Product Description
One rainy night in New York City, outstanding law student Chloe Larson wakes from a terrible nightmare. But it's not a nightmare - she is savagely violated in her own bedroom. Twelve years later she is forging a formidable reputation as an attorney and a vicious serial killer is on the loose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (141)

FANTASTIC!
The story begins in 1988 as Chloe Larsen, a struggling law student living in NYC and studying to take the bar exam. The point of view changes in 2000 to C. J. Townsend, an Assistant District Attorney in Miami, who was raped and tortured in 1988, while still in law school in New York, by an assailant she knows only as The Clown. He left her for dead; but she survived, and also managed to survive a nervous breakdown and twelve years of therapy afterward. She has relocated to south Florida, changed her name, and managed to erase her past. Then a man is pulled over for a routine traffic stop, and in the trunk of his car is found the tenth victim of the serial killer known as Cupid. Too many of the details of the case are all too familiar to Townsend, for they remind her of her own violation so many years before. Then, there is a recognizable scar, she notices in court, and knows she's prosecuting her own assailant.
Fantastic! The fun begins!

Others I will share, THE REMBRANDT AFFAIR, CRACKED HEARTS, EXPLOSION IN PARIS, 7th VICTIM.

Maybe Revenge isn't Always so Sweet
Chloe Larson was brutally attacked and raped by a knife wielding fiend in a clown's mask when she was a young law student in New York. Because of the rapist's knife, she is unable to have children.

Years later she's a tough state's prosecutor in Miami dealing with a series of rape murders where the killer takes his victem's hearts. A tip leads the police to a suspect who has a heartless body of a new victim in the trunk of his car. During his arraignment Chloe hears his voice and knows right away he's the man who'd raped and knifed her all those years ago.

She should take herself off the case, but instead she bends the law, ignores the ethics and gets a death penalty conviction. Then she finds out that even though he was a serial rapist, he was not the killer?

Though I saw the ending miles away, it didn't make a bit of difference to this thoroughly enjoyable read. RETRIBUTION is a terrific read.

a decent read
This is a first book and it is not bad for a first book.The author will improve with time I'm sure.Because it is written as well as it is for a first book I predict that others will be better than this one.

I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to even better books in the future by this author.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

Revenge is Mine Sayeth the Lord. Maybe Not!
Chloe Larson is a stunning blond law student in New York who has everything going for her. Then she's attacked, tortured and raped by a guy with a knife and a clown mask. She's left with multiple stab wounds and unable to have children. To deal with the trauma she becomes someone else.

Years later she's C.J. Townsend, assistant chief of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. Then one days she hears a voice in court and she knows immediately that it's the man that had hurt her so, twelve years earlier.

However the statute of limitations has run out on her rape, and if she tells anyone about it, the case will be taken away from her and she wants the man to go away for good, so she ignores the law, ignores her ethics and prosecutes the case. What happens next is what makes for good courtroom drama.

Chilling and very good!
I had never read any books by Miss Jilliane Hoffman, until this book.I thoroughly enjoyed consuming this book.It was very easy to get inside of Cloe's head.I became almost obsessed with this book, as she was trying her case against Mr. Bantling.If you have a queasy stomach, this may not be for you.I have since, bought two more books, by Miss Hoffman.I like her style! ... Read more

Product Description

These classic stories, taken directly from the text of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, will delight and inspire children before bedtime or on the go.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (45)

set pieces
All in all, I really liked this book. The slow, languid pace somehow fits the story perfectly. My one complaint is that the story treats time almost like a stone skipping over water. At the end of one chapter, two people meet each other, and at the beginning of the next, they are married with three children and a fourth on the way. Then, suddenly, we are another 5 years or so in the future (references to WWII and the Vietnam War anchor the story generationally, but there's very little to give solid reference points as to how much time has passed from one point in the story to another). I understand that all the day-to-day details of family life are not the point of this book, but I did find it more satisfying when McDermott allowed us deeper into the lives of the Keane family rather than just skimming the surface.

A fine literary novel
New York City office worker Mary is 30 years old, unmarried, and a good Catholic girl keeping house for her father and bachelor brother when she meets John Keane at a restaurant lunch counter. It's not long after World War II, and John considers his limp from war injuries a minor matter; the real heroes are those who never came home. "After This" follows Mary, John, and their family (four children eventually) from that meeting through their youngest child's coming of age. It captures an era in a series of snapshots, most of its chapters taking place years apart.

