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The Morels
- Author
- Christopher Hacker
- Narrator
- Charlie Thurston
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 30 April 2013
- Run Time
- 13 hours 29 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
The Morels—Arthur, Penny, and Will—are a happy family of three living in New York City. So why would Arthur choose to publish a book that brutally rips his tightly knit family unit apart at the seams? Arthur's old schoolmate Chris, who narrates the book, is fascinated with this very question as he becomes accidentally reacquainted with Arthur. A single, aspiring filmmaker who works in a movie theater, Chris envies everything Arthur has, from his beautiful wife to his charming son to his seemingly effortless creativity. But things are not always what they seem.
The Morels takes a unique look at the power of art, literature, music, and film in particular—and challenges us as readers to think about some fascinating questions to which there are no easy answers. Where is the line between art and obscenity, between truth and fiction, between revolutionary thinking and brainless shock value, between craftsmanship and commerce? Is it possible to escape the past? Can you save your family by destroying it?
Critics Review
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“Captivating. The Morels does a lot of heavy lifting, asking big questions about art, life, and family, transforming this ambitious debut into something really special.”
Jami Attenberg, New York Times bestselling author
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“The Morels is always entertaining.”
Wall Street Journal
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“The Morels asks big questions. What is art? What risks must be taken to grab our attention? Where is the line between truth and fiction? Hacker’s story kept me up at night…to find out what would happen, and contemplating these questions…I eagerly await his next book.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer
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“Audacious, thought-provoking…One of the top first novels of the year. The author spins out the story at a fast clip, creating a believable and entertaining tale. Woven into the fabric of the work are discussions of the function of art in society, the difficulty of arriving at the truth, and a thoughtful, compassionate detailing of the social and personal repercussions of individual actions and beliefs.”
Library Journal (starred review)
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“An eloquent treatise on the rights of artists to exploit their personal histories—and why they do so, and at what cost…A fine debut.”
Publishers Weekly
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“In Hacker’s engaging debut, eccentric author Arthur Morel writes a novel that pushes the envelope of art-for-art’s-sake beyond anyone’s capacity to understand, much less forgive…Whether a reader is intrigued by the philosophical questions or not, this family’s plight makes for a marvelous read.”
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Details
- Author
- Christopher Hacker
- Narrator
- Charlie Thurston
- Duration
- 13 hours 29 minutes
- Release Date
- 30 April 2013
- ISBN
- 9781620647790
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Fiction: general and literary, Fiction: general and literary, Family life fiction
Synopsis
The Morels—Arthur, Penny, and Will—are a happy family of three living in New York City. So why would Arthur choose to publish a book that brutally rips his tightly knit family unit apart at the seams? Arthur's old schoolmate Chris, who narrates the book, is fascinated with this very question as he becomes accidentally reacquainted with Arthur. A single, aspiring filmmaker who works in a movie theater, Chris envies everything Arthur has, from his beautiful wife to his charming son to his seemingly effortless creativity. But things are not always what they seem. The Morels takes a unique look at the power of art, literature, music, and film in particular—and challenges us as readers to think about some fascinating questions to which there are no easy answers. Where is the line between art and obscenity, between truth and fiction, between revolutionary thinking and brainless shock value, between craftsmanship and commerce? Is it possible to escape the past? Can you save your family by destroying it?
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