“Songs in Ordinary Time” was an Oprah Book Club pick in June 1997. Some might call it a 740-page tome. I loved every word. In hundreds of mini-chapters, Morris takes readers to the summer of 1960 in small-town Atkinson, Vermont, where readers meet Marie Fermoyle, a divorced mother of three, along with her neighbors, her ex-in-laws, her boss, a variety of other townpeople – and, most significantly, Omar Duvall, a man without a shred of honesty.Marie’s oldest child, daughter Alice, graduates from high school and Marie is determined she will enter the University of Vermont in the fall. But this is a family unsure where the next dime is coming from…much less college tuition. Sam Fermoyle, Marie’s alcoholic ex-husband and father of her children, is often a sympathetic character, despite his shortcomings.Oprah.com says, “Songs in Ordinary Time is a masterful epic of the everyday, illuminating the kaleidoscope of lives that tell the compelling story of this unforgettable family.”I absolutely agree and found myself musing that, except for an accident of birth, any of us might find ourselves victims of alcoholic, vulnerable, struggling parents who never seem to catch a break. So much of who we turn out to be in life depends on our families, our friends, our towns, how we grew up. I found myself hoping against hope that this family and these children would turn out okay in the end even though they seem doomed from the beginning.Enter Dr. Phil…perhaps in 2011…Oprah.com still has lots of resources for the original Oprah Book Club books, including book club discussion questions for “Songs…” along with other info.I highly recommend “Songs…” for anyone with the time to devote to this compelling family story. It’s important to realize the short chapters facilitate reading in brief chunks and it’s an especially great read for anyone who can identify with being a teen in the 1960s.
Star Rating Art: 4 StarsStar Rating Story: 4 StarsSelf purchase for Kindle.First Impression: Seems as good as the previous volumes.Things open up normally but quickly take a strange turn. Anxiety rising. Love Ampersand and his name. Not a lot of forward progress. The angry women are getting old. Have to wonder if the writter has Mommy issues. That is not supposed to be a slam on Vaughn, I think he���s a fantastic writer and love his stuff. I just wonder why the women are all angry bitches. But that being said, it���s still a great story. Ends on a minor twist so I���m definitely interested to see where this goes.Oh, some hysterical quotes, see below.Warnings: Male rape scene. More than one.Quotes:This quote killed me Yorrick:���Hold On, her codename is seriously 711? Man, How many guys used to ask if she���s open all night?������Yes, well, I suppose we can add Gaydar to the extraordinary Number of common senses you seem to lack.��� by 355���Lady, David Lynch���s dreams weren���t this weird.���-Yorrick
What do You think about Songs In Ordinary Time (1996)?
First and foremost, this book was WAY too long. I am not against a long book, but 740 pages of the summer of 1960 in a small VT town where the action is either lacking, or repetitive, is excessive. What was the point? Morris could have left 200+ pages out of this book and no one would have known. The editor clearly did not do his/her job. Interesting, though universally depressing, characters, but again, why so many? It was not possible to keep up with them all, or care about them all. And a fatal error for me.....an easily checked anachronism that showed the lack of effort on the editor's part--a Mustang pulls into a gas station in the summer of 1960. One problem--Mustangs weren't introduced until 1964. Only stubbornness made me finish this book.
—Hillery
It’s an Oprah book club book, so of course it’s long, with a detailed plot, but also wonderfully written. Taken individually, our lives may seem routine and “ordinary”. Connected with those around us, however, life is anything but ordinary. This book highlights a period of time in one family’s life, and the community around them. Just as in real life, what the family views as “ordinary” is actually a story filled with emotion and unexpected surprises. The author does an excellent job creating well rounded characters, ones that are both loveable and unlikable, making them easily relatable to some friend or acquaintance in the reader’s life. The book doesn’t make any attempts to sugar coat the aspects of daily life, and yet manages to reflect how extraordinary each individuals story can be.
—Sarah
At first glance this appears to be a look at small town America, but it's better than that. "Songs in Ordinary Time" is more of a close study on how people justify their actions. How does a swindler view taking other people's money as acceptable? How does a husband explain to himself why he hit his wife in a drunken argument? How does a businessman justify becoming a burglar? How does an alcoholic rationalize that "things will be different this time"? Morris gives a perceptive look into the human psyche with this book.
—Hope R