Author McDermott's writing is beautiful, and her story's structure - while unusual - does just what I suspect she wanted it to do. It brings the reader into her characters' lives for key events, some of which might seem mundane. However, those "ordinary" moments turn out to be just as important to the characters as their lives' more obvious turning points. Through much of the book I found myself irritated by the Keane family's condescending attitude toward Mary's (apparently) one constant friend, Pauline, a lifelong single woman who also stands in for largely absent extended family. As the story ended, though, Pauline got her due at last. I suspect that if I re-read this one (and I probably will), I'll uncover layers that weren't apparent to me on first reading. In other words, this is a literary novel. My first by this author, and probably not destined to be my last.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Granite Island" and 2005 EPPIE Winner "Regs"

Collage
Collage, an art form putting a group of different pictures or photographs on one large board, all different, yet adding up to one.In other words, the same topic, but different.

After this is a group of short stories adding up to a novel.One or more of these stories deal with different members of the same family, six members, two parents, four children, two boys, two girls.The stories add up to the life of a middle class, Catholic, Irish American family living in New York.

The book begins with Mary, who worked in a boring, going nowhere job, a secretary working in a secreterial pool with many other young women ,and sliding into spinsterhood.She kept house for her father and bachelor brother and was tentively dating George when along came John Keane.Her last name was changed to Keane.Then she was living in an apartment, then the couple bought a house and had four kids.The all American life.Marriage and family.

John named his oldest son Jacob after a young man he was in the army with.He know the boy for a very short time.Jacob was in his late teens and was killed.So John insisted on calling his son after this man.The name turned out to be unfortunate.The second Jacob, an indifferent student, was drafted and sent to Vietnam where he was killed.He was only in his late teens, a coincidence?

The second son, Michael, was a real boy, a tough boy, a strong boy, and one defiant of authority.He went off to college to have a good time and partied and had fun while going to school.His major was in teaching but he planned to have his life filled with adventure, parties, travel and fun.He died when his was in his early forties a staid teacher, father of three, of a fast moving cancer.

John Keane died of the war injury to his leg.The leg was amputated but he died anyway.

Sister Annie went off to college and spent a year studying in England.One late evening she took a bus to her digs, but on the way she met a young Englishman, a stranger, on the bus.She spent the late, late night or early morning in his apartment.She then cut off her life in America, quit school, threw away her life as it was at the time and moved in with this stranger.

Another chapter deals with Annie helping her best friend get an abortion, the girls were messing around with sex and the friend hardly knew the boy who had gotten her pregnant.The girl friends' father thought his daughter was an angel who would never ever have sex or get pregnant. Fortunatelyhe never found out.

Then there was Clare, the good girl, the innocent one, the baby of the family, born six years after her third sibling.Clare married young then took care of Pauline, her adopted aunt, who was demented.Clare had bonded with Pauline when she was born though her siblings never really cared for this woman.They thought the woman strict and odd, but Clare was always a sweet, loving girl and loved Pauline as Pauline loved her.In fact Pauline always thought as much of Clare as though she was Clare's mother.

I enjoyed reading the book, the character development, the setting, the time lapses, in fact, I enjoyed everything about the book.I liked the different way the author used in telling this story of an All American family, chapter by chapter and all adding up into a great story of average people, the unsung people of America living their average lives.

just ok
it was just ok. i found the ending to be a bit unsatisfying. throughout the book mcdermott intimates that we'll find out what happens to all the characters but the end leaves the reader dangling. also, i found the book to be a downer. not that there's anything wrong with literature that looks at the darker side of life - but if you're not in the mood for that, i would skip this book.

half read, moving on
I have given this book more than it deserves -half a read.

I love novels about family life, marriage, raising kids.But this book was "much ado about nothing."McDermott has some beautiful poetic language, hence the two stars.But the chapters are too loosely woven together, the events too slow moving and mundane.It reads more like a series of short stories, only afterward spliced together (a trend I am noticing with a lot of contemporary novels).And even so, I kept waiting for something, anything to happen.It's a little too much like real life, the rather dull aspects.Also, too much detail and introspection about everyday commonplace observations.The book needs more editing and a boost of drama.

