He told us that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Ireland is my nation. Heaven's My Destination by Wilder, Thornton Niven. More so than any author I know, Wilder has the ability to find the universal in the specific, the humor in the sadness, and the sadness in the humor. Save for Later. There are also some great supporting characters who serve to challenge George's beliefs, and his relationship with Roberta, and by extension her sister, is a lot more complex than it first seems. This book about the birth, death, and resurrection of one man's religious convictions contains some of the greatest laughs I've ever encountered in literature and some truly painful pathos (Although, no pathos is the world of Wilder could ever top Esteban's experiences in "Bridge of San Luis Rey.") Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Heaven's My Destination. Download Heaven S My Destination PDF/ePub or read online books in Mobi eBooks. Heaven's My Destination Paperback – 8 Sept. 2016 by Thornton Wilder (Author) › Visit Amazon's Thornton Wilder Page. This title and over 1 million more are available with, Choose from over 13,000 locations across the UK, Prime members get unlimited deliveries at no additional cost, Dispatch to this address when you check out, Previous page of related Sponsored Products. At first, I believed it was a sort of more humorous Sinclair Lewis satire; and then it just kept on...The main character is a bit all over the place, religious, philosophical, moral, but always lacking in common sense. We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads, including interest-based ads. I read it quickly, although I found the book to be "slow", and after it was done it stuck with me for quite some time. “If John Steinbeck’s mighty Grapes of Wrath is the tragic novel of the Great Depression, then Heaven’s My Destination is its comic masterpiece. “If John Steinbeck’s mighty Grapes of Wrath is the tragic novel of the Great Depression, then Heaven’s My Destination is its comic masterpiece. I think it is a wise book, depicting the spirit of youth, the archetype of the puer aeternus, like the Chinese classic I Ching hexagram-change “Youthful Folly”(meng). And Heaven’s my destination. My copy is hard cover with dust jacket and a named First Edition, published in 1935 by Harper and Brothers which I've had for many years and finally got round to reading. View all copies of this book. That did not relieve my irritation much, maybe made me less vehement. Brilliant writing. From MW Books Ltd (New York, NY, U.S.A.) AbeBooks Seller Since 12 July 2005 Seller Rating. Octavo, original beige cloth, original dust jacket. At first I HATED and loathed the protagonist, until I saw more and more of myself in him! At first, I believed it was a sort of more humorous Sinclair Lewis satire; and then it just kept on...The main character is a bit all over the place, religious, philosophical, moral, but always lacking in common sense. That friction leads to the philosophical nature of the book, which is what I'm more used to in a Wilder novel. His ethics seem to rile people no end and he is often arrested for the situations which arise from this conflict. Which mirrors James Joyce, in ‘Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’: Stephen Dedalus is my name. This book about the birth, death, and resurrection of one man's religious convictions contains some of the greatest laughs I've ever encountered in literature and some truly painful pathos (Although, no pathos is the world of Wilder could ever top Esteban's experiences in "Bridge of San Luis Rey.") Synopsis. It just means he is a stumbling mess. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. If you are unsure how best to edit this programme please take a moment to read it. However, things start to get complicated with the introduction and influence of gandh. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. There are 0 reviews and 0 ratings from United Kingdom, Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Show Details. Try again. search results for this author. The novel might be said to be picaresque and there is a touch of the tilting at windmills about it (Brush is only a very little like Don Quixote and there is no Sancho Panza). Some very funny scenes but too rushed at the end. Primary Menu . See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. View listing in magazine. 4 1/2 stars. New York. He is a very simple minded man with some very pious principles but tended towards saying and doing stupid things that kept getting him in trouble. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness. Edit Submit Cancel Appears in. Forgot account? This novel reminded me largely of Candide, in the way George's meanderings about the country and his expressions of his theories, serve both to mock him and present him as a tragic figure. But for "Heaven's My Destination," the author honestly came out and declared it autobiographical and that it was intended as satire. by Harper Perennial. God I loved this. First published in 1935, HEAVEN'S MY DESTINATION is American author and dramatist Thornton Wilder's masterful portrayal of the power of an outsider's viewpoint. Welcome back. Buy Used Price: 27.81 Convert Currency. © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. More so than any author I know, Wilder has the ability to find the universal in the specific, the humor in the sadness, and the sadness in the humor. Personal Blog. What's so amazing is how fair Wilder is to his characters and his diligent patience in letting each of the cartoons become three-dimensional human beings. I am not really sure what the point of the novel is--The Idiot by Dostoevsky has a point and a realistic christ-like character, as does Sinclair Lewis in his many satirical novels. The book deals with George Brush, a traveling salesman crisscrossing Middle America… Heaven’s My Destination was the 7th Best Selling Novel of 1935, and scored a rare double as first choice for both the English Book Club and the Book-of-the -Month Club. Heaven Is My Destination. What's so amazing is how fair Wilder. An intertextual analysis between Heaven’s My Destination and The Pilgrim’s Progress makes a strong case for the work as representative of progress. "Heaven's My Destination" is a rather unexpected novel. New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1935. Clongowes is my dwelling place And heaven my expectation. He also has an intellectual curiosity and commits himself to non-violence and studies the teachings of Gandhi. The central character, George Brush, a travelling salesman with very particular religious views (an amalgam of a particular interpretation of the Bible and Gandhi) is odd yet sincere. A picaresque novel, regarding George Brush, a sort of quasi-idealistic idiot. In short, he is like a well-meaning child, until the final chapter, when he finally does what everyone has been telling him to do all along- to look at the real world and live realistically. At first glance, Heaven’s My Destination is a bit like a version of Candide set in Depression America — and an even better-written one than Nathanael West’s A Cool Million, published just a year before (a book that for me is ultimately polluted by its savage bitterness). [ the interpretation of a sentence in the last chapter: It a quick sort of amusing read. For my taste it feels like GB's return to his path was too easy and that the book ended too abruptly on that count, but it's very interesting and I am eager to find out more of Thornton's hopes for this passage, and I think it's more than mollifying the marxists as is suggested in the (truly informative) introduction. (The New Yorker article below on Wilder provides some essential background for understanding the author and his work). First American edition of this comedic novel about a modern-day Don Quixote, signed on the title page: "Thornton Wilder. He is abused from all sides, and sometimes he does indeed deserve it. Thornton Wilder (Author), Michael Schmidt (Editor) 3.7 out of 5 stars 7 ratings. One of the great American novels, unaccountably little-known despite the fame of its author. Show all copies. Of course I see that that's partially intentional, but if you read it let me know if you think it ends too abruptly. George Marvin Brush is a travelling textbook salesman and fervent religious convert, determined to lead The guy doesn't fit in the real world, but that doesn't mean that the foolishness of George Brush is wiser than the wisdom of men. A hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world, Heaven’s My Destination introduces George Marvin Brush, one of Thornton Wilder's most memorable characters. Page Transparency See More. "To hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature." A hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world, Heaven’s My Destination introduces George Marvin Brush, one of Thornton Wilder's most memorable characters. To see what your friends thought of this book. 304. Hardcover. Imagine Candide crossed with Sinclair Lewis's Lowell Schmaltz and with some of the bizarre occurrences of Nathanael West's A Cool Million. by Thornton Wilder ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.00; 1 Ratings 4 Want to read; 0 Currently reading; 1 Have read; This edition was published in 1934 by Longmans, Green in London, . Parts were funny and parts were exasperating. Included with a Kindle Unlimited membership. The central character, George Brush, a travelling salesman with very particular religious views (an amalgam of a particular interpretation of the Bible and Gandhi) is odd yet sincere. Underrated Bestsellers, Fewer Than 100 Ratings, Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Spring Books. Thornton Wilder is a complicated man! Buy Heaven's My Destination by Thornton Wilder, Michael Schmidt from Waterstones today! —J.D. I am left, really, not knowing quite what to think. I was surprised to find it humorous and written in a similar style to Don Quixote, a Picaresque novel in which the hero, a traveling salesman, goes from one incident to the next. Heaven's my destination by Thornton Wilder, October 1984, Avon Books (Mm) edition, in English At first i thought this was going to be a Charles Portis type of satire of the disingenuous, the bumptious baptist full of good news and met with bad faith, and it plays that way at first, with George Brush the butt of the joke. A joy to read but strangely short. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Subscribe Now At another time, George withdrew all his savings from the bank. Heaven's My Destination. What does life look like for someone who identifies as a pious Christian but never surrenders control of life to Christ? It a quick sort of amusing read. I've read it 3 or 4 times now, and get more out of it each time. A beautiful copy of this unfairly neglected comedic novel recounting the travels of a born-again textbook salesman. Also, humorous works tend to be even more dependent on historical context than dramatic ones, so I feel like it doesn't translate as well as the rest of Wilder's corpus. Its a real disappointment, from an excellent writer who wrote classics, and also failures. But Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting this truth is an eternity in hell. Buy this product and stream 90 days of Amazon Music Unlimited for free. It is set in the depression era of the 1930s. Search for: Heaven's My Destination. 'Children of faith, poets and saints, dot the cruel world, and give Wilder's novels a reticular tension, the suspense of a hidden design about to emerge' --John Updike. At first i thought this was going to be a Charles Portis type of satire of the disingenuous, the bumptious baptist full of good news and met with bad faith, and it plays that way at first, with George Brush the butt of the joke. Wilder wrote the book to be humorous but I often found it to be rather frustrating because of Georges stupidity. Buy Heaven's my destination by Wilder, Thornton (ISBN: ) from Amazon's Book Store. Its narrative came off as piecemeal, and it didn't meditate on the universal themes so typical of Wilder's work. Download PDF. Idealistic Idiot Inevitably Invites Irritation. Please try again. I highly recommended this dealer. (He more than a little reminds one of Dostoevsky's Prince Myshkin in. George Brush is a born again evangelist working as a traveling salesman of textbooks. © 2017 Lee Blessing | Web Design by Josh Levine DesignsJosh Levine Designs Refresh and try again. Synopsis. He aggravates people so much that they try to get him drunk and in trouble, and he quotes Gandhi to judges he meets. Heaven's My Destination. Cry Wolf By Greta Stone Everything you know is a lie.Sly fox. Heaven’s My Destination is gracefully narrated, with simplicity and fast-paced adventures through a variety of American locales and situations. or. 3.5 stars for this one. Download Heaven's My Destination Study Guide. Thornton Niven Wilder (1897-1975) was an American playwright and novelist. If I miss the poetry of his grander, foreign novels a little, if I miss the epigrams that defined his earlier works, I'm still glad to have known George Brush and to have shared such a remarkably joyful, painful, and human experience with him. We’d love your help. Since publication the novel has been translated in nine languages, including German, French, Italian and Latvian. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way of going to heaven and are determined to find another path. It's not clear at all what Wilder was up to, but it's enjoyable in a weird way, perhaps like Brush himself. This has to be one of the oddest stories I ever read. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a Page. Not Now. But for "Heaven's My Destination," the author honestly came out and declared it autobiographical and that it was intended as satire. With sad and sometimes hilarious consequences, his travels take him through smoking cars, bawdy houses, banks and campgrounds from Texas to Illinois and into the soul of 1930s America. (The New Yorker article below on Wilder provides some essential background for understanding the … Someone who becomes enamored with his own theories of life and the universe, drawn from whatever sources he happens across, rather than with the God he claims to follow? The book is also a bit of a coming-of-age story, in which the main character, George Brush, goes through his 23rd year. First Edition. An amusing and not too well known tale of one of literature's innocents; George Marvin Brush. George Brush, the main character, is a Holy Fool, but unlike most Holy Fools, he is both Holy and a