Wise Men

A Novel

By: Stuart Nadler

Narrated by: Bernard Setaro Clark

A wealthy lawyer and his family struggle to overcome the dark secrets of the past in this historical generational saga set in 1950s Cape Cod.

Almost overnight, Arthur Wise has become one of the wealthiest and most powerful attorneys in America. His first big purchase is a simple beach house in a place called Bluepoint, a town on the far edge of the flexed arm of Cape Cod.

It's in Bluepoint, during the summer of 1952, that Arthur's teenage son, Hilly, makes friends with Lem Dawson, a black man whose job it is to take care of the house but whose responsibilities quickly grow. When Hilly finds himself falling for Lem's niece, Savannah, his affection for her collides with his father's dark secrets. The results shatter his family, and hers.

Years later, haunted by his memories of that summer, Hilly sets out to find Savannah, in an attempt to right the wrongs he helped set in motion. But can his guilt, and his good intentions, overcome the forces of history, family, and identity?

A beautifully told multigenerational story about love and regret, Wise Men confirms that Stuart Nadler is one of the most exciting young writers at work today.

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR WISE MEN:

"Wise Men reads like a classic; it is a completely engrossing novel, one that scars the reader's heart in the most satisfying way. In confident, unpretentious prose, Nadler tackles the complexity of racial tension and fifties mores in a manner reminiscent of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, and in a smart, misses-nothing style that summons comparisons to Salinger and Cheever. Hilton Wise is a winsome and compelling narrator, one you'll find yourself rooting for days after finishing the book. Nadler's deft rendering of place, namely a secluded compound in coastal Massachusetts, allows the reader to become completely lost in Hilly's world. Wise Men is, at its core, a brutal love story, full of surprise and conviction, insight and deception, staggering wealth and loss, truth and beauty."—Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of BIRDS OF A LESSER PARADISE

"Wise Men is a brilliantly plotted and carefully observed novel that takes the reader deep inside a powerful family's most guarded secrets. An epic saga about a son's need to atone for the sins of his father and the sins of his own troubled youth. The driving heart of this ambitious novel is an impossible romance: one worth risking an entire outrageous fortune. With wisdom and compassion, Nadler examines the mysteries and manners of unrequited love. Wise Men confirms that Stuart Nadler is a writer of abundant talent and grace."—Amber Dermont, author of the New York Times bestseller The Starboard Sea

"Stuart Nadler is an elegant writer and a compelling storyteller. Wise Men explores the big questions in life---love and money and race and identity---in a story packed with secrets, longings, and obsessions. It is not a book to be missed."—Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of the New York Times bestseller The Language of Flowers

"Stuart Nadler's first novel zooms and dips like an airplane with a trick pilot, one in complete control of his loop-de-loops. I have no doubt that Stuart Nadler is going to be one of our great novelists, and it all starts here, on a dune in Cape Cod, with the Wise men. These characters--knotted together with obligation, guilt, and love--will stay with me always."—Emma Straub, author of OTHER PEOPLE WE MARRIED and LAURA LAMONT'S LIFE IN PICTURES

"While Stuart Nadler's ambitious debut novel touches on money, class, race and religion, first and foremost Wise Men is about youth, betrayal and regret. In his idealism and denial, Hilly Wise, the poor little rich boy, is a truly American character, and the perfect narrator for the tale."—Stewart O'Nan, author of Emily, Alone and The Odds

this one's a must!

Would you listen to Wise Men again? Why?

I only listen once, but recommend this book to everyone.

What did you like best about this story?

Interesting, Moves fast. A different view of perennial issues.
Complex characters are provocative.

What about Bernard Setaro Clark’s performance did you like?

He is the best narrator ever!! Great voice and pace. Made the book an absolute pleasure.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If possible

Any additional comments?

All of your narrators should be like Bernard S. Clark!!!

Highly recommended

Would you listen to Wise Men again? Why?

Absolutely; I was sorry when it ended. It moved me and made me think.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hilly, the narrator. I admired his integrity, morality and intelligence.

What about Bernard Setaro Clark’s performance did you like?

He was quite expressive, and I found him easy to listen to, and I really enjoyed the experience.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A difficult father and his admirable son

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book to lovers of serious--not beach reading--fiction. It reminds me of The Help in that it observes race relations and the struggles of African Americans from the 1950's to the present. I found it very moving.