In short, too boring to finish. ... Read more

Product Description
For 15 years, readers have turned to Surface for creative inspiration, coverage of the burgeoning design world, and profiles of the emerging designers and provocative projects that are reshaping the creative landscape. With this ability to identify and collaborate with undiscovered talentfrom furniture makers to fashion designersthe magazine acts as a cultural barometer of global style in all its forms. With an international team headquartered in New York, the magazine is constantly expanding its ability to identify, celebrate and support the artists and ideas that connect the present with the future. Surface is the definitive American source for engaging, curated content covering all that is inventive and compelling in the design world. ... Read more

Product Description

Listen to four stories about Rosa and Her Family

Customer Reviews (2)

This is a heartwarming tale about the importance of family togetherness and love!
Rosa and her grandmother were cuddled up in the oversized chair covered with a flowery pattern.Her mother worked at the Blue Tile Diner and it was going to be another late night, but her grandmother insisted she head for her own bed to get a little sleep.Early in the morning she rose and went into her mother's room to sneak into bed with her when a commotion began upstairs.The phone rang and her mother sprang up from her bed and BOP flew right into Rosa.When she asked if anything was wrong, her mother said "Aunt Ida's baby is starting to get born."Rosa was not allowed to go, but had to call the diner when the alarm rang and tell them her mother needed to help her sister birth the baby at home.

Rosa was restless, sleeping off and on.She dreamed of her band, the Oak Street Band and how her new cousin would join in as a guitar player.She heard the midwife ring the doorbell.The family wanted the "baby born in the midst of her family, in her own house."Rosa made the call and then began waiting for the baby.She headed for the "lucky chair" to sit and imagine things about the new baby boy that was coming.After a while her mama came to pull her out of her dreams and up the stairs to visit the new baby.They needed a nice place to hold the baby and mama was thinking of buying a new chair.What do you think Rosa thought about replacing that special chair?

I loved this heartwarming tale and thought it was the most exceptional story of family love that I'd read in some time.Everyone in Rosa's family had a special place in each other's heart and they were all excited to add another special little man to their family.I loved the way the story unfolded and the artwork was charming.Each page looked like something out of a photo album.Some pages had little drawings of activities in and around the house along its edges.This is a story of "family" that would be wonderful to read in your big, ugly overstuffed chair. . .if you have one!

Beautiful Illustrations
Reviewed by Grayce Richardson (age 5) for Reader Views (3/09)

"Did you know the `Chair for My Mother' was the first one and this is the second?"

"I liked this book. My favorite part of this book was when Rosa's aunt had the baby. I liked it when Rosa's mom said, "I love you best of all and you say crazy things." Her name is Rosa - that's why she wants to keep the chair because it has roses all over it. I learned that we should keep the old chair because it's more special than a new one."

Parent's Note:

Grayce had previously read a "Chair for My Mother" in her pre-school and immediately made the connection between the two books. The illustrations in "A Chair for Always" by Vera B. Williams were beautifully rendered and the story held Grayce's attention most of the time. Occasionally, when there was a lot of text and only pencil (not color sketches) she didn't seem quite as engaged. ... Read more

Product Description
Andrew Carroll spent three years traveling throughout the United States and around the world to seek out the most powerful and unforgettable letters ever written during American wars.

Behind the Lines is the result of that extraordinary trip and represents the first book of its kind: a dramatic, intimate, and revealing look at warfare as seen through the personal correspondence of US and foreign troops and civilians who have experienced major conflicts firsthand. From handwritten missives penned during the American Revolution to e-mails from Afghanistan and Iraq, Behind the Lines captures the full spectrum of emotions -- exhilaration, fear, devotion, despair, courage, heartache, patriotism, rage, and even humor -- expressed in times of war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Little Different Than Sim ilar Books
The only problem I had with this book was its' length.I found myself wanting to reach the end and start something else.BUT, on the plus side, the 'true' letters, without the aid of being 'cleaned up' by correct spelling or punctuation really, really added a lot.You may find a letter now and then that really doesn't hold your interest.Do not stop there, or you will miss out on some very wonderful, interesting text.

