Suicide Books

Dillon is in training - one day he hopes to run, swim, bike, and win the Ironman triathlon. But before he can do that, he must deal with his brother Preston's recent suicide and the role he played in it. Dillon runs to lose himself, to forget about his family falling apart; to sort out his feelings for Stacy, Preston's girlfriend; and to stop thinking about the secret that his friend Jennifer has just entrusted to him - a secret about herself and her step-father, T.B. Dillon can't keep running from these problems and he knows it. With the help of Jennifer's basketball coach and his father, Dillon learns to accept his problems and take responsibility for the only thing he can control - himself.

I am reading this book for a young adult college class and feel the content is definitely adult; however- it's real life and many young adults in a similar situation could relate. The author is local and will be visiting our class in June.

The purpose of the author was to show the consequences of communicating and not communicating in life and death situation. For example, Dillon had a secret with his frind Jen, who was the girlfriend of his death brother and he wanted to be more than friends with her but he couldn't tell her because he knew that it was hard because she had been his brother girlfriend. I rate this book with a letter A because it is interresting how a young boy has kept the secret of his death brother by himself.
I think that at the time that people finish reading this book, they would like to read another one from this author because it is interresting the way that is written and the way that he introduced Dillon and Jen and because it got involved wih sports either. For example me, when I finished with it, I noticed that it was a very interresting book that I decided to read another one from him that is called the "Contender".

Looking at the title Chinese Handcuffs, I never would have expected such an ongoing book of every day, life-threatening events. I would have to say that the main idea I got from this book was communication. Communication is a key to life and in this book you find out the consequences of communicating and not communicating in life and death situations.
I enjoyed this book a lot. Its life lessons and relations to true stories really made me think of what I would do in the situations Dillon had in his hands. Dillon Hemingways' life is much like a carnival, full of excitement and secrets, some to be told and some to have kept quiet.
Starting out with his brothers' suicidal death, Dillon had many hardships and adventures to go through right from the beginning. He had to find someone to talk to and he had to keep his active life in school, out of trouble. I would have never guessed such a huge story could one relate to a carnival and two like a carnival trick toy, Chinese handcuffs.
This book is right. Sometimes to get out of tough situations like Chinese handcuffs, you have to do the opposite of what you think.
If you like a book full of suspense and wonder, pick this book up and join me in not wanting to put it down. Chris Crutcher does a great job of detailing this book and that is one reason it's so good, so five stars off to him. It's an excellent book.

Chinese Handcuffs consists of content that is meant for ages 14 and up. Dillon and Jen are juniors in high school and only friends. Jen is not only a basketball star and does excellent in school but she is beautiful. Dillon wants to be more than just friends but he can tell Jen is hiding something about her personal life at home. With Dillon's brother dead and his mother gone with his sister, he can understand why she wouldn't want to talk. When Jen reveals her horrifying home life, Can Dillon get involved without making things worse?
Chinese Handcuffs takes you through Dillon's finding of himself while he gets over the terrifying death of his brother. The book is an excellent page turner for boys and girls. It is an easy read, with unforgettable events. Dillon's thrilling adventures keep your eyes glued to every page. The author did an outstanding job with this book! There will be no regrets about reading this marvelous and meaningful work. With its components in drama, romance, and mystery there is never a dreary moment.

Paper Towns mostly takes place in Orlando, Florida. The setting is described in a way any teenager would talk about growing up in their home town: They find it boring and look forward to making there own fun or trouble. Q, or Quentin, is a bit obsessed with fellow classmate and neighbor Margo Roth Speigelman. A girl who Q and friends are finding to be more of a mystery by the day.
The story is about realizing you never really know a person, you just think you do. The plot's similar to another of John Green's books, Looking For Alaska, but done in a different light - as more of a quest, where Alaska was about a learning experience. To find the mystery that is Margo, Q goes on a scavenger hunt. Literally, and you can follow the clues along with Q to find Margo. I think the characters and setting feel pretty natural and will sit well with teens.
This is a book not just for teens, though. It will be enjoyable for adults as well. There are some strong language and sexuality explicit scenes, but not as bad a as Looking for Alaska. It is a book with a lot of humor, mystery and intrigue. I highly recommend it.

Following up on the success of his award-winning Young Adult novels, Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines, John Green next provides us with "Paper Towns." I can most concisely describe Towns as a story about two people: high school "nerd," Quentin Jacobsen, and the object of his infatuation - the popular Margo Roth Spiegelman, a quirky and attractive senior who Quentin has lived next door to his whole life, but does not interact with, until one day when Margo decides to finally make Quentin the object of her attention by leading him on a series of adventures throughout the town of Orlando, Florida.

