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    The Brightest Moon of the Century
    The Brightest Moon of the Century
    The Brightest Moon of the Century
    Ebook423 pages6 hours

    The Brightest Moon of the Century

    By Christopher Meeks

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    In his fourth award-winning book, Christopher Meeks offers a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel. A young Minnesotan, Edward, is blessed with an abundance of "experience"--first when his mother dies and next when his father, an encyclopedia salesman, shoehorns Edward into a private boys school where he's tortured and groomed. He needs a place in the universe, but he wants an understanding of women.

    Edward stumbles into romance in high school, careens through dorm life in college, whirls into a tornado of love problems as a mini-mart owner in a trailer park in Alabama, and aims for a film career in Los Angeles.

    In nine chapters, the reader experiences Edward's life from ages 14 to 45. This novel follows Meeks's highly acclaimed collections of short stories, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons.

    "A truly great novel in the tradition of Charles Dickens and John Irving." --Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChristopher Meeks
    Release dateJan 16, 2010
    ISBN9781466002722
    The Brightest Moon of the Century
    Author

    Christopher Meeks

    Christopher Meeks writes novels and short fiction. His novel "The Brightest Moon of the Century" landed on three Top-Ten Books of the Year lists for 2009. His short story collection "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" was reviewed well in the Los Angeles Times and was listed in Entertainment Weekly in the Top Five independently published books of the year. His other collection, "Months and Seasons" was on the longlist of top collections for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. His play, "Who Lives?" was produced in Los Angeles in 2009 and was nominated for five Ovation Awards, the Tonys of Los Angeles.

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    Reviews for The Brightest Moon of the Century

