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Synopsis
Follows Adam Waters' search--ranging from Puerto Rico to a leper colony in Africa--for the woman he loves, after she mysteriously disappears from his hotel room
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Reviews
Callaghan's debut novel is a noteworthy reflection on the elusiveness of love and the inescapable impact of family. Adam Waters is a journalist on a bittersweet, wide-ranging search (from Lake Ontario to Puerto Rico to Africa) for Gabrielle, a waif-like, unpredictable woman who introduced him to love when he was an adolescent, a time depicted in frequent flashbacks. Adam's relationship with his melancholic, religious mother is also revealed, clarifying his metaphysical longings and the conflict between spirituality and sensuality he experiences during erotic encounters with Gabrielle. The meandering journey and the shifts from past to present and from country to country result in a narrative incoherency somewhat mitigated by Callaghan's exceptional command of language. Descriptive passages moving fluidly into philosophical commentaries suffused in romanticism balance harsh plot elements, such as Gabrielle's revelation of abuse by her superficially pious father. Further trials lead her to help lepers, leaving little room in her life for Adam. Callaghan's short fiction was collected in The Black Queen Stories.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Photographer Adam Waters is on a quest to find his missing lover in war-torn Africa and to reweave the disparate threads of his life. Scenes from the present alternate with his memories of a bitter, guilt-ridden mother who teaches him that "we all carry a cross"; an itinerant musician; a Catholic Church that offers little more than repression on the narrow road to salvation; and an abiding love for Gabriella, the "angel" who must fly. Like Gide and Oates, Callaghan allows his characters to wallow in depression, conflict, and guilt, leaving readers to hope for some sort of resolution or even transcendence. They are not disappointed, though there is hardly a Hollywood happy ending. The writing, especially the erotic passages and scenes set in a leper colony, is vivid and moving. This novel was first published in Canada in 1989 and was nominated for the Books in Canada First Novel Award. Recommended for both public and academic collections.
- Jim Dwyer, Califor nia State Univ. at Chico
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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The Way the Angel Spreads Her Wings
Published by
Ontario Review Press, Princeton, 1991
ISBN 10: 0865380732
ISBN 13: 9780865380738
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Daedalus Books, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Edges of dustjacket are lightly rubbed. A clean, crisp copy. ; 1.2 x 8.6 x 5.9 Inches; 296 pages. Seller Inventory # 208142
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The Way the Angel Spreads Her Wings
Published by
Ontario Review Press, Princeton, 1991
ISBN 10: 0865380732
ISBN 13: 9780865380738
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Peninsula Books, Traverse City, MI, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First American Edition. There is a previous owner's bookplate inside the front cover on the pastedown, else this is a nice clean, tight and unmarked book with no interior or exterior markings. The dust jacket is in similarly nice condition with no chips, tears, or markings. 1st Ontario Review Press edition (this is the first American edition). It was "Nominated for the Books in Canada First Novel Award." ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 296 pages. Seller Inventory # 10209
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Published by
Ontario Review Press, Princeton / New York, 1991
ISBN 10: 0865380732
ISBN 13: 9780865380738
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First Edition
Seller: biblioboy, North Providence, RI, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition Thus. First US edition. "A passionate love story, with its roots in the Toronto of the forties and its resolution in the heart of contemporary Africa.combines the excitement of an adventure story with a Joycean exuberance and love of language". Near Fine copy with light dust soiling to page edges in Near Fine Dust Wrapper with creasing to spine head. See photos clphE. Seller Inventory # 861441
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Way the Angel Spreads Her Wings.
Published by
Ontario Review Press, Princeton, 1991
ISBN 10: 0865380732
ISBN 13: 9780865380738
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Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Grendel Books, ABAA/ILAB, Springfield, MA, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First American edition. About fine in a near fine, price clipped dust jacket. Seller Inventory # 32058
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The Way the Angel Spreads Her Wings
Seller: Tony Lamy Bookseller, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.
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Hard Cover. First Edition. 1st US edition. 1st printing. F+/F+. Seller Inventory # 28112
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The Way the Angel Spreads Her Wings
Published by
Ontario Review Press, Princeton, 1991
ISBN 10: 0865380732
ISBN 13: 9780865380738
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First American edition. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a small crease on the front flap. Seller Inventory # 590503
Quantity: 1 available