I have not read "Katherines" yet, but I have read "Alaska," and even though it is labeled a "Young Adult" novel and I am far beyond that classification, it is still one of my favorite books (but not in a creepy "why is that guy in the YA section of the bookstore" kind of way). It is one of my favorites because Green has a very descriptive writing style and a way of creating very well developed characters that elicit an emotional reaction from his readers. If you're familiar with "Alaska," you'll recognize this again, and that is because I almost felt like I was reading the same book. The protagonists are incredibly similar. I didn't necessarily feel like I was reading the same book, but I did have a very strong sense of déjà vu. Almost as if "Paper Towns" was written by a John Green in an alternate dimension. This John Green is exactly the same as our John Green in every single way, with the exception that he has a goatee (which of course makes him evil). That is because, in the real world, you don't often encounter girls like Alaska and Margo. In the six years I spent in high school I can't recall ever noticing a teenage girl who is strong, attractive, popular, self-reliant, emotional, adventurous, and also crazy. Oh sure, I knew plenty of "crazy" girls. But I'm talking about "let's pretend I'm pregnant to see if he really loves me" crazy, while Green's women are "I'm going to climb to the top of the Eiffel tower in the middle of the night and bungee jump while eating a triple cheeseburger" crazy. Those kind of women just don't exist in the real world, and I had a lot of trouble suspending my disbelief in a character like Margo Roth Spiegelman. She is just too out there. If she was a "band geek" like Quentin, I might be ale to buy it, but the fact that she is apparently one of the most beautiful and popular girls in school is just too much for me. A girl like Margo would have extreme difficulty in high school because she wouldn't fit into one of the typical molds that unfortunately, most people are stereotyped into. Also, I have a big problem with whoever signed off on the book cover. The girl on the cover does NOT fit my image of Margo. She is just not attractive enough, and was a source of so much distraction I had to remove it while reading. Why force an image of her onto the reader at all? I think it would have been a much better idea to let the reader use their own imagination in this instance and I feel as if this was a big flaw that the editor let get by them.

The above issues aside, I found "Paper Towns" a very enjoyable and extremely easy read. Green's nerd power definitely comes through in his characters, and those familiar with his Brotherhood 2.0 project will feel a strong sense of familiarity between this novel and his YouTube videos. I can't compare Towns to Alaska at all, simply because I felt that the ending was a little underwhelming, and focused too much on introspection for a novel aimed at young adults. At times Quentin and Margo talk way too much like 50-year old erudites than high school kids, and the book and plot is a little too "lofty" to believe in, but maybe that is part of the appeal Green's books have with older readers and why I don't think they should be limited to the young adult section of bookstores.

John Green really gets your attention in this book! He's a great writer for teens. You can't put down this book at all! Who doesn't like a great mystery/romance/hilarious novel?

Though a poor stepsister to his Printz Award-winning LOOKING FOR ALASKA, John Green's PAPER TOWNS follows a similar formula and will no doubt captivate both established fans and many new ones. Again we have a femme-almost-fatale, this time by the name of Margo Roth Spiegelman. As the book's irresistible hook, Green writes a long scene where Margo and her starry-eyed wing man, Quentin Jacobsen, wreak havoc on Spielgelman's high school senior enemies in suburban Orlando. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and all that.

Also Alaska-like, Margo no sooner makes her mark when she up and disappears. The difference, however, is that readers don't get to know Margo as well or as deeply as they do Alaska in Green's debut novel. From here, we are left to follow the clues with Q, a boy on a mission to track his love (or "crush" might better describe it). Among his most important clues is Walt Whitman's poem, "Leaves of Grass" (English majors take note).

Although this search is protracted and perhaps not all that intriguing, the novel is in good hands. Why? With Margo out of sight, Green treats us to a "buddy bonding" book of sorts. Q's best friend, Ben Starling, and his other best friend, Radar, take what looks like a plot novel in the offing and turn it into a characterization novel that's not only funny but spot-on to the way guys talk (to each other, to girls, and to their computers). By the time the Margo plot resurfaces, the sub-plot revolving around the guys has practically trumped it. Overall, this is an enjoyable outing -- part light mystery, part road book, part novel of (ill) manners. It all adds up to a worthwhile read.

This is a hard review to write because I am such a fan of John Green. I loved Looking for Alaska and Abundance of Katherines is one of my favorite all time books--so of course I was excited to be able to review this book.

I'm sorry to say, I just never got hooked into this story. Most of all because I never could get into the main character--I just didn't feel a strong voice from him, he had no unique personality, and I never felt a reason to care about him. The other problem was his mission--he suddenly turns his whole life upside down to chase after a girl he has barely spoken to in almost 10 years. I just didn't get it. I also didn't get what was so great about her that he would need to chase her--I never felt the bond that he supposedly had for her.

