This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, by Jonathan Evison
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This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, by Jonathan Evison
Download Ebook Online This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, by Jonathan Evison
“Jonathan Evison is a ridiculously gifted storyteller: racing, breathless, and vibrant with his prose, hungry for personal truths, and clearly in love with the world around us all. That compassion and those writerly charms are deeply felt in This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, an irresistible, inventive novel full of important ideas about how we live our lives as parents, children, partners, and human beings.” —Jami Attenberg, author of The Middlesteins With Bernard, her husband of fifty-five years, now in the grave, seventy-eight-year-old Harriet Chance impulsively sets sail on an ill-conceived Alaskan cruise that her late husband had planned. But what she hoped would be a voyage leading to a new lease on life becomes a surprising and revelatory journey into Harriet’s past. There, amid the overwhelming buffets and the incessant lounge singers, between the imagined appearances of her late husband and the very real arrival of her estranged daughter midway through the cruise, Harriet is forced to take a long look back, confronting the truth about pivotal events that changed the course of her life. And in the process she discovers that she’s been living the better part of that life under entirely false assumptions. In This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! Jonathan Evison has crafted a bighearted novel with an endearing heroine at the helm. Through Harriet, he paints a bittersweet portrait of a postmodern everywoman, her story told with great warmth, humanity, and humor. Part dysfunctional love story, part poignant exploration of the mother-daughter relationship, nothing is what it seems in this tale of acceptance, reexamination, and forgiveness.
This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, by Jonathan Evison - Amazon Sales Rank: #261661 in Books
- Published on: 2015-09-08
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.30" h x 1.20" w x 5.40" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 304 pages
This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, by Jonathan Evison Review “Intricately structured… Evison resists every neat resolution, every unearned epiphany. And as fanciful as his prose can be…he’s not afraid to depict the dark side of aging as it is, and not as we wish it were…. The result is a book that speaks to all of us, whether we’re young enough to check Facebook 50 times a day, or old enough only to have a vague idea what the Internet is. The themes Evison presents – disappointment, delusion, redemption – are universal, and he deals with them beautifully in this wonderful novel. This is your life, Harriet Chance, but it’s ours, too.” —New York Times Book Review “Evison’s rollicking novel is a close-up up of the life of 78-year-old Harriet Chance, whose Alaskan cruise highlights include indulging in endless seafood buffets, acquiring touristy tribal knickknackery, and discovering the secret of her deceased husband’s decades-long affair with her best friend.” —O, The Oprah Magazine “Openhearted, effervescent . . . Evison handles the jaunty tone with aplomb.” —Washington Post “[This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!] is infused with Evison's characteristic empathy and heart and humor. Its tension emanates from the relationships Harriet has botched and from our changing understanding of who she is and what's at risk. As a writer, [Evison’s] got a talent for character, emotion and pacing.” —Los Angeles Times “Thank heaven for surprises, especially of the Jonathan Evison variety . . . Sure to become a book club favourite this fall, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a pleasurable mix of the crazy escapades, changing relationships and thoughtful reflections that make up a life. It shows us that whatever age we are, the delightful surprises never stop, but neither do the growing pains. It reminds us too that when it comes to forgiveness, often the hardest person to forgive is ourselves.”—Toronto Star “Evison writes with his typical unflinching honesty about a life that is not what it seems . . . poignant reflections on aging, parenting, friendship and marriage constantly surprise with their quiet truthfulness.” —The Globe and Mail “Slowly, and with admirable, dark precision, Evison lays Harriet bare...With a touch of snark and a lashing of perfectly affected irony, he flenses her to the bone and, somehow, seems kind in doing it. It is Evison’s timing—the slow burn and perfect pacing of the reveals — that makes This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! hang together. And with Harriet Chance — poor, frustrated, flummoxed Harriet — Evison has found his ideal foil.”