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Tim
Mary Horton is content with her comfortable, solitary existence . . . until she meets Tim. A beautiful young man with the mind of a child; a gentle outcast in a cruel, unbending world - he illuminates the darkness of Mary's days with his boyish innocence. And he will shatter the lonely, middle-aged spinster's respectable, ordered life with a forbidden promise of a very special love.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
184 people are currently reading
1912 people want to read
About the author
Colleen McCullough
122 books3,080 followersColleen Margaretta McCullough was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds and Tim.
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews
March 21, 2020
Update In my true story of Mari and Joey (see review below) Mari had been committed by her family in Boston and they had taken charge of her two mixed-raced daughters by two different, extremely undesirable men. The girls never fitted in with the millionaire-lifestyle all-white Boston community they were raised in and both returned to the islands when they each reached 16.
The mother, Mari, who had been living her usual nuts life-style funded by her parents on the proviso they got to raise her daughters (a wise decision, given her propensity for going out with extremely violent men), followed the girls back to the island, she always loved them as much as they loved her. She is now living with Joey, whose brain injury caused not just a lowering of his intelligence but also a propensity for obsessions and acting in a crazy, wild-man manner.
She is crazy in her own way. She lives in a tent. She reports every last detail of island gossip, often maliciously, in her Facebook, she rants about everything she doesn't like; she's not popular. As one person said to me, 'You can't go to the toilet on that island without Mari being annoyed and having to report it to the world." Her girls moved back to Boston to go to college and get away from their every move being on Facebook.
But there you go, she's back with her first love, he has his darling Mari again, the parents fund everything and as we have no mental home here she continues on in her own sweet way.
________________
The story of the book is a woman with an intellectually-challenged man and how they relate to each other and the world. The story in this review is of a real-life couple in a similar relationship.
Joey was a local guy from a little out-island. He'd been the boyfriend of my friend Mari who was from a wealthy family in Boston and working here as a school librarian whilst building her million-dollar house. They'd been in the States together and she'd bought him a bike, not a Harley but a really big one and he'd had a terrible accident and been hospitalised for a long time. Her family took him everywhere for rehabilitation and although is body was fixed, mentally he was like an 11 or 12 year old boy.
Mari tried for a couple of years to help him and be with him, but it was too hard for her to relate to him and they split up. So often he would call in to the local radio and have love songs dedicated to her, and impassioned pleas for her to come back. But by then she was in love with a man who was on America's Most Wanted list. She stored his guns under the bed where they made a baby daughter together.
So Joey worked a bit collecting garbage from the beach on the little island and his life just stagnated. Until he met Elizabeth, a New York therapist who had come to the Caribbean to live an easy life with just a bit of work at the expensive American school. She was late 40s, dyed her long stringy hair black and was somewhat overweight. Her clothes always looked like they came from the final sale of a bargain-basement store. She was always going to upscale bars and parties, but never found a boyfriend. Then she met Joey.
At first everyone thought she was close to him because she was trying to help him. No one believed they could be together because she was so snobbish and put people down as "you people" (usually meaning Blacks, but Joey was Black) and only liked to mix socially with rich people and he had nothing. When she moved to his island it was obvious they were a couple and everyone was going around saying the local expression for a mis-matched couple, "must give good head."
Who knows? It lasted a few years and she took off. People said she didn't get her work permit renewed, others say she'd had enough of Joey. But then Joey took to the airwaves again, begging DJsto play love songs to Mari begging her to please come home.
The book was good and much more nuanced than anything we saw in real life. But that's the skill of a writer isn't it? To bring out all the hidden depths that observers IRL can only guess at but not see.
Original review Jan 2001, updated March 2020
The mother, Mari, who had been living her usual nuts life-style funded by her parents on the proviso they got to raise her daughters (a wise decision, given her propensity for going out with extremely violent men), followed the girls back to the island, she always loved them as much as they loved her. She is now living with Joey, whose brain injury caused not just a lowering of his intelligence but also a propensity for obsessions and acting in a crazy, wild-man manner.
She is crazy in her own way. She lives in a tent. She reports every last detail of island gossip, often maliciously, in her Facebook, she rants about everything she doesn't like; she's not popular. As one person said to me, 'You can't go to the toilet on that island without Mari being annoyed and having to report it to the world." Her girls moved back to Boston to go to college and get away from their every move being on Facebook.
But there you go, she's back with her first love, he has his darling Mari again, the parents fund everything and as we have no mental home here she continues on in her own sweet way.
________________
The story of the book is a woman with an intellectually-challenged man and how they relate to each other and the world. The story in this review is of a real-life couple in a similar relationship.
Joey was a local guy from a little out-island. He'd been the boyfriend of my friend Mari who was from a wealthy family in Boston and working here as a school librarian whilst building her million-dollar house. They'd been in the States together and she'd bought him a bike, not a Harley but a really big one and he'd had a terrible accident and been hospitalised for a long time. Her family took him everywhere for rehabilitation and although is body was fixed, mentally he was like an 11 or 12 year old boy.
Mari tried for a couple of years to help him and be with him, but it was too hard for her to relate to him and they split up. So often he would call in to the local radio and have love songs dedicated to her, and impassioned pleas for her to come back. But by then she was in love with a man who was on America's Most Wanted list. She stored his guns under the bed where they made a baby daughter together.
So Joey worked a bit collecting garbage from the beach on the little island and his life just stagnated. Until he met Elizabeth, a New York therapist who had come to the Caribbean to live an easy life with just a bit of work at the expensive American school. She was late 40s, dyed her long stringy hair black and was somewhat overweight. Her clothes always looked like they came from the final sale of a bargain-basement store. She was always going to upscale bars and parties, but never found a boyfriend. Then she met Joey.
At first everyone thought she was close to him because she was trying to help him. No one believed they could be together because she was so snobbish and put people down as "you people" (usually meaning Blacks, but Joey was Black) and only liked to mix socially with rich people and he had nothing. When she moved to his island it was obvious they were a couple and everyone was going around saying the local expression for a mis-matched couple, "must give good head."
Who knows? It lasted a few years and she took off. People said she didn't get her work permit renewed, others say she'd had enough of Joey. But then Joey took to the airwaves again, begging DJsto play love songs to Mari begging her to please come home.
The book was good and much more nuanced than anything we saw in real life. But that's the skill of a writer isn't it? To bring out all the hidden depths that observers IRL can only guess at but not see.
Original review Jan 2001, updated March 2020
October 8, 2016
Colleen McCullough is an author I'm glad to have finally read. This audio was enjoyable, a talented narrator that switched from characters seamlessly, especially for Tim's character, a developmentally delayed adult who is unknowingly trapped in the most handsome body, with the mind of a younger child.
This book was written in the 70's, so it was a blast from the past hearing the word 'retarded' and 'retard' as this was the way back then.
I found this to be a very well written and lushly descriptive that always captured the beautiful Australian scenery and landscape. An immensely talented writer, every sentence was worthy of praise.
Mary is 45, a very well to do spinster typical of the time, who forms a strong bond with Tim, she falls in love with him from her first site that was from a distance. She wasn't to know he was special. His physical presence is amazing, he was a very handsome man. She wasn't disconcerted with people's assumptions on their unusual coupling. She took a protective stance and taught him everything she could about life and love.
She really was very articulate and wise, I thought this many times during the dialogue. Tim loved her and he was utterly comfortable with her in every way. She calls him 'dear heart' it's a sweet sweet love story, set in the era of cicadas and lots and lots of tea drinking.
This may not be overly realistic, but a very good and rewarding piece of fiction from a definite Aussie icon.
This book was written in the 70's, so it was a blast from the past hearing the word 'retarded' and 'retard' as this was the way back then.
I found this to be a very well written and lushly descriptive that always captured the beautiful Australian scenery and landscape. An immensely talented writer, every sentence was worthy of praise.
Mary is 45, a very well to do spinster typical of the time, who forms a strong bond with Tim, she falls in love with him from her first site that was from a distance. She wasn't to know he was special. His physical presence is amazing, he was a very handsome man. She wasn't disconcerted with people's assumptions on their unusual coupling. She took a protective stance and taught him everything she could about life and love.
She really was very articulate and wise, I thought this many times during the dialogue. Tim loved her and he was utterly comfortable with her in every way. She calls him 'dear heart' it's a sweet sweet love story, set in the era of cicadas and lots and lots of tea drinking.
This may not be overly realistic, but a very good and rewarding piece of fiction from a definite Aussie icon.
June 9, 2018
Para começar devo dizer que nem sempre sou muito feliz a classificar um livro através do número de estrelas. E nem sempre utilizo o mesmo critério nas avaliações.
Tim, ganhou 5 ☆, mas não é um livro perfeito. Tem um ou outro clichê, teve um final demasiado abrupto e tem um ou outro episódio que me deixaram de nariz torcido.
