5 comments about Infinite Jest.

1. I enthusiastically bought this book after reading the reviews here and reading the description of the book. It seemed it would be a book I would like given my overall interests lately (Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, Roberto Bola~no's The Savage Detectives, Tom Pynchon, etc.). The story and writing seemed promising about 20 pages in. But about 50 pages in I started skimming a paragraph here and there. Then about 100 pages in, I started skipping pages, then about 200 pages in, I skipped right to the end. I don't mean the last chapter, or last page--i mean the back cover page. To close the book. I didn't care for anyone in the book, I didn't care about the plot, the message, the author's writing style. I just wanted to move on. It was like a relationship you have high hopes, but after a short bit, wonder why you wasted your time. So, if you haven't read DFW before and are curious by starting with this book, see if you can borrow one or check it out at the library first, and read the first 50 pages or so. Life's too short, as unfortunately DFW, demonstrated.



2. An overrated writer. Yet still a loss to those who knew and loved him. Think I'll start reading the latest Grisham novel tomorrow...maybe.



3. Not many reviewers seem to have noticed that the first chapter of the book is the last chapter of the book, and hence the jest is infinite.



4. I didn't, like one reviewer here suggested, look up every word I didn't know in the dictionary (and there were a lot. Antinomy?) I didn't even read all the footnotes, because after a while this was, even though it was a great book, one of those books where you start staring at the width of the pages you've finished and the pages you have left in order to measure how far you are and how many days you're going to be working on this. But it was obviously brilliant, and I learned an incredible amount. Yes, it can be tough, yes, there are periods where you want to give up, but like anything good it's hard and pays off. And it's a very amusing story. I was sad to hear about Mr. Wallace's death, and I know he will be missed in the literary community.



5. Sadly, IJ will forever now remain as DFW's crowning piece of work. We'll always have to wonder how many more IJs and beyond he had in him.
   
   That said, this book is incomprehensibly fantastic. I'm not sure many, if any, could understand the full breadth of it. But, there is something here for every reader. Stephen Hawking, as well as your fourteen year old sister could read it and recognize part of their existence in it. That's part of its majesty.
   
   The real majesty is nothing more than Wallace, himself. His mind was a tormented, brilliant, colossal thing...and much of it is laid out for us here. A must read for everyone. Even if you don't finish the footnotes.

5 comments about One Fifth Avenue.

1. I was shocked and amazed (and possibly a little embarrassed) by how much I enjoyed this book! One Fifth Avenue renewed my faith in chick-lit.
   
   At first I needed to make a 'cheat sheet' to remind me who all the characters were and how they were connected. Within 100 pages, I was completely hooked and fascinated with how Bushnell tied everything together. I'd love to read a sequel and hear what Lola Fabrikant is up to 5 years later!
   
   Quick, satisfying read.



2. Candace Bushnell still has it! Her latest depiction of life in the big apple is fresh and witty. Her ability to portray characters shines in ONE FIFTH AVE. Everyone wants to move up and live in the Penthouse, especially in such a glamorous building as One Fifth. Perhaps the biggest social climber or money conscious character is Lola. A 22 year old bratzilla, spoiled by her parents, moves to New York looking for fame. She ends up with more than she bargins for as she begins to date a much older man. She serves as a stark contrast for the older characters in the book, who have earned their place in One Fith. So many story plots and twists, I was left wanting more.
   
   Buy it now before your friends tell you the ending!



3. This is the best book ever. The characters have that Tina Fey-Amy Poehler sauciness that I really enjoy. Each one is like a slice of the Big Apple!



4. I forced myself to keep reading the book, because I knew Candace Bushnell would not let me down (as I had read all of her other books) and love the show Lipstick Jungle!
   It really started to pick up and the characters started to come into their own about halfway through the book. At times I was almost embarassed at the graphic sexual content, yet relieved it wasn't the main focus of the book. I felt a new level of understanding for the "rat race" of New York & appreciation for my suburban space after reading about how the characters would do anything for bigger, more prestigious living space.
   It is not the fastest read as there are a lot of characters to keep track of and it is not obvious how they are all connected until halfway through, yet I couldn't put it down near the end.



5. Having never read a book by this author, I was pleasantly surprised and couldnt wait to read the ending to find out the fate of these interesting characters on One Fifth!!! I will be looking into her other books too! Cant wait!