—NPR Books “Jonathan Evison charms with This is Your Life, Harriet Chance!” —Vanity Fair “Bittersweet but buoyant, with a heart-tugging finish.” —Good Housekeeping “A quirky, fun writing style pulls you through this wonderful tale . . .” —Sunset Magazine “It’s hard to imagine a family member of any family who won’t see something familiar in Harriet's quest to understand her spouse, her children and herself. And when the expected but still jarring ending unfolds, it’s hard to imagine the reader who won’t be moved by this lively, lovely work.” —Denver Post “This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a terrific novel, funny and moving, wistful and wise. Jonathan Evison’s writing crackles on the page.” —Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins “A generous and wise tale, told with Evison’s trademark verve and charisma, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a deeply felt and deeply comforting novel.” —Patrick Dewitt, author of The Sisters Brothers “[A] treasure of a book . . . This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! [is] a novel that has it all, humor and pathos, and a main character named Harriet who’ll wend her way into your heart . . . You’ll root for Harriet, embrace her and empathize with her, a sinewy tough, but sweet natured heroine, if ever there was one. She’s a character you’ll not soon forget in a novel that’s charming from beginning to end.” —Washington Missourian “In every situation, poor Harriet draws the short straw. But This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is anything but a drag: Evison . . . makes Harriet’s sad story sing . . . [Evison’s] over-the-top commentary conveys the pathos of Harriet’s misadventures with just the right blend of snark and sympathy, and it’s tremendously fun to read . . . Harriet’s character emerges in fascinating detail, as if from a chrysalis . . . She’s much more interesting than we thought. So, for that matter, is Evison’s novel . . .” —Commentary “This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! has all the wonderful snap and sizzle we've come to expect from Jonathan Evison’s work, and as much heart as any novel I’ve read in recent years. Jonathan packs an entire life--many lives--into this fine book, and does so with the empathy and insight of a writer at the top of his game.” —Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk “[T]he book’s lesson is more an affirmation than revelation: Life is hard and complicated; everyone has secrets, and even that unassuming old woman you see standing quietly at the bow of the boat has endured drama and betrayal and passion. In the end, the sweetness overrides the sorrows. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a lively, entertaining read, funny and poignant.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune “Jonathan Evison is a ridiculously gifted storyteller: racing, breathless, and vibrant with his prose, hungry for personal truths, and clearly in love with the world around us all. That compassion and those writerly charms are deeply felt in This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, an irresistible, inventive novel full of important ideas about how we live our lives as parents, children, partners, and human beings.” —Jami Attenberg, author of The Middlesteins “I can’t get enough of the work of this Bainbridge Island writer, who has the gift of combining humor and tragedy and making it all wildly entertaining.” —Seattle Times “[The] blend of the light and the lacerating is close to seamless in his new novel, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! . . . This fast-paced novel is both penetrating and persuasive in the complexities it uncovers in Harriet's tamped-down character and lifetime of compromises.” —The Oregonian (Portland, OR) “Once again, Jonathan Evison dazzles. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is as sweet as it is inventive, profound as it is hilarious, unflinching as it is big-hearted. Step right up, don't be shy! Take the hand of Evison's delightfully menacing master of ceremonies and let him lead you into the kaleidoscopic journey of your life.” —Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette “Insightful, richly entertaining look at a woman who, very late in the game, finds that life remains full of surprises…Evison writes humanely and with good humor of his characters, who, like the rest of us, muddle through, too often without giving ourselves much of a break. A lovely, forgiving character study that's a pleasure to read.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “Trust me: this is not schmaltzy or treacly. Rather, This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a cheeky, smart, and incisively observed work of literary fiction that fans of Maria Semple, Jami Attenberg, and Jonathan Tropper will adore.” —Bustle.com “Evison is a talented writer that is capable of making the reader think beyond the book with his candid character conversations and dialogues and his thought-provoking subject matter. Through humor and seriousness, Evison will almost force the reader to consume this book in one sitting!”—Portland Book Review “Fun and snappy . . . a breezy page-turner.” —Deseret News (Salt Lake City) “Luckily for readers, there is This is Your Life, Harriet Chance, by Jonathan Evison, to provide a contemplative, funny and sensitive take on the polychromatic journey of life . . . a patchwork of moments, both large and small, that are, in turns, amusing, heartbreaking and recognizable in their universality . . . At its core, Evison’s book is an examination of human identity and what that means as a person grows older and begins to entwine and interact with other people . . . [Harriet is faced] with rediscovering her own individuality and with moving beyond the dysfunctional relationship she has had with her adult daughter. Written with both humor and pathos, This is Your Life, Harriet Chance probes the juncture where those two intersect, where the beautiful melancholy of life is the sweetest.” —Summit Daily (Vail, Colorado) “Such is the mastery of Evison’s storytelling . . . Evison tackles aging characters’ laments while also capturing the scope of change in the transition from the 20th to 21st centuries. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! gives a nod to present-day woes, ranging from global warming to upside-down mortgages, but doesn’t gloss over angst from bygone days . . . Evison succeeds in giving Harriet’s life story the satisfying send-off it deserves.” —Washington Independent Review of Books “Evison’s voice is buoyant and cheeky as he unveils the deep traumas that form Harriet’s sense of herself . . . Evison succeeds in crafting a believable and gut-wrenching story, particularly Harriet’s relationship with her daughter and their efforts to accept and love one another.” —Publishers Weekly “Both uplifting and melancholy, funny and thought-provoking, this entertaining read speaks directly to the importance of acceptance and healing.” —Booklist “Novels about postmodern women tend to fall flat or reach too far in their attempts to be poignant. Evison takes a different approach, modeling Harriet after your favorite crazy aunt. She isn’t perfect, nor is she a complete hot mess. The result is a relatable, likable, often wine-filled wrecking ball of a woman . . . She’s an unlikely heroine, but those are always the most compelling. She is not only everywoman’s woman, she is downright delightful. It’s a dysfunctional love story with a heap of redemption and forgiveness thrown in . . . Evison’s way of storytelling is smooth, inventive, charming and hits the mark for readers of all ages.” —Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) “Evison’s fourth novel is witty, not bland; knowing rather than saccharine sweet; wise instead of clichéd . . . In spite of its honesty—an honesty that, at times, you might even call brutal—Evison’s is a bright book, not a dark one. Never weighed down by its topicality or lacking in humor, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! puts off a sort of freeing energy, a feeling of peace for its characters and readers. Wit and empathy, easy lyricality and elegant construction—these are Jonathan Evison’s strengths as a writer. They’re all here. But there’s truth here, too; lest we forget we live in the real world, not the kindly-lit soundstage of some American faerie tale.” —Electric Literature “Evison alternates between a cheeky narration of Harriet’s past and present . . . It echoes the cinematic approach of Evison’s previous work, painting a vivid picture that’s easy for a reader to immerse him or herself in . . . A book of secrets, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! reveals how one or two choices can dramatically alter not only the course of your life, but the lives of many others.” —BookPage “A heart-bursting, wonderful story that will make you want to give everyone in your life a big hug.” —Hello Giggles“This novel works from every angle. . . I laughed, giggled, cried and held Harriet close as the pages of her life opened to me. Then I started over again not ready to let her go. I not only recommend you read this one, I urge you to read it. The life you come to understand may well be your own.” —Roanoke Times “The narration is fresh and effective … Harriet Chance is an out-of-the-ordinary but believable protagonist who, like all of us, has a mixture of victories and disappointments behind her. This is a charming novel about learning how to reckon with the past.” —BookBrowse.com
From the Back Cover “Once again, Jonathan Evison dazzles . . .This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is as sweet as it is inventive, profound as it is hilarious, unflinching as it is bighearted. Step right up, don’t be shy! Take the hand of Evison’s delightfully menacing master of ceremonies and let him lead you into the kaleidoscopic journey of your life.” —Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette “A generous and wise tale, told with Evison’s trademark verve and charisma, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! is a deeply felt and deeply comforting novel.” —Patrick deWitt, author of The Sisters Brothers “This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! has all the wonderful snap and sizzle we’ve come to expect from Jonathan Evison’s work, and as much heart as any novel I’ve read in recent years. Evison packs an entire life--many lives--into this fine book, and does so with the empathy and insight of a writer at the top of his game.” —Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk “Insightful, richly entertaining . . . Evison writes humanely and with good humor of his characters, who, like the rest of us, muddle through, too often without giving ourselves much of a break. A lovely, forgiving character study that’s a pleasure to read.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
About the Author Jonathan Evison is the author of four novels, including This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, West of Here, and All About Lulu. He lives on the coast of Washington State with his wife and two children.
