A Thousand Acres: A Novel
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A "powerful and poignant" twentieth-century reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear (The New York Times Book Review) that takes on themes of truth, justice, love, and pride—and centers on a wealthy Iowa farmer who decides to divide his farm between his three daughters.
When the youngest daughter objects, she is cut out of his will. This sets off a chain of events that brings dark truths to light and explodes long-suppressed emotions. Ambitiously conceived and stunningly written, A Thousand Acres reveals the beautiful yet treacherous topography of humanity.
“A family portrait that is also a near-epic investigation into the broad landscape, the thousand dark acres of the human heart.... The book has all the stark brutality of a Shakespearean tragedy.” —The Washington Post Book World
When the youngest daughter objects, she is cut out of his will. This sets off a chain of events that brings dark truths to light and explodes long-suppressed emotions. Ambitiously conceived and stunningly written, A Thousand Acres reveals the beautiful yet treacherous topography of humanity.
“A family portrait that is also a near-epic investigation into the broad landscape, the thousand dark acres of the human heart.... The book has all the stark brutality of a Shakespearean tragedy.” —The Washington Post Book World
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Community Reviews
A retelling of King Lear, set on a vast farm in Iowa. Larry Cook, goaded by his friend Harold Clark and conniving banker Marv Carson, decides to turn over his land to his daughters and their husbands. The youngest daughter, Caroline, objects and refuses to sign off on the deal, so it is left to the two older daughters, Ginny and Rose, and their husbands, Ty and Pete respectively.
It soon becomes clear to the two sisters that their father has gone off the deep end, and the superficial civility that has ruled all their lives for years gets gradually peeled away and all the insecurities and pent-up anger and hatred are soon pulled to the fore.
Complicating matters even further, Harold's son Jess has returned after 13 years away (he had been drafted in the Vietnam War but decided to make a run for Canada instead). He nestles himself maybe a bit too comfortably into the Cooks' family life, which only contributes to the hell that is about to break loose.
The author has a real grasp on all those hidden anxieties we all carry around with us and the explosive ways they can show themselves, and how family dynamics play a role in shaping who we are.
It soon becomes clear to the two sisters that their father has gone off the deep end, and the superficial civility that has ruled all their lives for years gets gradually peeled away and all the insecurities and pent-up anger and hatred are soon pulled to the fore.
Complicating matters even further, Harold's son Jess has returned after 13 years away (he had been drafted in the Vietnam War but decided to make a run for Canada instead). He nestles himself maybe a bit too comfortably into the Cooks' family life, which only contributes to the hell that is about to break loose.
The author has a real grasp on all those hidden anxieties we all carry around with us and the explosive ways they can show themselves, and how family dynamics play a role in shaping who we are.
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