Haunted by a horrible memory from the war, alone since his grown children moved out, Vietnam vet Charles Boatman returns to Vietnam after the war.
Ada and her brother Jon follow their missing father to Vietnam. Their search for him tears them apart in ways they never could have guessed, and Vietnam finds its way in. Shifting between Charles’ and Ada’s points of view, their journeys become increasingly colorful and complex as the story moves from the rural Pacific Northwest to the frenetic confusion of modern-day Vietnam. The suspense builds, dreamlike, to a paradoxical climax of revelation and obfuscation, love and grief.
This is a hauntingly beautiful story of family ties and human longing by the prize-winning, critically acclaimed Canadian author David Bergen.
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"A story about directionless attempts to reclaim something unknown, about desperation caused by miscalculations and sheared communication. By its close, however, The Time in Between is not nihilistic nor depressing; rather, it's quiet. And in a Canlit world where ambivalent cliffhangers are de rigueur, it's nice to see this silent conclusion. I'm not left wondering where Ada is to go next, but rather left waiting, with her for the ferry to take her home, wondering where it is she has just been. From careful details of a suicide, to troubling dreams of sibling intimacy, Bergen has led us through a wary, though not quite perverse, journey of those fragile relationships that keep us on track while searching for those who are lost--even when those lost are ourselves."
— Linnea (4 out of 5 stars)
“With his thoughtful dialogue, Bergen makes the characters’ heartache seep off the page.”
— Time“Luminous...In this meditation on the aftereffects of violence and failed human connection, Bergen’s austere prose illustrates the arbitrary nature of life’s defining moments.”
— Publishers Weekly“Anna Fields’ performance is brave.”
— AudioFile“[Bergen] preserves the exquisiteness of the Vietnamese culture, lending a unique beauty to the story. Highly recommended.”
— Library Journal“This...novel will mesmerize readers with the intensity of its vision.”
— Booklist“A beautifully composed, unflinching and harrowing story. Perhaps the best fiction yet to confront and comprehend the legacy of Vietnam.”
— Kirkus Reviews" The setting of the book grabbed me and I am enjoying the variety of characters. Maybe I can sort of relate to the ex-pat lifestyle too. "
— Angela, 2/20/2014" An alright book. I didn't know what to expect. I found it interesting being an expat in an asian country myself. It was good enough to make want to find more books by Bergen "
— Aaron, 2/17/2014" A father returns to Vietnam to address unresolved issues from his combat days and is followed by his daughter who follows his trail and unravels the narrative of the father she never really knew... hypnotic "
— Michael, 2/12/2014" the book started good but halfway I lost interest. I finished it but I found the ending stopped abruptly. "
— Sean, 2/8/2014" While I like Bergen's writing, I didn't find this book very engrossing. Not one of my favorites. "
— Marilyn, 1/27/2014" This was a challenging book to read. The story is haunting and unsettling. The continuance of the story after a significant event is a mystery at first... the interwoven stories do not come to a symmetrical conclusion at the same time and that is a little off-putting structurally. The enigma of the people and culture of Vietnam are explored indirectly and through inference and that also throws one off balance. However, the powerful story of searching for one's own solution and peace is a strong theme and one that takes each of the main characters in many different directions to find resolution. Having spent quite a bit of time in Vietnam and working with Vietnamese people, there is a mystery and a sort of enigma associated with the place and its people. This novel captures some of the same feeling of enigmatic mystery. "
— Brian, 1/18/2014" Not what I had expected. I enjoyed the beginning more than the end. Anticipating a better ending caused me to finish the book, but it fell flat in my opinion. Maybe I just missed the point! "
— Terry, 1/17/2014" The Time In Between: A Novel by David Bergen (2006) "
— Keith, 12/13/2013" I listened to this as a book on CD - the readers were excellent and I wish I could say I was engrossed by the story, however, I found the father to be an unappealing character with no thought except for his own self gratification and his self involvement. Not a book I would recommend. "
— Moira, 12/13/2013" Canadian book about vets surviving Vietnam "
— Sharon, 12/11/2013" Set in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, and in Vietnam, this is the story of a young woman searching for a father who went missing while searching for closure on his own history. She eventually finds closure, but only by returning to the places of her childhood. "
— Carina, 11/26/2013" This was very boring and irrelevant writing that could have been an interesting look at a former Vietnam veteran returning to an unrecognizable land thirty years later. Bergen falls short, especially in characterization, but also in connecting all of the pieces. "
— Val, 10/3/2013" Really liked it. Has inspired me to look into books about Vietnam from the Viet Cong point of view, so to speak. "
— Anne, 8/20/2013" This book just did nothing for me; it never really got my entire attention "
— Sandie, 10/21/2012" I love the first part of this book and the story could have ended with the first section. Up until I started part two, I would have given this at least four stars. For me the second part of this book ruined the story, I felt it dragged it out unnecessarily. "
— Michelle, 8/20/2012" Depressing, it's good literature with many themes. Good book club fodder. Canadian Giller prize winner, travel book, character study. Not great but ok. "
— Gordon, 4/4/2012" This is a heavy book - serious and poignant. "
— Sarah, 3/2/2012" Very well written book!!! A bit different content than I had read before. "
— Dee, 10/21/2011" This novel really impacts the nature of war and the profound alterings of one's life. This novel was also effective in illustrating both sides and therefore both perspectives in a genuine and honest fashion. "
— Debbie, 9/10/2011" A boring read. The author says he writes styless -- I agree, the style of writing was very "matter of factly", boring, and doesn't make you want to finish reading. The story is too predictable, as you read, you know exactly where the author is going and you don't really care to ride-along. "
— Dylan, 2/22/2011" Christine, I forgot I had read this book shortly after returning from Vietnam. A great read. "
— Robin, 2/20/2011" learned so much about vietnam culture. writing contained a few cliches but not too bad. made me think about how the war affects people, especially the soldiers. in time for remembrance day. "
— Stephanie, 1/15/2011" learned so much about vietnam culture. writing contained a few cliches but not too bad. made me think about how the war affects people, especially the soldiers. in time for remembrance day. "
— Stephanie, 10/15/2010" But what happened at the end? "
— Anna, 7/18/2010" This was very boring and irrelevant writing that could have been an interesting look at a former Vietnam veteran returning to an unrecognizable land thirty years later. Bergen falls short, especially in characterization, but also in connecting all of the pieces. "
— Val, 6/24/2010" If it weren't for book club I never would have finished this. I couldn't relate to anyone. "
— Tally, 5/10/2010" Strange tale of a Viet Nam vet who returns to where he served in the war....precisely where I served....which unnerved me a bit as it unfolded....not a great story but an interesting read if you happen to be a crazy VietNam Vet who served near Quang Ngai! "
— Terry, 9/16/2009" I love the first part of this book and the story could have ended with the first section. Up until I started part two, I would have given this at least four stars. For me the second part of this book ruined the story, I felt it dragged it out unnecessarily. "
— Michelle, 8/26/2009" A Vietnam vet goes back for some closure and disappears. His kids go to Vietnam to try to find him "
— John, 4/13/2009" The Time In Between: A Novel by David Bergen (2006) "
— Keith, 3/30/2009" Moving book that deals with the fall out of war on its participants and the legacy it leaves to the generations to come. A very timely book looking back to the VIetnam war and Vietnam today. "
— Marsha, 2/28/2009" The setting of the book grabbed me and I am enjoying the variety of characters. Maybe I can sort of relate to the ex-pat lifestyle too. "
— Angela, 1/5/2009" The writing was extremely sparse, but telling "
— Shane, 12/19/2008David Bergren is the author of four highly acclaimed novels. A Year of Lesser was a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. The Case of Lena S. won the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award, and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction. The Time in Between won the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He is also the author of a collection of short fiction, Sitting Opposite My Brother, which was a finalist for the Manitoba Book of the Year Award.
Kate Fleming (a.k.a. Anna Fields) (1965–2006), winner of more than a dozen Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award in 2004, was one of the most respected narrators in the industry. Trained at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, she was also a director, producer, and technician at her own studio, Cedar House Audio.