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Only Love Can Break Your Heart por Ed…
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Only Love Can Break Your Heart (edición 2016)

por Ed Tarkington (Autor)

MiembrosReseñasPopularidadValoración promediaMenciones
20626130,567 (3.95)2
Struggling to come to terms with the worshipped older brother who disappeared seven years earlier, fifteen-year-old Rocky is seduced by a wealthy older girl in the wake of a mysterious double murder that forces the town to confront past misdeeds.
Miembro:thebooklover2
Título:Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Autores:Ed Tarkington (Autor)
Información:Algonquin Books (2016), 320 pages
Colecciones:Tu biblioteca
Valoración:
Etiquetas:Ninguno

Información de la obra

Only Love Can Break Your Heart por Ed Tarkington

  1. 10
    My Sunshine Away por M.O. Walsh (achedglin)
    achedglin: Both are well-written Southern gothic bildungsromans set roughly in the late 1980s. They both involve a central crime and betrayal of trust, but are both largely about community. They're not exactly the same, but a fan of one will probably appreciate the other.… (más)
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from LM-NET Digest
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:21:48 0000
From: "Thompson, Pamela L - Librarian, Col John O Ensor Ms"
Subject: Review: Adult Pick: Only Love Can Break Your Heart (A MUST read! )

Netters,


This is one AMAZING book! I LOVED it and I hope you will, too!


Only Love Can Break Your Heart

by Ed Tarkington

Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

2016

307 pages

ISBN: 9781616203825



Available January 5, 2016



Stunning, moody, rare, eccentric, and brimming with Southern gothic-ism and down home charm, Only Love Can Break Your Heart will leave readers stunned, amazed and gasping. Only a few days into January and the best adult read has appeared! You won't want to miss Ed Tarkington's love letter to the 1970's and an "easier" down to earth way of life.



Rocky (Richard) idolizes older brother Paul and reports the beginning of the story through eight year old eyes. It's easy to see why Paul plays a central role in Rocky's life. . Paul is sophisticated, cool, aloof, and sometimes downright dangerous. Rocky explains, " My brother Paul had a reputation around town as a 'bad kid.' This wasn't entirely undeserved..." but he goes on to inform the reader that in larger, more cosmopolitan cities Paul's hijinks wouldn't have raised an eyebrow. Paul's rebellious side was smoking endless packs of cigarettes, throwing back beers, breaking the speed limit, sneaking out at night and running around with other "nefarious" hoodlums. Typical teen boy behavior, but it sends their father, "the Old Man," into a rage at every turn. The "Old Man" doesn't let it fester; he tends to look the other way when Paul misbehaves. Although not spoken aloud (ever!) there is a deep love between older boy and the Old Man. Paul's mother Ann left for Akron, Ohio, never looking back. The Old Man instructs his boys "never marry a Yankee!"



Ann does make a brief appearance when she arrives for Paul's high school graduation. After embarrassing herself, her son and family, she returns to Ohio where it's all downhill from there. Paul's first love is beautiful, ethereal Leigh who as the novel progresses becomes more and more damaged. Most of the characters throughout the novel are damaged if not broken (that's life!). Rocky's mom is much younger than the "Old Man," and she married if not for love--for security and money. In those days in a small town, if a woman isn't married by age twenty five, she is considered an old maid--a fate that no girl can endure. The boys both attend a fancy and pricey private school where they can mingle with other wealthy students from "good" homes. There are class lines in Spencerville, and although Rocky's family lives in a comfortable home and the "Old Man" earns a good living, he came from nothing. His family was dirt poor, therefor the privileged and snooty old wealth shuns him. No matter how successful or rich he becomes, he will never be accepted into their lofty ranks and it eats at him. Seeing a way to make a real "deal," he loses everything.



Twin Peaks (shades of Gone With the Wind meets To Kill a Mockingbird) has been abandoned and haunted for years. When Paul takes Rocky over to explore the old mansion, Paul is shot and the story soars. All the characters are now in place with a bone or two to pick with each other. This one kept me guessing until the ending. Even now, looking back, I have some unanswered questions, and I mean that in the best ways! A great novel really gets to you and bothers you to the bone and that's just what Only Love Can Break Your Heart does.



If you love Southern tradition, Ed Tarkington is your author. I would put him in the ranks of Flannery O'Connor, Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. Only Love Can Break Your Heart may do just that! Bring your box of Kleenex because you'll need them! I will not likely forget Paul, Rocky or Leigh. The Old Man who is first seen as a grouchy ogre redeems himself and the reader will see the true man when he develops Alzheimer's. In fact, I respected the Old Man after I realized his life story. "Love can make people do terrible things..." is oh, so true!