5 comments about The Given Day: A Novel.

1. This book is the ultimate politically correct read. It's a good story as long as you don't mind being lectured by an obviously left-of-center novelist. If I'd know what a diatribe this was going to be I'd never bought the thing.



2. Mystic River and Shutter Island are two of Lehane's works that I enjoy rereading. At some point I'll reread The Given Day, but it will not be for a while. Given Day lacks the concentrated power and strength of Shutter Island and Mystic River: it feels as if it wanders around at times, and at other times brings in brief cameo appearances which don't add anything very useful. Cutting out all the Babe Ruth material would have shortened the book by about 10%, for example, and that material hurt rather than helped the book. There's a link between Ruth and one of the main characters--Laurence--but the link feels forced and irrelevant.
   
   What is both good and annoying at the same time is that the book has flashes of Lehane at his best, and this is very good writing indeed. But at the same time, if you don't mind a football analogy, it's like a beautiful jinking downfield long running play with a fumble giving away the ball at the end. You find yourself thoroughly enjoying some brilliant writing, and then the writing fades away into very pedestrian work--the good stuff is not being sustained. The hero (Danny Coughlin) has an uncle on the force--Eddie McKenna--who is corrupt to the core, and who is a cold-blooded murderer. There are scenes involving McKenna that were like James Ellroy's best in his dark LA novels about corrupt police, scenes that were also Lehane at his best in Mystic River and Shutter Island--but again, these were not sustained.
   
   The novel is also a sad historical commentary on the politics of the time--underpaid police with an indifferent and uncaring mayor's office, radicals of all flavors, bomb-throwers, anarchists. Other historical elements in the novel, such as the molasses tsunami, are for the most part interesting, but not really pertinent. If I had to make a guess, I'd say that in this 700-page novel there are about 40 pages of great writing, another 100 pages of very good writing, 250 pages of decent writing, and about 150-200 pages of largely irrelevant material (which doesn't add up to 700--consider the rest perhaps semi-relevant). So, overall, you get rather a mixed bag here--some Lehane at his best, and some Lehane at his not-so-best.



3. I enjoyed the last Lehane novel that I read. As a Boston Irish Catholic, I looked forward to The Given Day with great anticipation. The early reviews that I read were encouraging.
   
   This novel has a broad scope, incorporating actual historical events and persons in its imaginary universe. Lehane creates two sympathetic main characters, who are more interesting for their faults. The narrative maintains the reader's interest, moving quickly from one large scale disaster to another. The action remains focused at the personal level.
   
   I confess that I did not enjoy this novel. I could not suspend my disbelief. Aside from the two main characters, Lehane creates people and situations that are wildly improbable. A group of pickup baseball players in the middle of nowhere outplay the world series champions. The Boston police make Danny an undercover spy on labor organizers, ignoring his open sympathy for the union, and his obvious disgust for the police brass. Poor Italians in the North End naturally become anarchists and Bolsheviks, because America is an awful and oppressive place. One wonders why anyone would emigrate to the country imagined by Lehane. One of his characters actually points this out, but Lehane doesn't pursue the point.
   
   Ideally a writer reveals their characters through the story. The reader learns about them as the action unfolds, so that you can form your own opinion about them, just as you would with a real person. A great writer lets you see the ambiguity in a person. You can feel attracted by some of their attributes, and repelled by others. Unfortunately, Lehane gives you his judgement about most of his characters at their introduction. They are good or bad, with no room for doubt. The bad characters are even physically unattractive, especially the historical ones that Lehane dislikes. His description lingers over their repulsive bodily features, in case any reader missed the evil of their intent.
   
   Lehane judges almost everything and everybody in 1919 America. He judges them through the lens of a present day worldview, not through their historical context. He condemns whites, successful blacks, and Christians, describing their lives as "hopeless and empty." That reveals more about Lehane's character than it does about Lehane's characters. At the same time, he idealizes some of the people in his story. Aside from the two main characters, almost all others recede into caricature. I could not care deeply about most of them, because they didn't seem real to me.
   
   This story is not terrible, but it does not rise to the level of greatness. The central problem with The Given Day is Lehane's omniscient voice, which is a frequent narrator of events. Oddly enough, this voice frequently lapsed into hackneyed expressions. The narrated passages were the most judgmental, and the least enjoyable. I found myself wishing that he would tell us his story, instead of telling us about his story.



