Things As They Are

Things As They Are chronicles eight-year-old Richard's experiences growing up in early 20th century New York state. Through Richard's perspective, the narrative captures the transition from childhood innocence to a growing awareness of the adult world. The story follows a year in Richard's life as he encounters various members of his family and community, including his parents, servants, teachers, and neighbors. His observations and interactions reveal the social dynamics, class distinctions, and cultural expectations of his time and place. The setting shifts between Richard's home life with his upper-middle-class family and his ventures into the broader community through school, church, and local gatherings. Each episode builds upon previous experiences as Richard navigates relationships and attempts to understand the complexities of human behavior. The novel examines themes of perception versus reality, the loss of innocence, and the ways children construct meaning from the adult world around them. Through Richard's fresh yet limited understanding, Horgan creates a portrait of how truth and knowledge emerge gradually through lived experience.

The book has limited online reader reviews, with most appearing several years ago. On Goodreads, it maintains a 3.5/5 rating from 15 ratings. Readers appreciate Horgan's intimate character portraits and his depiction of Richard's struggles with faith, family and identity. Multiple reviews note the realistic portrayal of a child's perspective and inner world. One reader cited the "beautiful prose and deep insights into human nature." Common criticisms focus on the book's pacing, with several readers finding the narrative slow and meandering at times. A few mention that the Catholic themes and religious questioning may not resonate with all readers. Goodreads: 3.5/5 (15 ratings, 2 reviews) Amazon: No current ratings or reviews LibraryThing: 3.0/5 (2 ratings, 0 reviews) Due to the book's age and limited availability, comprehensive review data from recent years is sparse online.

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🌵 Paul Horgan won both the Pulitzer Prize for History and the Bancroft Prize—a rare double honor—though not for this particular book. His winning works focused on the American Southwest. 📚 Things As They Are is a coming-of-age novel that draws heavily from Horgan's own childhood experiences in upstate New York during the early 1900s. 🎭 The book is structured as a series of interconnected episodes rather than a traditional linear narrative, allowing readers to experience the protagonist's growth through carefully crafted moments and memories. ✍️ Although Horgan wrote more than 40 books in his lifetime, he was also an accomplished visual artist who illustrated several of his own works. 🎓 Despite his prolific writing career and eventual academic success, Horgan never completed college, dropping out of the Eastman School of Music where he had initially planned to study singing.