Mas já neste primeiro livro, Colleen McCullough desafiou as mentes retrógradas, já aqui se pode antever o desafio de falar de amores insólitos que viria a culminar com o fantabulástico Pássaros Feridos
E não só teve coragem (estava-se em 1974) como teve extrema sensibilidade a tratar um tema delicado, em momento algum resvalou para ações ou palavras medíocres. Tratou a história das personagens com toda a nobreza, valeu-se de argumentos sólidos e desprovidos de preconceito. E deixou bem clara a pouca relevância da oposição.
Não lido bem com os preconceitos, não lido bem com gente que vai em manada atrás de uma ideia pré concebida - por quem, afinal? a quem podemos dar o direito de julgar, condenar, achincalhar as opções de quem só quer ser feliz sem prejuízo de outrem?!
Tim é uma histórica de Amor improvável, repleta de desafios, de escolhas difíceis, mas Tim é também um convite para abrir a mente, para aceitar o que a vida nos dá como algo de precioso e único, por mais inusitado que se apresente.
Tim, ganhou 5 ☆, mas não é um livro perfeito. Tem um ou outro clichê, teve um final demasiado abrupto e tem um ou outro episódio que me deixaram de nariz torcido.
Mas já neste primeiro livro, Colleen McCullough desafiou as mentes retrógradas, já aqui se pode antever o desafio de falar de amores insólitos que viria a culminar com o fantabulástico Pássaros Feridos
E não só teve coragem (estava-se em 1974) como teve extrema sensibilidade a tratar um tema delicado, em momento algum resvalou para ações ou palavras medíocres. Tratou a história das personagens com toda a nobreza, valeu-se de argumentos sólidos e desprovidos de preconceito. E deixou bem clara a pouca relevância da oposição.
Não lido bem com os preconceitos, não lido bem com gente que vai em manada atrás de uma ideia pré concebida - por quem, afinal? a quem podemos dar o direito de julgar, condenar, achincalhar as opções de quem só quer ser feliz sem prejuízo de outrem?!
Tim é uma histórica de Amor improvável, repleta de desafios, de escolhas difíceis, mas Tim é também um convite para abrir a mente, para aceitar o que a vida nos dá como algo de precioso e único, por mais inusitado que se apresente.
October 17, 2023
Wow... There is so much that I want to say about this book, and I don't know if I will really be able to do it all justice. I think I'm just going to go for my tried and true method and just ask you to tag along with my ramblings... Hopefully it will make sense at the end. :)
On the surface, "Tim" is a story of an unlikely relationship between a child-like 25 year old mentally disabled man, the title character, and a 43 year old straight-laced and emotionally distant spinster, Mary Horton. Naturally, their relationship is mutually beneficial, with each of them teaching the other how to live.
But the surface story, while absolutely moving and beautiful, is just the bottom layer of the cake. McCullough supplements that base with layer upon layer of detail and depth and insight and truth. While the finished product by another author may have been a tasty and even nice looking cake, in McCullough's expert hands it's something too amazing to actually mar by eating it. You want to keep this cake. You want to cherish it and remember every beautiful detail of it.
We're introduced to Tim, and from the beginning he's impossible not to love and want to protect. Tim's child-like innocence is what really broke my heart. He is tricked and fooled by his "friends", and is upset afterward, but not because he was tricked. His is not a knee-jerk reaction to being laughed at that causes him distress, it is the fact that he knows that he is not able to understand WHY he is being laughed at that distresses him. He seeks acceptance and understanding and love just like we all do.
All of us, that is, except Mary Horton. From the age of 14, she struggled and worked hard on her own to make a life for herself. Unfortunately, due to having a very hard childhood, her idea of "life" is one devoid of any personal relationships. She's never had a boyfriend, never wanted one, doesn't have any personal friends, and her only pleasures are solitary ones, her successes are material ones.
After a chance meeting with Tim, who fascinates her simply because of his sheer attractiveness, they each begin to fill a hole in the other person's life that neither knew they had. This isn't recognized until much later, but it warmed my heart to see them teaching each other what life is really about.
McCullough's descriptions of emotion and perception of the world is amazing. I'm not sure I've ever read anything like it. Her way with words is brilliant. It's like she's imparting secrets that you already knew, but just couldn't understand because the words are just words without MEANING. Even sitting here writing this, I'm at a loss to describe just what it is that touched me so deeply, but I'm close to tears just thinking about the way that she makes simple concepts turn into life-altering truths.
But more than that, she made me think of things in a way that I would never have thought of before. For instance, at one point when Tim is sleeping, Mary ponders what his dreams are like: Did he venture forth as limited in his nocturnal wanderings as he was during his waking life, or did the miracle happen which freed him from all his chains?
I had to stop and think about this. On the one hand, dreaming that you are not fettered by a mental handicap would lend the dreams a wonderful freedom, but on the other, I would imagine that waking up to realize that that freedom was only an illusion would be torture day after day. So, I hope that is not the case.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about McCullough's writing was its vividness. Her characters are just ALIVE and jump off the page. Their local slang and way of speaking had me laughing even while I had tears in my eyes, because while the phrases they use are hilarious, what they are actually saying is true in any language.
The characters are memorable, and none of them, not one, pulls any punches. I love that they say what they mean, and mean what they say. Brutally honest, perhaps, but if what needs to be said is important enough, sometimes it takes a brutal delivery to make it sink in.
I also loved the little snippets of Australian life and culture we get to see. I love reading about other cultures and people, and the only thing that I wish was extended was the small section dealing with the Australian bush. I wanted to see the people and find out how Mary would interact with them.
Anyway. I loved this book. I'm immensely glad that I read it, and can safely say that I will soon be reading much, much more of McCullough's writing.
On the surface, "Tim" is a story of an unlikely relationship between a child-like 25 year old mentally disabled man, the title character, and a 43 year old straight-laced and emotionally distant spinster, Mary Horton. Naturally, their relationship is mutually beneficial, with each of them teaching the other how to live.
But the surface story, while absolutely moving and beautiful, is just the bottom layer of the cake. McCullough supplements that base with layer upon layer of detail and depth and insight and truth. While the finished product by another author may have been a tasty and even nice looking cake, in McCullough's expert hands it's something too amazing to actually mar by eating it. You want to keep this cake. You want to cherish it and remember every beautiful detail of it.
We're introduced to Tim, and from the beginning he's impossible not to love and want to protect. Tim's child-like innocence is what really broke my heart. He is tricked and fooled by his "friends", and is upset afterward, but not because he was tricked. His is not a knee-jerk reaction to being laughed at that causes him distress, it is the fact that he knows that he is not able to understand WHY he is being laughed at that distresses him. He seeks acceptance and understanding and love just like we all do.
All of us, that is, except Mary Horton. From the age of 14, she struggled and worked hard on her own to make a life for herself. Unfortunately, due to having a very hard childhood, her idea of "life" is one devoid of any personal relationships. She's never had a boyfriend, never wanted one, doesn't have any personal friends, and her only pleasures are solitary ones, her successes are material ones.
After a chance meeting with Tim, who fascinates her simply because of his sheer attractiveness, they each begin to fill a hole in the other person's life that neither knew they had. This isn't recognized until much later, but it warmed my heart to see them teaching each other what life is really about.
McCullough's descriptions of emotion and perception of the world is amazing. I'm not sure I've ever read anything like it. Her way with words is brilliant. It's like she's imparting secrets that you already knew, but just couldn't understand because the words are just words without MEANING. Even sitting here writing this, I'm at a loss to describe just what it is that touched me so deeply, but I'm close to tears just thinking about the way that she makes simple concepts turn into life-altering truths.
But more than that, she made me think of things in a way that I would never have thought of before. For instance, at one point when Tim is sleeping, Mary ponders what his dreams are like: Did he venture forth as limited in his nocturnal wanderings as he was during his waking life, or did the miracle happen which freed him from all his chains?
I had to stop and think about this. On the one hand, dreaming that you are not fettered by a mental handicap would lend the dreams a wonderful freedom, but on the other, I would imagine that waking up to realize that that freedom was only an illusion would be torture day after day. So, I hope that is not the case.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about McCullough's writing was its vividness. Her characters are just ALIVE and jump off the page. Their local slang and way of speaking had me laughing even while I had tears in my eyes, because while the phrases they use are hilarious, what they are actually saying is true in any language.
The characters are memorable, and none of them, not one, pulls any punches. I love that they say what they mean, and mean what they say. Brutally honest, perhaps, but if what needs to be said is important enough, sometimes it takes a brutal delivery to make it sink in.
I also loved the little snippets of Australian life and culture we get to see. I love reading about other cultures and people, and the only thing that I wish was extended was the small section dealing with the Australian bush. I wanted to see the people and find out how Mary would interact with them.
Anyway. I loved this book. I'm immensely glad that I read it, and can safely say that I will soon be reading much, much more of McCullough's writing.
March 27, 2021
"- Disse-me uma vez que qualquer dia ia sentir-me tão feliz que ia chorar, e veja! Estou a chorar, Mary! Estou tão feliz que estou a chorar!"
