight; Fall Asleep Forgetting will have me drifting to the rhythms and beauty of its words, still trying to rationalize somehow all the things that happened there.
With thanks to the Permanent Press for giving me a bound galley for review.
September 22, 2011
Georgeann Packard's Fall Asleep Forgetting first came to my attention as a finalist for last year's Lambda Award. As a tale of interwoven lives (including a suicidal restaurateur, an adulteress, a jealous transvestite, a homophobic war veteran, and young tomboy who holds it all together), set in a rather unique trailer park, it manages to successfully hold its own against such a diverse cast of characters.
Although slow moving and, at times, a little repetitive, this is a wonderfully poetic story that is as much a joy to 'hear' as it is to 'read.' It takes a strange road to get started, jumping decades and characters, but there's a theme of loneliness that ties it all together. The story itself doesn't really get moving until the discovery of a body on the beach, but that's okay because it's an interesting ride getting there.
It may seem odd to talk of a story that's all about relationships, and to say it's haunted by a theme of loneliness, but that's part of why I enjoyed it so much. There's nothing obvious or expected about the writing, and you really have to accept the characters quirks in order to appreciate this scattered glimpse into their lives. This is also a novel about obsessions and excesses - sexual, emotional, physical, and culinary - and about the consequences of those excesses.
This wasn't the story I expected, but sometimes that's for the best. I would much rather be surprised and delighted by a tale, than to come away feeling . . . well, complacent. On the one hand, I think it could have benefited from a stronger focus on fewer characters but, on the other hand, I'm not sure it would have worked as well without them. I've thought about that for a few days now, and I still can't make up my mind, which is just fine by me.
I almost hate to say it, because it seems so obvious to me (yet hasn't been mentioned in a single review that I've seen), this is the kind of story that seems to cry out for a David Lynch screen adaptation. If that scares you away, then it's probably best that you take a pass, but if that intrigues you, I think you'll appreciate the read.
Although slow moving and, at times, a little repetitive, this is a wonderfully poetic story that is as much a joy to 'hear' as it is to 'read.' It takes a strange road to get started, jumping decades and characters, but there's a theme of loneliness that ties it all together. The story itself doesn't really get moving until the discovery of a body on the beach, but that's okay because it's an interesting ride getting there.
It may seem odd to talk of a story that's all about relationships, and to say it's haunted by a theme of loneliness, but that's part of why I enjoyed it so much. There's nothing obvious or expected about the writing, and you really have to accept the characters quirks in order to appreciate this scattered glimpse into their lives. This is also a novel about obsessions and excesses - sexual, emotional, physical, and culinary - and about the consequences of those excesses.
This wasn't the story I expected, but sometimes that's for the best. I would much rather be surprised and delighted by a tale, than to come away feeling . . . well, complacent. On the one hand, I think it could have benefited from a stronger focus on fewer characters but, on the other hand, I'm not sure it would have worked as well without them. I've thought about that for a few days now, and I still can't make up my mind, which is just fine by me.
I almost hate to say it, because it seems so obvious to me (yet hasn't been mentioned in a single review that I've seen), this is the kind of story that seems to cry out for a David Lynch screen adaptation. If that scares you away, then it's probably best that you take a pass, but if that intrigues you, I think you'll appreciate the read.
July 12, 2010
Fall Asleep Forgetting is a dreamy poetic novel that focuses an eclectic group of intertwined people living in a small Long Island beach town during on one hazy summer. Once you start reading Fall Asleep Forgetting, Georgeann Packard’s creative prose immediately draws you in to these intriguing characters she’s created. Claude, a park ranger who works on the beach, is the link between all the different people. She’s friends with everyone although she’s relatively insular and quiet. She lives a simple life. There’s Candy, a transsexual woman, who runs the mobile home park. Her hunky guy is the object of a crush from libidinous older woman Rae. While Rae flirts away, her husband Sonny tends to look the other way and precocious daughter 9-year-old daughter Six runs about independently and hangs out with whomever she wants, particularly Paul. He’s dying it turns out and planning his escape Virginia Woolf-style. In the meantime, he’s orchestrated an affair between his wife Sloane and Claude so that Sloane will have support when he’s gone. Forget reading some mindless chick lit novel; take this one to the beach instead. It’s just that good. Fall Asleep Forgetting is full of lust, heated sexual encounters and intense emotions that stem from fresh and recharged connections.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2011
As we kick open the door on this book it seems set up of a sort of 'Crash' scenario where several people in various scenes & walks of life will somehow invariably collide. Fair enough. Concept seems overdone, but I figured I'd experiment...just like in college...