As for the other characters in the book, the only one I really liked--the only one that felt real--was Radar. He was interesting and well drawn. The rest were just stereotypes or unreal. Ben, his other best friend, was completely ridiculous with his honeybunnies and ginormous balls. Give me a break. Why mega-popular Lacey would even fall for him was completely unbelievable. Q's parents were also one-dimensional. Every scene with the parents was just something like 'we love you' or 'we think you're great'. I never saw him do anything great--do they never not get along?

I hate to be so negative because Green is such a wonderful writer. There were many great lines in this book like when they blast their car stereo and open the windows so everyone will know what great taste in music they have--that is so perfectly teen. I also loved learning about "paper towns" a term I've never heard of.

Anyway, judging by the other reviews I am obviously in the minority in my opinion but there it is.

This is the best book I have probably ever read. You can really connect with it even if you're not depressed/suicidal. It really gets to you. Ned does a great job at describing emotions of the characters and all the scenarios. Whenever I feel kinda down, just pick up the book and start reading...kinda releases them in a way. I've read the entire book twice through already and I think I might go a third..

Get this book!

Recipe for suicide: push yourself beyond your abilities, criticize your performance relentlessly, lust after your best friend's girlfriend, smoke pot and masturbate daily, fail to make emotional connection with others. Do this as a ritualized habit and you're two steps away from psychosomatic meltdown and doing a triple gainer off the Brooklyn Bridge. Following this precise process is what eventually places Craig Gilner at death's doorstep knocking frantically for entrance. Funny thing is, before embarking on his course of destructive habits, he was just a normal, blend into the woodwork kind of kid, a regular guy, the kind of guy you would see walking through the halls at school and notice only if he was momentarily blocking something you were trying to see, "What does that poster say behind that guy---is the anime club meeting today?" One could say in the social domain the primary impression left by his presence was a decided lack of impression. In other words he was terminally unimpressive.

So, how then can this be a funny kind of story when it involves the escapades of a fifteen year old boy under so much social and academic pressure he attempts suicide and checks himself into a Psychiatric Hospital? It is entirely due to the skills of Vizzini that this mélange of otherwise tragic cum melodramatic potential is rendered a soul searching, life affirming, joyous celebration as we are allowed access to an inner sanctum where only the invited may tread. One may immediately on understanding the premise of this tale jump to Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as likely parallel. The mistake with this approach is in confusing apples for oranges. While Kesey's tale is an indictment of the failures in the mental institutions of his day, a grim satire to be sure, Vizzini's foray into psychiatric institutions is teeming with fascinating and personality laden characters who in summation lend a vacation camp veneer to the proceedings within. And what can be taken away from this tale is that even in the most unexpected and unlikely of places, redemption is not only possible, but entirely achievable.

Douglas Coupland was dubbed the voice of his generation with his landmark socially relevant novel, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. Perhaps Ned Vizzini will be awarded the same distinction as the voice of his generation for his contribution A Funny Kind of Story; equally socially relevant and worthy of official acknowledgement.

I read this book for school and now this book is my favorite! You follow a teenager with all the pressure of growing up. From trying to make friends and be cool to the fantasies of your future. You follow Craig Gilner who lives in New York. He goes through many struggles to get into the best high school around, so he can go to an even better university. But when Craig finds out he is in, everything goes downhill. He becomes clinically depressed, he can't eat, and he can't sleep. And ends up in a mental hospital. While in there he meets a variety of people whose lives are just as bad or even worse. I recommend this book to teenagers and up because it will help teens realize they aren't alone when they are feeling down and depressed. And it will help adults understand teens and sometimes even themselves.

I just finished reading the book It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. It tells the story of Craig Gilner, a fifteen-year-old contemplating suicide. Craig ends up checking himself into a psychiatric ward, where he meets people that change his life and outlook. The story deals with a sad reality about teens and depression. It shows that there is hope and recovery at the end of the tunnel.

Ned Vizzini has done a huge service to people who suffer from depression. Through It's Kind of a Funny Story, he lets teens and adults know that (1) anyone who goes through depression is NOT alone and (2) there is hope.

Beth Fehlbaum, author
Courage in Patience

The book is about Scott Hudson, and the guide of things he makes for his upcoming sibling, about coping with problems of Freshman Year, such as drifting friends, a new baby, homework, and the older kids.
I loved this book, and it was an amazing read.

I had to read this book over the summer for Summer Reading. I expected it to be just as dull and uninteresting as the other books I have had to read. Actually, it was better than previous years. However, it was not that good.

The characters seemed fake and the plot was totally predictable. (spoiler) It was obvious from the beginning that Scott's mom was pregnant. How could he not see that? And in the end with Lee? I figured out in the beginning that Scott would like her better than Julia. And then the thing with Mouth. Jeez. And his "friends" were pretty stupid.

I would not recommend this book to most people.

I was going to make another corny review, calling it, "Sleeping Freshman, Crouching Sophomores", but I will never presume to try to outwit the narrator of this very clever book. Mind you, I heard the "Full Cast Audio" version, and didn't get a chance to read it (don't worry, their version is unabridged), but still I must say that this story is great!

