Simon's Night: Amazon.ca: Jon Hassler: Books

Product Description

"A marvel. Out of Old Age, which our peculiar times have determined to view as a sort of generational sin, Jon Hassler has drawn forth a poignant, funny, wise novel about Eternal Youth."
THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
Simon Shea, a retired professor of English at a small Minnesota college, has begun to forget things and is making dangerous errors in living. Thinking he needs to be cared for more closely, he commits himself to a private rest home, and opens a world of the strange, delightful, frightening, and comic, as he attempts to recover from his mistake.

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

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4 star:		(4)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a novel about an older man which is realistic!, Feb 23 2002

By	K. Corn "reviewer" (Indianapolis,, IN United States) - See all my reviews

Simon Shea, a retired college professor used to living a rather solitary life, becomes frightened after he has a few episodes of forgetfulness, the worst one causing an overheated pan to set his kitchen on fire. Shaken and feeling suddenly old, he decides he needs to commit himself to a rest home. In short, he no longer feels competent to live the independent life he's relished for so long and fears he is losing his mind.
This is, of course, a BIG mistake for Simon has plenty of vim and energy left and his mind is just fine. Luckily, he has a perceptive young doctor who sees his potential even when Simon's spirits falter and a visit from his wife (who Simon hasn't seen in years) also helps to set things straight. But before that happens, Simon has to confront his own demons, revisit his memories of teaching, marriage and...finally...re-examine his religious beliefs and come to terms with how they've shaped his life.
But this book is far, far more than I can describe here. Simon Shea is a complex, enigmatic character, nothing like the stereotypes of the elderly that fill too many books these days. It was a joy to get to know him and by the end of this novel, I felt I wanted to see waht happened to Simon. Wonder if there is a sequel to this one out there?

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5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best, Feb 16 2001

By	Joel McHenry (Saratoga, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Jon Hassler is simply the best writer in American literature today period. It is amazing that more people have not read Hassler. Each of his books are poignant and charming. He writes in the style of the giants of yesteryear.

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5.0 out of 5 stars an insightful perspective on aging, Mar 6 2000

By	Lisa Amman (St. Joseph, Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

John Hassler's, Simon's Night, is an incredible novel that creatively portrays issues surrounding the experience of aging. Hassler achieves this by personalizing the experience in his character, Simon Shea, a retired English professor. The novel explores Shea's mental process while he is struggling to be responsible about his decision to give up independent care and place himself in the care of a nursing home. Hassler successfully depicts the challenges many elderly people face through Simon's experiences and witty commentary on maintaining dignity, handling fear, reconciling past experiences, and living in relation to a culture which glorifies youth. For such an important and potentially depressing topic, this novel was a pleasure to read. The well developed characters were intriguing, often funny, and I found myself emotionally attached to them. This attachment gave the wisdom of Hassler's insights the strength of emotional connection.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Aging Gracefully with Hassler
The novel Simon's Night is another fine example of Jon Hassler's writing talent. He brings to life a struggle that everyone will come to face at some point in life. Read more

Published on Mar 1 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars A Passion for Life
Joh Hassler's "Simon's Night" is an enduring account of life's inevitable growing pains. Simon is a seventy-six-year-old man who has "misplaced" his... Read more

Published on Feb 29 2000 by Molly Corrigan

5.0 out of 5 stars Simon is a delightful person with great insight.
I read Dear James by Jon Hassler and, as is my usual practice, I went in search of other books by him. I must say that Simon's Night was a great delight. Read more

Published on Nov 18 1999 by Mary Sue Hughes (msh@msn.com)

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it - just a bit uneven & a few editing oversights
A dash of laugh aloud humor, subtle philosophical and religious thought, and a wonderful ending made this an enjoyable read. Read more

Published on Sep 6 1999