Retired agent grapples with life's existential ennui.
If you've ever felt like life is passing you by or you're watching from the sidelines, "The Spectator Bird" by Wallace Stegner could speak directly to you. Stegner's prose weaves through past and present, offering a profound look at the search for meaning in a seemingly disconnected life. It's for anyone who appreciates introspective journeys and the elegance of contemplative storytelling.
ISBN: 9780143105794
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date of Publication: 2010-07-27
Format: Paperback
Goodreads rating: 3.99
(rated by 8245 readers)
Description
From the “dean of Western writers” (The New York Times) and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angle of Repose and Crossing to Safety, his National Book Award-winning novel. Joe Allston is a retired literary agent who is, in his own words, "just killing time until time gets around to killing me." His parents and his only son are long dead, leaving him with neither ancestors nor descendants, tradition nor ties. His job, trafficking the talent of others, had not been his choice. He passes through life as a spectator. A postcard from a friend causes Allston to return to the journals of a trip he had taken years before, a journey to his mother's birthplace where he'd sought a link with the past. The memories of that trip, both grotesque and poignant, move through layers of time and meaning, and reveal that Joe Allston isn't quite spectator enough.
Condition guide
Book Condition Guide
Books in Like New Condition
This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Very Good Condition
This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Good Condition
We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Well Read Condition
This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
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Retired agent grapples with life's existential ennui.
If you've ever felt like life is passing you by or you're watching from the sidelines, "The Spectator Bird" by Wallace Stegner could speak directly to you. Stegner's prose weaves through past and present, offering a profound look at the search for meaning in a seemingly disconnected life. It's for anyone who appreciates introspective journeys and the elegance of contemplative storytelling.
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