Status
Available
Genres
Publication
London : Chatto & Windus, 1998.
Description
In this, her fourteenth novel--and one of her most endearing--Anne Tyler tells the story of a lovable loser who's trying to get his life in order. Barnaby Gaitlin has been in trouble ever since adolescence. He had this habit of breaking into other people's houses. It wasn't the big loot he was after, like his teenage cohorts. It was just that he liked to read other people's mail, pore over their family photo albums, and appropriate a few of their precious mementos. But for eleven years now, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who can't move their own porch furniture or bring the Christmas tree down from the attic. At last, his life seems to be on an even keel. Still, the Gaitlins (of "old" Baltimore) cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon he didn't show up ever to visit their little girl, Opal. Even the nice, steady woman (his guardian angel?) who seems to have designs on him doesn't fully trust him, it develops, when the chips are down, and it looks as though his world may fall apart again. There is no one like Anne Tyler, with her sharp, funny, tender perceptions about how human beings navigate on a puzzling planet, and she keeps us enthralled from start to finish in this delicious new novel.… (more)
Media reviews
Anne Tyler, die 1988 für den Roman "Atemübungen" den Pulitzer-Preis erhielt, beschreibt auch in "Engel gesucht" die kleinen ironischen Wechselfälle des Lebens mit unaufdringlicher Präzision. Den schnoddrigen Ton des jungen Barnaby trifft sie ebenso wie das umständliche oder zögerliche Reden
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seiner "Nachrichtenkorrespondenten aus dem Land des Alters". Manchmal erscheint die Erzählweise fast zu zurückhaltend, zu still. Doch - vielleicht - macht gerade das den Reiz des Buches aus. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member turtlesleap
At 30, Barnaby Gaitlin has an ex-wife, a daughter with whom he has no meaningful relatinship, a juvenile criminal record, a family he can't stand to be around and a job. The job is "manual labor," providing a strong back to help the elderly and infirm of Baltimore, where he lives. Barnaby is a good
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guy, notwithstanding his past and his consistent refusal to conform to other's expectations of him. As the book unfolds, a new romance appears to be opening up for him--one that the reader will quickly suspect is not a good choice for him. Sub-plots abound as Barnaby's clients grow older, grow ill and die with depressing frequency and the reader shares his attachement to them. This is sweet book, easy to read and simple but leaving behind it an echo of complex issues that demand to be considered. Show Less
LibraryThing member Black_samvara
Barnaby Gaitlin is divorced, an ex-delinquent, the black sheep of his neurotic family and the owner of a fabulous car he doesn't appreciate. He works for Rent-a-Back doing odd jobs for elderly clients and his wry narration and baffled response to the world around him is very enjoyable. I also
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appreciated his complete inability to not stuff things up, the man has an auto-destruct response to things going well and the scene where he almost gooses his brother's wife had me reading in horrified anticipation. Show Less
LibraryThing member bobbieharv
Not one of her usual plots, so a bit refreshing, but not as funny as some of her other books.
LibraryThing member mhgatti
As sure as they're going to based in Baltimore, Tyler's novels are also going to concern one's place in (and obligation to) their family. Planet deals not only with a college dropout's relationship with his upwardly mobile family, but his work family - the elderly Baltimoreans he does odd jobs for
The backbone of the novel is trust - mainly, whether all the work that goes into building trust is worth it. That's kind of serious sounding, but the story is actually pretty light. Maybe a little too light. The lack of a more substantial story prevented this from being a great book, but Tyler's realistic dialogue (from both young and elderly characters) and offbeat sense of humor make it worth reading.
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- as well.The backbone of the novel is trust - mainly, whether all the work that goes into building trust is worth it. That's kind of serious sounding, but the story is actually pretty light. Maybe a little too light. The lack of a more substantial story prevented this from being a great book, but Tyler's realistic dialogue (from both young and elderly characters) and offbeat sense of humor make it worth reading.
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LibraryThing member bastet
A wonderful book about a man who thinks he's following an angel until it turns out he's met the woman of his dreams. He also redeems himself as a man who can help others. One of Tyler's better efforts.
LibraryThing member xuesheng
Barnaby Gaitlan works for an organization called Rent-a-Back. He works with old people all day doing errands around their homes. His job is interesting because when he was young he broke into people's homes to read their personal mail, look through their photo albums, and take a personal item. Now
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he is invited in to do their work and learn about their lives. The people he works with trust him. However, when a problem arises, will his new girlfriend trust him too? An enjoying read! Show Less
LibraryThing member hammockqueen
Wonderful characters. Kept my interest. Really love Tyler's writing. Barnaby, the black sheep, works for 'rent a back' and helps the elderly on an hourly basis. Lots of insights into older peoples' needs and a non-pretentious mans work in his simple world.