It has humour in all the right places, little life lessons, and a good portrayal of adolescent angst. The main character is very believable, and you find yourself cheering him on.

While I don't agree with the "punk" (or is it goth?) look of the SPOILER HERE girlfriend, I can understand how she doesn't want to be a part of the crowd. Both of them realize by the end story that they are pretty special without being stereotypically so. (A fact that Lee-the girl-knew all along.

Other lessons include being nice to the "oddballs" like Mouth, and not just ignoring them. Also, that revenge and fighting are not the answer. I like how our main hero didn't sic Wesley on Vernon.

It's just a very good book-a rarity in the sex-filled volumes inflicted on teens these days.

One more word of caution: there is some swearing in this book-even done by our hero.

Scott Hudson sure has a way with words. Whether he's spouting vocabulary words at his friends, writing humorous articles about the losing team, or keeping a survival guide for his new sibling-to-be this book is a wonderful, refreshing read.

It's obvious that Scott is a geek, what with always reading, loving the word games his english teacher gives out or writing out one of his many lists, but it's also obvious he has a way with words.

Which is how he got on the school paper. Hoping to write book reviews (and he's be good at them, too) he gets stuck writing about sports teams who aren't any good. And running for student counsel to get his crush to notice him. And becoming part of the drama team. He somehow manages to make his way through his first year in high school(juggling school and writing), making unexpected friends and losing some old ones as they grow apart. He finds out that the girl he was crushing on isn't who he thought she was, and that the "weird girl" in school is actually pretty cool.

To give away more might spoil this delightful book. As an aspiring author myself, this is the kind of book that makes me smile and work harder at my writing to make characters this memorable! Bravo David Lubar! I hope we can meet Scott in another adventure!

This book is the required book for kids entering 9th grade at my school. I thought, ok, just another boring reading book, whatever. But it was worse than that. This was stereotypical, but tried to be clever. Every time the main character made a joke, he clarified it, and it usually wasn't very funny the first time. The main character was portrayed as a well read, above average student, but the only books he reads are the general required reading for every school in the country (To Kill A Mockingbird, etc.)The book also tries to use vocab words, but he is so blatantly trying to pound them into our heads that it gets annoying. The characters are very fake and boring, and when it tries to get into heavier subjects, the heavier things (like suicide) are glossed over and sort of ignored (bad things happen, but not to you!). There is one type of charming in the book, and if you aren't that kind of charming, you are out.

this is the most amazing, powerful, moving book.

don't be afraid to read it because it's poetry. although it is quite poetic, it reads like a novel. you'll be able to understand everything on a level you weren't aware could happen in literature. that was my experience, anyways. i felt EVERYTHING that eireann felt. like i said, it was powerful.

it's one of those books that you pick up and you cannot put down until it is completely read. i've read it many times, over and over again. the first time i read it, i read it all in one sitting. then at the end i just sat in a daze and immediately wanted to read it again.

i always go back to this book.

it was an immediate favorite. i'd recommend it to anyone.

it's inspiring.

yea the auther is my high school English teacher and shes awesome so buy this book

This book covers some of the darkest places a human mind can go, and the key to it's success is that it does so without preaching or looking down upon the problems it discusses. From Anorexia to drug use to suicide, this is not light reading. And despite the fact that it is written in poetry, it's not confusing. Eileann begins the book with what seems like the obvious starting point: The onset of her anorexia. She discusses her starvation, her motivation, her multiple trips to the hospital. She does this in a fresh manner, something that feels true, and not like something someone decided anorexia feels like. She also brings another aspect into this book which had a considerable amount of personal appeal to me: Love. A high school boyfriend who she loved, it seems, more than anything. When he finally attempts to take his own life with a gun to the head and fails, she's on the other side of the hospital bed. And that changes everything. She talks about how, for the first time, she cooked for a man, even though she only brought yogurt for herself. And eventually she makes the decision that if he will live, then so will she. This book is essentially a love story, between a girl and a boy, and between a girl and her obsession. It is a dark and haunting read, but I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading such novels. It is truly a work of art.

