The hack

by Wilfrid Sheed

Book by Sheed, Wilfrid

Genres: Novels, Fiction, Catholic

Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Sheed was born in London to Francis "Frank" Sheed and Mary "Maisie" Ward, prominent Roman Catholic publishers (Sheed & Ward) in the United Kingdom and the United States during the mid-20th century. Wilfrid Sheed spent his childhood in both England and the United States before attending Downside School and Lincoln College, Oxford where he earned BA (1954) and MA (1957) degrees.

Reviews

[MJ Nicholls · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this mannered novel Sheed explores the loneliness of a religious periodical writer whose crisis of faith scuppers his role as breadwinner in a typical 1950s household of five-kids-and-a-Betty. The prose is elegant, but the plot thinner than the line-up at a Kate Moss lookalike convention, and the characters are drearily lifelike. Multiple POVs adds a little variety to the convention, and the prose is witty and smirk-making most of the time. The Hack is an interesting novel about a writer whose work has been bent by the homilies of the church, ruining his chances for any serious literary art, and about how one person’s faith galvanises his friends and family. The protagonist’s nervous breakdown before Xmas is not as convincing as the scenes with the old college mates or the disapproving backward mothers. But Sheed is certainly worth unBURYing and further unearthings will follow.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Satirical novel shows the danger of one’s faith being more about public identity and less about relationship. I enjoyed it although the stream of consciousness style is hard to follow in some places.

The author’s parents were well-known authors and apologists. I can’t help but wonder how much the author drew from his family of origin. ... one of his father’s best known books is _Theology and Sanity_ and, in _The Hack_, it is noted repeatedly that the protagonist seems “so very sane,” even as he heads toward a nervous breakdown.

[Christopher Fulbright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because of its premise. It sounded like something I could relate to on a lot of levels. The first part of the book was really good. But when the POV shifted to the wife in the middle, it lost me. Again, I don't want to pan this book because I liked the premise, but it went on too long for the idea in my opinion. It needed more plot to move things along. Still, this was written well enough I would try a different book by him.

[Sam Schulman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even more depressing - but more memorable - than Max Jamison, the story of a professional writer of Catholic parish newsletters in the 50s and HIS hell. Not to be forgotten portrait of a gray man - and a vivid portrait of the Catholic intellectual circa 1955 - a now extinct species much fancied by young goy-chasers of the mid-twentieth century.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and smart.