Where do people go when they drift off, a glazed far-away look in their eyes? They've slipped into invisible dimensions, the solitary worlds people inhabit within themselves, their unshareable places. What makes Gail Godwin's short story collection such an astounding delight is the way she finds, not only to follow her characters to their secret places, but to also open the door so we can follow, too.

When I last visited a local book store, I had in mind to pick up another book but I saw HEARTS by Gail Godwin and after glancing through it, I decided it was worth buying and reading. Not only is it worth it, but it is one of the best books I have read all year! It is wonderful and so inspiring! Trust me - get this book - read it and share with your loved one and your friends. I hope this books takes off in popularity in February - Valentine's Day. It deserves it!

I am a big G Godwin fan, but a little disappointed with this outing. I just never connected with the characters, never got drawn in by the plot. Maybe I'm prejudiced because I'm a southerner and prefer her southern stories. I'll pass on this one.

"The Good Husband" is the first work I have read by Gail Godwin and will not be the last. I found the book enlightening as well as pertinent. Godwin has a way of taking ordinary events and bringing a fresh, new perspective to them. For me, the novel seemed to be entertaining and at the same time, educational; designed to make a person think. I really appreciated being able to see death from Magda's perspective. I had never thought of death as a final examination. It was a revelation for me as I have had many people in my life die recently. Although some of them may not have viewed death from her perspective, it gave me a new outlook on the process. It also gave me a new perspective on life. I found the part about Francis' misericords very educational and captivating at the same time. I think that while I am in Europe, I will be visiting some cathedrals just to see for myself if they exist. Godwin must have put quite a bit of time and effort into researching the subject for it to be so detailed. I really appreciated being able to "educate" myself while at the same time "entertain" myself. While I enjoyed the entire novel, I think that the speech Hugo Henry gave on writing a novel was my favorite part. It was very clever of Godwin to weave Hugo's views, as an author, on writing a novel into her own novel. I realized how true it was when Hugo said, "If you get the beginning of your story right, it already contains the seed of its own ending. And if the ending's right, it succeeds in making the beginning inevitable"(410). I also loved how Hugo related a novel to a relationship. It seemed the perfect way for him to tell his wife, Alice, that he realized it was over for them. Godwin put the whole novel together so well that I felt like I could empathize with her characters. While I knew what would inevitably happen, I found myself just turning the pages. I cried and got angry with the characters and was sad when the novel ended. As someone once said, though I cannot remember whom, reading a book is like making new friends and when it is done, you leave. If you want to visit them again you have to reread the book. I am sure that I will be revisiting Magda, Francis, Hugo and Alice again. Meanwhile, I think I will check out some of Gail Godwin's other books and make some more new friends.

This book is wise, witty and endearing. Ms. Godwin has great emotional insight. The characters are varied and real: the larger-than-life Magda, awaiting her death from ovarian cancer; her devoted, altruistic mate, the former seminarian, Francis; Alice, searching for her life's meaning after the death of her baby; and Alice's husband, the self-absorbed novelist, Hugo. "The Good Husband" touched a chord within me.

The best way to approach Fifth business is to read it in small installments. This is definitely not a read until sunrise book. This is a true Saga, leaving out plenty of unnecessary detail. It covers the life of one man, almost desperately trying to prove that he has lived a full and interesting life. As the reader, you are to judge this by paying attention to his bizarre but captivating hobbies in life. Most people don't want to read about dubious sex scenes, nor sinners and saints. Davies draws on our own feeling, we all have our own unique interests in life and find that relating to Ramsay is easy. The ending is not so much of a shocker as a pleasant conclusion to a story which nearing the finish has been dragged out somewhat. None the less what makes this book a great read is how it sets the scene for the next installment of the Deptford trilogy (The manticore) which is twice as wonderful, though pointless without reading fifth business. None the less there are great lessons of life to be learned, and a vaguely true generalisation of Canadians. A fair read, though a great trilogy. Three stars.