Fool: Wilder is able to be true to both sides of the equation. He sins, and apparently believes a mish-mash of philosophical ideas, yet lives a rather routine life as a travelling salesman. BBC One London, 11 October 1981 22.25. Thornton Wilder's funniest work, and one of my favorite books ever. The crux of the book, however, is that George Brush is a fundamentalist Christian, which may seem off-putting, and sometimes. It's brilliantly done, though early in the book, I could not find any sympathy for so pig-headed a character. George Brush is not really a realistic character, and doesnt seem to have any deeper meaning or even satirical point. Brush, a traveling textbook salesman, is a fervent religious convert who is determined to lead a good life. E-mail after purchase. Click Download or Read Online button to get Heaven S My Destination book now. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published He is abused from all sides, and sometimes he does indeed deserve it. 4 1/2 stars. Heaven's my destination Wilder, Thornton (1897-1975) Published by London, New York : Harper & Brothers, 1935. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. 1-Click ordering is not available for this item. The book is also a bit of a coming-of-age story, in which the main character, George Brush, goes through his 23rd year. Written in English — 244 pages This edition doesn't have a description yet. Not Wilders best book but still entertaining. Heaven’s My Destination . This book didn't sit with me as well the second time round. That seems to be the motif for my reading of Wilder's novels. Chicago, Jan 1935." George Brush is a successful textbook salesman who is perfectly pure--no smoking, no drinking, no sex (except for one incident with a farmer's daughter that he keeps trying to rectify)--and tells everyone else about it. I think that it could look something like the experiences of George Brush, the main character of this book, who can quote the Bible but entirely misses a lived-out concept of the heart of God. 17 people like this. Edit Submit Cancel We have produced a Style Guide to help editors follow a standard format when editing a listing. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. He sins, and apparently believes a mish-mash of philosophical ideas, yet lives a rather routine life as a travelling salesman. Edit Submit Cancel We have produced a Style Guide to help editors follow a standard format when editing a listing. On the whole he seems to be portrayed sympathetically and yet it is clear that most people think he is some sort of lunatic. For God's Sake: A gripping dark fantasy thriller that keeps you guessing (Deliver u... Lost In Him: A Rock Star Romance (The Parker Series Book 1). I felt challenged as a reader because I both agreed and disagreed with him at various points. Somewhat of a curate's egg, perhaps, or maybe it requires a re-read. Available copies. Even though this book is by my favorite author, I knew very little about it. A hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world, Heaven’s My Destination introduces George Marvin Brush, one of Thornton Wilder's most memorable characters. The intro and afterword are excellent. I have always had trouble with Wilder and disliked his books. Book Heaven's My Destination by Thornton Wilder arrived promptly, well packaged and in condition described. About See All (954) 249-4958. www.hcloc.org. Wilder royalties in 1935-36 amounted to some $27,000, no so small fortune in this period. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Drawing on such unique sources as the author’s unpublished letters, business records, and obscure family recollections, Tappan Wilder’s Afterword adds a special dimension to the reissue of this hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world. Thornton Wilder is a complicated man! This is a truly odd novel. I was surprised to find it humorous and written in a similar style to Don Quixote, a Picaresque novel in which the hero, a traveling salesman, goes from one incident to the next. Imagine Candide crossed with Sinclair Lewis's Lowell Schmaltz and with some of the bizarre occurrences of Nathanael West's A Cool Million. A quick read (I mislaid my copy for a long while). I'm not exactly sure what it is Wilder was trying to say about this particular brand of evangelicalism. I do want to read it again, and that's usually a five star, but I think it's a curtailed work which brings up too many interesting questions that it doesn't really resolve. This is a truly odd novel. The Eighth Day (Harper Perennial Modern Classics), The Art of Enchantment (Life is a Journey), Rockstar Ending: The first book in the chillingly plausible Rockstar Ending series: 1. Conditions apply. This novel reminded me largely of Candide, in the way George's meanderings about the country and his expressions of his theories, serve both to mock him and present