Definitive War Letter Book
As a war veteran myself, I have never found a more absorbing, accurate and sincere attempt to capture the true emotions of combatants, their loved ones, and all others involved in the major conflichts of the ninteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries.A must read for anyone interested in getting an unbiased glimpse into the thoughts of those who were affected by war.

Exceptional
I purchased this book recently and could not put it down.Who better to tell a story than the ones who lived it?The letters are not only from the soldiers who fought on either side of a conflict,but from the very people who lived through them.The accounts are graphic in many cases and I now have a better understanding of the horrible reality of it all.The historical quips help with the insight as to what was going on at the time of the letter.Its a great read by an outstanding author who has done so much for our troops.

Bringing the Atrocities of War Home
BEHIND THE LINES is a powerful collection of fragments of thoughts that were initiated over the past two hundred plus years of war scars.Andrew Carroll continues his commitment to bring the reality of war to the forefront of our attention and I know no better manner for anti-war statements than the words found in this illuminating and horrifying book.

Carroll approaches war as a panacea - an evil that has been with us around the globe for centuries and just continues unabated.Many poets and writers are struggling to make the public cognizant of the horrors of war, but Carroll scans American involvement in wars from the Revolutionary War to the present and in doing so he demonstrates the madness that we must learn to stop.

Letters, documents, memos, soldiers' notes as well as civilians' responses fill these pages, some eloquent, some simply pitiful, and some stoic as well as some encouraging.The messages are not skewed in a way that makes Carroll seem like he is ranting.Rather he lets the words of the living and the dead speak truths far larger than fiction.

This is a beautifully conceived volume that for the sake of the survival of civilization belongs on the reading desks of everyone.Tough reading, this, but enormously informative and important. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 05

Excellent book
This is a great book!! I really enjoyed reading it, and found myself unable to put it down.The book gives readers a better understanding of what soldiers and their families go through.After reading this book, I believe I have a better appreciation for our Veterans and our troops serving our country.Definately a recommended book in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description
Covering a span of twenty five years, Mrs Kimble tells the story of three women married in succession to the same man -- a charismatic opportunist named Ken Kimble. Told from the perspective of each Mrs Kimble, it offers a mesmerising look at how three very different women become accomplices in their own deception.We see Ken Kimble through the eyes of the women he seduces: his first wife, Birdie, who struggles to hold herself together in the months following his desertion; his second wife, Joan, a lonely heiress recovering from personal tragedy, who sees in Kimble her last chance at happiness; and finally Dinah, a beautiful but damaged woman half his age. Woven throughout is the story of Kimble's son Charlie, whose life is forever affected by a father he barely remembers.Ken Kimble is able to become, for a while at least, all things to all women. To each of the three Mrs Kimbles, he appears as a hero, to whom powerful needs and nameless longings may be attached. Only later do they glimpse the truth about this elusive, unknowable man.Each Mrs Kimble is of a different generation, with different expectations of men and of themselves -- yet each is able to convince herself that Ken Kimble is what is missing from her life, and pledge herself to a man she barely knows. Mrs Kimble is a meditation on marriage and the illusions upon which it is based.Beautifully written, stunningly original, this emotionally compelling novel of marriage and illusion marks the debut of an astonishing new literary voice.Amazon.com Review
Sometimes a book can be utterly full of holes and you still can't put itdown. In Mrs. Kimble, first-time novelist Jennifer Haigh follows themarital career of Ken Kimble, opportunist, serial husband, and all aroundschmuck. The first section, set in Virginia in the 1960s, revolves aroundalcoholic first wife Birdie. As we enter the story, Kimble has already lefther alone with two small children she is ill equipped to raise on her own.Kimble's absence in this section sets the tone for the book, which is not somuch about Kimble himself as it is about the women he dupes over the years.Next up is Joan, a Newsweek reporter recovering from a mastectomy at herlate father's home in Florida. A wealthy, confident woman left unsteady bybreast cancer, she falls for Kimble, who now turns up in a hippie-ishincarnation. In the final section, Kimble weds Dinah, who had been hischildren's babysitter back in Virginia. Their marriage unravels as, at theend of the book, Kimble's secrets are revealed one by one. Unfortunately,the central secret of the book is never laid bare: how did the man get to besuch a jerk? Other problems are never dealt with, either: we never believe awhip-smart woman like Joan could be so transparently snow-jobbed. We neverunderstand why Dinah stays with an aging crook. Nevertheless, Mrs. Kimble is still engrossing. Haigh is so gifted at creating vivid scenesand strong characters, we find ourselves surrendering our disbelief despiteour better judgment. This isn't the terrific book it might have been, but it's still a superior read. --Claire Dederer ... Read more