E passados tantos anos a tia Colleen voltou a dar cabo de mim.
E passados tantos anos a tia Colleen voltou a dar cabo de mim.
March 3, 2015
Well I have read and loved many of this author 's books but this one did not really work for me. Much of the story is naive and unbelievable and the characters are stereotypes. I enjoyed it in parts but skimmed a lot of the long paragraphs where people explained their actions and their inner feelings. The ending is extremely odd and the last few pages totally unnecessary. Sorry to all the people who love it - it was obviously just not my cup of tea! I understand it was her first book but how she got from this to the Masters of Rome I cannot imagine.
April 4, 2016
Os protagonistas deste livro, tão pouco habituais num romance, fazem desta uma história única!
É justo dizer que Mary e Tim se encontraram um ao outro na altura certa das suas vidas e que as mudanças que despoletaram lhes permitiu encontrar a felicidade pela primeira vez. Mary já passou dos 40 anos, não tem amigos e nunca deixou que um homem entrasse na sua vida. Com quase metade da sua idade, Tim é dono de enorme beleza física, mas sofre de deficiência intelectual. A amizade que rapidamente se desenvolve entre ambos irá melhorar as suas habilidades sociais e enriquecer os seus relacionamentos interpessoais... e levará ao desabrochar de um grande amor.
Alegre, inocente, ligeiramente infantil, Tim tem uma visão muito simplificada da vida, interpretando os sucessivos acontecimentos à sua maneira, moldando-os à sua compreensão. A família sempre se preocupou com ele e com a sua segurança futura mas lamentavelmente investiram pouco no seu desenvolvimento intelectual.
Não é fácil ler sobre crueldade dirigida contra uma alma tão inocente como a de Tim. Vítima de incompreensão, Tim vive uma existência muito solitária; apesar das suas tentativas para compreender o mundo que o rodeia e fazer parte do mesmo, é sempre colocado à margem e muitas vezes maltratado.
Colleen McCullough recheou este livro com parágrafos muito bonitos, carregados de sabedoria sobre a vida e a forma como a escolhemos viver, sobre o que merece precedência. É já ideia generalizada, mas pouco praticada, de que é a beleza interior que conta. McCullough mostra-nos como as aparências iludem: na sua simplicidade, Tim tem na verdade muito para oferecer ao contrário de outros personagens não debilitados na mente mas sim no carácter, manchando a pureza da amizade e amor de Mary e Tim com a sua maldade.
Tristemente, vemos este amor ser olhado com desconfiança e desaprovação. Gostei muito desta história, adorei os personagens e a escrita irrepreensível da autora favoreceu imenso o livro.
É justo dizer que Mary e Tim se encontraram um ao outro na altura certa das suas vidas e que as mudanças que despoletaram lhes permitiu encontrar a felicidade pela primeira vez. Mary já passou dos 40 anos, não tem amigos e nunca deixou que um homem entrasse na sua vida. Com quase metade da sua idade, Tim é dono de enorme beleza física, mas sofre de deficiência intelectual. A amizade que rapidamente se desenvolve entre ambos irá melhorar as suas habilidades sociais e enriquecer os seus relacionamentos interpessoais... e levará ao desabrochar de um grande amor.
Alegre, inocente, ligeiramente infantil, Tim tem uma visão muito simplificada da vida, interpretando os sucessivos acontecimentos à sua maneira, moldando-os à sua compreensão. A família sempre se preocupou com ele e com a sua segurança futura mas lamentavelmente investiram pouco no seu desenvolvimento intelectual.
Não é fácil ler sobre crueldade dirigida contra uma alma tão inocente como a de Tim. Vítima de incompreensão, Tim vive uma existência muito solitária; apesar das suas tentativas para compreender o mundo que o rodeia e fazer parte do mesmo, é sempre colocado à margem e muitas vezes maltratado.
Colleen McCullough recheou este livro com parágrafos muito bonitos, carregados de sabedoria sobre a vida e a forma como a escolhemos viver, sobre o que merece precedência. É já ideia generalizada, mas pouco praticada, de que é a beleza interior que conta. McCullough mostra-nos como as aparências iludem: na sua simplicidade, Tim tem na verdade muito para oferecer ao contrário de outros personagens não debilitados na mente mas sim no carácter, manchando a pureza da amizade e amor de Mary e Tim com a sua maldade.
Tristemente, vemos este amor ser olhado com desconfiança e desaprovação. Gostei muito desta história, adorei os personagens e a escrita irrepreensível da autora favoreceu imenso o livro.
February 15, 2018
Tim Melville tem vinte e cinco anos, a beleza de um deus grego e a idade mental de uma criança - é um "mal acabado", um "atrasado mental". Mary Horton é uma solteirona na casa dos quarenta, pragmática, inteligente, austera, rígida e rica. Entre ambos nasce uma amizade improvável, que se vai solidificando, cada um aprendendo com o outro novas perspectivas e experiências de vida. Até que a relação chega a um ponto crítico e sofre uma mudança qualitativa. Nem tudo na história é de uma plausibilidade imediata, mas a sensibilidade e a doçura com que aborda um tema delicado - a diferença e a imperfeição e a sua plena aceitação por outrem - é impossível não nos tocar. O romance não está perto de ser perfeito e achei que o final se arrasta um pouco demais, mas (falo por mim) põe-nos a pensar e a tomar consciência de ideias pré concebidas e totalmente não alicerçadas que se calhar albergamos sem sequer nos apercebermos.
October 18, 2024
I read this book because I know someone called Tim. If you know someone called Tim, then I would advise you not to fall into the same trap.
September 30, 2014
Still..
5 Huge Stars - Forever one of mine early very memorable readings
Sometimes I fall down in the old memory lane...
I loved this story then long ago. Looked in my bookshelf and my Swedish translated hardcover book was printed in 1980 and I bought it (perhaps on a sale) in 1982. Yes, 1.9.8.2 !!!
I've read it a few times since then but it is certainly 15 years since the last time.
A great of heart touching story about a 'older' mature woman and a young man who still partly is and always will be, a boy at mind and heart.
Do you remember a young, so very delightful goodlooking new Aussie actor named Mel Gibson in the movie (Tim 1979)?
OMG he was a dream for a lot of girls (like me) back then.
Still a novel to recommend?
Yes, I'll belive that. This is after all an Australia story written by one of my old favorite authors, Colleen McCullough. One of her first I think. And she has written so many great books.
(Remember the epic tale The Thorn Birds?)
I LIKE - never forget this
**********
The movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080024/
5 Huge Stars - Forever one of mine early very memorable readings
Sometimes I fall down in the old memory lane...
I loved this story then long ago. Looked in my bookshelf and my Swedish translated hardcover book was printed in 1980 and I bought it (perhaps on a sale) in 1982. Yes, 1.9.8.2 !!!
I've read it a few times since then but it is certainly 15 years since the last time.
A great of heart touching story about a 'older' mature woman and a young man who still partly is and always will be, a boy at mind and heart.
Do you remember a young, so very delightful goodlooking new Aussie actor named Mel Gibson in the movie (Tim 1979)?
OMG he was a dream for a lot of girls (like me) back then.
Still a novel to recommend?
Yes, I'll belive that. This is after all an Australia story written by one of my old favorite authors, Colleen McCullough. One of her first I think. And she has written so many great books.
(Remember the epic tale The Thorn Birds?)
I LIKE - never forget this
**********
The movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080024/
March 4, 2013
4 ½ stars. A wonderful feeling at the end for two people loving each other. But there is also sadness about Tim’s challenges.
A richly done novel of love. I was engaged throughout. I didn’t want to stop reading. Tim is 25 with the mind of a child. He seems to be happy about most things. A spinsterish woman in her 40s truly loves him. She goes through changes because of him. I was so happy for them at the end. My feelings were wow, warm, wonderful. But I was also sad thinking about Tim. He’s mistreated by others - even his mother who loved him. She took away his teddy bear because others made fun of him for sleeping with it. Her motive was good, but her action caused hurt. Tim missed Teddy for years. He also had a loneliness from always being on the outside of others’ laughing and understanding.
There is another more recent book “Simple Jess” by Pamela Morsi written in 1996 - a similar story. Jess was like Tim. But the Jess story was not sad. It did not show Jess being hurt by others. I also gave Simple Jess 4 ½ stars.
Tim was made into a movie with a young Mel Gibson.
Minor complaint:
I didn’t understand many words used by Tim’s parents - Australian dialect. I had to skip over them.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 282 pages. Swearing language: moderate including religious swear words, but not often used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: 1974 Australia. Copyright: 1974. Genre: contemporary romance, mentally challenged.
