Camp Chippewa, 1962. Nelson Doughty, age thirteen, social outcast and overachiever, is the Bugler, sounding the reveille proudly each morning. Yet this particular summer marks the beginning of an uncertain and tenuous friendship with a popular boy named Jonathan.Over the years, Nelson, irrevocably scarred from the Vietnam War, becomes Scoutmaster of Camp Chippewa, while Jonathan marries, … marries, divorces, and turns his father’s business into a highly profitable company. And when something unthinkable happens at a camp get-together with Nelson as Scoutmaster and Jonathan’s teenage grandson and daughter-in-law as campers, the aftermath demonstrates the depths—and the limits—of Nelson’s selflessness and bravery.
The Hearts of Men is a sweeping, panoramic novel about the slippery definitions of good and evil, family and fidelity, the challenges and rewards of lifelong friendships, the bounds of morality—and redemption.
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The title spiked my curiousity, and the book was what I could imagine is not uncommon in a scouting (or others) camping event. I did find it worth reading to finish.
A book that superficially treats two main characters and the generations on both sides of them. There are some interesting issues explored in this book, but they are often explored in fashions so ridiculous as to be implausible. You get the feeling the author has a soul-bearing message he wants to convey but unfortunately he can never find the song to share his scattered melody.
A coming-of-age book about a geeky but sensitive boy who lives noble values despite a mean-spirited, aloof father and bullying from other boys. A mentor sees his potential and helps him to realize his goals through to adulthood, when he then mentors troubled boys. A sad but satisfying end!
Started out good but deteriorated badly.
Really liked the story but the foul language was too much and unnecessary
I absolutely LOVED this book..I’m not one to write reviews but this story by this writer came alive to me.
The writing is just magical…I felt real emotion and actually was moved to tears a few times by the story of Nelson and how his life unfolded.
It is so much more than a story about Boy Scouts …it is a story about life…emotionally charged and beautifully told.
Don’t miss it!
depressing
Great book!
The characters in this novel will stay with you long after you close the cover. Some of them you’ve met before in your life. Some of them you may aspire to become. It speaks of lasting values and worn-out notions. The main characters are men, but all of them have interesting relationships with women who helped form who they are. I loved this book!
I got half way through it and stopped reading. Don’t care for language and it couldn’t hold my attention enough to want to finish it.
This was an audio book I enjoyed while driving four plus hours to visit fiends. Long trip by myself. I loved the characters. I was never bored. I had one last CD to go when I got home.. I brought it in the house, sat down and finished it. Recommended it too many sisters and friends. Way more than 5 stars!!!!!!!
I was excited every day to read more of this book. I limited myself to three chapters a day so it would last longer. The characters are well fleshed-out and believable,
which allowed more information about them to slip into the story a little at a time. As soon as I thought I knew them, they continued to make turns in the story-line that changed the way they were perceived. Wonderful read.
I really liked the book. I wish it would have ended before the Rachel camp part.
I loved the characters in this book. Well done.
It was not what I expected. But I loved it!
First third of the book was pretty good but it went downhill as every character was a two-dimensional stereotype. The cover art is appropriate.
Good read. The story went across several generations, and the author did an excellent job in the character development so this time span flowed smoothly. Good summertime read. You’ll feel the pain of some of the characters, and be happy as some turn out. They might not all turn out like you may think. Goint to the beach for a week, take this along.
There will be some spoilers here but not much and they won’t ruin the book for anyone, so take your chances. I’m not sure how to describe this book. It follows one man, Nelson, and his friend Jonathan and Jonathan’s family. They are tied together through scouting and the camp they attend. The book is divided into three sections and I will say (spoiler here) that the second section was the one that I had much trouble with as I read it. The father, Jonathan, treated his teenage son in a manner I found immature and emotionally cruel and a bit repellant. He exposes his son,Trevor, to a strip club, drunkenness and to the “other” woman, the one he will leave the boy’s mother for, which was a total surprise to his son. The first section of the book, when the father was younger you get the idea that Jonathan was one of the few boys that had any heart when it came to nerdy Nelson so to have such a change in character surprised me. As a woman who grew up in a family where the parents divorced I had much trouble with how insensitive the father was to the boy. Dealing with a parent’s infidelity is not an easy thing for any child at any age. Also, I raised 2 boys and could not imagine my husband taking either of my sons (who are now grown) to a strip club as teenagers and getting them drunk. So, that said, we are now in the third section with (big spoiler) the boy’s widow and her son. I found that I truly liked the character of Nelson and he was in many ways very believable. Trevor’s widow was also fleshed out well and I liked her. Jonathan could have been developed more – I would have liked to have gotten to know what made him tick as from section one to section two he seemed to really change a bit too much. All in all I liked the book and would recommend it. Was it my favorite of the year, no, but still a very good book and I do believe for some it would be.
Engaging characters, with realistic relationships. Excellent read.
As a current Scout leader, I hope the things related to Scouting that are described in this book are fiction everywhere. That being said, the flawed heros in this book are extremely interesting, and you have to root for them. I had a hard time putting it down.