The Hours：A Novel

Adaring,deeplyaffectingthirdnovelbytheauthorof"AHomeattheEndoftheWorld"and"FleshandBlood."In"TheHours,"MichaelCunningham,widelypraisedasoneofthemostgiftedwritersofhisgeneration,drawsinventivelyonthelifeandworkofVirginiaWoolftotellthestoryofagroupofcontemporarycharactersstrugglingwiththeconflictingclaimsofloveandinheritance,hopeanddespair.ThenarrativeofWoolf'slastdaysbeforehersuicideearlyinWorldWarIIcounterpointsthefictionalstoriesofSamuel,afamouspoetwhoselifehasbeenshadowedbyhistalentedandtroubledmother,andhislifelongfriendClarissa,whostrivestoforgeabalancedandrewardinglifeinspiteofthedemandsoffriends,lovers,andfamily.Passionate,profound,anddeeplymoving,thisisCunningham'smostremarkableachievementtodate.MichaelCunninghamwasraisedinLosAngelesandlivesinNewYorkCity.Heisalsotheauthorofthenovels"AHomeattheEndoftheWorld"and"FleshandBlood."Hisworkhasappearedin"TheNewYorker"and"TheBestAmericanShortStories,"andheistherecipientofaWhitingWriter'sAward.WinnerofthePulitzerPrizeWinnerofthePEN/FaulknerAward"TheHours"isthestoryofthreewomen:ClarissaVaughan,abelovedfriendofailingpoetRichardBrown,whoonefineNewYorkmorninggoesaboutplanningapartyinhishonor;LauraBrown,whoina1950sLosAngelessuburbslowlybeginstofeeltheconstraintsofaperfectfamilyandhome;andVirginiaWoolf,recuperatingwithherhusbandinaLondonsuburb,andbeginningtowrite"Mrs.Dalloway."Bytheendofthenovel,thestoriesintertwineinremarkableways,andfinallycometogetherinanactofsubtleandhauntinggrace."Theoverallimpressionisthatofadelicate,triumphantglance,anacknowledgementofWoolfthattakesherintoCunningham'sownterritory,aplaceoflate-centurydangerbutalsooftreasurablehours."--MichaelWood,"TheNewYorkTimesBookReview""Anexquisitelywritten,kaleidoscopicworkthatanchorsafloatingpostmodernworldonpre-moderncaissonsoflove,grief,andtranscendentlonging."--RichardEder,"LosAngelesTimesBookReview""Cunningham]hasdeftlycreatedsomethingoriginal,atrioofrichlyinterwoventalesthatalternatewithoneanotherchapterbychapter,eachofthementeringthethoughtsofacharacterasshemovesthroughthesmalldetailsofaday...Cunningham'semulationofsuchareveredwriterasWoolfiscourageous,andthisishismostmatureandmasterfulwork."--JamesonCurrier,"TheWashingtonPostBookWorld""Thetriumphof"TheHours"isthatitsomehowmanagestobebothartfulandsincere,strikingnaryafalsenote...Andthetriumphofthebookisnolessthetriumphofitsauthor.Justwhenitseemedthatitwasnolongerpermissibletopayrespecttotheliteratureofthepast,Cunninghamhasdonesowithanundeniableskillanddepthoffeeling."--JustinCronin,"ThePhiladelphiaInquirer""Richandbeautifullynuancedscenesfollowoneupontheother...a]gargantuanaccomplishment."--"PublishersWeekly"(starred,boxedreview)