LibraryThing member MeganRulloda
This book kept my interest. It's odd though, because it's not like anything really pulled me to this book, but the flow of it just kept me reading and reading and reading.
This is the story of Barnaby, an outcast in his family, and his search for identity and contentment. I'm not sure I liked the
This is the story of Barnaby, an outcast in his family, and his search for identity and contentment. I'm not sure I liked the
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ending, but it left me thinking about it a few days later, which is unusual for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member marialondon
What is it about Barnaby Gaitlin? He's almost 30 (oh, that dreaded birthday!), lives in a run-down basement, is divorced, with a young daughter who he seldom sees, works at a menial job & generally struggles to survive. This at least is the description of Barnaby's life, if you look at it from a
Along comes Sophia, a school-marmish sort of woman, who, as is mentioned in the book, "each night scrubs her face, brushes her teeth & climbs- alone- into her four-poster-bed". Barnaby thinks Sophia is his guardian-angel (a tradition in his family) & forms a relationship with her, striving to be as good as she is. What he doesn't realise, until the end, is that Sophia's goodness is only skin-deep, while his own character & potential is more truthful & honest by far.
What stays with me after closing the book is first, the whole theme of goodness & the ability to give to others, which is explored beautifully, & second, Anne Tyler's thoughts about old-age & elderly people...very chilling, very true. Those chapters broke my heart but I thought they were true to life.
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detached, criticizing point of view. He's the ultimate "loser" in a society that measures people through their wealth, beauty, image. Barnaby comes from a rich family, but is a former juvenile delinquent. He's not particulary handsome & he couldn't care less about his image. Still, in a world that would measure people in different ways, he would be considered a wonderful man: through his work he helps those most in need (elderly clients in the company "Rent-a-back") & is a kind, thoughtful, gentle man, but hopelessly insecure & maybe misdirected.Along comes Sophia, a school-marmish sort of woman, who, as is mentioned in the book, "each night scrubs her face, brushes her teeth & climbs- alone- into her four-poster-bed". Barnaby thinks Sophia is his guardian-angel (a tradition in his family) & forms a relationship with her, striving to be as good as she is. What he doesn't realise, until the end, is that Sophia's goodness is only skin-deep, while his own character & potential is more truthful & honest by far.
What stays with me after closing the book is first, the whole theme of goodness & the ability to give to others, which is explored beautifully, & second, Anne Tyler's thoughts about old-age & elderly people...very chilling, very true. Those chapters broke my heart but I thought they were true to life.
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LibraryThing member joyleppin
Anne Tyler's books always strike a chord with me.
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
The first Anne Tyler I attempted, and I was impressed with her writing style, characterisation and occasional humour. The plot seemed to take a back seat, but I didn't mind too much as long as the writing was interesting. I particularly liked the lengthy description of 'old folks', though I suspect
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old folks may not. Show Less
LibraryThing member louisville
Anne Tyler tells the story of a lovable loser who's trying to get his life in order. Barnaby Gaitlin has been in trouble ever since adolescence. He liked to break into other people's houses, mostly to read their mail, look at their photo albums and take a few small mementos. But for eleven years
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now, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who can't move their own porch furniture or bring the Christmas tree down from the attic. At last, his life seems to be on an even keel. He is divorced and on a trip to Philadelphia to see his young daughter, Barney meets Sophia and his life takes a different turn. This is vintage Anne Tyler, sharp, funny and tender. Show Less
LibraryThing member isabelx
Then a hand arrived on my arm, so light it took a moment to register, and I turned and found Sophia smiling into my eyes. It was the most serene and radiant smile, the most seraphic smile. "Goodbye, Barnaby," she said, and she dropped her hand and walked away.
I never did explain her presence to
The story of Barnaby Gaitlin, the black sheep son of a rich Baltimore family, who works for a company called Rent-a-back, which does the jobs that its elderly clients can't manage for themselves, no matter how small. I loved the descriptions of Barnaby's clients, such as "Over her forearm she carried a Yorkshire terrier, neatly folded like a waiter's napkin", and "Dirt was her personal enemy. Let her catch sigh of a cobweb and she would not rest until she had killed it dead", and I think that every city could do with having a Rent-a-back.