"The nurse who's weighed me each / weekday morning for three months finally / speaks. She says Three digits. She says / Good job. And I feel like the particular hog / who's been pointed out at the trough." In our life, we always try to look perfect for someone, whether it be a boy, a friend, or a family member. Eireann Corrigan's memoir "You Remind Me of You" explains her descent into a whirlwind of pain, agony, and heartbreak.
Suffering from a severe case of anorexia and a boyfriend, Daniel, who is recovering from a failed suicide attempt, Eireann discusses these issues through poetry stanzas with a truth that is unlike any other. Her voice is honest and makes me feel like I am experiencing the same things she is. Even though some words are a bit challenging and the poetry verses could be confusing, she speaks with such reality that you can see her pain written on the pages.
The people in this book are real and they portray themselves in a shocking, heart-wrenching manner. This book shows what happens when anorexia takes over your life. Eireann doesn't sugarcoat any of her problems - she wants people to know what she went through and the exact results that came from it. This book can reach out to the age group of 14 and up. Teens need to know the truth and the dangers of just how bad anorexia can get. I have experienced a very minor case of it, and after reading this book I know that I could have never survived if it had gotten that severe.
Another book that relates to teens and self-image issues is "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins. It discusses what can happen when a straight-A, goodie-two-shoes teenage girl transforms into a monster. Eireann is a new writer who has only written two published books. "You Remind Me of You" and "Splintering," which is her first novel. "You Remind Me of You" is definitely a 5-star book. I couldn't put it down when I was reading it. You want to know what happens to Erieann as she continues down her spiral of guilt, depression, and anorexia. You are hooked right away on the first page, as Erienne describes how she feels about herself and her first love, Daniel:
Right now, I weigh eighty-four pounds. My skin is yellowing / again and each morning my hair fills the shower's drain. Later, / I will look back and wonder who let me in that room, but at this minute / I'm remembering our first date, how you told me you couldn't imagine / marrying anyone who wasn't Jewish and I told you / just as earnestly, / as gently, that I couldn't imagine getting through high school / without killing myself. And you said Well that gives us three years.

I would recommend this book to anyone who knows what it's like to deal with a suffering loved one or self-esteem issues. Eireann reaches out to teens and writes about true life events, and how adolescence can be both painful and beautiful.

I first read YOU REMIND ME OF YOU because I loved Billy Merrell's TALKING IN THE DARK so much... and I have to say that these PUSH books are just great. The poetry they have for "kids" just sucks and I hate what they have for adults. But Billy and Eirean are better than of of that.

I hope that Eirean writes MORE BOOKS. I just bought SPLINTERING and hope it is as good as it looks. I love the cover!

Anyway, though. IF you haven't bought this book, buy it already.

Wow. I had put off reading this book because of the decidedly mixed reviews it had received. I wish I hadn't waited. I just tore through this book in a few hours' time, and when I reached the end, it left me with that weird teary feeling that comes on when I really connect with a story.

The narrator of this book, Wayne, finds out that his ex-girlfriend has committed suicide. Over the course of the book, every decision he makes, each path he carves out is somehow colored by the horrible news he has received.

This is, in some sense, a road novel combined with A. J. Jacob's The Know-It-All, which, coincidentally, I just finished reading a couple of weeks ago. Wayne's narrative is populated with definitions of words and the history of places, inventions and ideas. It is not clear as you read that these devices are directly tied to the narrative. I understand that some readers become impatient with this. I think perhaps The Know-It-All conditioned me for this -- but for whatever reason, it worked for me.

By the end, I understood exactly what why these passages and digressions were there, and when I soaked up the last word of the last page, I experienced a moment of clarity about the narrator and his trajectory that startled me.

This review may sound fairly vague, but I'd hate to get more specific about the "message" of this book and color your own interpretation or ruin your own experience reading it. I am guessing that this is the kind of book that will mean different things to different people, and resonate with their own life experiences in different ways.

I recommend it to all, especially those who feel they can adapt to a somewhat experimental narrative form. I also wonder if this book will resonate more with men than women, but obviously I can't say...

I love a great book, but you can't seriously say this is one of those. Short chapters about absolutely nothing. If he's trying to recapture The Catcher In the Rye, or another coming of age classic, then he needs to get a new idea... Thankfully I didn't buy this book, but instead it was passed out a Beauty Fair for free. I guess that's one way for people to read your book.

If you are looking for a great read that captures your attention the whole time, then skip this one. I think I am finally understanding the title after all...since I had ADD reading this silly book. There's better books to spend your time with.

As a modern existentialist novel, it's hard to think of any book better executed than Attention. Deficit. Disorder. Brad Listi gives us a new Silas Marner, but in this version the loom that has worked patiently upon him is none other than the tumult of modern day society, awash in excess. I very much enjoyed Listi's device of inserted definitions - it's a phenomenon of modern society that we hunt for labels and categorizations like they're bears out in the woods. Wayne Fencer's journey is a great adventure not because of an epic plot but because of its smallest details, which is where the book (of course) devotes most of its energy. It also poses the interesting moral that we should, indeed, find the meaning of ourselves in the small stuff (and it's all small stuff).

The device of repeated phrases (in two adjoining sentences) intrigued me - it happens over a dozen times throughout the course of the book. This motif of repetition is well crafted - it echoes how we all keep seeing (for example) the same commercials over and over again, the same songs played on the radio, etc. And given the book's nod to Sartre's Nausea, the latching on to particular phrases rings true with the rest of Wayne's search.