Poignant yet promising, this is the BEST adult novel I've read in a very long time. It's right up there with my favorite all time novels: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Shadow of the Wind and Life Among Giants.



Highly, highly recommended. Order or grab a copy today. You won't be able to put down this book.

In fact, I finished reading it during the Broncos' game (and I'm a Broncos fanatic), but I couldn't stop reading. I found myself not even listening to the game. I was in Spencerville with Rocky and Paul.



Suitable adult title and recommended for all adult book clubs. Mature content, profanity, murder.
  pollycallahan | Jul 1, 2023 |
There is something really special about Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington. The story and the writing drew me in so much that even though this is not my type of book, I wound up loving it.

As stated in an earlier review, I have not only joined Book of the Month Club , but I have been reading all the picks of Liberty Hardy. This was one of those picks!

This is the story of Rocky, looking back at his life, especially a few key points where his life changed. One was when he was 8 years old in 1977. Rocky is infatuated with his brother Paul. Paul is cool, listens to rock, and drives a Nova. Paul also is deeply in love with his High School girlfriend Leigh.

One day, Paul comes for young Rocky at school and takes him for a car ride to see Leigh. Following the car ride, Paul drives young Rocky out into the woods, gives him cigarettes, and beer. When Rocky passes out, Paul leaves him in the woods with the intent of letting Rocky die. Paul returns scared, drops Rocky off, and drives off. Rocky, their father (the Old Man), and Rocky's mother (Alice) as well as the rest of the neighbors are left behind in a wake of problems that Paul caused.

The story continues in Rocky's teenage years, where Rocky is now Richard and Paul's old flame is about to get married. I don't want to add any spoilers at this point, so I will leave it at that. We also move forward in time a few months after the wedding, when out of no where Paul returns after the Old Man has a stroke. Finally, there is a murder of two neighbors where Paul is one of the main suspects.

There is a lot that is going on in this book. It isn't only about the plot, but also about relationships. It isn't only about Paul and Rocky's relationship, but also about relationships between neighbors. The three main neighbors each represent a different aspect of life- one family is poor, one family is rich, and one family is powerful. The wedding is between the rich and powerful, but what happens when the past catches up and embarrassment overshadows one of the wedding party?

The writing is really what drives this book. I completely enjoyed Tarkington's writing and writing style. If it were not for the writing, I am sure this would have been another book and I would have not kept going until the end. His characters are so well defined and their relationships are so complex that there isn't necessarily a good choice or a bad choice for the characters. There isn't an easy answer- much like life.

I will admit I felt the murder/who done it at the end didn't quite fit. It seems to come out of no where all of a sudden and doesn't seem to fit the flow of the book. Eventually, it explains some of the choices the characters make, but the murder itself seems out of place.

I rated this one 4 stars for the wonderful writing and story.

If you are interested in Book of the Month, please use my link- https://www.bookofthemonth.com/referCode/?referCode=6f876dff12912 and "SSK5" to get a free bag, sunglasses, and $5 off a 3 month subscription ( )
  Nerdyrev1 | Nov 23, 2022 |
4.5 stars.

Utilizing an array of classic rock music as a backdrop, Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington is a captivating coming of age novel set in the '70s & '80s.

Richard "Rocky" Askew adores and idolizes his much older half-brother Paul. Viewed as the small town's resident bad boy, Paul has earned his reputation with his devil may care attitude and his penchant for smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. Despite the age gap between the brothers, they are close and many of their conversations and exploits take place while listening to Neil Young and other artists of the time period. The defining moment of Rocky's young life occurs when Paul "kidnaps" him then briefly abandons him in the woods before taking him home then leaving town with his girlfriend, Leigh Bowman. Leigh eventually returns to town while Paul's whereabouts remain a mystery for several years.

Rocky's childhood is privileged and rather idyllic despite Paul's disappearance. His father, aka "the Old Man", is much older than Rocky's mother and while a bit gruff, he is a good father. Paul's rebellion is a source of contention between his parents and in an effort to ensure Rocky does not follow in his rebellious footsteps, Rocky's ultra religious mom keeps him on a fairly tight leash. As a teenager, he manages to escape from her watchful eye after he convinces their neighbor's older daughter, Patricia Culver, to hire him as a stable boy/groundskeeper. Patricia also introduces him to pleasures of a more earthly type when they begin an illicit affair.

