"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Baker's novel is endearing, entertaining, and most of all, accurate. The author recognizes that an authentic nine-year-old is incapable of long, intricate narratives, so he divides Nory's story into short (and comically abrupt) chapters. He never credits Nory with precocious wisdom or insight. Instead, Baker concentrates on exactly how a nine-year-old mind works. There is, for instance, that wonderful literalism, which subjects a cliché to strict, heartbreaking scrutiny: "Nory suspected that the straw that broke the camel's back was an unsensible idea anyway, because first of all, stop and think of that poor camel. How could it happen? Doesn't he have something to say about the situation? Also, camels' backs are pretty strong things. If you've ridden on them, you know that they can support at least two people, if not three."
Nory slowly makes friends at school, where she's exposed to the usual level of childish cruelty. She fills us in on her family and plays with her kid brother, Frank (a.k.a. Littleguy). And for a large portion of the book she regales us with stories, which are short on narrative logic and long on amusing malapropisms. But this compulsive teller of tales worries about how to keep her material straight in her head: "You live your life always in the present. And even in the present, this day, dozens and hundreds of tiny things happen, so many that by the end of the day you can't make a list of them. You lose track of them unless something reminds you." No Nicholson Baker fan can read that rather touching thought without thinking of The Mezzanine and Room Temperature--novels in which the author seemed intent on recording precisely those "dozens and hundreds" of minuscule events. The Everlasting Story of Nory, then, is partially a meditation on what lasts, and what doesn't. "You can't mummify a nice memory in someone's head," Nory announces. You can, however, keep one alive, as Baker has done in this deeply charming and delightful book. --James Marcus
"Baker turn[s] his celebrated powers. . .on the strange inner life of an American girl. . . . Nory is as large as life and twice as
natural." --The New York Times Book Review
"Thoughtful and daft, sure-footed and tentative. . . . [The Everlasting Story of Nory is] pitch-perfect." --The Wall Street Journal
"Tender, insightful, and hilarious." --Harper's Bazaar
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. After writing about phone sex (in VOX), and masturbatory fantasy (in the FERMATA), Baker-watchers have been curious to see what he would come up with next. He is going to confound everyone with this, his new novel, in which he moves from the wilder shores of the sexual imagination to pre-sex, to the consciousness of a nine-year old girl. THE EVERLASTING STORY OF NORY is about Nory, short for Eleonor, an American girl spending a year in an English cathedral town, based closely on Ely. She relates her impressions, tells us her favourite stories and dreams, comes to terms with the intricate politics of school friendships, explores the town. Nicholson Baker has written a stunningly intimate record of the world perceived through the mind of a young girl. Funny, disconcerting, sometimes very moving, excruciatingly autobiographical, this is Vintage Baker, and a brave and original novel. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002008697
Book Description Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9780099272588
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good+. 226pp. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Seller Inventory # 8122
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780099272588
Book Description Condition: Good. New Ed. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP17341340
Book Description Befriedigend/Good: Durchschnittlich erhaltenes Buch bzw. Schutzumschlag mit Gebrauchsspuren, aber vollständigen Seiten. / Describes the average WORN book or dust jacket that has all the pages present. Seller Inventory # M0009927258X-G
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. Seller Inventory # 21609
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 226 pages. After writing about phone sex (in VOX), and mastur batory fantasy (in the FERMATA), Baker-watchers have been curious to see what he would come up with next. He is going to confound everyone with this, his new novel, in which he moves from the wil der shores of the sexual imagination to pre-sex, to the conscious ness of a nine-year old girl. THE EVERLASTING STORY OF NORY is ab out Nory, short for Eleonor, an American girl spending a year in an English cathedral town, based closely on Ely. She relates her impressions, tells us her favourite stories and dreams, comes to terms with the intricate politics of school friendships, explores the town. Nicholson Baker has written a stunningly intimate reco rd of the world perceived through the mind of a young girl. Funny , disconcerting, sometimes very moving, excruciatingly autobiogra phical, this is Vintage Baker, and a brave and original novel. Seller Inventory # 2390i
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. Gift inscription, bookseller's marks. Shipped from the UK in recyclable card packaging. Seller Inventory # pb408-524-0393