4. Dennis Lehane has already established himself as a solid writer and his latest book demonstrates the true versatility, depth and strength of his abilities. It is evident that the motivation for writing this book goes way beyond achieving commercial success. "The Given Day" does an excellent job of inserting fictional characters into a historical reality in a way that relates a believable story about a difficult time in American history. Another reviewer has criticized the book as being left wing and while it was told primarily from the perspective of those seeking change, there is no way to deny the facts of the situation. Remembering that history is prologue, the book raised important questions about the socio-economic situation we are in today and demands that we seriously grapple with issues of power, justice and loyalty as well as individual and community priorities. Lehane skillfully presents the interdependency of each part of the whole and his touching upon multiple social issues is not in the least forced. Despite its length, there was little extraneous filler. The book read quickly with a lasting impact.



5. I'm not usually a fan of historical novels, but I do return to authors whose work I have enjoyed in the past. None are better than the books in the Kenzie-Gennaro series that put Dennis Lehane on the map.
   
   Novels like this are the reason I stick with a writer who has, in my opinion, published a disappointing novel such as "Shutter Island" after having a great run.
   
   "The Given Day" is far from a disappointment. I freely admit to knowing next to nothing about the period in which this novel is set, but that didn't matter at all. Yes, there are a large cast of characters, but not once did it seem to be overwhelming. Well worth a read.

5 comments about Club Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3).

1. Phew! This is a marked improvement from "Living Dead in Dallas," the muddled sequel to Charlaine Harris's terrific first Sookie Stackhouse "mystery." I'm putting the word in quotes, because that's still the area in which Harris falls short for me. Oh, there's a dead body all right, but how it got dead and whodunit is ultimately a big "who cares?" That said, "Club Dead" is a fun ride, much more in keeping, stylistically, with the first in the series. And we're introduced to a great new character, a hunky werewolf who may or may not get in the way of Sookie and Bill's romance. One thing that does bother me a little: Harris is remarkably sadistic to her heroine. This is the third Sookie Stackhouse book, and the third in which she's beaten to a bloody pulp. Literally. OK, James Bond gets beaten up on a regular basis, as do a lot of other detectives/spies etc., but Sookie's just a normal person. Sure, she keeps some dangerous company, but there seems to be a mean streak in Harris that I'm not all that comfortable with. "Club Dead" renewed my interest in this series, but I'm hoping that as time goes by, Harris is a little less hard on Sookie. I'm sure Sookie is, too.



2. When I started reading the book, I had already read some reviews and knew that Bill and Sookie were facing a tough time. I didn't want to read it, because I thought they shouldn't change in their relationship at all.
   Boy was I wrong: Introducing Alcide and more of Eric, it makes for better scenes and also helps Sookie's development and growing up. She seemed sulky at times and stubborn when she couldn't get Bill to do what she wanted - but this book explains more about the nature of the *beast* and how they are trying to fit into the mortal world. I can't wait to read the other books, but if you were hesitant about picking up another Sookie Stackhouse volume after book 2 - give it another go with Club Dead!



3. OK - I'm officially hooked on the Sookie Stackhouse series. "Club Dead" did not disappoint. I know some readers were disappointed with Bill, but you have to admit it's pretty funny that even a dead guy will cheat - come on, you're alive for eternity but can't stay faithful for a lousy couple of months!!!! Snappy dialogue, great characters, total escape. I'd be reading book 4 right now but this series has become so popular with HBO's Trueblood that the book stores in my neck of the woods have sold out! I'll be stalking my mailman until it hits my mailbox.



4. I liked this almost as much as my favorite so far in this series, (book 4 - Dead to the World).
   
   Sookie's boyfriend, Vampire Bill goes out of town on business and turns up missing. Sookie agrees to help find him and works with Eric (Bill's Vampire Boss) and several others, including a werewolf named Alcide.
   
   Finding out the circumstances why Bill left in the first place (from Eric) leaves Sookie upset and somewhat heatbroken, but Sookie's a good person and wants to do the right thing.
   
   Sookie heads to "Club Dead" to listen in on the minds of others to see if she can learn anything about Bill's disappearance. Of course Sookie gets herself in many dangerous and deadly situations during her hunt for Bill, but makes more friends (and a couple enemies) in the supernatural world along the way.
   