Customer Reviews (87)

Relatively good book about a jerk:
This is a book I received as a gift and was excited to read it right away. It wasn't something I asked for, but I was intrigued by the cover.

This book tells a story about a jerk who marries three different women and has affairs in the meantime. It also takes you through the life of his abandoned children and the ones he doesn't bother to parent.

The story is told through the eyes of the women he marries and the family members around him. It's well-told and leaves you with the feeling that regardless of where you come from or what your background is, you can still be bamboozled by a jerk and brainwashed into a lifestyle you didn't truly ask for and a husband thought you wanted- but didn't.

I was just left with one thought: "What an f-ing jerk."

Sometimes there are no answers
This book was given to me some time ago by a friend and has been sitting on my shelf for quite a while. I finally pulled it out and started reading it...I read the whole thing in about a 15-hour span (not including sleeping for the night!). This book totally engrossed me...the tale of 3 (sequential) wives of the same man...a man charming to all those he meets, yet a chameleon who seems utterly empty. Each woman he marries seems vulnerable for one reason or another (one is naive, one is recovering from a serious illness, another extremely self-conscious). Each woman struggles for explaining her husband's behavior, even making up excuses for his behavior to others. But Ken made no apologies for his actions.

This book was extremely well-written, and got even more engaging the longer I read it. Ken's character seems utterly believable--most women I know have run across someone like him. Why did he do what he did? Who knows. But the book is less about the consistent character--Ken--and more about how each of these women entered into a relationship with him, realized it wasn't as they anticipated, and resigned themself to that life anyway. I found myself wondering what I would have done if I was each Mrs. Kimble.

Highly recommended!

Loved It!
This book captured my attention from the beginning and I just didn't want to put it down. The reading was easy and totally believable.

Entertaining read...didn't luv it though
Though well written, this book seemed to slightly miss the mark for me. Admittedly I couldn't put it down. The characters were believable and Haigh's writing conjured excellent imagery. However, somewhere around the end of the husband's marriage to Joan and his marriage to Dinah he began to lose his appeal. I liked the idea of him being somewhat elusive, mysterious in a sense that the readers can only imagine what kind of early life led to such a restless and selfish spirit. By the time we get to his third marriage the book reads like a cliche Lifetime movie. His 'unraveling secrets' are of no surprise or interest and at that point neither are his opportunistic traits. His son Charlie maintained the most compelling voice and perspective throughout the book. Despite it all, I did enjoy reading it and devoured it in one sitting.

Mixed feelings about this one
The man, Ken Kimble, was a people user, without feelings of how he affected those he used.Three women, all different, who got sucked into his web of charm.Birdie, innocent first wife with kids, Joan, a brief second wife and Dinah, the final wife, were the three unlucky women. Three kids were left in Kimble's wake but Charlie is the one centered on.The characters were very unique and I was impressed with that, but they lacked depth. We get the surface of the characters and not too much else.It needed a better story to tie these characters together. An okay book but could have been better. ... Read more

Product Description
“CAN YOU FEEL THIS?”

Chuck Palahniuk, the bestselling author of Fight Club, Choke, and Lullaby continues his twenty-first-century reinvention of the horror novel in this scary and profound look at our quest for some sort of immortality.

