Heft in Bound Together

Dec 03, 2016 Annet rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: coming-of-age, dark, weird, family-ties, have-to-read-again, heartbreaking, hope, wow-impressive, new-york

Well... this was a very heartbreaking book... Recommended but do expect a sad story....although... in the end it is a hopeful story too. Emotional read.

When you read the book cover you get the idea it's all about 'former academic Arthur Opp, weighing 550 pounds', and hasn't left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Some day Yolanda comes into his life, a pregnant young lady who is hired to clean his neglected house he never leaves... and slowly his life changes. But really the centre of the Well... this was a very heartbreaking book... Recommended but do expect a sad story....although... in the end it is a hopeful story too. Emotional read.

When you read the book cover you get the idea it's all about 'former academic Arthur Opp, weighing 550 pounds', and hasn't left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Some day Yolanda comes into his life, a pregnant young lady who is hired to clean his neglected house he never leaves... and slowly his life changes. But really the centre of the book is about Kel Keller, a kid with a very sick mum. The whole story is rather sad, especially witnessing Kel getting lost along the way in the tragic events. It's hard to avoid the tears, for me anyway. All characters are in some way connected and yes, in the end it is a hopeful story. I have to be honest, in the beginning I had to get used to the way of writing of the author and doubted whether I really liked it all that much. But it got to me in the end and, those who have read my reviews, know my saying... when a book makes me cry, it's almost certainly a good book. Here's a scene from the book:

I can barely walk from my couch to the kitchen. "I gotta warn you", said Yolanda, "I'm very slow right now." "I'm slow," I said, "Too." I don't think she knew the extent to which I had not been outside. ..... Yolanda was the one to open the door. "Yum", she said. "It smells like winter." Indeed it did. When she opened the outer door too I inhaled deeply and smelled the park from where I stood: the smell of cold air & fresh things dying. A lovely lonely smell. "Come on,", said Yolanda, and I looked into her sweet face & saw my own mother. So clearly I almost wept. "Really,"I whispered, "I'm very slow." She looked down at her belly and rolled her eyes. "You and me both,", she said. "For real". ..... "Come on, Mr Arthur,"said Yolanda again.... I stepped outside. It was warm for December, just as she had said it would be. .... I was walking. Outside my house. I looked up at it just out of curiosity - I had not seen it from here for so long... ...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

This is a fascinating story, not because the story has a lot of action, but because it is so real. The characters are wonderful, Arthur who had been a college professor, but has now ballooned to over 550 lbs. and has not left his house in ten years, Kel, who is 17 and a baseball prodigy and a young woman who is pregnant instead of finishing her senior year in high school. What these characters mean to each other is the basis of this novel as well as how they change each other. Definitely makes o ...more

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Mar 12, 2021 Dem rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 Stars

A thought provoking novel, memorable characters and an excellent heart warming story at its core.

This is a book I have had on my TBR shelf for quite some time and it wasn't getting my attention until a goodreads friend recommended the audio version of the book that I decided to give it a try. A beautiful story with characters you can connect with.

This is a gentle, relaxing read and a book I enjoyed listening to out on my walks.

Arthur Opp a former academic, weighs 550 lbs. He lives ...more

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Aug 14, 2016 ☮Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: overdrive, audio, favorites, read-in-2016, hear-hear-on-bt

When I became bored with the Olympics one night, I switched over to an episode of My 600 - lb Life and have been pondering it ever since -- how someone can get up to that weight so easily, how you can eat a virtual feast by yourself but still be malnourished. (Reminds me of Henry VIII.) Fascinating stuff. It was right around then too that I happened upon the audio version of Heft and started listening to Arthur Opp's story, a very hefty gent who lives -- and eats -- alone. I sort of get him, not When I became bored with the Olympics one night, I switched over to an episode of My 600 - lb Life and have been pondering it ever since -- how someone can get up to that weight so easily, how you can eat a virtual feast by yourself but still be malnourished. (Reminds me of Henry VIII.) Fascinating stuff. It was right around then too that I happened upon the audio version of Heft and started listening to Arthur Opp's story, a very hefty gent who lives -- and eats -- alone. I sort of get him, not completely, just sort of. I could understand how that lonely, sedentary life could pack on the pounds, when grocery delivery allows you to get whatever you desire without leaving the house for ten years. FOR TEN YEARS. I admired his taste in TV shows (Cash Cab and Mad TV). His only friend in the world, Charlene, calls out of the blue one day and they agree to meet. He opens up to her about his real self and the lies he's told her, and hires a maid in preparation (think years of accumulated food containers and inch-deep dust). But Charlene never shows up and you wonder if she's turned off by his weight gain and/or lies. But at least he has a clean house, for a while. And a new friend in his maid, Yolanda (a great character!).

