Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
To Paradise
To Paradise is a 2022 novel by American novelist Hanya Yanagihara. The book, Yanagihara's third, takes place in an alternate version of New York City, and has three sections, respectively set in 1893, 1993, and 2093. Though a bestseller, the novel received mixed reviews from critics.
In 1893 David Bingham is the 27-year-old high-strung grandson of Nathaniel Bingham, a founder of the Free States. The Free States permit same-sex marriage, white women have the right to education and can vote, but the Free States deny Black people citizenship.
David worries about remaining a bachelor all his life. He is introduced to Charles Griffiths, a middle-aged tradesman, in the hope they will marry. Around the same time, David meets a piano teacher at the school where he volunteers, Edward Bishop. David is immediately attracted to Edward and begins to seek him out. The two quickly enter into a love affair though it is broken off when Edward returns home. During Edward's absence, David allows himself to be courted by Charles, engaging in a sexual relationship with him. However, when Edward returns with poor excuses for his absence, David abruptly cuts Charles off.
Edward suggests that David run away with him to California, where homosexuality is illegal but where he has the prospect of running a silk farm. David agrees, but when he confesses to his grandfather, his grandfather reveals that he has had Edward investigated and found he is a conman and thief who has seduced wealthy men. Nevertheless, David decides to turn his back on his family and his grandfather disowns him.
In 1993 David Bingham is a 25-year-old paralegal descended from Hawaiian royalty who has chosen to turn his back on his heritage and lives in New York City with Charles Griffiths, a wealthy older lawyer. The two are deeply affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic, with Charles being a dormant carrier and many of his friends dying.
David keeps his heritage a secret from Charles. In an extended flashback David's father, also named David and now in confinement at a care home, reflects on his lonely childhood as the heir to a broken dynasty and how his friend Edward encouraged him to join the Hawaiian independence movement believing that they could one day restore the monarchy, to the detriment of his relationship with his son and his own mother. Encouraged by Edward, the older David eventually moves to Lipo-Wao-Nahele, a worthless piece of land he owns through his grandfather though they are neither able to develop the land nor motivate any followers.
In 2093 after a series of pandemics, America has descended into a fascistic state. Charlie Griffiths, a childhood survivor of one pandemic, has been left physically scarred from the disease and suffers from an emotional impairment from the medicine taken to survive it.
In letters to his British friend Peter, Charlie's grandfather Charles Griffiths details his move to the U.S. from Hawaii, the devolution of his marriage, and his increasingly unhappy relationship with his son as well as tracking his career from an influential scientist to later influential statesman to eventual victim of the state.
Hub AI
To Paradise AI simulator
(@To Paradise_simulator)
To Paradise
To Paradise is a 2022 novel by American novelist Hanya Yanagihara. The book, Yanagihara's third, takes place in an alternate version of New York City, and has three sections, respectively set in 1893, 1993, and 2093. Though a bestseller, the novel received mixed reviews from critics.
In 1893 David Bingham is the 27-year-old high-strung grandson of Nathaniel Bingham, a founder of the Free States. The Free States permit same-sex marriage, white women have the right to education and can vote, but the Free States deny Black people citizenship.
David worries about remaining a bachelor all his life. He is introduced to Charles Griffiths, a middle-aged tradesman, in the hope they will marry. Around the same time, David meets a piano teacher at the school where he volunteers, Edward Bishop. David is immediately attracted to Edward and begins to seek him out. The two quickly enter into a love affair though it is broken off when Edward returns home. During Edward's absence, David allows himself to be courted by Charles, engaging in a sexual relationship with him. However, when Edward returns with poor excuses for his absence, David abruptly cuts Charles off.
Edward suggests that David run away with him to California, where homosexuality is illegal but where he has the prospect of running a silk farm. David agrees, but when he confesses to his grandfather, his grandfather reveals that he has had Edward investigated and found he is a conman and thief who has seduced wealthy men. Nevertheless, David decides to turn his back on his family and his grandfather disowns him.
In 1993 David Bingham is a 25-year-old paralegal descended from Hawaiian royalty who has chosen to turn his back on his heritage and lives in New York City with Charles Griffiths, a wealthy older lawyer. The two are deeply affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic, with Charles being a dormant carrier and many of his friends dying.
David keeps his heritage a secret from Charles. In an extended flashback David's father, also named David and now in confinement at a care home, reflects on his lonely childhood as the heir to a broken dynasty and how his friend Edward encouraged him to join the Hawaiian independence movement believing that they could one day restore the monarchy, to the detriment of his relationship with his son and his own mother. Encouraged by Edward, the older David eventually moves to Lipo-Wao-Nahele, a worthless piece of land he owns through his grandfather though they are neither able to develop the land nor motivate any followers.
In 2093 after a series of pandemics, America has descended into a fascistic state. Charlie Griffiths, a childhood survivor of one pandemic, has been left physically scarred from the disease and suffers from an emotional impairment from the medicine taken to survive it.
In letters to his British friend Peter, Charlie's grandfather Charles Griffiths details his move to the U.S. from Hawaii, the devolution of his marriage, and his increasingly unhappy relationship with his son as well as tracking his career from an influential scientist to later influential statesman to eventual victim of the state.