Diary takes the form of a “coma diary” kept by one Misty Tracy Wilmot as her husband lies senseless in a hospital after a suicide attempt.Once she was an art student dreaming of creativity and freedom; now, after marrying Peter at school and being brought back to once quaint, now tourist-overrun Waytansea Island, she’s been reduced to the condition of a resort hotel maid.Peter, it turns out, has been hiding rooms in houses he’s remodeled and scrawling vile messages all over the walls—an old habit of builders but dramatically overdone in Peter’s case.Angry homeowners are suing left and right, and Misty’s dreams of artistic greatness are in ashes.But then, as if possessed by the spirit of Maura Kinkaid, a fabled Waytansea artist of the nineteenth century, Misty begins painting again, compulsively.But can her newly discovered talent be part of a larger, darker plan?Of course it can …
Diary is a dark, hilarious, and poignant act of storytelling from America’s favorite, most inventive nihilist.It is Chuck Palahniuk’s finest novel yet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (212)

Not Chuck's best
For a while over the summer i was reading a book and finishing it within a week. i had been reading a lot of chucks work continuously so i picked up Diary. I got it about 2 and a half months ago and i still havent finished it. im at about page 229 of 260. i just cant get into this one.

Innuendo
I am willing to grant that the concept of this book is clever.Unfortunately, the delivery is awful.Without even discussing the plot, the way the author continually changing voices made my eyes bleed.When the voice is finally revealed, it made it seem that Palahniuk did not know where he was going with this story until he arrived at the end.

The basic plot follows a conspiracy which is both absurd and delicious.A once promising young artist is atoning for the crimes of her husband, who recently began life in a vegetative state.We are given pieces of the mystery throughout the story, but the swerves seem to be there only for the sake of having a swerve.In the grand scheme of the plot, they do not contribute much.Initially, the novel's sense of nihilism reminded me of Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery".The concept of human sacrifice is where the comparison ends.It was like mistaking imitation crab meat for real crab.

With interesting but irrelevant scientific references randomly scattered, the book may even seems plodding at times.Palahnuik can be a humorous writer, but he is not in this book.The diary-style writing fails because it is not written like a diary.It is written like a novel from a variety of voices.As a consequence, the characters lack any sense of depth.

I struggled with how many stars to give this book.There are aspects of the book I enjoyed.But this just seems as though Palahniuk was trying to do something different and made a mess.

Fairly enjoyable, though "far-fetched" would be an understatement
I personally found quite a bit to enjoy in this novel. I though the diary entries as a timeline to the storytelling worked extremely well. Each chapter in the novel is a diary entry with a date associated, and it helps to really establish a sense of time in the novel. It also worked well to really establish the levels of mental decomposition of Misty as the novel develops.

I will be frank and admit that at many levels the conclusion to the plot is extremely far-fetched and kinda comes out of nowhere. But at the same time, I really found it to be exciting and engaging even if being a bit derivative. I thought it had a very good conspiracy theory feeling going and reading the layers and layers of this conspiracy unfold, and seeing earlier events of the book in a different light was interesting. I will admit there were some events, that when they happened did not make all that much sense, leading the reader to come to expect this type of event, but I still believe that it was effective at some level in creating a good story.

The one thing that I will not deny as being a bit annoying is how he resolves the third-person storytelling in referencing other people in the novel. There is a ton of "my this" and "my that" that goes a bit overboard and repetitive, considering a lot of the time it is repeated (for example she will talk about the Diary, which we know is hers, and say something on the lines of "the Diary, My Diary,") and after a while this can get annoying.

I think my take away from this novel was that I really enjoyed the level in which conspiracy theory and plan played out and some of it's level of intricacy. I think if you are looking for a place to start with Palahniuk's work, I don't think this is the novel to start off with. But if you like some of his other work, and this type of plot is something that you think would be interesting, I personally felt that it made up for the book's sometimes annoying narrative voice.

One of Chucks Best!
I have read all but four of Chucks books and this one always seems to remain my favorite.No, it's not like all the others, by any means, and it is jumpy. (Character viewpoints) It has a twist as they all do.This one made me feel what the characters are feeling.I didn't just read and say "Oh, well, that's too bad" and keep reading.I didn't fly through it and it didn't take me forever to read, as some of his other books may have.It's philosophical and intriguing and left me feeling satisfied and hungry for more.

Another sadly average novel by Palahniuk.
I'm getting more and more disenchanted with Palahniuk's books. I loved Lullaby. Choke was good as well, and whereas I didn't care for the story of Invisible Monsters, at least it had a great Palahniuk twist at the end. But the last Palahniuk book that I read--Survivor--and this one, Diary, just haven't lived up to the hype. This one especially had a very slow beginning. At one point, about halfway through, I started getting into it--couldn't put it down--but then came the very anti-climactic ending. Needless to say...I'm struggling to give this an even 3 out of 5 stars. I'll give Palahniuk one more chance, but if things continue down this path I'll have to count him as another author who should have quit while he was ahead. ... Read more

Product Description
BOMB Issue 56, Summer 1996, featuring: Interviews with Mark Eitzel by Michael Kroll, Lee Breuer by Michael Goldberg, Martha Plimpton by Frank Pugliese, Jeffrey Vallance by David Pagel, Cheick Dumar Sissoko by Manon Slome, Irvine Welsh by Jenifer Berman, Janwillem van de Wetering by Stanley Moss, Nick Pappas by Katy Martin. Fiction by Beth Nugent, Lois-Ann Yamanaka, R.Z. Linmark, Jim Shepard, Mervyn Taylor, Graham Swift. Art by Ralph Hamilton, Mauro Restiffe, Steven Parrino, Erin Parish, Ben Kinmont, Per Maning, James Nares, Monique Prieto. ... Read more

Product Description

On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret.

Customer Reviews (1002)

A great exercise in....skimming.
It's always disconcerting to be bored to death by books that are supposed to be amazing.But by the end of Memory Keeper's Daughter, I found myself, again, in that predicament. Bored.To.Death.

I agree with every one star rating.The writing seemed like a paper from a community adult education creative writing course.I skimmed my way through the last 100 pages and I am quite certain I didn't miss a thing, except perhaps a four paragraph description of a scene that was described in 10 paragraphs 20 pages prior.

The characters were unrelatable.And I have enjoyed books with unrelatable characters, but in those books, the writing made up for the lack of depth/relatability of the characters.Nothing saves this book.

Pass on this one.

Hmmm......
Couldn't enjoy this one...I felt the author did a good job of writing; however, the end seemed rushed. I turned the page and then one of the main characters dies? The part that should be climatic, was over in two pages....truly? And then all is accepted and well and they supposedly lived happily ever after. Hmmmmmmm.......not one of my favorite reads.

Trite
Gave up on page 7, after a ridiculous boy-meets-girl scene that is both hackneyed and implausible.

Generally good but slow in parts
I generally liked the story and thought it was well-written. I found some of it kind of slow in parts, though. I think the son was the weakest character; the nurse the strongest. I did not understand why the wife hung in with her unhappy marriage for so long, though. I would recommend this book with some reservations.

Reader Recommended Review
This is usually not the type of book I read, so I am teetering on whether I really liked this book or not.I love the plot: an act done in secret that affects the lives of so many for so long.Dr. Henry takes it upon himself to do what he thinks is the best at the time.He does not want his wife, Norah to deal with the pressures of life with a child with Down Syndrome.Set in a time where there was really no opportunities for children or people with this disorder, Kim Edwards really captures the confusion of emotions that one must deal with in this situation.

The characters were very well developed.You can almost predict the reactions of each character, feeling as if you know them so well.4 of the 5 characters are affected by this secret and you have the chance to read about each one from their point of view.Dr. Henry, who throws himself into his work and hobby in order to avoid dealing with what he has done.Norah Henry, who thinks her daughter has died at birth, but cannot seem to accept the loss.Paul, the son, who eventually feels the distance between his parents and exudes anger.Caroline, who is forced to keep not only the secret, but Phoebe, the daughter with Down Syndrome very unexpectedly.

The book takes us down the path of how this secret destroys the family values.I was often waiting for something, anything, pleasant to happen, but there just seemed to be so much sadness and anger throughout. As we come to find out, that is the point of the story.A secret can destroy so much.One split second decision by someone can affect so many others.

Kim Edwards is an excellent descriptive writer.She really brings you into the story and delves you into the lives of the characters.She takes you into a world of lies, moral wrongs, psychological suffering, and shows us the ways that some people cope with the hardships of life.

