The lime twig cover

The lime twig

by John Hawkes

For nearly fifty years and in more than fourteen novels, John Hawkes has been creating his "landscapes of the imagination" and enriching the form and language of the American novel. Bringing together three early novels, this volume displays Hawkes's mastery as a prose stylist and the range and power of his gifts as an innovative writer. The Lime Twig (1961), set in postwar London, is the story of a young man who, unwittingly involved with the underworld, comes face to face with the violence and decay of contemporary society. Second Skin (1964) is a tale of suicide and new life on two mythical islands - one demonic, the other idyllic - and is a comic, magical evocation of The Tempest. Travesty (1976) is a portrait of the ultimate artist, a harrowing monologue on fear and eroticism that takes place during a drive at night in Southern France.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?