him as a tragic figure. The crux of the book, however, is that George Brush is a fundamentalist Christian, which may seem off-putting, and sometimes it is, but the book is about how he tries to live by his ideas and ideals in a world that rejects those ideas and ideals. I am not really sure what the point of the. I have always had trouble with Wilder and disliked his books. McClatchy A hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world, Heaven’s My Destination introduces George Marvin Brush, one of Thornton Wilder's most memorable characters. Sorry, there was a problem saving your cookie preferences. His actions are so far from the norm that he keeps being arrested; for closing his bank account and refusing to take the interest, taking a 24-hour vow of silence and his communication during this period leads to his being suspected of molesting a girl, and giving money in a store to a bank robber because Brush thinks the robber will then feel guilty. $700. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Heaven's my destination. Brush, a traveling textbook salesman, is a fervent religious convert who is determined to lead a good life. Best match; Highest price; Lowest price; First editions; Signed copies; All copies; HEAVEN'S MY DESTINATION by WILDER, Thornton Niven Seller Second Life Books Inc Published 1935 Edition First Edition Item Price £ 29.53. See more of Heaven Is My Destination on Facebook. Tappan Wilder talked about his late uncle's book, [Heaven's My Destination: A Novel], published by HarperCollins. In The Pilgrim’s Progress Christian, like George, endures episodes of temptation and despair to eventually enter the “Celestial City.” Create New Account. He stubbornly adheres to principles, and does not worry about whether or not that interferes with the pri. Heaven s My Destination Drawing on such unique sources as the author s unpublished letters business records and obscure family recollections Tappan Wilder s Afterword adds a special dimension to the reissue of this hilari. Quantity Available: 1. George challenges himself to think through his ideas, even if he's stubborn about them. Don Quijote meets the Bible Belt. Can you add one? Four and a half because this is a peculiar little book. Description: NY: Harper, 1935. 'HEAVEN'S MY DESTINATION' BBC Home Service Basic, 2 January 1956 21.15. And then of course, he rejects it. I don't know anythin about Thorton Wilder, but from this novel, he woul seem to be a cynically devout persn, if such a thing can exist. I don't know anythin about Thorton Wilder, but from this novel, he woul seem to be a cynically devout persn, if such a thing can exist. Revelation 4:1-3 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. Even though this book is by my favorite author, I knew very little about it. Drawing on such unique sources as the author’s unpublished letters, business records, and obscure family recollections, Tappan Wilder’s Afterword adds a special dimension to the reissue of this hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world. The intro and afterword are excellent. This site is like a library, Use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. A picaresque novel, regarding George Brush, a sort of quasi-idealistic idiot. HEAVEN’S MY DESTINATION is structured around its main character, George Brush, and it is in many ways an involved and complicated study of an all-too-familiar comic hero. George Brush is a successful textbook salesman who is perfectly pure--no smoking, no drinking, no sex (except for one incident with a farmer's daughter that he keeps trying to rectify)--and tells everyone else about it. Unable to add item to List. Approved third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of ads. Say You Love Me : a new adult novel of romantic suspense and forbidden love (Reclai... A Quirk of Destiny: Ignoramus et Ignorabimus: Volume 1. Log In. A quick read (I mislaid my copy for a long while). 8vo, pp. Start by marking “Heaven's My Destination” as Want to Read: Error rating book. McClatchy A hilarious tale about goodness in a fallen world, Heaven’s My Destination introduces George Marvin Brush, one of Thornton Wilder's most memorable characters. Please try your request again later. He stubbornly adheres to principles, and does not worry about whether or not that interferes with the principles of his companions. 17 people follow this. Something went wrong. He won three Pulitzer Prizes - for the novel, The Bridge of San Luis Rey and for the two plays, Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth - and the National Book Award for the novel, The Eighth Day. His ethics seem to rile people no end and he is often arrested for the situations which arise from this conflict. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. O. I'm not exactly sure what it is Wilder was trying to say about this particular brand of evangelicalism.