Regarding other elements of style, Listi's pace is brisk and immersive. He has produced an enjoyable modern bildungsroman, and his character seems to rise like a phoenix from the Burning Man's ashes.

All in all, an excellent book, and well worth the time invested.

Wow. This is a great read, and feel I was lucky to stumble upon it. While the story and premise of the book more than held my attention, I found it was Listi's writing style that made the book unique and kept me turning the pages. I would love to see what Listi can do with other subject matters and I will make it a point to search out new releases in the future.

this book is GOOD....i laugh, i cried, i enjoyed it completely.
it is a wonderfully written novel that combines adventure, philosophy, humor and lots of quirky references(the movie point break being one of my favorites)to tell the story of a young man's search for meaning and reason after tragedy rocks his life.

ADD is a unique book that beautifully illustrates the transformative power of a painful experience...it gets to the heart of what IT all is possibly about. hot stuff.

i look forward to more of Brad Listi's writing!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its exotic locale and irreverent description of the author's own family. In fact, it made me laugh out loud in places.

Ondaatje seems to be trying too hard. The language is overly flowery and the plot is often lost beneath the mound of words. It does have a few good moments, some funny, some touching. But in general, I spent most of this book irritated by the grandois manner of the author, as if by writing in a vague and pretty-fied manner, his words will sound important and deep.
Maybe it's just me, but I find that vague does NOT equal meaningful.

I read this book for a Canadian fiction class and really liked it. The language was so interesting and different from anything I had read before. It is a wonderful story about a wacky family. There are good times, bad times, funny stories, tragic stories, and just plain wacky events. It really makes you want to take a look into your own family and find out all of the "juicy" details. I really liked the book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting story.

fans of michael ondaatje's poetry will no doubt like this book; however, do to the hit and miss nature of each chapter, i doubt that this book would win him many new fans. an impressionistic collage of place & family members, this book is closer to the ethic of poetry, forsaking narrative structure for short pieces that jump here and there to paint a family in an exotic place and time. plenty of good prose, but lots of the pieces are too random and are just not interesting. worthwhile, but not highly recommended.

Considering that this is in fact an autobiograpy, one can not judge it's contents. After all, you can not judge ones life, either you like it or not in a sense of discussing literature. But, what you can discuss is the manner in which that biography is written. Ondaatje present's life of his family trough generations who lived on Ceilon (Shri Lanka), in a series of random images, which are more like picture, than prose. Many times he stops to grasp certain individual and present his little history, his life, which than influenced the rest of the family in some perverse way. When reading this book, experienced reader will find such compositions that corresponds in that what crtics call 'modern', others will find interesting and compelling story, which never grows in boredom, with fluent narrative style that keeps ones eyes fixed on pages long after the lights went out.
Comparing the Ondaatje with other authors of the modern world,
Ondaatje lacks the one thing that he "must" have when presenting himself in a way he does. By focusing himself merely on a problems of his own, of a personal character in every (which, of course, includes this one)book, he voluntarily forgets that there is other life, other world going around him. When tending to write intelectual prose, one should, at least in one way, give some focus on that matter too.
But, when all this comes to conclusion, if you like (auto)biograhies - buy this one, if you don't, skip it. It's simple as that...

Karen Rose is a gifted writer. She writes along the same line
as Nora Roberts books. Karen is very talented and overlooked in
her liternary talents.

Tess Ciccolotelli is a psychiatrist, who specializes in suicides, and when her patients start killing themselves, she is the prime suspect. The police believe that she is slowly driving them crazy, forcing them to do the very thing that she had been trying to avoid. Aidan Reagan is one of the lead detectives on the case. At first he definitely believes she is capable of coldly and calculatingly killing her patients, until he realizes that her cold demeanor is just a facade, masking the fact that she feels too much. Together they must figure out who would be killing her patients just to destroy her life. As more of Tess's patients die and everyone around her is threatened, they realize that the killer may be a little closer to home than they would hope.

This book is the follow up to I'm Watching You feature Kristen Mayhew and Abe Reagan (Aidan's brother). Several other characters from that book are back in the second installment. You Can't Hide is even better than the first book. The killer is truly evil, and the romance between Aidan and Tess is brilliant.

what was she thinking , is it intend to be a thriller , romantic or..born!!
I find it really a sex book actually I threw mine into the trash can.

Great book - stayed up late so I could finish it! The suspense is great, grabs you and keeps you reading for more. The relationship between Aidan and Tess starts off rocky, but quickly turns to romance. Strong characters in an intense situation.

I like the supporting players that kept their personalities from earlier books. Though it was nice to have read the other books first, it definitely isn't necessary - this book stands alone nicely.

The plot made sense, moved right along, and you really care for the characters and what they are going through. Overall a good read!

I can't say enough good things about this book. Karen Rose is masterful at telling a story, bringing her characters to life and leaving nothing to chance... period. This story is gripping and very easy to follow. It's entertaining and flows like water. Or maybe like a river of blood!!!!

This is a taut thriller with Tess at the center of a mystery bigger than life and death. Why are her patients dying?

Karen Rose is new to me, but she is here to stay. She is a writer with a HUGE future still ahead of her... even after the monster success she's already enjoyed. I can't wait to read more of her work!

I have read and re-read this wonderful book. I too was raised in a family that held strong belief systems surrounding the fundamentalist posture. It was very challenging to be "one self" as most young people were able to be while growing up. For several years I struggled with my identity as I thought my sexuality was my identity and who I was. I am glad there is a book like this that depicts the trials of a young person in a world filled with mis-conceptions and wrong thinking. This book brings out the humanness and reality of all family's and carefully shares the emotions involved with this issue. It would help all parents and family members of gay teens or children to read this book with an open heart. Though Bobby is tragically missing from this life, he has helped many parents understand his inner struggle. The author so beautifully captured the essence of this family and brought to life the young man and his deepest thoughts coupling with the struggle of his mother with her belief systems. A tragic, but beautiful story.

Mary was absolutely certain that with enough prayers, counseling and love God would heal her gay son of his homosexuality. Mary was a kind and loving mother of four4 children.
Bobby was a loving son and a sensitive person. His highest values were to be accepted by God and by his family. After trying prayers and counseling for several years, realizing that his attraction to men had not diminished at all, he had tried to preserve his inner core by rebelling. However, the lack of acceptance by his beloved family was too painful to rebel against, and he committed suicide.
His suicide was a big shock, and a wake up call for his family. Mary, a deeply spiritual and loving person was unable to fathom why God had not cured Bobby and why did God allow him to die. After many months of inner searching, she also started listening to the gay perspective She read books, talked to a gay minister, and met other parents of lesbian and gay children.
A dream lead her to the answer for the first question: God had not cured Bobby because Bobby was beautiful and perfect to God. Being a caring person, Mary answered the second question by resolving the Bobby's death and her learning must save other lesbian and gay kids from depression and suicide.
The books is beautifully written, describing the evolution of Mary from an insecure person, trusting authority to guide her every motion, to a strong leader affecting the social change of attitudes towards lesbian and gay youth. Leroy Aarons' rich journalistic experience provides us with a narrative which maintains journalistic objectivity, while at the same time wrenches our hearts. We can be deeply affected by the tragedy and the following triumph of the human spirit, not because the author hummers it into us, but because he allows Mary and Bobby tell their own stories in this amazing book.
I am so grateful to Sigourney Weaver who accepted the role of Mary in an upcoming TV movie on Life Time channel. I hope that this movie will deliver Mary's message to many more parents who really need to hear this message, before it's too late.

If you have ever known a family who has lost a youth or child to suicide because of sexual orientation, you probably don't have a clue as to the pain the family experiences. Prayers for Bobby moves you to tears, but then to joy as the author tells of her total condemnation of Bobby in his orientation while living; to the change of heart following his death by suicide. Society needs to come to terms with the truth concering the pain many youth and children in the GLBT community experience. This is a must read for the uninformed!

Although my heart goes out to this mother and the reviewer, Mary Mother God's Servant, the latter is simply wrong in stating that the Bible and God condemns homosexuality. There are several scholars and many books that will give you the true translation of the Bible based on the culture and what it meant at the time. A good book to start with is: What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality, by Daniel Helminiak. The mother in this story is indeed a very courageous woman to do what she has done, and don't worry, your son is in heaven, and I'm sure he understands and forgives you.

The only "pain in homosexuality" is caused by those who insist on saying it is a "lifestyle", "a sin", "shameful". It is things like that which result in making life painful for gay people, particularly when said by parents to a child. How would you feel if your parents had brought you up telling you day after day that the way you feel or act is "wrong, sinful, an abomination"? Would that not hurt you? Well, that's why kids kill themselves, they can't deal with being told how horrible they are. And even if they don't take that final step, many are scarred for life.

Rather than trying to force the child to change (which is NOT possible, regardless of what Exodus and the others say), I suggest following the teaching of Jesus, and showing unconditional love and support. Leading a child into self-loathing is NOT love, not by any definition of the word. It is destructive. And as this book shows, the destructive can often be fatal.

I am deeply grateful to have been born to more enlightened parents or I would not be alive today. It is hard enough as it is, with society as a whole condemning who I am, but at least I had my parents' support. They did not understand, no, but they did not lead me to hate myself, as so many do, as Exodus and such organizations do.

