It's a great book, but Helprin just can't help talking to the reader, which, some of the time, is ok, but sometimes it just drove me nuts. But I was expecting that, given the structure of the book (and old soldier lectures, teaches, and harangues a young man while on a long walk together) so I just passed ever faster through those parts. Helprin knows that he can write beautiful lines, beautiful stories, I just wish some of them were edited down a bit as it got a little too self involved and purpley in places. I suspect it's a matter of taste.