While the writing to start is pretty it seems a bit juxtaposed & hard to follow with a dash of ADD on the side. But it does keep you reading with some fantastic prose.
You continue on and the jumble seems to begin to make sense thou still in a staccato rhythm that reminds me of how well P. Diddy dances. No matter how many times that man changes his name he can't change the fact that he can't dance. He should stick to his strengths...which is not rapping either.
Back to the point, I will absolutely give Packard some worthy praise as she hits home on the stem of several of the human emotional spectrum. ESP in such varied characters. I wish I could just hone my ADD in on this ADHD tale a bit more.
While the writing to start is pretty it seems a bit juxtaposed & hard to follow with a dash of ADD on the side. But it does keep you reading with some fantastic prose.
You continue on and the jumble seems to begin to make sense thou still in a staccato rhythm that reminds me of how well P. Diddy dances. No matter how many times that man changes his name he can't change the fact that he can't dance. He should stick to his strengths...which is not rapping either.
Back to the point, I will absolutely give Packard some worthy praise as she hits home on the stem of several of the human emotional spectrum. ESP in such varied characters. I wish I could just hone my ADD in on this ADHD tale a bit more.
September 29, 2011
I've tried to read this book 3 times since I won it in a first reads giveaway. Everytime I pick it up I never make it that far before frustration begins. For me its very slow moving and telling too many different stories at once. I feel that the author takes to long to weave all the stoires into one and it looses my attention. I just can't seem to get invested. I've never finished the book but I'm hoping one day 'll have a change of heart1
April 2, 2011
While this is a beautifully written book, I didn't like it. I couldn't follow the story line, and I've been picking it up for 10 months trying to get into it. I've felt like I HAD to read it since I received it in a First Reads giveaway, but I think it's time to just say "forget it" and say while it has beautiful poetic prose, I just didn't like it because I couldn't follow it enough to get into it.
May 26, 2010
Story of renewal told through photographic vignettes and poems linked by the sands of Long Island’s North Fork.
The form this novel takes is most impressive, mirroring the main character’s obsession with photography as the narrations presented are intense snapshots. Quick, sharp writing and a beautiful sense of setting.
The form this novel takes is most impressive, mirroring the main character’s obsession with photography as the narrations presented are intense snapshots. Quick, sharp writing and a beautiful sense of setting.
November 17, 2010
I won this in a first reads giveaway. I thought it sounded interesting, but I just didn't enjoy this book very much. It was kind of choppy, and I tried but couldn't quite make myself care about the characters. Everything I wished the author would focus on was glossed-over. There was some beautiful language, however.
August 26, 2010
This is the first book I won from your giveaway and based on the blurb couldn't wait to read it. I didn't like it at all and finished only about half. It was a bit confusing and didn't hold my interest. I will give it another try and hope to finish it all the way through.
September 24, 2010
One of the most beautifully written book I've read in a long time. The language is like music. Here's a link to the review I did for IRB.
http://www.internetreviewofbooks.com/...
http://www.internetreviewofbooks.com/...
September 4, 2011
I like the strange cast of characters that resides at Cherry Grove. This is the novel's greatest strength, imo. The tale itself is awkward, and doesn't really flow freely. I didn't care for the poetry written by Paul.
These people might as well live on a nudist colony.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews