The first thing you must know about me is that I am colossally fat.
When I knew you I was what one might call plump but I am no longer plump. I eat what I want & furthermore I eat whenever I want. For years I have made very little effort to reduce the amount that I eat for I have seen no cause to.
Despite this I am neither immobile nor bedridden but I do feel winded when I walk more than six or seven steps, & I do feel very shy and sort of encased in something as if I were a cello or an expensive gun.
Description:
Here's a first sentence that might be a turn-off for many health-conscious readers. "Colossally fat" seems a deal-breaker to my own interests, but those words, so purposefully jammed into my face right away by the author, did grab my attention enough to make me curious to read a bit further. And I was so glad I did.
Heft, the second novel by Liz Moore (The Words of Every Song was her first), introduces Arthur Opp, the writer of the letter quoted above. He is a retired literature teacher now corresponding with a former student, Charlene Turner, whom he has not seen in twenty years.
His letter soon portrays him as an intellectual, sensitive, passionate, and humble man trying to convey, without apology or explanation, the thoughts and dreams that comprise his days. Reading his words, one is slowly, inexorably drawn into his odd and sad history and his acceptance of his current lifestyle.
But why is he writing to Charlene now after so many years? What was their connection? What happened to him that he no longer teaches and has grown so obese (and seemingly content about his heft)? And what kind of life can he be leading when he never leaves his house?
Charlene recently had contacted Arthur after two decades of silence to ask for help with her son, Kel, a gifted high school athlete. Her call awakens something in Arthur to reassess his past and current life as well as his previous (and future?) relationship with Charlene.
As part of this new awareness, Arthur hires a cleaning company for the first time in years to dig through decades of debris accumulated in his house and make his home more presentable. Yolanda, the young girl assigned this gargantuan task, becomes Arthur's friend and link to the outside world. Together they sift through the photographs, books, and papers connected to his earlier life, his family, and his friends.
Layer by layer, the details about Arthur, Charlene, Kel, and Yolanda are peeled away to reveal truly memorable characters. Each person deals with loneliness, heartbreak, and insecurity, struggling with their solitude and dreams. As their lives intersect, they must make choices that will affect not only themselves but also these other people who have grown close to them.
It is both a heart-breaking and uplifting story, carefully and warmly written, of memorable characters and their reflective thoughts. Heft is not a neat package that offers simple answers, but focuses on the reality of ordinary, compassionate individuals trying to understand and address the challenges of their lives.
It is a quietly compelling book, one that pulls you inexorably to the final pages to learn how the lives of these gentle individuals will be resolved.
Happy reading.
Fred
www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com
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