At once an inviting travel book and an insightful reflection on his parents' marriage, Paradise is McMurtry's most original and personal work to date. The author sets off for Tahiti in the South Sea Islands as he challenges the overtones of hard work, bitter disappointment, and the Puritan work ethic of his west Texas roots.
This book left me cold emotionally. As the previous owner stated, Mr. McMurtry uses his sojourn among the Tahitian islands to explore his father and mother's relationship with each other. However, Texas and Tahiti are worlds apart socially, culturally and emotionally. When reminiscences of his parents make appearances in his cataloging of his trip, they are as awkward and clumsy as the tourists making their way from one island to another. However, his trip through the islands and his musings on French colonialism and the influence of such diverse characters as Gauguin, Brel and Captain Cook, et al., are engaging enough if told in a rather sparse style. His memories of the islands are detailed enough to provide an interesting travelogue to the curious tourist. I decided to release this book because it seems Mr. McMurtry isn't going to be one of my favorite authors.
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Add a CommentThis book left me cold emotionally. As the previous owner stated, Mr. McMurtry uses his sojourn among the Tahitian islands to explore his father and mother's relationship with each other. However, Texas and Tahiti are worlds apart socially, culturally and emotionally. When reminiscences of his parents make appearances in his cataloging of his trip, they are as awkward and clumsy as the tourists making their way from one island to another. However, his trip through the islands and his musings on French colonialism and the influence of such diverse characters as Gauguin, Brel and Captain Cook, et al., are engaging enough if told in a rather sparse style. His memories of the islands are detailed enough to provide an interesting travelogue to the curious tourist. I decided to release this book because it seems Mr. McMurtry isn't going to be one of my favorite authors.