Tyler, Anne. Searching for Caleb. Ballantine Books, 1996.
Reason read: Tyler was born in the month of October. Read in her honor.
Justine Peck’s career as a seer began when she was asked to run the fortune telling booth at the school bazaar. Once people started whispering in her ear that she had serious talent she turned it into a full-blown business. However, despite all of Justine’s talents, no matter how hard she searched, she could not find her grandfather’s long lost brother. Daniel’s brother, Caleb left home abruptly in 1912, never to be seen again. Justine and her hard of hearing grandfather patiently travel from place to place following up on leads and peering into wrinkly faces, hoping to find long lost Caleb. In the meantime, Justine’s husband (and cousin) bounces from job to job, searching for his own place in life. He moves his family in the search for his true calling. Apparently, Justine was able to see his future either.
One of the things I love about all Anne Tyler books is her imagery. For example – before moving Justine searched the house for something to stir her coffee and came up with a screwdriver because everything else was packed up. [Although my question is this, if you knew you would be saving out the coffee maker for one last cup, and you know how you take your coffee, wouldn’t you save out a spoon? Here is another point. Duncan was professionally adrift. He frequently moved his family. Wouldn’t they have this moving thing down pat?]
Another strength of Tyler’s is her ability to capture realistic dialogue. I could hear their voices in my head.
As an aside, this is the second book I am reading where cousins get married.
Lines I liked, “Was there anything worse than the feeling you were sealed in a place, to frow old and stale and finally die” (p 490) and “She was the other shoe which never dropped” (p 261-262). Last one, “She had never managed to believe that some people truly will not be seen again” (p 284).
Author fact: Tyler is a Pulitzer Prize winning author. She graduated from Duke at age 19 with a degree in Russian studies.
Book trivia: I am reading seven books of Tyler’s. Searching for Caleb is the second oldest book on the list.
Setlist: “The Pardon Came Too Late,” “Just a Lock of Hair for Mother,” “The St. James Infirmary Blues,”
Mantovani, “Goodnight, Irene,” “Wabash Cannonball,” Caruso, Arturo Tosanini, Jan Kubelik, Czerny, Buddy Bolden, “Country Gardens,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Blues in the Night,” Czerny, “Broken Yo-Yo,” “Stone Pony Blues,” “Careless Love,” “Mr. Crump,” “Stack O’Lee,” “Jogo Blues,” “Pig Meat Papa,” “Broke and Hungry Blues,” “Nobody Knows You When You are Down and Out,” “Doxology,” and “Bringing in the Sheeves.”
BookLust Twist: from Book Lust in the chapter called “Real Characters” (p 197) and again in Book Lust To Go in the chapter called “Baltimore” (p 34). I have to admit, I didn’t really get a sense of Baltimore or even Maryland in Searching for Caleb.
