Rating: 
Summary: A Whole Lot of Nothing
Review: *A Patchwork Planet* tells the story of misfit, Barnaby Gaitlin. Barnaby's in his early thirties, and is not particularly pleased his life. He's got a demanding ex-wife, a pre-teen daughter he can't connect with, a nowhere job and wealthy parents that don't understand him. He's in a rut, and he doesn't know how he got there or how to get out of it. Really, it isn't so much that he made poor choices, as that he never really made *any* choices--he just sort of lets things happen to him. I think that's why I didn't like him as a character, and couldn't get terribly interested in what happened to him next.Barnaby believes that his life will improve once he finds his "angel". (His family fortune came about as a result of several family members finding their angel--kind of like a muse, I guess.) Early on in the book, Barnaby believes his found his angel in Sophia, a woman whom he overheard in conversation in a train station. Against his character, he decides to pursue her. Once they become involved he proceeds, for essentially the rest of the book, to wait for the "angel" to bring about his reversal of fortune. What passive, frustrating character! He doesn't grow or improve. Things do somewhat improve for him by the book's end, but more by chance than by his actions. Tyler's writing is good, but perhaps I've missed her point. I can't recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A solid look at an ordinary person
Review: Among Anne Tyler's many gifts as a writer, one of her greatest is her ability to make us care about ordinary-seeming people and events we might not otherwise care about, or might actively shun. In few other of her books is that gift on display as much so as in "A Patchwork Planet," an uncharacteristically scrappy novel that chronicles a year in the life of a 29-year-old former juvenile delinquent named Barnaby Gaitlin who begins to reform his life after meeting what he believes to be his guardian angel. The novel's central theme--the importance of trust--is compellingly presented and results in one of Tyler's trademark "inevitable" surprise endings. Still, why does Tyler so persistently (in all of her books) portrays her ambitious, achieving, or successful characters (e.g., Barnaby's brother, Delia Grinstead's husband in "Ladder of Years," Daisy Moran in "Breathing Lessons") as unlikable, obnoxious, or untrustworthy people, and why does she almost always leads us to appreciate only mild-mannered, befuddled, or failing characters (e.g., Barnaby, Delia Grinstead, Maggie Moran)? At any rate, this book is still entertaining and honest and deserves a read by her fans.
Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful, Civilizing, " Humanifying" Novel
Review: Anne Tyler is a novelist of, I think, remarkable consistency who goes from strength to strength. A PATCHWORK PLANET continues her series of explorations into the psyche of "ordinary" people, entrapped by family expectations and traditions. When I saw that the book was a first person narrative, I was slightly nervous that I would miss Tyler's own voice. But she has done a masterful job. Her narrator, Barnaby, like Tyler, notices all the little quirks and ideosyncracies that make up humanity. Tyler has a genius for making dislikable people human. She has an ability to transmit the "still sad music of humanity," as Wordsworth said, which humanizes the reader as we identify with characters who may not be our age, our gender, our class, but whose foibles, illuminated by Tyler, can come close to our own. I think Tyler has what John Keats called "negative capability", which is high praise. It means that she does not need to write about herself, she can create a diversity, a planet, of characters and can limn them with just a sentence or two. Her offhand writing style belies the careful craftsmanship and the penetrating intelligence that lies behind all of her writing. Tyler may not be a poet, but her gift for characterization rivals Shakespeare's, I believe. Don't be misled by the readability of her works; profundity need not be difficult.
Rating:
Summary: A Patchwork of Unique People
Review: Anne Tyler paints the most engaging characters - they are so real, you feel like you could call them up and tell them what is on your mind. For example, I'd love to call up Barnaby's mother and tell her to "Get a Life and see what an incredible person Barnaby is!" I agree with one reviewer who sees the irony in what Barnaby does and what his brother does. Barnaby has for eleven years helped the people that most of us won't help - (for most of us, our philosophy is -it's easier to give money than time) - yet his mother cannot see the goodness in her own son! Anne Tyler's books are great on character - if you are looking for exciting, gripping plot, as one critic seemed to be - you might look elsewhere. But, if you are looking for a delightful look at real people, Tyler is great. I enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: Memorable Characters
Review: Another fabulous, unforgettable novel by Anne Tyler, who never disappoints me. As in most of her books, the main characters are very real and flawed and life doesn't go quite as planned. But because they have good hearts, things turn out all right in the end. Her themes often revolve around the choices people make, as does this novel. I couldn't put down "A Patchwork Planet" and read the entire thing in a day and a half. Now I'm recommending it to my book club. Perhaps my favorite Anne Tyler so far.