A richly done novel of love. I was engaged throughout. I didn’t want to stop reading. Tim is 25 with the mind of a child. He seems to be happy about most things. A spinsterish woman in her 40s truly loves him. She goes through changes because of him. I was so happy for them at the end. My feelings were wow, warm, wonderful. But I was also sad thinking about Tim. He’s mistreated by others - even his mother who loved him. She took away his teddy bear because others made fun of him for sleeping with it. Her motive was good, but her action caused hurt. Tim missed Teddy for years. He also had a loneliness from always being on the outside of others’ laughing and understanding.
There is another more recent book “Simple Jess” by Pamela Morsi written in 1996 - a similar story. Jess was like Tim. But the Jess story was not sad. It did not show Jess being hurt by others. I also gave Simple Jess 4 ½ stars.
Tim was made into a movie with a young Mel Gibson.
Minor complaint:
I didn’t understand many words used by Tim’s parents - Australian dialect. I had to skip over them.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 282 pages. Swearing language: moderate including religious swear words, but not often used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: 1974 Australia. Copyright: 1974. Genre: contemporary romance, mentally challenged.
April 6, 2016
Confesso que não estava nada à espera de gostar tanto deste livro. Ainda gostei mais do que o Pássaros Feridos.
January 23, 2025
● "Jis nesuprato, kas čia juokinga. O taip norėjo suprasti ir juoktis kartu su visais. Tai buvo jo didžiausia širdgėla, kad niekados negali suprasti."
● "Kartais mes pamilstame žmones, kuriuos sutinkame, kartais nepamilstame žmonių, kuriuos sutinkame, bet juos pažinti yra pats svarbiausias dalykas gyvenime, per tai ir esame žmonės."
● "Kartais didžiausi atstumai yra niekis, galvojo jinai, jie sumažėja iki trumpučio tylos mirksnio tarp dviejų širdies dūžių."
Šis romanas mano namuose atsidūrė netikėtai, bet kaip aš džiaugiuosi, kad tai įvyko! Nuostabi knyga, pasakojanti apie labai jautrius dalykus - santykius tarp brandžios moters ir už ją jaunesnio vyro, kuris turi protinį sutrikimą. Tačiau tai ne tik kūrinys apie santykius, bet ir apie nuoširdžią draugystę, pagalbą, norą rūpintis ir globoti, kai likęs pasaulis atsuka nugarą arba siaubingai šaiposi. Kadangi romanas originaliai parašytas 1974 m., rašytojai puikiai pavyko atspindėti tuometinės visuomenės požiūrį į tokį žmogų kaip Timą - nuvertinimą.
Nuo pirmų puslapių labai patiko stebėti, kaip Timas susipažįsta su Mere ir kaip po truputį ima rutuliotis jų draugystė, su kokiais sunkumais susiduria ir kaip pasaulį suvokia Timas. Taip pat autorė privertė susimąstyti, kiek daug vienas žmogus gali turėti įtakos mūsų gyvenimui ir kaip stipriai galime būti emociškai prisirišę - labai gražiai ir įdomiai paaiškintos mirties ir gyvenimo temos, santykių prasmė.
Vienintelis trūkumas - norėjosi kiek išbaigtesnės pabaigos, bet šis romanas tikrai puikus. Labai patiko ir tikrai rekomenduoju🥰
● "Kartais mes pamilstame žmones, kuriuos sutinkame, kartais nepamilstame žmonių, kuriuos sutinkame, bet juos pažinti yra pats svarbiausias dalykas gyvenime, per tai ir esame žmonės."
● "Kartais didžiausi atstumai yra niekis, galvojo jinai, jie sumažėja iki trumpučio tylos mirksnio tarp dviejų širdies dūžių."
Šis romanas mano namuose atsidūrė netikėtai, bet kaip aš džiaugiuosi, kad tai įvyko! Nuostabi knyga, pasakojanti apie labai jautrius dalykus - santykius tarp brandžios moters ir už ją jaunesnio vyro, kuris turi protinį sutrikimą. Tačiau tai ne tik kūrinys apie santykius, bet ir apie nuoširdžią draugystę, pagalbą, norą rūpintis ir globoti, kai likęs pasaulis atsuka nugarą arba siaubingai šaiposi. Kadangi romanas originaliai parašytas 1974 m., rašytojai puikiai pavyko atspindėti tuometinės visuomenės požiūrį į tokį žmogų kaip Timą - nuvertinimą.
Nuo pirmų puslapių labai patiko stebėti, kaip Timas susipažįsta su Mere ir kaip po truputį ima rutuliotis jų draugystė, su kokiais sunkumais susiduria ir kaip pasaulį suvokia Timas. Taip pat autorė privertė susimąstyti, kiek daug vienas žmogus gali turėti įtakos mūsų gyvenimui ir kaip stipriai galime būti emociškai prisirišę - labai gražiai ir įdomiai paaiškintos mirties ir gyvenimo temos, santykių prasmė.
Vienintelis trūkumas - norėjosi kiek išbaigtesnės pabaigos, bet šis romanas tikrai puikus. Labai patiko ir tikrai rekomenduoju🥰
January 21, 2020
**4,5 estrelas**
É de reconhecer mérito na autora ao escrever este seu primeiro livro, em 1974. O tema é controverso e ao desmistificar a diferença desta forma singela, com verdade e sensibilidade, colocando na balança todos os prós e contras, mas sobrepondo o superior interesse de si próprio e do outro, da felicidade e estabilidade sem preocupação pelas mentes mesquinhas dos outros, é só por si fascinante.
As pessoas tendencialmente falam, bisbilhotam, sempre... tal e qual a história do "Velho, o Menino e o Burro": quer vá a criança montada no burro e o velho a pé, quer exactamente o contrário, quer os dois no burro, quer os dois a pé... criticam SEMPRE. Vai daí, o melhor mesmo é agirmos segundo a nossa cabeça e o nosso coração.
Bem ponderadas as coisas, tudo neste mundo é maravilhoso, excepto talvez aquilo que imaginamos e fazemos quando perdemos de vista os mais sublimes objectivos da humanidade e esquecemos os nossos valores mais básicos.
O amor é universal, existem diversas formas de amar, há apenas que respeitar essa máxima.
Um romance improvável, sem clichés, invulgar, terno e tocante.
É de reconhecer mérito na autora ao escrever este seu primeiro livro, em 1974. O tema é controverso e ao desmistificar a diferença desta forma singela, com verdade e sensibilidade, colocando na balança todos os prós e contras, mas sobrepondo o superior interesse de si próprio e do outro, da felicidade e estabilidade sem preocupação pelas mentes mesquinhas dos outros, é só por si fascinante.
As pessoas tendencialmente falam, bisbilhotam, sempre... tal e qual a história do "Velho, o Menino e o Burro": quer vá a criança montada no burro e o velho a pé, quer exactamente o contrário, quer os dois no burro, quer os dois a pé... criticam SEMPRE. Vai daí, o melhor mesmo é agirmos segundo a nossa cabeça e o nosso coração.
Bem ponderadas as coisas, tudo neste mundo é maravilhoso, excepto talvez aquilo que imaginamos e fazemos quando perdemos de vista os mais sublimes objectivos da humanidade e esquecemos os nossos valores mais básicos.
O amor é universal, existem diversas formas de amar, há apenas que respeitar essa máxima.
Um romance improvável, sem clichés, invulgar, terno e tocante.
March 19, 2015
With the recent passing of Colleen McCullough and seeing her novel 'Tim' on the Kindle Daily Deals, I thought it was time I read one of her books. Most people have heard of 'The Thorn Birds' however up until now I haven't read any of her books.
When I started reading 'Tim' I noticed my edition had been published in 2000 so I was expecting a reasonably recent setting. What I didn't realise was this novel had been originally published in 1974 so the language used was not what I was expecting. I should have guessed with the novel starting out with two women emptying their chamber pots - not a present day occurrence in Sydney.
At the time Colleen was writing this, I was a young boy in mid-primary school. I had forgotten that the values and beliefs of the day were different to what they are now. For example I found the constant use of the word retard disturbing, the addressing of adults as Mr, Miss or Mrs strange, women in their forties having grey hair and being considered old not making sense (I realise that women in their forties still have grey hair, they just cover it up better these days) and the ockerisms just didn't sit right with me. But then I realised the setting was in the early seventies and that the character Mary Horton would be three years older than my mother was at the time. As such, I was able to feel comfortable with the setting and the style of writing.
The main story is about the love that develops between Mary, a 43 year old spinster, and Tim, a young man with the body of a Greek god but the IQ of a child. There are other love stories within the book, the love of Tim's parents for each other, the friendship of Mary and her employer and the caring nature of Mary's neighbour.
On the surface, Mary seemed to be the one constantly giving of herself with Tim taking from her however without Tim, Mary would not have grown and flourished from her grey world to a world of colour. Mary had to overcome the prejudices of the time but when I think of it, they are still the prejudices of today. The only thing that has changed is the need to marry to maintain respectability. The age difference and the perception of taking advantage of a disabled person remains.
