The Hindenburg Crashes Nightly

By Greg Hrbek

Book Overview

A richly textured tapestry woven from undying love and deep-rooted guilt, The Hindenburg Crashes Nightly captures the intimacy and intensity of an emotionally and sexually trubulent relationship. In remarkably vivid and lyrical prose, award-winning novelist Greg Hrbek makes an astonishing debut with this story of two lovers bound by secrets from their shared past. It is the summer of 1974 and the solid world of ten-year-old Thomas Markham is crumbling after his mother dies giving birth to another son. Unable to turn to his grief-stricken father for comfort, Tom surrenders himself to the warm embrace of college-bound Lindsey Paris, who is all too familiar with pain, isolation and loneliness. This powerful bond unites them in a time of tragedy and links them through the years that lie ahead. Fifteen years later, Thomas, a promising claymation filmmaker in San Francisco, enters into an adulterous relationship with the now-married Lindsey-an affair that is the fulfillment of the love that Tom has always felt for her. In spite of their fierce pangs of guilt, neither one of them has the strength, or desire, to put an end to their liaison. But during their heated summer of love, Tom finds himself drawn to an exotic-looking and sexually voracious named Nile, Lindsey's former lover, and is encouraged in the new dalliance by Lindsey's unsuspecting husband Phillip. Swept up in a torrent of conflicting feelings, Tom's life comes to a head with the arrival of his runaway younger brother Matthew. As the chaotic teenager desperately attempts to make sense of his broken life, his fragile mental status threatens to unravel the skein of silence and lies surrounding his emotionally reclusive older brother. A literary tour de force, The Hindenburg Crashes Nightly takes the readers into the heart and soul of romantic need--its consequences, punishments and unexpected redemptions. This moving novel dares us to question our assumptions

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380977419
• ISBN13: 9780380977413
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 3.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Lush and provocative

Having stumbled onto this book one weekend while in my favorite bookstore, I was intrigued by the title, pulled it from the shelf and purchased it. I'm thankful that I did not miss this novel.In parallel stories, THE HIDENBURG CRASHES NIGHTLY chronicles Tom Markham's enduring love for Lindsey Paris, a girl eight years his senior.A dark and sensual story of passion and obsession, this is a gorgeously written first novel, which hopefully, will not be Mr. Hrebk's last. While this novel seems to be limited in availability, do whatever you can to find a copy.

Hindenberg Crashes

Hindenberg Crashes Nighlty is one of those rare books that has a strong narrative drive, with rich complex, conflicted charachters that despite their flaws are immensly likable. This book has a similiar 'soulful' feel to Michael Cunningham's A Home at the End of the Work; it asks those big life questions, while delivering a satisfying dose of unrequited love, soul searching and smart, funny conversations you might hear at a fantasticly intellectual dinner party. A really refreshing read. Hrebeck also has a story in this months Harpers Magazine (December 1999) that is a worthwhile introduction to his unique writing style.

Parallel lives woven together with beautifully

It has been a long time (since Scott Spencer's "Endless Love") coming that a novel has been so beautifully written about lonliness, pain, obssession and the angst of youth. Bravo Greg Hrbek and I look forward to future literary gems from you! It has been a long time since I had a book that I couldn't wait to get back to and felt annoyed when reality pulled me away.

Searing pain that leads to happiness

A wonderful story by someone who remembers the 70's as they should be remembered. The writer uses words as a paintbrush to paint memories in your mind. Read this when you have lots of time, because you will only be annoyed to stop reading in the middle of a good part.

A gorgeous book, a heartbreak between two covers

How else to describe Greg Hrbek's prose than with the adjectives of beauty, love, desire? His writing is not merely poetic, but somehow onomatopoeic -- the sound of the words are interpreted as pure emotion for the reader. His writing is not only read, but experienced. But do we always want to feel the powerful emotion Hrbek creates in this book? For it slowly becomes clear that below the surface of Tom and Lindsey's passion will take the pain, the guilt, the searing truth of betrayal and heartbreak -- we'll take it, because in exchange Hrbek gives us the gift of shared inspiration. From Tom's original loss, to Lindsey's childhood violation, to Matt's headlong dive into the welcoming waters of insanity, Hrbek makes clear that in his world, only suffering breeds beauty. And lucky for us. A writer of literature, in the truest sense, Greg Hrbek is more than just a young writer to take note of -- he's a literary star about to be born