Rating:
Summary: Overflowing with good writing
Review: Barnaby Gaitlin is an employee of Rent-A-Back. He has a daughter, Opal, who lives in Philadelphia with her mother, Natalie, and Natalie's second husband. Natalie believes it is detrimental to his daughter's well-being for him to visit her once a month. When the story opens Barnaby is three weeks short of thirty. He has not completed college. He has not found his life work. He is a member of a notable family that even has a charitable foundation bearing its name. He meets Sophia on the train between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Sophia Maynard visits her mother every week. Fortunately Barnaby does not stop visiting his child because it turns out that Opal does care about him. Barnaby celebrates his birthday at his parent's house. Sophia arranges to have Barnaby work five hours a week for her aunt. In one of the scenes Barnaby and his mother attend Opal's dance recital. It is related that Barnaby thinks of his mother as spiny-backed. (She changed the spelling of her first name on her wedding invitations to honor the acquisition of her new foundation-endowed married name.) Since Sophia got her roommate's name from a community bulletin board she claims she doesn't care what the roommate thinks about the relationship between Sophia and Barnaby. As when pregnant cats start looking for drawer space and older people start sorting their possessions, it seems that something is about to happen. This is the sort of really solid information Barnaby obtains on the job. One of the Rent-A-Back clients confuses names through anxiety. Sophia and Barnaby make a remarkable couple. Sophia loves to dash the expectations of her tyrannical mother. The book is hilarious. Barnaby reports he has an aversion to restaurant dishes with dropped g's in their names. Barnaby had taken a sort of voyeuristic pleasure in the burglaries committed in his youth. On the Rent-A-Back gig Anne Tyler gives him a similarly-charged propensity to enumerate carefully people's personal effects. When Sophia's aunt accuses him of theft he is shattered. His other customers rally to his defense and call his boss to schedule extra hours for him. Sophia tries to cover up for him and then the aunt realizes that she had moved her money. Pretty soon his equilibrium is restored and Barnaby is reporting that the little dogs in the park are dressed better than he is. Thanksgiving dinner is at Barnaby's brother's house. There is no turkey, but three desserts are available. Sophia and Barnaby run into a rough spot and it isn't even clear they will remain a couple. The book has exuberance. It is overflowing with good writing.
Rating:
Summary: Overflowing with good writing
Review: Barnaby Gaitlin is an employee of Rent-A-Back. He has a daughter, Opal, who lives in Philadelphia with her mother, Natalie, and Natalie's second husband. Natalie believes it is detrimental to his daughter's well-being for him to visit her once a month. When the story opens Barnaby is three weeks short of thirty. He has not completed college. He has not found his life work. He is a member of a notable family that even has a charitable foundation bearing its name. He meets Sophia on the train between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Sophia Maynard visits her mother every week. Fortunately Barnaby does not stop visiting his child because it turns out that Opal does care about him. Barnaby celebrates his birthday at his parent's house. Sophia arranges to have Barnaby work five hours a week for her aunt. In one of the scenes Barnaby and his mother attend Opal's dance recital. It is related that Barnaby thinks of his mother as spiny-backed. (She changed the spelling of her first name on her wedding invitations to honor the acquisition of her new foundation-endowed married name.) Since Sophia got her roommate's name from a community bulletin board she claims she doesn't care what the roommate thinks about the relationship between Sophia and Barnaby. As when pregnant cats start looking for drawer space and older people start sorting their possessions, it seems that something is about to happen. This is the sort of really solid information Barnaby obtains on the job. One of the Rent-A-Back clients confuses names through anxiety. Sophia and Barnaby make a remarkable couple. Sophia loves to dash the expectations of her tyrannical mother. The book is hilarious. Barnaby reports he has an aversion to restaurant dishes with dropped g's in their names. Barnaby had taken a sort of voyeuristic pleasure in the burglaries committed in his youth. On the Rent-A-Back gig Anne Tyler gives him a similarly-charged propensity to enumerate carefully people's personal effects. When Sophia's aunt accuses him of theft he is shattered. His other customers rally to his defense and call his boss to schedule extra hours for him. Sophia tries to cover up for him and then the aunt realizes that she had moved her money. Pretty soon his equilibrium is restored and Barnaby is reporting that the little dogs in the park are dressed better than he is. Thanksgiving dinner is at Barnaby's brother's house. There is no turkey, but three desserts are available. Sophia and Barnaby run into a rough spot and it isn't even clear they will remain a couple. The book has exuberance. It is overflowing with good writing.
Rating:
Summary: Once Again a Delightful Melange of Eccentric Tyler Character
Review: Barnaby Gaitlin is the lovable loser hero of Anne Tyler's new novel. Son of a wealthy Baltimore family, Barnaby's life is forever marked by his adolescent prank of breaking into neighbor's houses just to read their mail and look through their photo albums. Barnaby is an embarrassment to his parents, his ex-wife, even his little girl. But Barnaby's heart is in the right place, just not where others think it should be. He spends his days working for Rent-a-Back, helping it's elderly clients get their mundane chores done and his nights sleeping in a converted basement rec room apartment. When Barnaby is accused of stealing money from one of Rent-a-Backs clients, we learn about our Patchwork Planet, and how it's likely to fall to pieces at any moment. And we learn about love. A new Tyler novel is always a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, Often Hilarious Look at a Loser's Life
Review: Barnaby Gaitlin, the protagonist of Anne Tyler's "A Patchwork Planet" is the quintessential example of a "loser"; a thirty year old man who has lost himself in a meaningless, often thankless, job. Tyler does a splendid job in portraying Barnaby's ordinary odyssey through life, which becomes extraordinary when he unexpectedly meets Sophia on a Philadelphia-bound Amtrak train. Tyler has an amazing eye for detail and for creating wonderful, fully realized three-dimensional characters. Through her eyes the streets of Baltimore and Philadelphia have become as vivid and as well lived as those I'm familiar with here in New York City, replete with her compassionate, respectful writing about Barnaby and his friends, family and acquaintances. Without a doubt a pleasant read which will leave you laughing by the book's end.
Rating:
Summary: More Memorable Characters
Review: I have been an Anne Tyler fan since a friend introduced me to "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" years ago. I savor every minute I am reading one of her books. This novel came to my attention when it was advertised in a popular book club flier. I didn't even know she had published a new book (too busy to pay attention these days). Barnaby was not as "real" to me as were some other of her characters, but the descriptions of the elderly clients of Rent-A-Back were right on target. As usual, Tyler makes you feel grateful for the calm and sanity of your own life. In my case, a life free of food-related disasters like the Thanksgiving dinner of only sweet foods. It's a lovely day-long read at the lake or beach house.
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