It is a story of the innocence and vulnerability of Tim and the pure intentions of others clashing with prejudice and their natural instincts, however buried they may have been. The intentions were not always the right ones but they were always intended in the best interest of Tim. I found jealousy to be an emotion that was explored in several places - the jealousy of Tim's sister of the attention given to Tim and Tim's jealousy of the attention Mary gave to his father.
Colleen McCullough had me hooked right from the first page. I can't remember the last time I finished an average sized novel in a matter of hours but I did it with this one.
I finished the book infused with a feeling of warmth and love. I have a fair bit of the cynic in me and tend to erect barriers between myself and the outside world but this book left me feeling good. A lot like that warm blanket you pull up around your ears on a cool, crisp morning.
I feel sad that we have lost Colleen and are deprived of more of her words and stories. Where do all those unwritten stories go, the ones that were floating around in her imagination? Such a loss.
We should be grateful however that we have the ones we do and they will live on in her memory. I will be reading more of her books.
When I started reading 'Tim' I noticed my edition had been published in 2000 so I was expecting a reasonably recent setting. What I didn't realise was this novel had been originally published in 1974 so the language used was not what I was expecting. I should have guessed with the novel starting out with two women emptying their chamber pots - not a present day occurrence in Sydney.
At the time Colleen was writing this, I was a young boy in mid-primary school. I had forgotten that the values and beliefs of the day were different to what they are now. For example I found the constant use of the word retard disturbing, the addressing of adults as Mr, Miss or Mrs strange, women in their forties having grey hair and being considered old not making sense (I realise that women in their forties still have grey hair, they just cover it up better these days) and the ockerisms just didn't sit right with me. But then I realised the setting was in the early seventies and that the character Mary Horton would be three years older than my mother was at the time. As such, I was able to feel comfortable with the setting and the style of writing.
The main story is about the love that develops between Mary, a 43 year old spinster, and Tim, a young man with the body of a Greek god but the IQ of a child. There are other love stories within the book, the love of Tim's parents for each other, the friendship of Mary and her employer and the caring nature of Mary's neighbour.
On the surface, Mary seemed to be the one constantly giving of herself with Tim taking from her however without Tim, Mary would not have grown and flourished from her grey world to a world of colour. Mary had to overcome the prejudices of the time but when I think of it, they are still the prejudices of today. The only thing that has changed is the need to marry to maintain respectability. The age difference and the perception of taking advantage of a disabled person remains.
It is a story of the innocence and vulnerability of Tim and the pure intentions of others clashing with prejudice and their natural instincts, however buried they may have been. The intentions were not always the right ones but they were always intended in the best interest of Tim. I found jealousy to be an emotion that was explored in several places - the jealousy of Tim's sister of the attention given to Tim and Tim's jealousy of the attention Mary gave to his father.
Colleen McCullough had me hooked right from the first page. I can't remember the last time I finished an average sized novel in a matter of hours but I did it with this one.
I finished the book infused with a feeling of warmth and love. I have a fair bit of the cynic in me and tend to erect barriers between myself and the outside world but this book left me feeling good. A lot like that warm blanket you pull up around your ears on a cool, crisp morning.
I feel sad that we have lost Colleen and are deprived of more of her words and stories. Where do all those unwritten stories go, the ones that were floating around in her imagination? Such a loss.
We should be grateful however that we have the ones we do and they will live on in her memory. I will be reading more of her books.
January 11, 2023
Да се избере през 70-те години герой със забавено умствено развитие е смело решение от страна на Маккълоу. В едно модернизиращо се общество като австралийското тогава възможностите са все повече. Но отношението към различните често е толкова атавистично, че изостава с хилядолетни темпове спрямо технологичния напредък.
Когато се срещнат крас��в, млад, но умствено изостанал мъж и леко сурова, успешна жена на средна възраст, пропуснала голяма част от собственото си емоционално развитие някъде по пътя, това е гаранция за тежка, силна история. И историята тук наистина е такава. Предрасъдъците са лесни, а грижата често изглежда странно, екзотично, даже някак обидно на околните, доволстващи в мързела си и в гласовитото си “всезнание”, което се приема за обществено “мнение”.
Маккълоу е изградила с много топлота и любов своя Тим. Той е едно от най-добрите и мили същества, населявали сюжет. По отношение на Мери не съм толкова убедена. Тя донякъде е продукт на времето си, както и самата писателка. Маккълоу съвсем сериозно съпоставя хората със забавено развитие с животни, при това в реплика на психолог. Също така сериозно е убедена, че жените над 40 раждат общо взето само уродливо потомство, какво явно е и лекарското мнение от 70-те. Самата Маккълоу е успешен учен, така че това ми се видя странно, но е силно застъпено. Също така във втората половина имаше твърде много удобни сюжетни обрати, твърде лесно и без грам съмнения се случиха някои събития, а някои герои крайно “удобно” скачаха от една крайност в друга без преход, само за да ускорят действието.
Тим спаси историята - той просто си остана прекрасно скъпоценно камъче, цялото изградено само от обич и топлота. Доста интересни въпроси са повдигнати. Книгата е филмирана два пъти, първият път с Мел Гибсън, ще е интересно да се види.
Когато се срещнат крас��в, млад, но умствено изостанал мъж и леко сурова, успешна жена на средна възраст, пропуснала голяма част от собственото си емоционално развитие някъде по пътя, това е гаранция за тежка, силна история. И историята тук наистина е такава. Предрасъдъците са лесни, а грижата често изглежда странно, екзотично, даже някак обидно на околните, доволстващи в мързела си и в гласовитото си “всезнание”, което се приема за обществено “мнение”.
Маккълоу е изградила с много топлота и любов своя Тим. Той е едно от най-добрите и мили същества, населявали сюжет. По отношение на Мери не съм толкова убедена. Тя донякъде е продукт на времето си, както и самата писателка. Маккълоу съвсем сериозно съпоставя хората със забавено развитие с животни, при това в реплика на психолог. Също така сериозно е убедена, че жените над 40 раждат общо взето само уродливо потомство, какво явно е и лекарското мнение от 70-те. Самата Маккълоу е успешен учен, така че това ми се видя странно, но е силно застъпено. Също така във втората половина имаше твърде много удобни сюжетни обрати, твърде лесно и без грам съмнения се случиха някои събития, а някои герои крайно “удобно” скачаха от една крайност в друга без преход, само за да ускорят действието.
Тим спаси историята - той просто си остана прекрасно скъпоценно камъче, цялото изградено само от обич и топлота. Доста интересни въпроси са повдигнати. Книгата е филмирана два пъти, първият път с Мел Гибсън, ще е интересно да се види.
March 29, 2023
This has dated like rotten fish. Offensive is the first word that comes to mind, am truly shocked this is still in print. Mary's fascination with Tim is tantamount to grooming. 1 star for reminding me how far we have come.
September 23, 2024
Pagrindinis šios knygos herojus Timas - minkštaprotis,nevisavertis, atsilikusio proto; jis nenutuokia kas yra moteris ir kam ji skirta, jį lengva išgąsdinti, nes jis visko bijo. Jis suaugęs vyras penkerių metų vaiko protu, jį lengva užgauti, reikia galvoti, ką jam sakai, tramdyti nekantrumą ir susierzinimą, jis žodžių nesupras, bet esmę atspės, lengvai pažeidžiamas , jam bloga tarp kitų žmonių. Jis yra tikras gražuolis ir pelnys visų skaitytojų simpatijas❤️
Ji - turtinga senmergė, kuri įsimylės Timą iš pirmo žvilgsnio, tik nedrįs sau to pripažinti. Kelis metus juos sies tik draugystė, ir globa iš jos pusės, kol vieną dieną ta draugystė išaugs į abipusę meilę.
"Tada atėjo akimirka, kai jis suprato, kad tikrai priklauso jai, kad galės eiti paskutinio, nesibaigiančio miego greta jos po žeme, saugus ir nieko nebijodamas, nes jinai bus su juo toje tamsoje amžinai. Jis nieko daugiau nebebijo, jis galutinai nugalėjo baimę supratęs, kad niekados nebus vienas. Juk visą gyvenimą ligi šiol buvo vienišas, visados išskirtas iš mąstančiųjų pasaulio, visados kažkur šalia, stebintis ir visa širdimi trokštantis įeiti į tą pasaulį, bet dabar tai nebesvarbu. Merė susijungė su juo tuo galutiniu, labiausiai raminančiu būdu. Ir jis mylėjo ją, mylėjo, mylėjo... "
Aš tikiu, kad nė vienas dar nebūsite skaitę iki šiol, tokios meilės istorijos, kaip ši, nes ji bus ypatinga, retai aprašoma, bet meilei - amžius ne kliūtis, ir dar labiau nustebsite, kad protiškai atsilikę žmonės irgi gali mylėti, ir ta meilė bus tokia nuoširdi ir tikra, ir taip vaizdžiai aprašyta, kad tiesiog neįmanoma patikėti, kad taip gyvenime dar gali būti .
Tokių žmonių kaip Timas yra labai daug tarp mūsų , kartais mes jų net nepastebime, o kitiems tenka su jais turėti artimus giminystės ryšius, svarbiausia, kaip ir knygoje buvo parašyta, suteikti jiems meilės, šilumos ir mokyti, kaip išgyventi šiame pasaulyje.
Labai labai rekomenduoju perskaityti❤️
Ji - turtinga senmergė, kuri įsimylės Timą iš pirmo žvilgsnio, tik nedrįs sau to pripažinti. Kelis metus juos sies tik draugystė, ir globa iš jos pusės, kol vieną dieną ta draugystė išaugs į abipusę meilę.
"Tada atėjo akimirka, kai jis suprato, kad tikrai priklauso jai, kad galės eiti paskutinio, nesibaigiančio miego greta jos po žeme, saugus ir nieko nebijodamas, nes jinai bus su juo toje tamsoje amžinai. Jis nieko daugiau nebebijo, jis galutinai nugalėjo baimę supratęs, kad niekados nebus vienas. Juk visą gyvenimą ligi šiol buvo vienišas, visados išskirtas iš mąstančiųjų pasaulio, visados kažkur šalia, stebintis ir visa širdimi trokštantis įeiti į tą pasaulį, bet dabar tai nebesvarbu. Merė susijungė su juo tuo galutiniu, labiausiai raminančiu būdu. Ir jis mylėjo ją, mylėjo, mylėjo... "
Aš tikiu, kad nė vienas dar nebūsite skaitę iki šiol, tokios meilės istorijos, kaip ši, nes ji bus ypatinga, retai aprašoma, bet meilei - amžius ne kliūtis, ir dar labiau nustebsite, kad protiškai atsilikę žmonės irgi gali mylėti, ir ta meilė bus tokia nuoširdi ir tikra, ir taip vaizdžiai aprašyta, kad tiesiog neįmanoma patikėti, kad taip gyvenime dar gali būti .
Tokių žmonių kaip Timas yra labai daug tarp mūsų , kartais mes jų net nepastebime, o kitiems tenka su jais turėti artimus giminystės ryšius, svarbiausia, kaip ir knygoje buvo parašyta, suteikti jiems meilės, šilumos ir mokyti, kaip išgyventi šiame pasaulyje.
Labai labai rekomenduoju perskaityti❤️
February 9, 2012
Tim Melville is a twenty-five year old labourer who is “not the full quid” (as he describes himself), yet he has the body and face of a Greek God. Mary Horton is forty-three, an emotionally brittle woman who lives alone in an upmarket Sydney suburb with no plans to let anybody into her inner sphere. They meet by chance one summer morning and so unfolds a touching story of friendship and ultimately love in 1970s suburbia.
Similar to The Thorn Birds, this is a book I first read as a teenager and hadn’t re-read for many years. Yet as soon as I started reading it again for the AWW2012 challenge, I remembered why I initially loved it so much. I think what I enjoyed the most about it was its simplicity – it is a much smaller book than the Thorn Birds with many less elements (and characters), yet it draws you in just as much (maybe ever more). Tim is actually Colleen McCullough’s first novel, written several years before The Thorn Birds.
The authors skill in depicting Australia and Australian people is what first shines in this story. The opening scene is a building site on a suburban house in the 1970s and you are immediately transported there – from the references of “smoko” and the “old girl” living next door – it is just right on the money. She also perfectly captures dialogue (some of which has changed since the 1970s) but totally accurate for that time. I really loved some of the sayings of Mary’s boss Archie – in fact his reference to ‘Sweet Bartlett Pears’ gave me flashbacks to my childhood and the brown tin the pears used to come in (anybody else remember that??).The other thing that shines is how Colleen McCullough captures everyday people – in this case an average, working class family.
You can almost feel the walls coming down from Mary brick by brick as she realises that Tim is so uncomplicated that there is nothing for her to fear. Her horrible childhood has taught her not to trust people, but through Tim she learns that skill. To everybody else she is plain and uninteresting, but to Tim she is beautiful and exciting – and that knowledge ignites the spirit buried deep inside her and makes her realise that she is worthy of being loved.
Tim is an unconventional love story that will make you realise there is good in the world and that ultimately everybody wants to be loved – in whatever way works for them. A simple but compelling book Tim is definitely worth a read.
Similar to The Thorn Birds, this is a book I first read as a teenager and hadn’t re-read for many years. Yet as soon as I started reading it again for the AWW2012 challenge, I remembered why I initially loved it so much. I think what I enjoyed the most about it was its simplicity – it is a much smaller book than the Thorn Birds with many less elements (and characters), yet it draws you in just as much (maybe ever more). Tim is actually Colleen McCullough’s first novel, written several years before The Thorn Birds.
The authors skill in depicting Australia and Australian people is what first shines in this story. The opening scene is a building site on a suburban house in the 1970s and you are immediately transported there – from the references of “smoko” and the “old girl” living next door – it is just right on the money. She also perfectly captures dialogue (some of which has changed since the 1970s) but totally accurate for that time. I really loved some of the sayings of Mary’s boss Archie – in fact his reference to ‘Sweet Bartlett Pears’ gave me flashbacks to my childhood and the brown tin the pears used to come in (anybody else remember that??).The other thing that shines is how Colleen McCullough captures everyday people – in this case an average, working class family.
You can almost feel the walls coming down from Mary brick by brick as she realises that Tim is so uncomplicated that there is nothing for her to fear. Her horrible childhood has taught her not to trust people, but through Tim she learns that skill. To everybody else she is plain and uninteresting, but to Tim she is beautiful and exciting – and that knowledge ignites the spirit buried deep inside her and makes her realise that she is worthy of being loved.
Tim is an unconventional love story that will make you realise there is good in the world and that ultimately everybody wants to be loved – in whatever way works for them. A simple but compelling book Tim is definitely worth a read.
November 8, 2017
A história é simples e a premissa foi bem colocada. A leitura deste livro leva-nos a reflectir sobre um assunto tabu. Será um verdadeiro amor ou um amor por pena? Quero acreditar que seja amor e que ambos sabem o que sentem.
Apesar de Tim ter um atraso, isso não o impede de amar. Ser doente não significa não ter direito de amar e hoje em dia, estar ou ser doente significa viver sob a pena da sociedade. Eles também têm o direito de ser felizes e de amar e ser amados.
No fim do livro há uma situação que deixa Mary encavacada, no entanto não a magoa - mas eu fiquei. Como é que há pessoas tão mal intencionadas. Não julguem as pessoas pela aparência ou pela sua incapacidade. Conheçam-nas primeiro antes de julgarem.7
Opinião no blog
http://devaneiosdatim.blogspot.pt/201...
Apesar de Tim ter um atraso, isso não o impede de amar. Ser doente não significa não ter direito de amar e hoje em dia, estar ou ser doente significa viver sob a pena da sociedade. Eles também têm o direito de ser felizes e de amar e ser amados.
No fim do livro há uma situação que deixa Mary encavacada, no entanto não a magoa - mas eu fiquei. Como é que há pessoas tão mal intencionadas. Não julguem as pessoas pela aparência ou pela sua incapacidade. Conheçam-nas primeiro antes de julgarem.7
Opinião no blog
http://devaneiosdatim.blogspot.pt/201...
May 19, 2016
Adorei, adorei!! É um romance de uma sensibilidade e de uma beleza fora do comum, tal como os seus personagens.
Colleen McCullough é uma escritora Australiana, falecida em Janeiro de 2015 aos 77 anos, e este livro foi editado pela primeira vez em 1974, três anos antes de "Pássaros Feridos", que tenho igualmente curiosidade em ler.
Fiquei rendida à sua escrita fluida e mágica, que mexeu comigo de uma forma inesperada através das reflexões dos próprios personagens, dos seus sentimentos e receios. Mais do que um romance, este livro é um manual para a vida: as pessoas não precisam ser perfeitas para terem direito à felicidade...
Que mais posso dizer?! Leiam...
Colleen McCullough é uma escritora Australiana, falecida em Janeiro de 2015 aos 77 anos, e este livro foi editado pela primeira vez em 1974, três anos antes de "Pássaros Feridos", que tenho igualmente curiosidade em ler.
Fiquei rendida à sua escrita fluida e mágica, que mexeu comigo de uma forma inesperada através das reflexões dos próprios personagens, dos seus sentimentos e receios. Mais do que um romance, este livro é um manual para a vida: as pessoas não precisam ser perfeitas para terem direito à felicidade...
Que mais posso dizer?! Leiam...
April 29, 2016
با تو شاید که اسم اصلیش " تیم" ه، یکی از کتاباییه که داستانش رو هرگز نمی تونم فراموش کنم. ماجرای غیرمعمولی وابستگی یه زن میانسال و سخت گیر که تو زندگیحرفه ایش به شدت موفق و در زندگی شخصیش، شدیدا تنهاست، به پسر جوان بی نهایت زیبایی که از مشکلات ذهنی رنج می بره
کتاب درباره ی کنار گذاشتن دیگران از زندگی تونه. اگر می دونید و باور دارید که دارید تو راه درست قدم برمی دارید، این باید برای شما و هرکسی که شما رو دوست داره کافی باشه.