I never did explain her presence to
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Natalie. I honestly don't know what I would have said.The story of Barnaby Gaitlin, the black sheep son of a rich Baltimore family, who works for a company called Rent-a-back, which does the jobs that its elderly clients can't manage for themselves, no matter how small. I loved the descriptions of Barnaby's clients, such as "Over her forearm she carried a Yorkshire terrier, neatly folded like a waiter's napkin", and "Dirt was her personal enemy. Let her catch sigh of a cobweb and she would not rest until she had killed it dead", and I think that every city could do with having a Rent-a-back.
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LibraryThing member whirled
I must say I felt Anne Tyler stretched the credibility of her protagonist a tad too far this time around. Barnaby Gaitlin's past as a petty criminal who breaks into people's houses in order to look through their old photo albums was more silly than quirky. Aside from that, he was a typical Tyler
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hero, flawed but likable, trying to find his place within his family and the world at large. And, the disastrous family dinner towards the end is another of her masterful set pieces. I've read quite a few of her novels now and I think it's fair to say Tyler's stories are somewhat formulaic, which is, oddly, part of their appeal. Reading Anne Tyler is as comforting as hot chocolate on a wintry day - guaranteed to brighten your mood. Show Less
LibraryThing member PilgrimJess
This was the first of Anne Tyler's books that I have read.I enjoyed the book and the main character Barnaby Gaitlin. On the whole I felt that it was a 'nature or nurture' sort of story and reasonably well done but in the end I felt that it had one major flaw, there is virtually no dialogue between
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two males, it is virtually all all between Barnaby and various females. This can be a danger when a member of one gender makes the lead character a member of the other sex. Some succeed but too many fail IMHO. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenJ.
October 2008 selection for COTC Book Club.
A hopeful look at how a life can be recovered from its past.
A hopeful look at how a life can be recovered from its past.
LibraryThing member moonshineandrosefire
Barnaby Gaitlin is a loser - a charming, lovable loser, perhaps - but a loser nonetheless. As a teenager, he had a bad habit of breaking into other people's houses. Although, it was never about stealing like it was for his teenage cohorts; Barnaby just liked to read other people's mail, pore over
For eleven years, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who need help moving their furniture or bringing Christmas trees down from the attic. At long last, his life seems to be on an even keel.
Still the Gaitlins, of 'old' Baltimore, cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon prefer that he never showed up to visit their little girl, Opal. Overall, Barnaby is still seen by everyone as the black sheep of a philanthropic family - who, instead of attending an Ivy League college and working for his family's charitable foundation - got sent to a reform school for wealthy boys as a teenager, and now works as a manual laborer. A distinct disappointment for the affluent and well-connected Gaitlin family of Baltimore.
Barnaby has spent the majority of his adult life trying to live up to his family's high ideals, failing miserably to fully atone for his teenage sins in their estimation. Eventually, a woman enters Barnaby's life, a woman he views as his guardian angel. Her name is Sophia, and even though she seems to have designs on him, she still doesn't entirely trust him. However, Sophia will ultimately change Barnaby's life in ways no one, least of all Barnaby himself, could ever imagine.
I truly appreciated reading this book. I will admit, the story was sort of humdrum with not much going on in the plot; but in my opinion, the book was certainly well-written and charming. I was thoroughly entertained and give this book an A!
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their family photo albums, and appropriate a few of their precious mementos. He had been in trouble ever since adolescence, but now, at just short of thirty years old, he was attempting to get his life in order.For eleven years, he's been working steadily for Rent-a-Back, renting his back to old folks and shut-ins who need help moving their furniture or bringing Christmas trees down from the attic. At long last, his life seems to be on an even keel.
Still the Gaitlins, of 'old' Baltimore, cannot forget the price they paid for buying off Barnaby's former victims. And his ex-wife would just as soon prefer that he never showed up to visit their little girl, Opal. Overall, Barnaby is still seen by everyone as the black sheep of a philanthropic family - who, instead of attending an Ivy League college and working for his family's charitable foundation - got sent to a reform school for wealthy boys as a teenager, and now works as a manual laborer. A distinct disappointment for the affluent and well-connected Gaitlin family of Baltimore.
Barnaby has spent the majority of his adult life trying to live up to his family's high ideals, failing miserably to fully atone for his teenage sins in their estimation. Eventually, a woman enters Barnaby's life, a woman he views as his guardian angel. Her name is Sophia, and even though she seems to have designs on him, she still doesn't entirely trust him. However, Sophia will ultimately change Barnaby's life in ways no one, least of all Barnaby himself, could ever imagine.
I truly appreciated reading this book. I will admit, the story was sort of humdrum with not much going on in the plot; but in my opinion, the book was certainly well-written and charming. I was thoroughly entertained and give this book an A!
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LibraryThing member magst
My all time favorite book! The characters pull you in and don't let go until the very end. If you are looking for something to immerse yourself in this summer, then look no further.
