I read Joyce Maynard’s novel “Labor Day” this week, so I could be ready for the movie adaptation of it, which comes out on Friday. Apparently the author loves the movie made by director Jason Reitman, who also did “Up in the Air” and “Juno,” so that’s a good sign. It also stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the movie even though it wasn’t out then.
My husband actually got the novel in 2009 when we met Joyce Maynard at our city’s annual book festival called WordFest. Joyce did a reading from the book then, which we heard. We talked to her after and she inscribed it for us: “To Robert & Susan with undying faith in the power of love, Joyce Maynard.” Her inscription likely refers to the theme in the book, or perhaps it was because I had recently moved to Canada to be with Robert, which we might have talked about. I guess I like to think it was a bit of both, even if that’s sort of wishful thinking.
In any case, it was nice meeting Joyce Maynard. I did not bug her by asking her about J.D. Salinger, which I know now she hates getting asked about — her brief relationship when she was 18 with the reclusive author of “The Catcher in the Rye” who was 53 at the time. He had crushed her early young life then, and also was known to have taken up with a dozen other young teens, she says. Yikes, the more you know about Salinger the less you want to. But at the time that’s what I knew mostly about Joyce — that she had this thing with Salinger. Which is really too bad because she’s a talented writer in her own right and shouldn’t always be associated with this painful experience she had so many decades ago.
Anyways “Labor Day” is my first novel of hers that I’ve read. It’s about a divorced, depressed single mom and her lonely 13-year-old son living in a small New Hampshire town. At the start of Labor Day weekend they come to give a lift to an injured, escaped convict who talks his way into staying at their house. Over the next few days, they get to know the man, learning his story and finding out he’s not at all like the murderer he’s portrayed as. Among other things, the man shares with them the secrets of how to bake a good fruit pie, repairs their house, and teaches the boy how to field and hit a baseball.
But the adolescent son who’s going through puberty comes to believe his mom and the man, who are falling for each other, are going to run away together without him, leaving him with his father’s new family. This ends up starting the ball rolling towards a conclusion that will affect all of their lives.
“Labor Day” is a fast, dramatic read, told from the boy’s point of view. It was easy to slip into the characters and to imagine their circumstances and the small town they lived in. Just when I got to know and like them, their situation gave me an awful pit in my stomach that things would come crashing down soon and I didn’t like where that was heading. Fortunately it didn’t end all doom and gloom. It’s a moving story with an “undying faith in the power of love,” among characters that don’t have a whole lot left to lose. Just read it and you’ll see.
How about you — have you read this novel and what did you think? And do you plan on seeing the movie?
I read Labor Day in 2009…but I did re-post my review last week…I’m eager to see the movie.
I love Joyce Maynard’s work, and enjoyed that she wrote and published a book as a teenager (a book that I have). I also read and have a copy of the memoir she wrote about her time with J. D. Salinger…and I think it speaks to his shortcomings more than anything else.
How exciting that you got to chat with her!
Did you see To Die For, the novel-turned-movie with Nicole Kidman?
Enjoy your week…and here’s MY WEEKLY SUNDAY/MONDAY UPDATES
Yeah I think your positive comments on Maynard contributed to me reading this one. I did see the movie To Die For a long time ago and remember liking it, but I didn’t read it. Thanks Laurel.
I didn’t plan on seeing it, but from your description, it sounds like it might be good. I like both Brolin and Winslet, plus I liked Reitman’s other movies. I don’t know if I’ll read the book, though.
Yeah I hope it will be good but dont know yet. A compelling enough read though.
I haven’t read Labor Day yet, but would like to. I really enjoyed her latest, After Her, which was my first of her works. The movie trailers look so good, but I’m not sure if I’ll have time to read it before I see it.
Go for it Carrie — if you want to see it first. I’m sure it’s faithful to the book
I hadn’t really given much thought to this book or the movie, but I do like Kate Winslet, and your review has made me want to read the book. I knew nothing about this author, but now I’m intrigued.
Thanks Anna for stopping by. Yeah the author’s last 2 books (this one, and After Her) especially seem to have received positive comments from bloggers etc. Check them out.
Sounds like a fascinating story I’d like to read. Didnt hear about the movie. The story of getting the book sounds so sweet too so Im sure the book means a lot to you
Thanks Erin. Yeah it was nice to meet the author and have her sign the book.
I read the book and loved it. I loved her other book that came out late last year… After Her. She is an amazing writer and she is so gracious and supportive of bloggers like us. You gotta love that.
I know you know about how I lost your feed, but I looked and it happened in August. Maybe your feed burner or whatever you use to burn feed kicked the bucket??
Hmm. Thanks Ti for your feedback. Not sure what’s going on with the feed but I think I plan a change soon to the site which I hope will get it back. I plan to eventually read After Her too, as quite a few bloggers liked it.
I actually saw the movie without reading the book which is rare for me. I enjoyed the movie but kept wondering where/how/if it departed from the book. There is an amazing scene where Brolin is teaching Winselt and her son to make a peach pie – mouth watering!
Wow thanks for the word on the movie. The pie scene is also in the book.
I read the book and saw the movie and don’t understand the author’s love for the movie – it didn’t do her book justice.
Your posts haven’t been showing up in my Reader and the, all of a sudden, I got a half dozen or so old posts all at once.
Oh great!! Thanks for the news Kathy. I recently changed my host to bluehost which must have worked! I still need to see the movie but will likely wait till netflix
I put off reading your review until after I’d written and posted mine. This was my second Maynard book, and I really like her writing style and how real her characters feel as I read about them. I am glad the book ended the way it did as well.
Yeah I agree I liked this one. I’ll stop by your review as well.