Robertson Davies' Fifth Business is the beginning of a trilogy that has become legendary in Canadian literary life. It took moving to America for me to finally begin these novels and I am glad that I have done so. This first book begins the series of novels off on a strong note. Dunstan Ramsay weaves a wonderful narrative as he explores the life lived below the surface of this staid history professor at a boys' school. The novel moves through geography and chronology as the various people in his life become twice born, dropping one identity and taking another (demonstrated by the creation of a new name). Things are never quite so simple as the past lives come crashing in at odd times into their new lives. It is a wonderfully magical and mystical (in many senses) journey and will be a delight to the reader. I look forward to the other two books in the Deptford trilogy.

I had never heard of Robertson Davies until I discovered "Fifth Business", the first instalment of the "Deptford Trilogy", from a recommended book list and what a great reading experience it turned out to be. Davies writes in a style highly reminiscent of the great late 19th and early 20th century writers. Strongly narrative, the novel is richly multilayered in its exploration of ideas and themes. At its most basic level, it is the story of the sensitive but oddly passive Dunstan Ramsey, the novel's protaganist, whose life is contrasted with his pragmatic and successful friend, Boy Staunton and his women (including Leola, his wife who turns out not to be made of the same stuff as Boy). Whilst Dunstan seems content to live life as a school master, observing rather than participating, Boy makes waves and becomes a hugely successful figure in business and politics. But more fascinating is the early traces of "magical realism" used by Davies in the Mary Dempster (the "fool-saint") episode, which manifests the nature of Dunstan's conscience (contrasting with the lack thereof in Boy) as well as his belief in the power of magic and imagination. In the development of this secondary plot line, Davies employs a technique that hints at "magical realism" but wields his craft with such confidence and aplomb that the effect can only be described as dazzling. Dunstan's feeling of responsibility towards Mary and her son Paul is brought to a beautiful conclusion when he learns much later after Paul runs away from home and assumes the identity of a magician that it was he (Dunstan) who had taught him (Paul) the rudiments of magic through the card game. The shock ending for Boy smacks of poetic justice, leaving the question metaphysically open ended. Boy may be the protaganist on the world's stage and Dunstan only "fifth business", but who's ultimately the more valuable human being ? Davies has written a brilliant and enchanting novel. For sure I'll be checking out the next two instalments of his trilogy.

I had a bit of trouble getting through the middle of the book: I lost interest but towards the end it picks up again.

When this book was first released in the 1980's, I was an avid fan of Godwin's and couldn't wait to buy it. I devoured it in two sittings, loving every minute with teenage Justin and the wiser, more enigmatic Ursula. I'm pleased to see the story hasn't become dated, and that it's every bit as enjoyable now that I'm closer in age to Ursula than to Justin. Although this is on the surface a coming-of-age story, it also explores the necessity and dangers of mentorship, of friendship, of implicit trust. The characters are heartfelt and true, and Justin, with all her emotional needs and confusion, is one of the best female teenage characters in American literature.

This book remains one of Godwin's best. If you haven't read Godwin before, start here.

This is an older book that I happened across by accident and found delightful. I think it would make a wonderful Hallmark t.v. movie with someone like Jena Malone playing the lead, perhaps opposite Judith Light or an actress who could capture "Ursula's" captivating character. This book reminds you of the "intensity" of growing up with all of it's desires and fears and frustrations. The climax leaves you frustrated that the girl is only 14 and cannot view her "idol" with the maturity of experience, but the ending is satisfying in that she is able to look back and realize how inaccurate her perceptions were at that age and to understand what she did gain from this woman in the long run. I highly recommend it.

I listened to this book on tape while driving across the country, tears streaming down my cheeks. When I reached my destination, I read it in an evening. Godwin addresses some big issues in a short book, and makes one think. She does a heckuva job stringing words together. Thank you.

Because life is rarely without loss and grief, this slim novel may have wide appeal. However, this reader feels that the persons most attracted to and affected by "Evenings at Five" would have to be spouses for whom grief is still new, raw and ever present.

It is amazing how so few words can so richly convey Christina's aching feelings. The simplicity of the book lies in the scarcity of words and the simple and stark pen drawings of the very articles that serve as constant reminders and reinforce the piercing emptiness and grief. A favorite tumbler; a metronome that is an integral tool to Rudy's composing skills; a richly-grained wooden chair with a beautiful, tapestried pillow; an answering machine with Rudy's voice that Christina cannot bring herself to erase.