   In this series, you're drawn into the supernatural world, learning much more about the Vampire heirarchy, politics and culture. This installment is smart, sexy, humorous, fun and gripping ---as are all the others in this series.



5. So first off the only reason I'm even wasting my time with these books is because I am totally hooked on the HBO series and I don't want to wait years to find out what happens (even though the show is really nothing like the books)...SPOILER ALERT!!! The smartest thing Sookie has done thus far is when she "rescinded" (took back) the invitation into her house from Bill and Eric, which by the way I have never read a vampire book where that is even possible. I keep hoping one of these books will actually be a good read, but holy cow I'm having a hard time justifying the waste of time!

5 comments about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

1. I finished 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' in a blaze of glory-- it was one of those things where you look at how much you have left to read and then you look at the clock and say "One more chapter"... The chapter is finished-- you again look at the clock and what now remains to be read and say "One more hour"... The cycle continues unabated until 4am when you finish the book and are a mixture of sleepy (it's 4am), excited (it was a really good book), sad (the really good book is now over and you're back where you started), and anticipatory (there are *sequels* to the really good book-- however, they haven't been translated to English yet and are not available-- le sigh).
   
   Larsson has done a fantastic job of creating memorable, well fleshed-out characters and combining them with a new and intriuging plot... Some of the material is not for the faint of heart, but it gives the story a depth and breadth that is lacking in works by more timid authors. My only complaint is that his other books in this Millenim series aren't available in English for immediate purchase-- the last time I felt this way about characters (especially Lisbeth Salander) was when I read Harry Potter.



2. I think the problem with this novel, which other reviewers have ably summarised, is that it is an artificial construct.
   
   I mean, I didn't find the story boring, tne number of characters excessive or the plot(there are in fact two; which is the main one in human terms, possible future reader?) difficult to follow, as other negative revs have. On the contrary, for me the narration flowed agreeably, the twists were unexpected, and the book didn't pretend to be what it was not (a semibrow literary piece). But it, or rather its main characters, are implausible: cardboard, not flesh-and bone. At all times you're aware you're reading a story, not something that could have been real life. Here we revert to an Ellery Queen type of novel without its intellectual tease, which leaves ... nothing.
   So the book is basically a kid's one (although full of episodes a real kid souldn't read), with heroes that are decent, loyal, intelligent, charming, truthful -one of them agonizes over a moral dilemma that could find a place in Lincoln's hagiography-, with liberal worldviews, etc.; with a convenient deus ex machina that finds out everything that's needed at the drop of a hat; with corrupt -and worse- financial tycoons/villains; with real dark, dark imperturbable villains with awful perversions and insatiable bloodlusts; and with a closing tirade about the evils of finance (for maximum impact the book should have been published after the current Wall Street turmoil) with words lifted almost straight out of Keynes.
   
   Perhaps I could summarise it all with three words: it's a politically correct book. Nothing against them, of course, and for that (and the research it inconspicuously packs) I give it three stars. But if you have read Lehane's "Gone, baby, gone" (a book less grisly by far, but that poses a real moral dilemma), you'll understand what I mean.



3. As I was reading this book I couldn't help thinking that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was a bit of a misleading title. While Salander, the girl with the titular tattoo, is arguably the second most prominent character in the book and necessary as the person who through her investigative skills and computer hacking uncovers many of the clues needed to solve the two mysteries laid out in the book, the title suggests a seedy, underworld crime and a mysterious heroine. Salander is neither, although she is quite an interesting character, and it's nice that the author doesn't judge her anti-social tendencies and problems, preferring to offer us a glimpse into their possible causes. The protagonist is actually Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who has just been convicted of libel for his reporting of financial wrongdoing by a titan of Swedish industry. Before he has time to report for his prison sentence, he is hired by an another titan of Swedish industry, Henrik Vanger, an aging man whose company has fallen into disarray, to look into the disappearance of his niece nearly 40 years previously, under the guise of shadow writing an autobiography about the Vanger clan.
   