به علاوه قلم کالین مک کالو واقعا بی نظیره. مطمینم طرفدارای "پرنده ی خارزار" در این مورد با من موافقن
کتاب درباره ی کنار گذاشتن دیگران از زندگی تونه. اگر می دونید و باور دارید که دارید تو راه درست قدم برمی دارید، این باید برای شما و هرکسی که شما رو دوست داره کافی باشه.
به علاوه قلم کالین مک کالو واقعا بی نظیره. مطمینم طرفدارای "پرنده ی خارزار" در این مورد با من موافقن
July 1, 2017
Early on in the story the main character, Tim, inadvertantly eats a shit sandwich, this is a good metaphor for my experience of reading this book.
April 28, 2008
a most unusual but believable love story. Not only do the main characters ring true but they are surrounded by equally believable supporting characters. I loved Tim's mum! And the Australian landscape was beautifully evoked. A remarkable book.
August 4, 2016
¿Qué es mejor: ser listo o tener suerte?
Mary Horton es una alta ejecutiva de 43 años, vive sola en uno de los barrios más lujosos de Sydney. Huérfana desde muy joven, ha consagrado su vida al trabajo. Un día, sin embargo, se encuentra con Tim, y esa vida monótona y vacía cambia drásticamente. Tim Melville es un joven de clase media, peón obrero, con familia y amigos que le adoran. Pero no es sólo la edad o la posición social lo que los separa, sino también la mentalidad. Sin saber muy bien por qué, Mary siente una atracción hacia ese joven, se siente hechizada por Tim, un joven de una belleza arrobadora pero con una inteligencia que no le hace justicia. En un principio fue su gran atractivo lo que la sedujo, y más tarde, al darse cuenta de su discapacidad, su carácter y su forma de ser, lo que le hace querer protegerlo, porque Tim es tan inocente y se le ve tan desamparado como a un niño pequeño, frágil, delicado, desprotegido. La inocencia pura.
Y es que la originalidad de este personaje y lo que le hace tan especial es que Tim tiene una inteligencia limitada, su comportamiento es el de un niño pequeño, sus palabras y vocabulario, muy sencillos, su razonamiento, muy elemental. Pero, aunque piense como un niño, siente como un hombre. Tiene instinto de hombre y corazón de hombre. Es una curiosa combinación, pero realmente irresistible.
El libro trata del desarrollo de la relación Mary-Tim, apenas hay hechos y sucesos, pero sí que está lleno de encuentros, desencuentros, sentimientos, descubrimientos de esos mismos sentimientos, dilemas, dudas, miedos, luchas de conciencia, la presión social, remordimientos, amistad, compasión, atracción, amor...
“Tim” es el primer libro de McCullough, el inicio de una larga lista de novelas que lanzó a esta escritora a la fama. Es un libro muy cortito y muy sencillito, que se lee con fluidez y toca la fibra sensible, realmente memorable. Esta novela la conseguí en una oferta de intercambio que encontré en una biblioteca. Al ser de McCullough y llevar tiempo buscándolo, me faltó tiempo para llevármelo. Y lo cierto es que fue el mejor negocio que he hecho hasta ahora. No sólo conseguí un libro completamente gratis, sino que además encontré una historia que no tiene precio. De los que he leído hasta ahora de McCullough, es de los que más me han gustado, una verdadera delicia. El tema de la edad y la mentalidad está tratado con mucho tacto y conocimiento de causa, porque además McCullough es neuróloga. Siempre lo lleva con sencillez y una gran dignidad, mostrando la realidad tal como es, pero de una manera delicada y muy dulce.
Entiendo que el hecho de que el protagonista sea retrasado mental puede echar para atrás a más de una lectora de novela romántica, acostumbradas como estamos a superhombres inteligentes y atractivos y demás pero os aseguro que Tim está a la altura, es tan entrañable y querido como podría serlo cualquiera de los héroes más emblemáticos del género, y se lo gana a pulso, de forma suave y sutil, pero arrolladora. Es una persona alegre y sencilla, que se mueve en un entorno difícil al que consiguió adaptarse gracias a la ayuda de sus padres y su hermana Dawnie, que le quieren con locura pero que se preocupan terriblemente por su futuro. Es un personaje fuerte pero frágil, no entiende el entorno en el que se mueve ni las intenciones de los que están a su alrededor, pero sabe que él es el eslabón más débil, sabe que la víctima siempre es él, pero no sabe cómo ni por qué. No sabe lo que es la defensa, por lo que Mary no puede defenderse, no sabe lo que es llevar una relación por lo que tampoco entiende lo que son las dudas ni los dilemas, aquellos que se generan por el desacuerdo entre la mente y el corazón. Tiene las cosas muy claras pero al mismo tiempo se siente inseguro, y no encuentra explicaciones para esas dudas. Mary es la que sostiene el equilibrio, la que mantiene la situación bajo control, es ella la que trata de dirigir la relación a buen puerto, pues Tim no entiende lo que siente y por eso le cuesta expresarlo. Es muy tierno oírle decir que Mary le gusta, pero que le gusta más que su hermana Dawnie, su madre y su padre, pero de forma diferente. Por supuesto, al final descubre que lo que quería decir desde el principio es el “Te amo”, pero no sabía cómo.
McCullough se atreve, y mira si lo hace, a escribir una historia totalmente diferente y arriesgada que podría cojear en muchos puntos, pero lo logra con un estilo tal que no puedes menos que sumergirte en la lectura. Vale que la historia sea un poco increíble y que haya escasas probabilidades de que se dé en la realidad. Es la “parte buena” de la discapacidad, me refiero a las relaciones con los demás y el entorno, al igual que el autismo en la película “Rain man” o la sordera en “Hijos de un dios menor”. Este libro rompe con todos los moldes del género, pero es una historia de amor preciosa, muy dulce y muy tierna. “Tim” es una historia distinta, original, innovadora, inolvidable.
En resumen, es un libro sencillo, sin pretensiones, con una historia tierna y emotiva, un personaje que es la viva encarnación de la pura inocencia, inolvidable, vulnerable, pero al fin y al cabo, un carácter con mucha fuerza. Ha conseguido un lugar entre mis joyitas. McCullough es infalible.
Mary Horton es una alta ejecutiva de 43 años, vive sola en uno de los barrios más lujosos de Sydney. Huérfana desde muy joven, ha consagrado su vida al trabajo. Un día, sin embargo, se encuentra con Tim, y esa vida monótona y vacía cambia drásticamente. Tim Melville es un joven de clase media, peón obrero, con familia y amigos que le adoran. Pero no es sólo la edad o la posición social lo que los separa, sino también la mentalidad. Sin saber muy bien por qué, Mary siente una atracción hacia ese joven, se siente hechizada por Tim, un joven de una belleza arrobadora pero con una inteligencia que no le hace justicia. En un principio fue su gran atractivo lo que la sedujo, y más tarde, al darse cuenta de su discapacidad, su carácter y su forma de ser, lo que le hace querer protegerlo, porque Tim es tan inocente y se le ve tan desamparado como a un niño pequeño, frágil, delicado, desprotegido. La inocencia pura.
Y es que la originalidad de este personaje y lo que le hace tan especial es que Tim tiene una inteligencia limitada, su comportamiento es el de un niño pequeño, sus palabras y vocabulario, muy sencillos, su razonamiento, muy elemental. Pero, aunque piense como un niño, siente como un hombre. Tiene instinto de hombre y corazón de hombre. Es una curiosa combinación, pero realmente irresistible.
El libro trata del desarrollo de la relación Mary-Tim, apenas hay hechos y sucesos, pero sí que está lleno de encuentros, desencuentros, sentimientos, descubrimientos de esos mismos sentimientos, dilemas, dudas, miedos, luchas de conciencia, la presión social, remordimientos, amistad, compasión, atracción, amor...
“Tim” es el primer libro de McCullough, el inicio de una larga lista de novelas que lanzó a esta escritora a la fama. Es un libro muy cortito y muy sencillito, que se lee con fluidez y toca la fibra sensible, realmente memorable. Esta novela la conseguí en una oferta de intercambio que encontré en una biblioteca. Al ser de McCullough y llevar tiempo buscándolo, me faltó tiempo para llevármelo. Y lo cierto es que fue el mejor negocio que he hecho hasta ahora. No sólo conseguí un libro completamente gratis, sino que además encontré una historia que no tiene precio. De los que he leído hasta ahora de McCullough, es de los que más me han gustado, una verdadera delicia. El tema de la edad y la mentalidad está tratado con mucho tacto y conocimiento de causa, porque además McCullough es neuróloga. Siempre lo lleva con sencillez y una gran dignidad, mostrando la realidad tal como es, pero de una manera delicada y muy dulce.
