“You see how they grow,” Don Nicasio would always point out when they passed a tree where the carabao were allowed to ripen on the stem. “See how they are red on the side that faces the sun and yellow on the side that faces the tree?”
“Yes, Father,” Diosdado would say, mango-colored at the fingertips and with a mancha shape of Luzon on the front of his shirt. “I see it.”
“This is how we must be in life. We must adjust ourselves to what we are facing.”
-from A Moment In The Sun by John Sayles
The year is 1897 and the turning century promises big changes and even bigger opportunities. Characters separated by race, history, and continents are brought together in the act of seeking; Yukon gold, freedom from prison, or adventure as an insurrectionist or soldier in the African-American infantry. Each person means to forge a new life; each longs for his moment in the sun.
Spanning over five years and half a dozen countries, John Sayles’ latest novel lays out a picture of history too little written about or explored. Sayles draws on the experiences of varying characters, allowing us to view the larger forest from the perspective of the trees. As each person grows, each must adapt and adjust, and their ability to do so will determine their future and their fate.
Respected as both a filmmaker and novelist, John Sayles’ reputation certainly proceeds him. Fans of the writer/director have come to expect skilled storytelling from Sayles and they will not be disappointed. Those who have yet to discover Sayles’ work could not have asked for a better introduction. A Moment In The Sun is epic, its range is breathtaking and its scope feels limitless. That said, the characters and places are intensely detailed, so that the grandness of the subject is imbued with a rich intimacy.
In the end, what Sayles provides us is some of the best work of his career. Fans of Peter Matthiessen’s Shadow Country or Edward P. Jones’ The Known World have reason to rejoice; this is the next big thing.
~Master Bookseller Kester Smith
John Sayles will appear at BookPeople on Friday, May 13th, 7pm to speak about and sign copies of A Moment in the Sun (McSweeney’s.)
BookPeople 