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Most helpful customer reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A book about Mother, Daughters, making amends, starting over, and accepting things that cannot be changed. By Melissa Let me just start my review by thanking Netgalley and Algonquin books for letting me read this novel. I have never read a novel this far from its release date before; the experience gave me quite a (nerdy) thrill. This is your life, Harriet Chance was an intriguing read, albeit a difficult one to review. Since I have mixed feelings, I figured the best way to go about it was to break it down into lists: What I liked and What I didn't.What I liked:- It may seem silly, but I really loved the cover of this book. The design of it really drew me to the book. It is a simple, but attractive cover - sometimes minimalist is the best way to go.- The characters; Evison has created a very real, and deeply flawed set of characters. The reader cannot help but feel something for them - whether it be feeling sorrow, anger, frustration, etc.- The themes: accepting things you can't change, forgiveness, healingWhat I didn't like:- The constant shifting from 2nd person, to 1st person, narration throughout the chapters was disorienting. On top of this, the story was further set astray by the illogical sequence of Harriet's flashback chapters; it was as if this novel contained two stories rather than one. Eventually, however, the reader does get used to it.- I found Harriet's children to be very smothering, I felt as if they concluded that Harriet was old; therefore she was incapable of doing things herself. This is your life, Harriet Chance is a book about Mother, Daughters, making amends, starting over, and accepting things that cannot be changed.Bottom line: If you had asked me midway through "What would you rate this book?" I would have said a three. But at its conclusion, I will give this book a 4 - I think "This is your life, Harriet Chance" is a heartfelt and emotional book. Even though I acknowledged the constantly shifting narration; once I got farther into the story, I found myself getting used to the style. Sidenote: I imagine this is a book that will be a hit with bookclubs (particularly mother/daughter bookclubs). I think "This is your life, Harriet Chance" lends itself to being Analyzed and discussed. I look forward to seeing more reviews once it is released. I will be sure to check out more books by Evison in future.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful. This is your stay-up-late, end-of-summer pleasure cruise, Reader. By Chicago Hugh I've been a fan of Evison's ever since his first novel, "All About Lulu." He has a way of locating each character's human brokenness, while avoiding cheap sentimentality.As much as I liked his last, "Revised Fundamentals", "Harriet Chance" is Evison's best novel to date. (I hate how easy he makes it all seem.) This is one of those books people will tell friends they stayed up late to finish. A lesser novelist would have made this all about Harriet. But by the end (no spoilers here) I was as moved by Harriet's daughter, Caroline. Maybe moreso. Caroline desperately wants to connect with her mother and at the same time (like many of us) wonders how much she might be just like her.Crack open your favorite brew or pour a glass of your favorite wine and enjoy the read. It's rare when a book makes you want to celebrate every screwed up character in it.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Every emotion you can think of and more, GREAT read!! By deb This was a great story that jumped all over the place throughout Harriet's life to let you know just exactly what went on during her life and reminding her. At the same time, her husband, Bernie, who died recently keeps coming back to her and talking to her. Her kids think she is going crazy. And, the powers upstairs keep threatening Bernie that he can't keep coming back.All the while, crap is hitting the fan for Harriet and her remaining family left and right. The closet door is open and the skeletons are parading out. The story is told like the old TV show "This is your Life" and is no certain order. It's funny, sad, humiliating, laugh out loud outrageous, embarrassing, scandalous, unlawful and totally National Enquirer material. You will laugh, you will cry, Your jaw will drop more than once and you will love it!!Thanks Algonquin Books and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this book.
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