Although I really did like the character development and plot of this book, it was just ok for me.I'm used to books with more action.This one was more like reading about a slow path of destruction of the characters.I guess I wanted more of a happily ever after with it. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on May 14, 2000. The length of the article is 776 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: "Con los ojos del corazón".(TT: " With the eyes of the heart ".)(Reseña)
Author: Pedro Crespo
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 14, 2000
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 68

Article Type: Reseña

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The complete book about the life of Academy Award nominee River Phoenix, from his parents beginning, his birth, member of a cult religion, to his TV acting, activism, veganism and movie career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

interesting and in-depth
I'm glad I purchased this book. It has been interesting to read the stories that River's friends, family, and co-workers provided.Upon reading the description of the time leading up to and including River's death, I could feel my heart beat faster and I was unable to stop myself from reading. This is a real page-turner. Highly recommended.

This book is really poorly written, and disturbing
Did anyone else find this book disturbing in a way the author probably didn't intend?It may have some interesting information for River fans, but it is compiled in an awful way-- not even basic journalistic information flow.Must be why it looks like it was home-published.
But after about 100 pages, I couldn't pick it up without a sick feeling in my stomach.I mean, the beginning is about the criminally abusive cult that River's parents raised him in until he was 5 or something, which encouraged and forced children to have sex with each other and any adult, in the name of "sharing."Of course that is simply a disturbing fact of River's childhood.But I started to realize there was something in the WAY the author wrote about it, and moreover in the CHOICES of the horrifying cartoons which were distributed among the cult to encourage sexualizing of children...and then it came down to all the pictures of River the author included throughout the book, which are all fairly pedophilic.It really seems to me that the author is sexually obsessed with the terminally adolescent River Phoenix, and this book was his indulgence of that obsession.Ewwww.
It's just really hard to read anyway, it's so poorly written.But it's the constant focus on River's pubescent sex life, sexual development, and pubescent sex-symbol status that makes me cringe.I wouldn't even give it one star, since I couldn't get through it.

One step closer to River Phoenix
River Phoenix was a special guy... And if you miss him, it's meant to be. Right?

"Since his death early on Halloween morning, 1993, something phenomenal has been happening. All over the world, men and women of different persuasions and colors, from different countries, with different religious beliefs and political backgrounds, are experiencing a confounding fascination with River Jude Phoenix."

Yes, one of them is me.
But the strangest thing is... I didn't know Phoenix until 2008, when he appeared in my dream.
(I was very young when he died... and growing up in a small town in The Netherlands: I never paid any attention to what was going on in Hollywood. I didn't even know a place like that existed).

I started reading almost everything that was written about him. And the more I read, the more frustrated I got. Those books were about Phoenix's dwell on his downfall. Pointing fingers: who's to blame?
I don't think Phoenix threw away his life on purpose. And also, I don't think his family is responsible for his death. (Does it matter anymore? He's gone).

That's when I bumped into Barry Lawrence's book on the internet. Barry experienced almost the same thing as I did and he decided to search for the truth behind the myth.
I have read a lot about River and in the meanwhile I watched everything about/with him. 'In Search of River Phoenix: The Truth About The Myth' is the only book that comes close to a comprehensive view about the life of River Phoenix.
But still... No book or no one can give you the ultimate truth. There is only interpretation. And Barry C. Lawrence's interpretation is a good and objective one and he did his best to try to understand a life that was so far away from anything resembling normally.

The book takes you along the journey of River's life through his various movies, charity work and his musical accomplishments. 'In Search of River Phoenix: The Truth About The Myth' is a good read, even if you never heard of Phoenix.

River Phoenix is fantastic .
River's story is haunting and you are always wishing he had a better childhood.His lack of education was 100% his parents fault, not his.I am really enjoying this book.

The Best of River
Few books begin their journey to publication with the foundations of Barry C. Lawrence's IN SEARCH OF RIVER PHOENIX: THE TRUTH BEYOND THE MYTH? with a dream out of nowhere? yet a powerful dream in which the dead actor River Phoenix asked Lawrence to discover the truth about his life led to a years-long,in-depth probe of River's short life and many films: a probe which was to involve Lawrence with River's closest friends, family members, and fellow actors. You don't have to be a River fan to appreciate IN SEARCH OF RIVER PHOENIX: it reads like a novel, with all the drama, action, and yes, even intrigue . Lawrence's goal was to dispel the veil of myths surroundingRiver's short life, and reveal the realities and facts of his controversial short life and career--and Lawrence achieves this and more in an exciting blend of drama and documentary: classic docu-drama translated to print. Highly recommended.
... Read more