   The real star character in the book is the Vanger family itself, the whole, confusing, squabbling cast of near and distant cousins, fascists, Nazis, haridans and seemingly ordinary folk, and their relationship with each other, especially as it unfolds as Blomkvist digs into the family's past. The main mystery of the book -- what happened to Harriet Vanger one fateful day in 1966 -- ends up being pretty easy to figure out, but the ins and outs and the hows and whys aren't so straightforward and it's a joy for most of the book trying to keep the various family members straight (although a family tree would have been nice) and watching how the unfolding drama affects them.
   
   Where the book falls down just slightly, in my opinion, is its heavy handed treatment of some of the subjects in the book, important though they are. A few reviewers have noted that the Swedish title of this book was Men Who Hate Women, and had I known that, perhaps I wouldn't have been bothered by the sheer number of men in the book who do just that, most in pretty horrid and aggressive ways. I suspect that part of the problem I had with this book is just a matter of cultural translation -- the book takes place in Sweden and was written by a Swedish author who was both a journalist and a crusader against right-wing extremists in Sweden. While he also uses the book to rail against the ineptitude of financial reporting in Sweden, the Nazi and fascist parties in Sweden, extremist religions, financial malfeasance, journalistic ethics, the failure of Sweden's approach to institutionalized care of juveniles, and other causes clearly near and dear to him before he died, his big one is violence against women and he cites lots of statistics about the number of women who are victims of sexual assault. Heck, one of the books that Blomkvist reads for pleasure is Val McDermid's The Mermaids Singing, a crime mystery based around violence against women. But Larsson overplays his case just a bit by having too many men who are absolute creeps (not just jerks), and the last one is totally gratuitous. The point could have been made better with a slightly subtler hand. Oddly (to my American sensibilities, anyway, but maybe this is another problem in cultural translation), the book is full of men and women who don't seem to mind their spouses/lovers having other lovers at the same time. It's a kitchen sink of Swedish liberalism that sometimes gets in the way of what is for the most part a rollicking good read with interesting characters and settings.
   
   The writing is mostly very good, with some overly staccato dialogue that doesn't sound natural, but again, this may be an issue of how speech sounds in Sweden since it seems that the translation has been quite well done.
   
   Of the two mysteries, the main one, about Harriet's disappearance, is the more compelling. The other, involving financial crimes is interesting at a very intellectual level, but Larsson resolves the ethical issues a bit too easily.
   
   Larsson keeps the characters true to themselves rather than offering a completely tidy and happy ending for all, but the main issues are resolved and I ended it feeling satisfied. It's an excellent, if slightly flawed, first novel, and I will read the sequels if they are ever translated into English.



4. There are two key protagonists here: a Swedish journalist in his forties named Mikael Blomkvist, who exposes financial corruption via his gadfly news magazine, Millennium, and is successfully sued for libel. And then there's the star: Lisbeth Salander, one of the most original characters in years. This emotionally-stunted, violence-inflicted computer hacker sports various tattoos and body piercings, probably suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, and has been under state guardianship in Sweden since she was not more than a child.
   
   When Blomkvist is enticed to live in the middle of nowhere to investigate the presumed murder of the grand-niece of the semi-retired industrialist, Henrick Vanger, a series of events begin to spiral that brings these two unlikely characters together. The result is a series of twists and turns as they team up to get to the bottom of this forty-year-old mystery and, at the same time, enable Blomkvist to clear his name and move his leftist watchdog magazine out of the red.
   
   The novel really sparkles when it focuses on Lisbeth, who is unique and captivating. The revenge scene had me cheering; I can imagine how it would play on the big screen. The book loses its edge as the mystery begins to be solved. No spoilers, but the evil doer, who was at least moderately fleshed out, acts and sounds like a cartoon character during the long-awaited revelation. The novel then began to sound like an old-fashioned Perry Mason episode.
   
   I have read that Stieg Larsson was the editor-in-chief of Expo, an anti-racist magazine. It makes sense, then, that the book becomes a conduit for causes that Larsson feels passionately about: violence and subjugation of women, right-wing extremism, and the incompetency of the media. I found the book to be a true page-turner -- I read all 467 pages at one sitting during a transcontinental flight -- with enough substance to keep me intrigued throughout.



5. With much trepidation I purchased this book. It seemed like with all the crazy raves it just couldn't be that good. It's that good. Surpassed all expectations and that is so rare. So much solid writing craft here and I think it will become a classic. Vegas Hustler

5 comments about Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 2).

1. In so many ways, this second of Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries is a huge step down from the first. Having established an atmospheric small town existence for protagonist Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire boyfriend, Harris promptly takes them out of that environment and sends them to Dallas for a dull, seemingly endless adventure. I can see shaking things up a bit and changing a series' venue, but not in the second installment. And the Dallas episode is bookended by a murder mystery so lackluster and pointless that I'm not sure why it's even part of the plot to begin with. First of all, Harris kills off one her more interesting characters, one with whom she could have gained a lot of future mileage if she'd just kept him alive. And by cramming two plot lines into one book, Harris end ups undermining both, to the point that we care about neither. I also wish Sookie were more of an amateur detective; she "solves" the crimes by reading people's minds, which happens to be a particular ability of hers. This feels like cheating to me; I prefer my sleuths to use their innate intellectual and intuitive skills. Imagine if Hercule Poirot had simply been able to read minds, rather than figure things out by using his "little grey cells." Harris has a terrific sense of humor, and has invented some fun characters here, but what makes a good mystery for me is the actual mystery; if the rest of the series is as dissatisfying and sloppy as "Living Dead in Dallas," I don't see any reason for sticking with it.



2. It was interesting to read so many different takes on this book. Perhaps some of you would be willing to look at some of my realistic futuristic thriller novels such as Pluto 2550 or Adam 2552. Maybe you would love a modern political, men's adventure, romance, thriller unlike no other, which is my top selling novel, The Immortal. If you dare to see a close look at the paranormal or supernatural thrillers, you might enjoy Cast out of Paradise or Kevin and the Dead. An adventure in excitement waits for you. Incidentally, I am the author, Daniel Whittman. All of these novels and more are on amazon.com. [...]



3. If it hadn't been for the HBO series TrueBlood I probably never would have started this series. I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first one - Sookie is probably one of the most likable characters I've come across in ages. Charlaine Harris writes clever dialogue and I was hooked from page one. Looking forward to reading the next in the series...



4. I read the first in this series, "Dead Until Dark" and loved it. This installment "hooked me".
   
   Sookie finds herself seriously attacked by a "creature" and is saved from a certain death by the vampires by a quite unusual approach. Sookie and Bill find themselves with a job to do for Eric (Bill's Vampire boss). This job takes Sookie and Bill to Dallas where they try to locate a missing vampire. They end up finding quite more than they bargained for including a church against vampires.
   
   There's also the murder of her co-worker that she needs to get to the bottom of and she finds herself in a very interesting sitution with Eric. And he's quite different than her vampire Bill boyfriend. All I can say is "wow". I definetly want to see more of Eric. (which is surprising because I Bill is a great character, and Sookie's first love.)
   
   Another super installment of the Southern Vampire series. If you weren't hooked after the first one, this one will definetly pull you in.



5. I'm giving this book the same review I gave the first book in the series... I'm going to give the books time to grow on me only because the show on HBO is great and I can't wait to see what happens. People keep telling me to stick with it because the later books are better reads , and I'm going to try my best, but good gosh the books are not that great. Conversations and actions are choppy, and the story just doesn't flow right. When I'm done reading the entire series and if I change my mind I will also change my review, but as of right now this series gets a 2 Star from me.

5 comments about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

1. I really enjoyed this book. It's format was different - written entirely in letters to the characters of the book.
   The plot was interesting - and the location - the Channel Islands are a place I've never read about.
   The historical context was interesting. The character development was not as in depth as many books I've read, but, there was development through letters about and from each of the people in the book.
   I have recommended this book to my daughter - it is definitely worth reading.



2. This is a really marvelous book. But before you read it, look at a map, and see where the Channel Islands are in relation to France (occupied by the Germans 1941 to 1945) and England. And then get into this book - just letters, diaries, journal entries, but still enthralling. A reviewer thought the second half weeker - absolutely not. With the absolutely most delightful proposal of marriage at the end. No, I don't read "women's books" or romances (not if I can help it), history & science & science fiction and fantasy is more my style, but this one was interesting from the start and more and more enthralling as it continued.



3. I was only two when this book takes place. However I grew up on old b&w English movies from the period, both before and after the war.
   
   I was barely pages into "Potato Peel", as I refer to it, when I was hooked. In a period of two days I consumed the book, something I haven't done in ages - and we're talking about 30 years.
   
   It was difficult at first keeping everyone straight, but that is the case with a lot of novels with many characters.
   
   Shaffer's descriptions of the locales were so vivid that they played like a Travel Channel episode in my mind.
   
   As I titled this review, only PBS can do justice with this in a series, not a two hour movie. Too much would be lost if it were shortend.



4. I read two or three books a week. It is often difficult to find books that are unique and entertaining. I loved this book from start to finish. I had at first passed it over but decided to try the sample on my kindle. I soon fell in love with the characters and plot. I can't wait to reread it.



5. Charming story, well-written and engaging. Characters come to life. Reminded me of "84 Charing Cross Road."

5 comments about The Lucky One.

1. Great Story, Great Characters, what else can I say A++++. Thanks Sparks for another masterpiece!



2. Nicholas Sparks has done it again!!! He has created another wonderful book with really terrific characters. Logan Thibault and Elizabeth Clayton are two rather lonely people when Logan shows up in her small NC town. He gets a job and befriends both Elizabeth and her son, Ben. There is actually a recognizable villain this time in Ben's dad and Elizabeth's ex, Keith. I won't say more but suffice it to say Keith is a real piece of work. I highly recommend this book. I got it one day and finished it the next. It transports you to small town America again and it's a pleasure to take the trip.



3. Bought this book on Friday and became so involved in the story and characters that I finished it in two days. It was a wonderful story, heart warming, great romance and left you believing in the possiblity that some things in life are destined to happen. I haven't read a book lately that left me thinking of the story and characters long after I finished the last page. Congratulations to Nicholas Sparks for creating another wonderful story...I'll look forward to seeing a movie made of this one...it would be terrific.



4. I have to admit that this book started a little slow for me, compared to Nicholas Sparks' other novels I've read, but it definitely didn't disappoint me in the end. I'll spare the details of what the plot is about - other reviewers have talked about it enough and there's a handy description of it at the top - but what I will tell you is that this is another Nicholas Sparks novel that will be hard for you to forget, or put down. You will fall in love with the characters he's so skillfully crafted, you will laugh with them, you will shed tears with them, and you will connect with them as if they are real people that you know.
   
   You will also marvel at how the lives of these characters are all coincidentally interwoven with each other in some strange way. You will wonder how Nicholas Sparks manages to center his stories around the same general theme of love and fate, but still continue to shock you time and time again, without fail.
   
   The Lucky One is a true heart-wrencher, at its finest. It is truly another unforgettable masterpiece by Nicholas Sparks. But, don't take my word for it. Go read it for yourself. I dare you not to be hooked.



5. I just finished reading "The Lucky One" and it was Fantastic! The story started out slow.....but understandable once you get into the plot. I enjoyed the close companionship of his dog - Zeus. I loved it and now wished I had read it slower. I will anxiously await the next great book from Nicholas Sparks! You will definitely love this one!

5 comments about The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Oprah Book Club #62).

1. Is it only my copy or all the pages of all the copies of the book where cut by beaver-teeth?



2. The man can write a story, but he can't finish it. I finished this book last night and I was so ticked off. What was the point of all the drama and mystery if you leave it unfinished? I was left with the feeling of pointlessness. This could have been ended so much better. Oprah has such an impact on the world with her suggestions, etc. But, I truly beleive she only picked this book because of the dog/human relationship. I will NOT be suggesting this book to anyone else. Save your money and your time. Dang it... I still pissed about this! Stupid book.



3. Please save your money and your time and don't try to read this book.
   It was one of the worst books I have ever tried to read. I got half way through the book by skipping long discriptive passages of minute details which didn't connect you to the story or characters at all. Oprah, Oprah, Oprah what on earth were you thinking?



4. I'm from Wisconsin. I LOVE dogs, and based these two facts and the great reviews I had read, I thought I would love this book. While I really enjoyed it and at times had a hard time putting it down, I think I am a victim of hearing too much hype.
   
   The characters were interesting, and I really enjoyed the way the relationships between humans and dogs were portrayed. However, I found myself in the midst of the book wondering, when is this going to turn into the amazing story I expected? Also, like many others, I would have loved a different ending. Despite this, I must admit the book is sticking with me, and I have been thinking of it for days after finishing it.
   
   I recommend this book and think Wroblewski created a maginficent story. I simply suggest readers refrain from setting their expectations too high as I did.



5. First, I'd like to say that The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is the kind of book it would be lovely to discover all on one's own. But this book was recommended to me, and that's a good thing, too.
   
   The best thing I can do after reluctantly putting down this amazing novel is to urge everyone who loves great literature to read it, whether your definition of "great" is beautiful writing, a riveting story, thought-provoking ideas, or characters that live always in your heart. You may be one of those readers who have only a handful of "best books ever" in your mental bookshelf, and very few things you read make it to that special level. I'm pretty sure you should read this book.
   
   This story will remind you of so many of the best books you've read, and Edgar himself is unique and unforgettable. You will look differently at dogs after reading Edgar Sawtelle, even if you were a dog lover already. After reading this book, although I know the breed is imaginary, I keep hoping for just a glimpse of a Sawtelle dog . . . .
   
   At the risk of sounding prudish, I would like to mention that although this book is full of the stuff of real life and humanity, it is almost completely lacking in four-letter words, and has no gratuitous sex or violence. (I remark on this because it's unusual, and because you could give this book to your grandma with only a bit of warning :-)
   
   This is a terrific book--heartbreaking, gloriously written, suspenseful--as one book lover to another, I highly recommend it.

5 comments about The Shack.

1. This fictional tale gives a new way of explaining theological issues. It is well written and does not condesend. The plot and the characters are interesting. It could be a good opener to Christianity for non-believers.



2. I teach advanced Bible studies to intelligent, accomplished adults and am usually highly suspicious of books with Biblical themes, especially those built around fiction. But this reviewer is happy to qualify my five-star rating thus: This is outstanding reformed trinitarian theology. There are a few inconsequential unbiblical fillips tossed in here and there but they do not ruin the basics of Biblical truth, the important lessons therein.
   
   True, God The Father is not a black woman named Papa. True, it is unbiblical to state that God is both male and female. True, the Holy Spirit isn't a female. One or two other asides do not destroy the biblical integrity of this fictional book any more than wearing a cross destroys the commandment not to make "graven images".
   
   What you have here is a book for everyone who can think analytically. It is true some parts are easy to fathom, other parts are questions and problems that people have been wrestling with since people were created. But it's less the actual story that is so attractive as it is the deep, deep theology the participants analyze. The reader who enters these pages with the notion of cruising along without analyzing or thinking deeply will be either disappointed that it's not another simplistic "Dinner With The Perfect Stranger", or will be confused by what appears to be unanswerable questions about God, pain, suffering, creation, death, life, eternity and purpose.
   
   This is no simple book. Bible studies and weekend Christian retreats are already being built around this book and for good reason: The book asks all the right questions and in some cases answers those questions by saying, "It is not for you to know just yet." In short, it's a book for the seeker as well as for the committed Christian. I imagine Fundamentalist Atheists will find it terrible, as might some who miss the greater messages in favor of finding fault with angels on pin heads.
   
   Get this book for every seeker or Christian you know. As an ex-atheist who converted to Christianity late in life, I can tell you that this is a substantive book, unlike many pop-Christian books out there today by well-known writers and pastors. In fact, this book may be a tad too substantive for some; it scrapes your psyche and challenges your mind.



3. This book is downright silly. I felt like I was reading a deleted scene from the matrix with never ending dialogue between Neo and the Oracle. Only without the cool action sequences.



4. The Shack is a most wonderful book, thought-provoking, and full of wonder. You will cry one minute from the tenderness shown and laugh the next. Your heart will wrench then sing. Your emotions will run from one end of the scale to the other. It is one of the best books I've ever read and I am a better person for reading it.



5. I very much enjoyed reading The Shack. The story of Missy's abduction is disturbing. Even more disturbing, however, is the process of surrender that Mack works through as he connects with spirit. I am a christian cultured individual with no real religous upbringing/education. I do not know the trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) the way others brought up in christian religion might. William Young did a great job of helping me connect to this triad of spirit without my feeling inadequate due to no religous training. This helped me to not only enjoy the story, but learn from the story. I can see the value of surrender and acceptance in this heart-wrenching story of loss. Healing from loss is a personal journey and this story would likely be received and understood differently by each individual because of all the ways in which we are diverse.
   Please read this book and enjoy your own healing.