The chair keeps cropping up because Rudy, as his disease progressed, required sitting in an upright position and was probably all the more visible because of his forced confinement. Drawings, too, of the living room and descriptions of how they sat in proximity to one another, emphasize their closeness. They were woven together as a couple, as best friends, as collaborators in the co-creation of their home and individual work spaces...she an author...he a composer.

Christina chronicles her pain without being mawkish. No matter where she turns, the memories are present and what makes the agony still worse is that on the night of Rudy's death, she had unsuspectingly left to return home and was reading as Rudy was dying. Sadly, she recalls that she will never be able to read that author again. No matter how many moments were spent together, from their grand passion when they first met, to the quieter times, the intimacy that grew over the years, there was never enough because it's now all gone...forever! It cannot be re-created.

Religion is of some comfort to Christina, as are some friends, one of whom zeroes in on her drinking but it is in the seeking and in the finding of her own way that Christina can continue. And there are no easy answers, no and "she lived happily ever after". The final passage contains comforting words from Rudy, one of many things Christina recalls that he said. Memories are blissful, funny, poignant and pierce like a weapon!

This is undoubtedly one of the most intimate books I have read on grief and loss. There are many on how to deal with grief; how to become financially capable; how to resume dating; how to tell children about the death of their parent but this one is truly unique in its ability to deal with the simple, pure aching that occurs when a loved one with whom one has shared so much is removed from one's life. It is like major surgery with no anesthesia during the surgery or painkillers to dull the agony following the procedure!

Heart-breaking yet comforting -- exquisitely written, perfectly structured, emotionally precise. The illustrations poignantly echo the writing. I am buying extra copies for friends and family.

"Father Melancholy's Daughter" is not for everyone, but it is rewarding and it is thought provoking. It is also well-written and a believeable book. A little of the storyline: a young woman, Ruth, marries an older Episcopalian minister, who has significant bouts of depression. The two have a precocious daughter, Margaret. After a visit from a college friend (Madelyn Farley), Ruth leaves her family for a "vacation", but never returns. How do you cope without a wife/mother (at age 6!)? Why did Ruth (wife/mother) leave, and what does life mean now without her. The religious background is accurate and engrossing. The father is a wonderful minister. We should all be so lucky to have a caring and compassionate religious figure in our lives. However, Margaret has to be an old soul to be so mature and to handle her life (and the church groupies) with such grace. Still, I found Margaret's character refreshing for her dignity, humor, and insight into her religious world. The questions are will Margaret find true love? Will she repeat history like her mother? You will need to read the book to find out.

While I enjoyed Father Melancholy's Daughter, I found the story left its emotional mark on me. I often find myself drawn into books, but this one was surprisingly so. I actually found myself sad at the things Margaret had to experience, including those she seemed to choose for herself.

As an evangelical Christian, I found the spiritual dimension to be particularly deep, despite my lack of understanding of the Episcopal church. I especially resonated with the woman who discovered while doing laundry with monks that *she* is not responsible for finishing the task, only for performing her part of it.

I think this book is definitely worth reading, but it's not light summer fare. Be prepared to grieve with Margaret.

I thought this book was an excellent study of a father-daughter-mother relationship. I too was exasperated with Margaret's seeming to cross over to the "enemy's" camp, but the complexity of human behavior is reflected in this story. People do seemingly irrational things at times, but there are reasons for their behavior. This story reads quickly and is very easy to get involved in. The characters are believable. I enjoyed the insight into the daily lives of pastors and their families. I also recommend Evensong by Gail Godwin which is a sequel to Father Melancholy. However my favorite book by Gail Godwin continues to be The Good Husband.

