Cloud Sketcher - Softcover

Raynor Richard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007128312 ISBN 13: 9780007128310

Publisher: Harper Collins (Flamingo), 2001

Synopsis

The Cloud Sketcher is a passionate tale of love, war and art that ranges from the icefields of the Arctic Circle at the dawn of the last century to the ruthless world of 1920'2 New York.

In a tiny Finnish village, Esko Vaananen mourns the death of his mother, who died in the same fire that so horribly scarred his face. At the brink of despair, he has a vision of an impossibly tall building rising gracefully from a frozen lake, disappearing into the clouds above. This "cloud sketcher," or skyscraper, sparks Esko's livelong quest for beauty. He becomes an architect, believing that if he can create something of unparalleled loveliness, surely he will be worthy of his true love, Katerina. This obsessive desire causes Esko to risk everything time and again: as a reluctant hero in the Finnish civil war; as a laborer on the treacherous high steel of a Manhattan riveting gang; and finally, as a man accused of murdering the husband of the woman he loves.

Preformed by Simon Jones

About this title

About the Author:

Born in England, Richard Rayner now lives in Los Angeles. His previous books include the memoir The Blue Suit and the novels The Cloud Sketcher, L.A. Without a Map, and Murder Book. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, and many other publications.

From AudioFile:

Spanning over thirty years of time, Rayner's tale of love and war builds to a smashing finale as the characters move through the world of New York architecture. The story follows Esko Vaananen from an impoverished childhood in Finland at the turn of the century to financial and professional success in New York at the end of the Roaring Twenties. The story can only be described as epic, with politics and intrigue cropping up around every bend. Actor Simon Jones reads this abridgment with the same passion the lead character shows toward life and provides distinct, varied voices for each character. Although the abridgment seems choppy at times, Jones reads with such an easy pace, the gaps go almost unnoticed. The combination of a good story and a great performance makes the production fly. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Collins (Flamingo)
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0007128312
• ISBN 13: 9780007128310
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 504