    4/5

    21 ratings4 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Having read and loved Christopher Meeks’s short stories, I had high hopes for this debut novel, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Presented as a collection of nine stories that follow Edward Meopian from his awkward teenage years well into adulthood (ages 14 to 45, to be exact), The Brightest Moon of the Century is, at turns, hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful.I loved this book from the opening pages. The characters are real and recognizable in a way that few authors are able to capture. Meeks sees their humanity and presents them, warts and all, with great sympathy and understanding. And I loved the narrator’s voice and his understanding of Edward’s experiences. With great clarity, and insight, Meeks captures Edward’s adolescent awkwardness and adult pain with equal skill and grace. He explores the full spectrum of human emotion, from the intoxication of first love to the devasation of heartbreak, and he takes Edward from the teenage crisis of identity to the middle-aged search for meaning.Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.
    • 4/5
      Not all authors can successfully make the jump from short stories to novels, but with “The Brightest Moon of the Century,” Meeks succeeds. ”The Brightest Moon of the Century” is somewhat structured as a novel in stories, as we follow the main character, Edward, from ages 14 to 45 in nine chapters. Unlike some books I’ve read in this format, though, the story flowed logically from one chapter/period of life to another.I really liked Edward, he was an overall good and sympathetic person, but he inadvertently had a pretty interesting life. Other than his brief sojourn in a trailer park in Alabama I’m not actually sure what Edward did that was so interesting, but he never seemed like some boring schmoe, probably a testament to Meeks’ writing. Edward was just such a patently real, human character that I could not help but becoming involved and invested in his life. Yes, he had hardships and no, he didn’t always make the best decisions, but he was someone I could like and root for, which I always appreciate.This is really a good read. In fact, if you’re ever considering picking up some of Meeks’ work, you can expect solid writing and an enjoyable story, so go ahead and give him a try.
    • 5/5
      "Near mid-century when Edward was born, the full moon was years from being the brightest. That would happen - in terms of luminosity and size - in the last month of the century." [Opening of The Brightest Moon of the Century]Christopher Meeks came highly recommended by fellow blogger and friend Wendy from Caribousmom. Wendy has good taste in books, and so I knew I could trust her not to steer me wrong. Although she hadn't read The Brightest Century of the Moon at the time I agreed to read and review the book, she had read some of the author's other work and knew he was a gifted writer.The Brightest Moon of the Century is Meek's first full length novel. If it is a sign of what he has already written and what is to come, Christopher Meeks is well on his way to becoming one of my favorite authors. In this particular novel, the reader is introduced to Edward Meopian. The story spans a good portion of his life, beginning when he is 14 years old and coming to a close when he reaches his mid-40's, from 1968 to 1999.This is a difficult book to summarize without giving too much away, but I will give it a try. Edward lost his mother when he was a young boy and is raised by a father struggling to do the best he can under the circumstances. They live in Minnesota where his father works as an encyclopedia salesman. Edward is not too happy when his well meaning father forces him to attend a private school during his teen years. During the glimpse into his life we are presented, Edward gains a stepmother and stepbrother, heads off to college in Denver, Colorado and makes his way in the world in Los Angeles and later in Alabama. He finds love as well as heartbreak. His life is full of ups and downs as he discovers just who he is, and as he sets off on the path he has chosen for himself. That path does not always go in the direction he anticipated, sometimes taking unexpected detours; and yet it is exactly that which makes Edward's story all the more real and interesting.The Brightest Moon of the Century is full of funny moments as well as sentimental ones. I laughed out loud on occasion and got teary eyed in others. While I enjoyed every word in this book, my favorite section has to be Edward's stay in Alabama where he and his college friend Sagebrush own and run a mini mart in a trailer park. The two couldn't be more different from one another, one being more interested in playing while the other strives to be responsible. The two men compliment each other, balancing each other out. Small town Alabama was such a contrast from the life Edward had been living in Los Angeles. He grows quite a bit while in the South.I enjoyed reading about Edward's experiences in graduate school. as well. The rather demanding Professor Neff reminded me of one of my former college professors, albeit in an entirely different field of study. And I loved the moments when Edward struggles to understand girls and women early on in the book. The final section of the book also left quite an impression on me, taking a more serious turn. As quirky and funny as the book could be at times, there was also a seriousness about it. Life is not always easy. It certainly wasn't all that easy for Edward.As Edward's story unfolds, the author effectively captures the essence of where Edward is in the moment at each point in his life, both mentally and developmentally. As a result, I grew up right along side Edward. I felt his teenage angst, his optimism about the future, his frustrations and disappointments, his hope and the shifting of his dreams. I experienced first hand his transition from boy to man and as he came into his own. The transition was very subtle, as it is in real life. Life events building on one another and the people that come in and out of our lives are a part of what makes us who we are, shaping the direction our lives take. We play it safe; we take risks. It is no different for Edward.Edward himself is a bit naive in some ways. It's that innocence which makes him easy to relate to initially. He is insecure and yet there is also a confidence about him that balances his character out. He does not realize just how smart and capable he truly is. Edward is a romantic at heart, and, like many, he longs for love, hopes for it and searches it out. He wasn't the cool kid in school nor do the beautiful women flock to his side (although I'm sure he wished they would). He is down to earth; someone who is easy to identify with. He is someone I wouldn't mind having as a friend.The other characters in the book are just as memorable. My favorite perhaps is Beatrice, Edward's stepmother. She seems to take everything in stride and is supportive of both Edward and Edward's father. Len, the handyman, is another favorite. Like all of the characters in the book, he is flawed, but it is his good intentions and heart that stand out. Many of the characters brought something to the story all their own and made me long to know more about them.What I got most out of this wonderful novel is a sense of hope. Life is full of bumps in the road, and those bumps make us stronger, helping us to become who we are and who we will eventually be. It's important not to forget to watch that sunset once in awhile."This world could be heaven on earth if only people let it, Edward realized. Every sunset could show you. Take it." [pg 224]
    • 4/5
      Christopher Meeks has transitioned from short stories to his first novel - and the result is a book which draws the reader in with humor, empathy, and a gentle understanding of what it means to live our lives with a sense of wonder.The Brightest Moon of the Century is organized into nine distinctive chapters which allows the reader to experience the life of Edward Meopian from the age of 14 through his 45th year. Edward is a bit of a nerd and socially naive, a character who consistently made me feel for his struggles and celebrate his triumphs. As a young boy, he loses his mother to a tragic accident and it is perhaps this one event which shapes the man he ultimately becomes. Forced to attend a private boy’s school by his father (who is seeking his own happiness while struggling in his role as single parent), Edward must confront bullies and figure out his place in the world. Edward’s teenage challenges and search for love in the first two chapters reveal Meeks’ finally honed sense of humor and understanding of what it means to be young.Edward moves from his childhood home in Minnesota to college in Colorado, later makes his way to Los Angeles (where he tries to follow his dream of becoming a movie director), and finally ends up in rural Alabama managing a mini-mart in a trailer park (my favorite part of the book). It is through these years of his life that Edward struggles with self-discovery, faith, and fate. “Failure seems to follow me around,” said Edward. “You’re no failure, son,” said the officer, and Edward turned to face him. “This is God,” said the man. “Or the disorder of life, if you like. This is what we all have to live with.” - from The Brightest Moon of the Century -In the final chapters, the reader watches Edward grow into middle-age and discover that often the joys of life are balanced with pain. Edward is revealed as a man who empathizes deeply with others and never loses his hope and optimism despite tragedy.And this is what I love about Meeks’ writing ability - he gives us characters who are very human and who face many obstacles in life, and then he infuses their stories with hope. As in his previous short story collections, I found myself caring deeply about the characters in The Brightest Moon of the Century. Meeks writes with a wry humor as he shows Edward tripping and stumbling through the world with a refreshing openness to what life has to offer.He was simply going to be open to the moment, like a sunflower or the Hari Krishna guy at the airport. - from The Brightest Moon of the Century -Christopher Meeks’ work is joyful, funny and sensitive. The Brightest Moon of the Century is a satisfying read and one which made me hope that Meeks will continue to write novels.

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    The Brightest Moon of the Century - Christopher Meeks

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