Godwin, best known for her fiction (Father Melancholy's Daughter and Evensong), gives us a change of pace with her book, Heart. She begins by looking at "a painting of a wooly mammoth on a cave wall in Spain [circa 10,000 BCE], showing a red, heart-shaped spot where the beast's heart would naturally be" and ends with Paul Klee's "most striking pictorial representations of the heart." In between, we meet the Buddha--"cool mind and a warm heart" as well as Japan's unique form of poetry, haiku--images that "arise naturally out of the...heart-mind." We come across teaching concerning the heart through Jesus, Mohammad, Confucius, as well as the Upanishads. We learn about the rift that "fractured seventeenth-century thought" as James Hillman reflects, "Thought lost its heart, heart its thought."

Interspersed throughout Heart are anecdotes that give us intimate access into the author's "heart journeys." Godwin's description of her brother's death is telling. "Though the official cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head, I believe my brother Tommy died of a broken heart."

Particularly instructive to me was the section entitled "Absence of Heart/Heartlessness." Gilbert Osmond, a character in Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, illustrates the behavior of somebody "without heart." Gilbert lacks empathy--he is not able to "feel what it's like to want to give someone else something without getting something for it yourself." He appreciates Isabel Archer's efforts to promote his welfare, but doesn't understnad it.

All this and more await the reader in Godwin's ambitious heart-felt work. Her proclivity toward wordiness works better in her fiction, nonetheless, this volume is well worth your investment of time.

Heart is a marvelous piece of writing! Every chapter has opened my mind a little more. I am very thankful to Mrs. Godwin for that interesting book. I have learned so many new facts about the different religions of the world. I recommend the reading of "Heart" to everybody curious enough to learn a little more about the persons around us thinking that the heart is important in life. Mrs. Godwin is my favorite author! Thank you for writing "Heart"! Doris VeilletteHamel, Canada

I found this journey into the meanings and aspects of the human heart uplifting, inspirational and thoroughly enlightening. Especially intriguing to me was the story of St. Augustine's search for God "from a period of violent floundering into joyful conversion." Godwin writes with a kind of intimacy that invites you to pick this book up to enjoy again and again.

I've read all of Gail Godwin's books, and own most of them, and I am disappointed to say that this one just didn't do a thing for me. If you haven't read "Father Melancholy's Daughter," which I thoroughly enjoyed, you probably won't even grasp fully the subtleties and undercurrents in the relationship between the Reverends Bonner in "Evensong." And even if you have read the former book, "Evensong" never really rings true. The author keeps referring to the next millenium in a foreboding tone, but at the end, in regard to that particular story line, I was left with a feeling of "so what?" Too many unlikely happenings, too many deep dark secrets that are really neither, too many unbelievable characters: simply, too much of too much. I'll read her next book because I usually enjoy Godwin, but this one gets a "better luck next time."

I couldn't wait to read this one to find out what had happened to the characters from Father Melancholy. Be sure to read Father Melancholy's Daughter first if at all possible. Gail Godwin is brilliant. There is amazing complexity in the relationships among these characters. However I thought Grace was really annoying and somewhat stereotyped. Also the milleniuum theme seemed to be more of a playing up to the current madness than actually essential to the story. Overall the book was worth reading. If you like Gail Godwin, don't miss The Good Husband. It is still my favorite of her works.

Godwin writes the way Meryl Streep acts; with consummate skill, both natural and cultivated talent and some unearthly ability to slip into a character's mind and body and live there for a frustratingly short period of time. This is the third of Godwin's novels I've read; Father Melancholy's Daughter was right before this, and I thoroughly enjoyed living there with her, and the sorrow that I felt at the end of both books was that I would never get to meet Margaret or Father Gower or Adrian or Tony or even that likeable Gus. It's as if I've just missed them...well, I will have to wait for the next novel to show up to surprise me and thousands of other readers who appreciate such thoughful, tender, realistic portraits of towns and their people. Thank you, Gail.

Glass People is about a married woman who finds herself falling into depression. Francesca has come to the realization that she has lost her identity, or perhaps, she never had one. She gains the strength to go in search of herself but makes a full circle back to her husband.

This is a book for anyone seeking to know more about themselves or for anyone who is going through the horrors of catatonic depression. It will leave you with questions and answers. It is a book that could be read over and over because there are lines that are there for deep analysis.