LibraryThing member suesbooks
I have many reactions to this book. Most of the statements of the protagonist were true, but many were not appropriate to say directly to those he spoke to. He showed many of the uncomfortable and painful sides of life, and had little remedy for them. However, he did care about his clients, others
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who needed help in their lives. Many of the characters were 2 dimensional, but they served their purposes. This book provided me much to think about. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
This is a different type of book than what I usually choose for myself, but it was in a box I received from a networking contact. It started out kind of slowly, but the characters grew on me. I liked the idea of "Rent-a-Back", where people who needed help with household chores could call an agency
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to get help, and wished we had something like that in this area. Barnaby seems to have found some true friends within that company. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
thanks bookcrossing for expanding my horizons - I'd never have picked this up on my own, but I'm sure glad BC caused it to come into my hands - charming, insightful, a quick read but the ideas will stay with you...
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Barnaby Gaitlin grew up in a family that was of the "old Baltimore" world, but he wasn't living in that style. Instead he was working for "Rent-a-Back" doing odd jobs for seniors who needed things moved or organized or just needed help with chores. This job earned him a wage that kept the rent paid
He had gotten into this situation because of his "habit" of breaking and entering peoples' homes. He didn't do it to steal so much as he liked to read other peoples' mail, look in their photo albums and some times take a small souvenir or two, back when he was a teenager. His parents paid off his "victims" and still hold it over his head.
His ex-wife had remarried and would be just as happy if he no longer showed up for visitation as she had moved up the food chain and wanted to forget that part of her life. His daughter, Opal, wasn't quite sure what to make of it all.
On one of his trips to see his daughter, he meets a woman in the train station. She seems steady, nice and interested in him. They develop a relationship that seems comfortable, but takes a turn when a few bumps in the road come along. The smooth cruise gets a little rough.
Trust, belief in yourself and others, and relationships and how they can change are all part of this story. Written in an engaging style that draws you along the path through Barnaby's world, with all the twists and turns in life.
Anne Tyler's writing style is very enjoyable and her story lines keep you wanting to read more.
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on his rented room and money to go visit his daughter on visitation day.He had gotten into this situation because of his "habit" of breaking and entering peoples' homes. He didn't do it to steal so much as he liked to read other peoples' mail, look in their photo albums and some times take a small souvenir or two, back when he was a teenager. His parents paid off his "victims" and still hold it over his head.
His ex-wife had remarried and would be just as happy if he no longer showed up for visitation as she had moved up the food chain and wanted to forget that part of her life. His daughter, Opal, wasn't quite sure what to make of it all.
On one of his trips to see his daughter, he meets a woman in the train station. She seems steady, nice and interested in him. They develop a relationship that seems comfortable, but takes a turn when a few bumps in the road come along. The smooth cruise gets a little rough.
Trust, belief in yourself and others, and relationships and how they can change are all part of this story. Written in an engaging style that draws you along the path through Barnaby's world, with all the twists and turns in life.
Anne Tyler's writing style is very enjoyable and her story lines keep you wanting to read more.
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LibraryThing member pegmcdaniel
I had this book on my bookshelf for years and just now got around to reading it. I am so glad I did!! It's a "wonderful novel," just like it says on the front cover. I didn't want to put it down. I won't go into the plot since so many reviews do. I'll just say it's worth reading because it tells
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about loneliness, families, the elderly and kindness. The author beings it all together in a manner that is sometimes sad, sometimes funny. Her characters are memorable, especially her protagonist who sees himself as a failure, but is really a warm-hearted, hard-working, caring man. I highly recommend this novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member CindaMac
I picked this up for a funny reason. I am writing a novel with a “passive” main character and heard that by Anne Tyler had done this masterfully in A Patchwork Planet. So I was looking for her technique – the problem is she does it so seamlessly that I was hardly aware of any technique – or
Her protagonist, Barnaby is a misfit (his wealthy family would say a loser) but an endearing one who works for a service company called “Rent-a-Back” and struggles to get his life together. He progresses at a snail’s pace but we find ourselves rooting for his little victories and despairing over any rejections.
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I was so absorbed in the novel that I forgot to analyze the writing.Her protagonist, Barnaby is a misfit (his wealthy family would say a loser) but an endearing one who works for a service company called “Rent-a-Back” and struggles to get his life together. He progresses at a snail’s pace but we find ourselves rooting for his little victories and despairing over any rejections.
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LibraryThing member abergsman
Anne Tyler is like an old friend. I love coming back to her books every few years or so, and this one is no exception.
Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2000)