Surface of Earth

By Reynolds Price

Book Overview

Published in 1975, The Surface of Earth is the monumental narrative that charts the slow, inextricable twining of the Mayfield and Kendal families. Set in the plain of North Carolina and the coast and hills of Virginia from 1903 to 1944, it chronicles the marriage of Forrest Mayfield and Eva Kendal, the hard birth of their son, Eva's return to her father after her mother's death, and the lives of two succeeding generations.
The Surface of Earth is the work of one of America's supreme masters of fiction, a journey across time and the poignantly evoked America of the first half of our century that explores the mysterious topography of the powers of love, home, and identity. In his evocation of the hungers, defeats, and rewards of individuals in moments of dark solitude and radiant union, Price has created an enduring literary testament to the range of human life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684813394
• ISBN13: 9780684813394
• Release Date: May 1995
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Somewhat tedious but a good read overall.

This book presents an interesting peek into the life of one family in the South around the turn of the century. It was definitely NOT a can't-put-it-down or can-hardly-wait-to-finish-it book for me, though. I found myself frequently flipping ahead to see where the story line would go, as the details became tedious and often seemed unnecessary. I am anxious to read the other two in this series, though, to see how they compare to this one.

Masterful! Mr. Price has done it again!

Reynolds Price shows us again how a Southern family's life is anything but simple. Two families touced by the beauty, predjustices and shortcomings of the South are brought together to trimphant and fall with deep emotion and determination while remaining true to oneself and their heritage. Beautifully Written. A true beginning to a wonderful journey.