Switching narrators to Kel Keller, Charlene's son, we realize that she has major problems of her own and is quite lonely. Kel's narrative takes over a good portion of the book, with his single mother now a very sick woman and what that means to a popular teenager with teen angst about being liked or not, making the team or not, & applying for college or not. I waited rather impatiently for Arthur to come back, because I wondered where it was all leading.

There were some surprises along the way, but unfortunately I found a GR reviewer who spilled some of the beans before I was ready for those beans. All in all this was a very touching story about loneliness, family, and love. It feels, too, like one I will remember with fondness. Certainly any time I watch My 600 - lb Life. (On last night's episode a woman had her 54 - pound stomach cut off like a slab of beef. I just had to share.) ...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Anna rated it it was amazing

I just finished listening to the audio copy of this novel, the readers were so well suited to the characters. The story parallels between Arthur Opp, a former professor and Kel Keller, a high school baseball star. The two are tied together by Kel's mother Charlene. Charlene was a student of Arthur's many years prior. Arthur was infatuated by Charlene and this infatuation led to Arthur's losing his job. Arthur then becomes a recluse, chosing not to leave his home and now weighs 550 pounds. He cor ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Glenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-read-in-2014

Heft tells the parallel stories of Arthur Opp and Kel Keller. Arthur is a 550 pound man who hasn't left his house in years. He is a former professor living off of a trust fund. He orders everything online or has it delivered, and eats and eats. Kel is a teenage baseball prodigy with an alcoholic mother who is sick. Their stories slowly reveal a connection that keeps you quickly turning pages looking for a happy resolution for all involved.

The characters were flawed but so real and completely bel ...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Susan rated it really liked it

Heft, takes place in Brooklyn, NY. Arthur Opps is a college professor many years ago. He is now 58 years old. He is a shut in because of his weight. He weighs 550 lbs. Thanks to technology he can order his necessary items through the internet, such as his clothes, books, magazines without going out the door. He dreams about all the luscious delicacies of food. What it tastes, feels and describes them to us. He is a lonely, reclusive big man. Without any connection with anyone. He's family has pa

Heft, takes place in Brooklyn, NY. Arthur Opps is a college professor many years ago. He is now 58 years old. He is a shut in because of his weight. He weighs 550 lbs. Thanks to technology he can order his necessary items through the internet, such as his clothes, books, magazines without going out the door. He dreams about all the luscious delicacies of food. What it tastes, feels and describes them to us. He is a lonely, reclusive big man. Without any connection with anyone. He's family has passed away, without brothers, sisters, and friends to speak of. The only thing he looks forward to is letters from a student, Charlene through the years has sent to him.

While Arthur was still teaching, both him and another student Charlene found comfort with each other in their lonely lives. During the one semester while he told they become close, but not intimate.
But the school suspected that Arthur became involved with her.

Charlene and Arthur were two lost souls. Both were sad and lonely people, who spent hours talking over the course of the semester. When the class was finished, Charlene never took another course, but began to write Arthur letters. First he was rather shocked, but when he lost his job soon after, to him she seemed like the only friend he had.
Two of these lonely people found comfort in each other. They were both awkward, and different.
The letters stopped coming. But, then in present tense Charlene asked a favor of Arthur. Would you help my son, Kel Keller, a high school student. Since he is a college, or was a college professor would you help him with deciding about his future.
Arthur decides he must clean up his house before inviting Charlene and her son for a visit. He calls a cleaning agency and meets Yolanda. He need her to straighten and clean the house. He has had no reason to clean. Now that Yolanda has come to help straighten each visit. This picks up his spirits.

Then when the story alternates to present day. Charlene was the VP secretary of the high school. Charlene seems to like to be around educated people. She wants her son to grow up to be smart and go to college. Not to become a baseball pro without education.

Then when Charlene divorces her life somehow goes downhill. She starts drinking, and looses her job. She develops a chronic illness.

The story alternates between Arthur, Charlene, Kel, and Yolanda. It is like at times reading a short story. But, I did like the character development. The story at times is sad, but then puts a smile on your face. You will realize at the end when the story connects to each other. It becomes a OH-YAH moment.

Heft is about a young teen age boy, how he grows up to find himself. To understand the actions of his mother.
Heft, will make you wonder what family really is. What is a family? You will care about all these dysfunctional people with all their flaws. How they can pull it together to become whole. How these Lonely, sad people become misfit and fit with someone who cares. It is not a story that is wrapped in a pretty bow. You have to come to your own conclusions.
I loved the last paragraph:

Instead I walked to my front door& opened it. I peered out into the world. The street was quiet and nothing moved. I opened the glass outer door & walked to the outer stoop. A car rolled by, looking for parking,& for a moment I grew nervous.& excited but it was not the boy. I stood still then & put my arms about myself. O what will happen now I asked. But I was alone, and found I could not answer. ...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Diane Browne marked it as to-read

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