Charles’s review of The Painter > Likes and Comments

Sorry this one did not work for you, Charles. I loved it with my whole heart, and I am not one to be found fishing, hunting, or smoking cheroots. (Or painting for that matter.) The only fleece vests I own are branded Patagonia gifted by hedge funds or the school I work for (which I never wear) and I don't camp. Ever. I love reading about people whose lives are different from mine, and I loved reading about Jim Stegner (which is not to say I loved Jim Stegner. He was a narcissistic asshole.) Hope your next read works better for you.

Bonnie G. wrote: "Sorry this one did not work for you, Charles. I loved it with my whole heart, and I am not one to be found fishing, hunting, or smoking cheroots. (Or painting for that matter.) The only fleece vest..."

Are you certain you don't go fishing with a cheroot at the mouth once in a while? I could picture you. :P (Oh, Bonnie, not to worry though, I don't come at this from the opposite end of the spectrum — I certainly didn't hate this with my whole heart — and I agree 100% about embracing varied perspectives, but I grew tired of the constant self-validation. He's a man, he's a man, he's great big man. Enough! lol)

My next read is beginning just as quirky, yet obviously different. My new year is a circus!

Charles wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Sorry this one did not work for you, Charles. I loved it with my whole heart, and I am not one to be found fishing, hunting, or smoking cheroots. (Or painting for that matter.) Th..."

You caught me, Charles! But no vanilla cheeroots for this he-woman! I prefer chewing tobacco. It meshes so much better with my PBR and Wild Turkey.

That self-validation you mention was part of this character. I never felt like Heller was justifying that sort of thing, he was portraying this man the way he was without judgment. I have known men like Jim, but less interesting versions. I felt like Heller really got inside. Not trying to lure you over to this side, just sharing a little background that informed my reading experience.

I love the bit of fun you seemed to have while writing this review, Charles! Probably more fun than reading the book itself :D I liked my first run-in with this author, but the main character was one that evoked sympathy from the reader. I'll have to carefully consider which Heller novel to pick up next!

Bonnie G. wrote: "You caught me, Charles! But no vanilla cheeroots for this he-woman! I prefer chewing tobacco. It meshes so much better with my PBR and Wild Turkey."

It took me a sec with the PBR. Thanks for making me laugh. :) And, pass the spittoon! (Oh my god, as if.)

No, that's fair, I don't think Heller was justifying anything, either. I'm reading in reviews that The Dog Stars was written quite differently, maybe it's worth a look, one day.

Candi wrote: "I love the bit of fun you seemed to have while writing this review, Charles! Probably more fun than reading the book itself :D I liked my first run-in with this author, but the main character was o..."

I didn't hate this, I just hit my nose on a glass door (hmm, maybe a cabin door screen) a few different times. :) Other books over the years have occasionally made me mad or lost my interest completely, which wasn't the case here; I don't regret picking this up, if just out of curiosity. But I was betting on the painting aspects of the story to save the day, minimally, and again the perspective didn't transport me, in fact Stegner spent his time mocking his gallerist and the art world in general, like an overgrown adolescent; the attitude got stale. What's the other Heller book that worked for you? I likely saw it at the time, but I forget.

Charles, what a fun review to read! I doubt I'd read this book. Jim Stegner certainly did not seem like a character I'd take to, with or without his cheroot.

I tried this author’s The River a while ago - unfortunately I had to throw it out the window. I do hope it fell on the right reader’s head, though.

I love it when a reviewer turns their experience with a book into a little piece of non-stop fun!

Any review that starts with Homer Simpson has to be fun. I groan when I discover that I picked up “a bestseller type of printed product.” Thanks for the laughs.

Laysee wrote: "Charles, what a fun review to read! I doubt I'd read this book. Jim Stegner certainly did not seem like a character I'd take to, with or without his cheroot."

Ah, thanks. He didn't shock my morals (though yes, on some level, obviously, seeing the consequences of his temper) so much as he befuddled me. I've enjoyed countless characters that I wouldn't date or befriend, over time, but then the delivery decides, at the end of the day. I remember a best-sellerized French novel about Basquiat that left me feeling the same, for instance. So many things going for it, yet... nope.

Pedro wrote: "I tried this author’s The River a while ago - unfortunately I had to throw it out the window. I do hope it fell on the right reader’s head, though."

lol — I have to be careful about these things, in my case I might hit a pigeon or something. I'll bring this to my office's "little free library" and this book will find its reader, I'm not too worried.

Fionnuala wrote: "I love it when a reviewer turns their experience with a book into a little piece of non-stop fun!"

Yesterday was the only day of my week that I was truly off, no social obligations, nothing, and I felt playful. Happy to bring on a smile, milady. :) I love it too when other reviewers do this.

Judith wrote: "Any review that starts with Homer Simpson has to be fun. I groan when I discover that I picked up “a bestseller type of printed product.” Thanks for the laughs."

Judith, you're very welcome! I figured I'd take a page after Cheez Whiz, which is a dairy product, but not necessarily cheese. It's rare nowadays that a bestseller lands in my lap. The tone never lies. (I could tell the author has meatier writing chops than this, though. I always wonder what the business conversation was, when this happens.)

Charles! Ben & I are cracking up, (I just read your review out loud to him). I haven’t even had my coffee and I’m awake now with laughter — thanks so much for this review. My mother read this, and when I asked about it she made a terrible face. Hope your next one is perfect for you. 💗

I have to add: Ben & I both woke up with Monday blues. I said, “Ben! I don’t feel depressed anymore since reading Charles’ review!” He said, “Charles is on a short-list of people where I’d be happier if he lived closer.”

Jennifer wrote: "Charles! Ben & I are cracking up, (I just read your review out loud to him). I haven’t even had my coffee and I’m awake now with laughter — thanks so much for this review. My mother read this, and ..."

Hurrah for Monday mornings that begin on a happy note. :) I think it will be normal for urbanites to have trouble with this one, the entire novel is meant to establish a distance with them. (Congrats, it worked! Having said that, I never felt this way with Annie Proulx, for instance, and with Close Range, anyway, this would pit Wyoming against Colorado.)

"He moved with the loose jointed rhythm of an athlete. Hand came up in a wave, still twenty yards off. Country. I noticed that most country people hail you from a decent distance, city people wait until they're right up in your face. Then he stopped at the end of the trailer, looked up at the high stack of bales, put a hand up on the wall of hay, patted it. Fished a tin of chew out of his breast pocket, twisted off the lid and put a plug in his upper lip. Extra polite. I smiled. I raised my chin: c'mon. He came."

Jennifer wrote: "I have to add: Ben & I both woke up with Monday blues. I said, “Ben! I don’t feel depressed anymore since reading Charles’ review!” He said, “Charles is on a short-list of people where I’d be happi..."

Aw, thanks, that's reciprocal, actually! Let's try to meet up again this year.

Ha, what a funny and incisive review, thanks. Sounds like Peter Heller and The Painter are not my cup of tea. Your writing is more my cup of - coffee, as it happens, which I’m drinking now. This coffee might pair well with a vanilla flavored Clint Eastwood cheroot but nobody wants to see where that leads.

Robin wrote: "Ha, what a funny and incisive review, thanks. Sounds like Peter Heller and The Painter are not my cup of tea. Your writing is more my cup of - coffee, as it happens, which I’m drinking now. This co..."

Hey, thanks, Robin! Pumpkin spice lattes and other flavoured coffees never made much sense to me, but then scented cigars never did either; pretty sure it spells the end of civilization if you do both at the same time. Stick to regular coffee if you ever try the vanilla cheroots, please, but make sure to beat your chest like a gorilla if you do. It's the Jim Stegner way. (To his defense, Jim drinks regular coffee. See? It's not all bad.)

Charles, I'm laughing. Thanks for that!

An aside, my daughter had never had a donut. Then she watched The Simpsons with her dad. For months, every time we drove past Krispy Kreme she begged to stop in, until she was finally (thankfully) satiated.

Bonnie's 5 Stars and Your 2--sigh--what do do with this one? I marked it as my introduction to Peter Heller, and am now thinking I might want to start with another.

Lisa wrote: "Bonnie's 5 Stars and Your 2--sigh--what do do with this one? I marked it as my introduction to Peter Heller, and am now thinking I might want to start with another...."

Well there is no help for it, Charles, it is you and I, pistols at dawn to determine Lisa's reading choice! Actually. I am not really a morning person. Maybe pistols at noon? I think Peter Heller (or at least Jim Stegner) would appreciate the duel as a solution.

Hail no I ain't gonna wear an orange vest! I got pride! I got.....ouch.

Lisa wrote: "An aside, my daughter had never had a donut. Then she watched The Simpsons with her dad. For months, every time we drove past Krispy Kreme she begged to stop in, until she was finally (thankfully) satiated."

That's the cutest. She must have been so happy! Oh, trust Bonnie about the book, but if it doesn't work for you either — against all odds — we'll plot our revenge.

Bonnie G. wrote: "Well there is no help for it, Charles, it is you and I, pistols at dawn to determine Lisa's reading choice! Actually. I am not really a morning person. Maybe pistols at noon? I think Peter Heller (or at least Jim Stegner) would appreciate the duel as a solution."

That's hilarious! :) Thanks for this. Yes, let's do brunch one of these days, and maybe get around to a duel afterwards. I'll pencil you in, winters are pretty quiet. You like eggs Benedict?

Left Coast Justin wrote: "Hail no I ain't gonna wear an orange vest! I got pride! I got.....ouch."

lol - Right where the cheroot was hanging. Wait, is that my nose next to my boot? (Thanks for commiserating with me on this one!)

Charles wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Well there is no help for it, Charles, it is you and I, pistols at dawn to determine Lisa's reading choice! Actually. I am not really a morning person. Maybe pistols at noon? I th..."

It is a date, Charles! I will leave the weapons at home. I have actually been considering a jaunt up to Montreal for a weekend in the summer. (That is where you are, right?) I have two former students there who constantly ask me to come visit. One of them actually came to NYC to say hi (to many people including me) in December and he reminded me next time I need to get on a plane. Start working on your hollandaise!

I haven’t read “The Painter” but I have read Peter Heller’s “The River”. From your description of this book, it seems he is two different authors. “The River” is, in my opinion, well written and has an interesting use of nature (and especially the River) as a character.

Bonnie G. wrote: "It is a date, Charles! I will leave the weapons at home. I have actually been considering a jaunt up to Montreal for a weekend in the summer. (That is where you are, right?)"

How fun! You absolutely have to let me know if this materializes. I'm downtown and we will arrange to meet, for sure. :)

Bunny wrote: "I haven’t read “The Painter” but I have read Peter Heller’s “The River”. From your description of this book, it seems he is two different authors. “The River” is, in my opinion, well written and ha..."

Ha! See, that's the second or third time I get that reaction since I posted this review. It seems I may have to compare with another book, one day. I don't mind giving the man the benefit of the doubt. (And, great to see you here again, Bunny!)

Charles wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Charles! Ben & I are cracking up, (I just read your review out loud to him). I haven’t even had my coffee and I’m awake now with laughter — thanks so much for this review. My mothe..."

Are you recommending Annie Proulx' Wyoming Stories? I do like her. I LOVED Brokeback (one of my favorite shorts, ever, read before the film release — was that in the collection?). The writing you shared is good, but with 2 people whose literary tastes I trust, I doubt I'll ever read Heller.

Charles wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I have to add: Ben & I both woke up with Monday blues. I said, “Ben! I don’t feel depressed anymore since reading Charles’ review!” He said, “Charles is on a short-list of people w..."

I'd love that!

Jennifer wrote: "Are you recommending Annie Proulx' Wyoming Stories? I do like her. I LOVED Brokeback (one of my favorite shorts, ever, read before the film release — was that in the collection?)."

Oh yes I am! If I remember correctly, "Brokeback Mountain" was the very last story collected in Close Range, and while I have an obvious sweet spot for that specific story, I enjoyed the ones leading up to it almost as much—and sometimes just as much. I keep vivid memories of many scenes I encountered in there. People, houses, landscapes; you name it.

Charles wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Are you recommending Annie Proulx' Wyoming Stories? I do like her. I LOVED Brokeback (one of my favorite shorts, ever, read before the film release — was that in the collection?)."..."

I usually have trouble with the structure of short stories — they feel incomplete. So much so, that I don't remember most, and have fantasized about publishing my own collection of the few that made an impact. Brokeback would be included in that, as it was wholly satisfying (and heartbreaking). I'm so happy to know that her others are just as good, and I'm looking forward to experiencing them, thank you :)

His second wife was a playboy bunny -- that's when I knew I was reading pulp.