"The Moving Finger" by Agatha Christie begins somewhat enigmatically, with an unknown narrator telling the story in first person, which is unusual for Christie's mysteries. The narrator turns out to be a pilot, injured in a plane crash, who has been adviced by his doctor to seek out some quite countryside where he can peacefully continue to heal. The narrator and his sister, Jerry and Joanna Burton, take a house in the seemingly quiet and quaint town of Lymstock, but soon learn that the town isn't quite what it seems.

Shortly upon arriving in the small town, Jerry and his sister receive a vile letter, accusing them of not really being brother and sister. They take little notice of it until they learn that other townspeople have received similar letters, which don't contain much truth, but lots of suspicion. When one of the letters causes someone to commit suicide, further light is shed upon these nasty accusations; and when a young maid is found murdered, Jerry begins to think that the first death might not have been suicide. While the police are searching for the most-likely female perpetrator, the pastor's wife calls in Miss Marple to solve the mystery, as all of the townspeople are ready to think of the worst of whoever might be singled out next.

"The Moving Finger" is a classic Christie mystery, even if the first-person storytelling is a departure from the norm. It has a fast-paced intriguing plot with a subtle twist at the end of the story. Jerry never quite touches upon the real perpetrator of these crimes, but is shown the light by Miss Marple, as is any character in Christie's works, and as is usually the reader.

While a bit of a slow starter, one ultimately sees the necessity of this caveat as the story evolves. This one features great wallpaper and superior character development.

Following a plane crash, a young bachelor aristocrat, along with his sister, temporarily escape to the country that he might heal blissfully while savouring the mundane activities of a small village. But, much to his doctor's consternation, this is not to be.

Vulgar and accusatory anonomous letters have been circulating about the village and the protagonists, for all their nobility, are not spared. Soon following their arrival, the accusation is that the two are not brother and sister, but rather, lovers. But since this is clearly an erroneous assertion, the letters are laughed off -- until one letter apparently hits a nerve in this sleepy little hamlet and the result is a tragic suicide.

The plot thickens and twists and, finally, Miss Marple is brought in by a concerned resident as a consultant in the case. But even Miss Marple has difficulty in seeing her way clear to prove that this was in fact murder, and not suicide. But the aged spinster-sleuth is forced to take a huge risk and act fast, teaming up with the local police inspector, before more murder occurs.

I wouldn't reccomend this as a first Christie novel to read (go to "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" for that, her first mystery), but fans will clearly enjoy this one. If the work has a flaw, it appears that Miss Marple may have been brought in as an afterthought on Christie's part.

"Such a peaceful smiling happy countryside - and down underneath, something evil..."
-- The Moving Finger, p. 28

After a wartime plane crash, Jerry Burton's doctor advises him to find a nice, quiet country village and "live the life of a vegetable" to speed along the recuperation process. Jerry and his sister Joanna settle in Lymstock, an idyllic country town that is three miles from a main road. It is a place where, as an astonished Joanna observes, "People really call - with cards!"

Jerry's peaceful, vegetative life in Lymstock is, however, soon shattered. A few days after their arrival, Jerry receives a malicious anonymous letter. The letter alleges that the Burtons are not brother and sister, but an unmarried couple living in sin. Jerry and Joanna are initially quite amused by the novelty of receiving such a letter, but they soon view the letter as a sign of something much more sinister.

All of Lymstock, it seems, has been receiving these letters. When a woman apparently commits suicide after receiving a letter, the search for the writer intensifies. After another character is murdered, presumably by the anonymous writer, a palpable fear settles over the community. Neighbor suspects neighbor and the whole of Lymstock wonders who amongst them could be capable of such despicable acts.

The indomitable Miss Marple makes her first appearance in the last quarter of the novel. For a less skillful writer than Dame Christie, the lack of the primary character could have made this story very tedious for the reader, but Christie's characters are so well-drawn and compelling that the reader does not notice the loss. The primary sleuthing has been done by Jerry and a few of the other residents of Lymstock, but only Miss Marple is able to connect the myriad of clues and bring the killer to justice.

The Moving Finger was originally published in the United States in 1942. For a novel that is over sixty years old, it has aged incredibly well. Agatha Christie's extraordinary understanding of human nature gives her characters and her stories a timeless quality.

One of my favorite Christie novels, The Moving Finger is a compelling read that will keep you guessing until the end.

What "improvements" have been made for the Black Dog & Leventhal edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the Signet, Bantam, and Berkley editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed.

A young man and his sister from London rent a house in a country town so he can recover from his injuries. Shortly after arriving, they receive an anonymous letter accusing them of not really being siblings. They soon find out that people all over town have been receiving such letters. This leads to two deaths.

The detectives, this man and his sister do most of the sleuthing. Toward the very end of the book, the vicar's wife calls in Miss Marple who is able to put the final pieces together.

Agatha Christie usally "gets me" about half the time (as far as guessing, "who done it,"), and she got me on this one! A pleasant read.