Entiendo que el hecho de que el protagonista sea retrasado mental puede echar para atrás a más de una lectora de novela romántica, acostumbradas como estamos a superhombres inteligentes y atractivos y demás pero os aseguro que Tim está a la altura, es tan entrañable y querido como podría serlo cualquiera de los héroes más emblemáticos del género, y se lo gana a pulso, de forma suave y sutil, pero arrolladora. Es una persona alegre y sencilla, que se mueve en un entorno difícil al que consiguió adaptarse gracias a la ayuda de sus padres y su hermana Dawnie, que le quieren con locura pero que se preocupan terriblemente por su futuro. Es un personaje fuerte pero frágil, no entiende el entorno en el que se mueve ni las intenciones de los que están a su alrededor, pero sabe que él es el eslabón más débil, sabe que la víctima siempre es él, pero no sabe cómo ni por qué. No sabe lo que es la defensa, por lo que Mary no puede defenderse, no sabe lo que es llevar una relación por lo que tampoco entiende lo que son las dudas ni los dilemas, aquellos que se generan por el desacuerdo entre la mente y el corazón. Tiene las cosas muy claras pero al mismo tiempo se siente inseguro, y no encuentra explicaciones para esas dudas. Mary es la que sostiene el equilibrio, la que mantiene la situación bajo control, es ella la que trata de dirigir la relación a buen puerto, pues Tim no entiende lo que siente y por eso le cuesta expresarlo. Es muy tierno oírle decir que Mary le gusta, pero que le gusta más que su hermana Dawnie, su madre y su padre, pero de forma diferente. Por supuesto, al final descubre que lo que quería decir desde el principio es el “Te amo”, pero no sabía cómo.
McCullough se atreve, y mira si lo hace, a escribir una historia totalmente diferente y arriesgada que podría cojear en muchos puntos, pero lo logra con un estilo tal que no puedes menos que sumergirte en la lectura. Vale que la historia sea un poco increíble y que haya escasas probabilidades de que se dé en la realidad. Es la “parte buena” de la discapacidad, me refiero a las relaciones con los demás y el entorno, al igual que el autismo en la película “Rain man” o la sordera en “Hijos de un dios menor”. Este libro rompe con todos los moldes del género, pero es una historia de amor preciosa, muy dulce y muy tierna. “Tim” es una historia distinta, original, innovadora, inolvidable.
En resumen, es un libro sencillo, sin pretensiones, con una historia tierna y emotiva, un personaje que es la viva encarnación de la pura inocencia, inolvidable, vulnerable, pero al fin y al cabo, un carácter con mucha fuerza. Ha conseguido un lugar entre mis joyitas. McCullough es infalible.
September 4, 2021
Grāmata par pusmūža sievietes un garīgi atpalikuša 25-gadīga vīrieša mīlestību. Jāatzīst, ka mani līdz galam nepārliecināja un es nenoticēju. Tā notiek tikai pasakās, bet varbūt esmu pārāk ciniska.
Tomēr dodu četras zvaigznes, jo kas par valodu! Tik skaista un bagātīga.
Tomēr dodu četras zvaigznes, jo kas par valodu! Tik skaista un bagātīga.
October 23, 2014
There are no words to describe this wonderful and moving novel. Yes, it maybe a bit outdated, but the character of Tim has so much heart and goodness in him, that most readers will wish he was real so they could take him home.
Tim is a somewhat mentally handicapped 25 year old (think Forrest Gump). He lives with his mother, father and sister and basically just works and lives a simple life. He lives this simple life because that is what everybody thinks he is limited to. Until Mary comes along....
Mary is a 40 something spinster, who likes order and no confusion. She lives in her own simple life also till Tim enters it. At first it looks like an employee to employer and then mother to son, then friend to friend. It becomes so much more complicated as their feelings grow into something more. But many things are against them, the age difference, their lifestyles and most importantly, Tim's mental capacity.
Through Tim's outlook on life, Mary comes out of her shell and finally enjoys what is around her. She helps Tim feel important and learn so much more then he was ever able to understand.
This story becomes so much more than an enduring love between a man and a woman. We see two lost soul who equal each other in so many ways.
The only thing missing is a much longer book, or even a sequel to see how Mary and Tim have succeeded.
So beautiful and poignant!!
Tim is a somewhat mentally handicapped 25 year old (think Forrest Gump). He lives with his mother, father and sister and basically just works and lives a simple life. He lives this simple life because that is what everybody thinks he is limited to. Until Mary comes along....
Mary is a 40 something spinster, who likes order and no confusion. She lives in her own simple life also till Tim enters it. At first it looks like an employee to employer and then mother to son, then friend to friend. It becomes so much more complicated as their feelings grow into something more. But many things are against them, the age difference, their lifestyles and most importantly, Tim's mental capacity.
Through Tim's outlook on life, Mary comes out of her shell and finally enjoys what is around her. She helps Tim feel important and learn so much more then he was ever able to understand.
This story becomes so much more than an enduring love between a man and a woman. We see two lost soul who equal each other in so many ways.
The only thing missing is a much longer book, or even a sequel to see how Mary and Tim have succeeded.
So beautiful and poignant!!
June 2, 2012
YOU GUISE. READ THIS BOOK. JUST FREAKING READ IT.
I was mindlessly carousing along my school library's bookshelves, waiting for my next lecture and out of curiosity or perhaps mild interest, I picked out this book. I remember thinking to myself that this book must have been published quite a long time ago. I read the summary and decided to take a seat and read it.
Guess what? I was instantaneously hooked by it. The author's writing is just perfect and it flows so damn well. I love her writing ALOT. I was late, very late, for lecture because of this. I mean, come on, give me a slack man. I don't really like reading stories that has an older heroine and a younger hero. But this book is just exceptional, it was THAT good okayyyyy.
I love Tim and Mary, they're really perfect for each other. Enough said. Oh and I love love loveeeee a sentence in this book and it's from Tim's point of view: "And love her, love her, love her......"
For a man that has a child's mind, I say he's a sweetheart. This story moves me emotionally and I love it. So, you all should really read this book. Really. Like now.
Have a great day everyone. :)
I was mindlessly carousing along my school library's bookshelves, waiting for my next lecture and out of curiosity or perhaps mild interest, I picked out this book. I remember thinking to myself that this book must have been published quite a long time ago. I read the summary and decided to take a seat and read it.
Guess what? I was instantaneously hooked by it. The author's writing is just perfect and it flows so damn well. I love her writing ALOT. I was late, very late, for lecture because of this. I mean, come on, give me a slack man. I don't really like reading stories that has an older heroine and a younger hero. But this book is just exceptional, it was THAT good okayyyyy.
I love Tim and Mary, they're really perfect for each other. Enough said. Oh and I love love loveeeee a sentence in this book and it's from Tim's point of view: "And love her, love her, love her......"
For a man that has a child's mind, I say he's a sweetheart. This story moves me emotionally and I love it. So, you all should really read this book. Really. Like now.
Have a great day everyone. :)
September 24, 2020
Man sunkoka įvertinti šią knygą.. Tai neįprasta istorija. Gera. Labai jautri tema. Šeimos santykiai, prabundanti meilė. Visiškas moters atsidavimas, pagalba, kantrybė, pasiryžimas.. Tėvų skausmas.. Knygoje gražūs dialogai, daug išminties. Sunku vertinti, nes skaudu skaityti apie žmones turinčius negalią. Bet šioje knygoje viskas taip gražiai parašyta.. Ką išgyvena artimiausieji ir kaip reaguoja bei elgiasi aplinkiniai. Istorija verčia susimąstyti. Man patiko visi knygos personažai.
🖋️ Kartais mes pamilstame žmones, kuriuos sutinkame, kartais nepamilstame žmonių, kuriuos sutinkame, bet juos pažinti yra pats svarbiausias dalykas gyvenime, per tai mes ir esame žmonės.
🖋️ ...sunkiausiai išsprendžiamos tos problemos, kurios nepalieka vietos svajonei.
🖋️ Kai kurie žmonės pabunda tik pusę gyvenimo nugyvenę.
🖋️ Kartais didžiausi atstumai yra niekis <...> jie sumažėja iki trumpučio tylos mirksnio tarp dviejų širdies dūžių.
🖋️ Kartais mes pamilstame žmones, kuriuos sutinkame, kartais nepamilstame žmonių, kuriuos sutinkame, bet juos pažinti yra pats svarbiausias dalykas gyvenime, per tai mes ir esame žmonės.
🖋️ ...sunkiausiai išsprendžiamos tos problemos, kurios nepalieka vietos svajonei.
🖋️ Kai kurie žmonės pabunda tik pusę gyvenimo nugyvenę.
🖋️ Kartais didžiausi atstumai yra niekis <...> jie sumažėja iki trumpučio tylos mirksnio tarp dviejų širdies dūžių.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews