Michael McKean Books

Don't you just hate to get your hands on a good book and you don't want it to end? Well, Where the Truth Lies is one of those books. I found out about this book when I was searching the profile of Colin Firth over at the IMDB site, saw that it had been made into a movie and decided to read the book first. I was sucked into the "dead girl in the bathtub" scenario because it sounded like a great mystery.

But while reading this book, I fell in the love with the characters and the dark humor sprinkled throughout. This story takes so many twists and turns, it's impossible to put down and after I finished those last couple of chapters I realized how many of the clues Rupert Holmes had dropped within the first couple of pages of reading.

This is a real gem and I highly recommend it.

I'm not sure why this book is so highly rated. Didn't really do much for me. Decent enough book and all, but not a knockout, imo.

I think the part that grew most tiresome for me was the central character - she's really quite self-absorbed and a bit too clever for her own good. I guess it all works out for her in the end, but the choices she makes along the way didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Yet despite the seemingly poor judgement, she ends up on top at the end by solving the mystery and...

The '...' means there are two huge cliches that come true at the end that I will not reveal here - but you just want to roll your eyes and groan a bit as they occur.

Anyway, I'd call this a 'mystery lite'.

I was really excited to get this book. I saw Mr. Holmes on the Today Show and his book sounded interesting. A good mystery is always a good read to me. This book is so hard to read because of its many characters. I lost track of who is who after awhile. It's not a fast read!

Everything you may have heard about this book - whether from the Times of London or the Washington Post - is true. I will use the word 'sensational' here and solemly promise never to use it again.

There were more times than I can remember when I actually had to say to myself (aloud) "calm down, calm down". And not because of the mesmerising storyline but because of the sheer beauty and accomplishment of the writing, all the more so since the book is 'narrated' by a twenty-something female journalist.

As a bonus, not that one were really needed, Holmes has written the best sex scenes in modern fiction (I thought Jane Smiley had already done that in 'Good Faith').

But, strangely and astonishingly, it was only after some three hours had passed since finishing this modern masterpiece that I stopped dead in my tracks and the hair on my neck suddenly rose to attention. Earlier I had wondered how such a perfect evocation of grief and loss had come to be written. And there in the author's acknowledgments right at the end is the answer. A double-whammy indeed.

Drop everything else and read this now.

I'm not going to attempt a full review of this book - that's been handled ably by others already. But I want to contribute a brief perspective on the element of the story that resonated so profoundly for me.

There is a wonderfully evocative sequence set in Disneyland that both exposes the artifice of the fantasy and embraces our romantic longing for its own mythology. Once I experienced this part of the book, the significance of the story for my own life leaped out at me.

There is so much of the emotion and dramatic power of our world that feels calculated and artificial, from the stories we see on television to the persona of our politicians to the paper tigers of some of our sports heroes. Everywhere we turn, we slam into the cynical constructs of a world driven by media and marketing.

The message that "Where The Truth Lies" speaks to me is that, in spite of this apparent duplicity in the cultural myths of our lives, the power they have can be undiminished, because that power comes from ourselves, not the corporate manipulations that create their veneer.

Having the behind-the-scenes-workings of Disneyland revealed in the book did little to diminish the romantic and nostalgic wonder the scenes there evoked in me. That theme continues throughout the book, ultimately showing how the double-dealing, self-deception and cynical brutality of the worlds of show business and publishing could not quench the flame of human connection and hope - a flame that flickered all the way to the final wonderful sentence.

Just as with all of her books and illustrations, Laurie Keller's
Open Wide entertains on many levels! The pictures make you want to climb into
the book, and be a part of the action. The teeth (characters) all have personality and the story follows them through a school day at Tooth School. It teaches about dental care, but more than that...it's funny! My kids love all of Mrs. Keller's works...including Stinky Thinking, The Scrambled States of America series, and all of the rest! Don't be surprised if you see this book in your dentist/orthodontist waiting room on your next visit!

Little bit silly but loads of fun. Actually learn a few things about teeth in a fun way. 3 out of my 4 kids recommend it!



b

This book cleverly teaches kids about the mouth!
Laurie Keller is my new favorite kids' author. A great gift book!

Filled with funny drawings, history lessons about teeth and fun stuff that all kids will identify with when it comes to thinking of their trips to the dentist. Belongs in every dentist's office. My grandkids and their friends all love this book. Great job.

J. George

After reading this book to my girls, they took more interest in brushing since they didn't want their teeth to look green and black as depicted in the book. It does have a lot going on and can be a little overwhelming (at least for me) but my kids enjoyed reading every last detail. It's a fun way to learn a little about the importance of brushing.

A wonderful story from some people with a beautifully twisted vision

I actually bought this book just for the "Dave Mc Kean" value. I was surprised to read a sick and twisted tale that rivals the comic series Todd McFarlane has done for KISS. It also has a great art by Michael Zulli, although I like his pencilled art on the Sandman series: the Wake. ... not a big Alice Cooper fan. I heard that lots of Cooper maniacs are after this gem from the now defunct Marvel Music series...

The Last Temptation is based on a concept created by rock star Alice Cooper and Neil Gaiman (author of the Sandman comics). The story was the basis for Alice Cooper's album of the same name. However, after the album was finished it was clear that the story needed to be told. It would have been a crime to keep the story of Steven and how he was tempted by the mysterious Showman from the public. On the day before Hallowe'en one year, while walking home from school with his friends, Steven discovers an old theater. They encounter a strange man in a battered coat and top hat who offers them a ticket to the theater. It's the theater of the real, "The only entertainment that gives you undiluted wonder". However, there is only one ticket. Only one boy can visit the theater, and didn't your parents tell you not to accept presents from strangers? Steven's no fool, but when his friends accuse him of being to scared to take the ticket he has no choice but to follow the Showman into his strange, twisted carnival of souls. What Steven doesn't know is that this is the Theater of the Real, and he isn't just the audience, he's also the star, and the show must go on

The cd set was very helpful for use in my author study of R.L. Stine. My students enjoyed listening to the stories. I only wish that the dialogue was a little more animated.