Labor Day (novel)
Encyclopedia
Labor Day is a coming-of-age novel published in 2009 by American author Joyce Maynard
.
weekend approaches, 13-year-old Henry sees no reason why this weekend should be any different. He expects it to be as lonely as the rest of the summer, only watching television, playing with his pet hamster
and fantasizing about his female classmates.
Henry shares his life in New Hampshire
with his wounded divorcee mother, Adele. Adele's agoraphobia
means that the family survive on unedifying tinned foods and frozen meals. However, on the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, Henry persuades his mother to go on a shopping trip. It is there that they meet an unkempt man who is bleeding from his forehead and agree to his request for a ride in their car.
This mysterious man, Frank, admits that he is a convicted murderer that has escaped prison. Despite his past, Frank makes the claim that the mother and son have "never been in better hands". Indeed, Frank teaches Henry how to throw a baseball, change a flat tire and to bake. Meanwhile Adele and Frank, long love-starved, become infatuated with each other, and Adele emerges from her depression.
noted that "It is a testament to Maynard's skill that she makes this ominous setup into a convincing and poignant coming-of-age tale." In The New York Times
, author Jodi Picoult
praised the work; "Joyce Maynard is in top-notch form with Labor Day. Simply a novel you cannot miss."
and Josh Brolin
had signed on to a film adaptation to be directed by Jason Reitman
. It is scheduled to shoot in 2012 in New England
.
Joyce Maynard
Daphne Joyce Maynard is an American author known for writing with candor about her life, as well as for her works of fiction and hundreds of essays and newspaper columns, often about parenting and family...
.
Plot summary
Henry, a man in his early 30s, recounts his thirteenth year. As Labor DayLabor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend approaches, 13-year-old Henry sees no reason why this weekend should be any different. He expects it to be as lonely as the rest of the summer, only watching television, playing with his pet hamster
Hamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
and fantasizing about his female classmates.
Henry shares his life in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
with his wounded divorcee mother, Adele. Adele's agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
means that the family survive on unedifying tinned foods and frozen meals. However, on the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, Henry persuades his mother to go on a shopping trip. It is there that they meet an unkempt man who is bleeding from his forehead and agree to his request for a ride in their car.
This mysterious man, Frank, admits that he is a convicted murderer that has escaped prison. Despite his past, Frank makes the claim that the mother and son have "never been in better hands". Indeed, Frank teaches Henry how to throw a baseball, change a flat tire and to bake. Meanwhile Adele and Frank, long love-starved, become infatuated with each other, and Adele emerges from her depression.
Reception
The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
noted that "It is a testament to Maynard's skill that she makes this ominous setup into a convincing and poignant coming-of-age tale." In The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, author Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult
Jodi Lynn Picoult is an American author. She was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003. Picoult currently has some 14 million copies of her books in print worldwide.-Early life and education:...
praised the work; "Joyce Maynard is in top-notch form with Labor Day. Simply a novel you cannot miss."
Film adaptation
As of June 2011, actors Kate WinsletKate Winslet
Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. She has received multiple awards and nominations. She was the youngest person to accrue six Academy Award nominations, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Reader...
and Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin
Josh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
had signed on to a film adaptation to be directed by Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman is a Canadian/American film director, screenwriter, and producer, best known for directing the films Thank You for Smoking , Juno , and Up in the Air . As of February 2, 2010, he has received three Academy Award nominations, two of which are for Best Director...
. It is scheduled to shoot in 2012 in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.