Unbeknownst to Rocky, Paul's ex-girlfriend Leigh also has an unexpected tie to the Culver family; she is engaged to their much older son, Charles. Despite her upcoming marriage, Leigh's life has not gone smoothly since her return to town. Rumors swirl around the small town about her fragile mental state and her time "resting" in a local mental hospital. Their reunion is uneasy and fraught with tension and Rocky is somewhat taken aback when she decides to reveal what happened after she and Paul left together years earlier. Stunned by her revelations, Rocky is unsure if her account is true and he is left with even more doubts after the events that occur during her wedding.

After the Old Man suffers a debilitating stroke, the mystery of Paul's disappearance is cleared up once and for all. This also marks the beginning of a downward spiral for the Askew family after they discover the Old Man's business venture with the Culvers led to the loss of their fortune after the Black Monday stock market crash. Although still neighbors, they ignore one another until a shocking double murder thrusts both families (and Leigh) back into the spotlight.

An absolutely stunning debut novel , Only Love Can Break Your Heart is an engrossing and nostalgic story set in rural Virginia. Brilliantly developed, multifaceted and intriguing characters bring this tale vibrantly to life while the riveting storyline completely ensnares readers from beginning to end. Ed Tarkington neatly wraps up all of the loose ends with a heartwarming and rather poignant conclusion. A phenomenal novel that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend.
( )
  kbranfield | Feb 3, 2020 |
Set in a small Virginia town in 1977 Richard, called Rocky by his beloved sixteen-year-old big brother Paul, was almost eight years old. Paul was everything Rocky wished he could be – though he was always in trouble, and not a favorite of his mom. He was a girl charmer, and owned a great collection of records he often invited Rocky to hear in his room. Paul was always there until, one day, he wasn’t. He disappeared with Leigh, his long-time girlfriend.

Rocky missed his brother, but was distracted by his neighbor’s daughter Patricia who he met when he was almost 15 years old. Though she was almost 10 years older, for several months she schooled him in the art of sex in the hayloft of her family’s stable. Rocky was content to spend time with her, and was bereft when she broke up with him after Leigh returned and figured out their relationship.

Many years later Paul returned. Leigh’s time away had badly scarred her, leaving her mentally unstable, for which Paul blamed himself. Though Rocky and the Old Man were thrilled to have him back, Richard’s mom felt he was still the bane of her existence. When their next-door neighbor and wife were found murdered, Paul and Leigh quickly became the main suspects. Were the police overlooking the real killers in their eagerness to solve the crime, or was it true that Rocky’s idol and his girlfriend were murderers?

Rocky, as narrator, told his story as an adult sharing his memories. Though there was lots of rambling as he described his feelings and thoughts during the various events that transpired over the years, what I got out of it was that small town life in the late 70’s meant no one suspected what Patricia was doing to him, that an older father loved both his sons equally, that Rocky’s mom needed to get over herself for disliking her stepson so much, and that Rocky and Paul loved each other very much. That’s what I got out of it, and I’m sticking to it.

Though I wasn’t a huge fan, I’ll leave it up to you Adults to decide if you want to read it or not.

Book review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2019/11/29/only-love-can-break-your-hea... ( )
  sunshinealma | Nov 29, 2019 |
Esta reseña ha sido escrita por los Primeros Reseñadores de LibraryThing.
What’s it about . . .
This is mostly a coming-of-age-story set in Spencerville, Virginia, in the 1970s. The story goes on to span a lifetime including lots of family drama, small town entanglements, and a mystery.

Our narrator is eight-year-old Rocky Askew. He adores his older half-brother, Paul, a rebellious teen with a cool car and a hot girlfriend. One day Paul disappears with his girlfriend and doesn’t return for seven years. During that time Rocky becomes a teenager and begins his journey toward adulthood, but never forgets about Paul.

What did I think . . ..
This is a nostalgic read for those of us who grew up in the 70s. There are many cultural references and Neil Young songs are mentioned often. But even if one can’t relate to the times, the book is well-written, very readable, and with a host of interesting, although often troubled, characters. There was a lot going on, sometimes too much, but still a worthwhile read.

Audio production . . ..
I listened to the audio book which was narrated by Peter Berkrot. His performance was very enjoyable and a pleasure to listen to with excellent pacing good character vocals. ( )
  UnderMyAppleTree | Feb 27, 2017 |
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How accidentally a fate is made...or how accidental it all may seem when it is inescapable. - Philip Roth
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For Elizabeth-Lee
--- and in memory of my father, Edward H. Tarkington Sr.
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Paul was my half brother.
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Struggling to come to terms with the worshipped older brother who disappeared seven years earlier, fifteen-year-old Rocky is seduced by a wealthy older girl in the wake of a mysterious double murder that forces the town to confront past misdeeds.

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