Author: Nikhil Mahajan
Publisher: Sristhi Publishers & Distributors
ISBN: 9380349971
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 148
Book Description
She was definitely not what he was looking for and neither was he; but destiny has its own sense of humour. The question was never “will they ever give their hearts to each other” but whether they will be able to “be” together. Note# Not everything is perfect in this book.
Ohh Yes! All Men are Dogs
Author: Nikhil Mahajan
Publisher: Sristhi Publishers & Distributors
ISBN: 9380349971
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 148
Book Description
She was definitely not what he was looking for and neither was he; but destiny has its own sense of humour. The question was never “will they ever give their hearts to each other” but whether they will be able to “be” together. Note# Not everything is perfect in this book.
Publisher: Sristhi Publishers & Distributors
ISBN: 9380349971
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 148
Book Description
She was definitely not what he was looking for and neither was he; but destiny has its own sense of humour. The question was never “will they ever give their hearts to each other” but whether they will be able to “be” together. Note# Not everything is perfect in this book.
Go, Dog. Go!
Author: P.D. Eastman
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0553521098
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 24
Book Description
A beloved Bright and Early Board Book by P. D. Eastman, now in a larger size! A sturdy board book edition of P. D. Eastman's Go, Dog. Go!, now available in a bigger size perfect for babies and toddlers! This abridged version of the classic Beginner Book features red dogs, blue dogs, big dogs, little dogs—all kinds of wonderful dogs—riding bicycles, scooters, skis, and roller skates and driving all sorts of vehicles on their way to a big dog party held on top of a tree! A perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, and happy occasions of all kinds, it will leave dog lovers howling with delight!
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0553521098
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 24
Book Description
A beloved Bright and Early Board Book by P. D. Eastman, now in a larger size! A sturdy board book edition of P. D. Eastman's Go, Dog. Go!, now available in a bigger size perfect for babies and toddlers! This abridged version of the classic Beginner Book features red dogs, blue dogs, big dogs, little dogs—all kinds of wonderful dogs—riding bicycles, scooters, skis, and roller skates and driving all sorts of vehicles on their way to a big dog party held on top of a tree! A perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, and happy occasions of all kinds, it will leave dog lovers howling with delight!
The Other End of the Leash
Author: Patricia McConnell, Ph.D.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0307489183
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0307489183
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.
Paradise Dogs
Author: Man Martin
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1429990244
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Adam Newman once had it all. But then he lost it. Now Adam yearns to reunite with his estranged wife, Evelyn, and recapture the Edenic life they once had running Paradise Dogs, the roadside hot-dog restaurant now legendary throughout central Florida. He has a few obstacles along the way. For starters, there's his impending marriage to Lily. There's also the matter of a quarter million dollars' worth of diamonds that he mislaid, along with what appears to be a shadowy conspiracy that is buying up land around the Cross-Florida Canal (and which may or may not be a product of Adam's alcohol-infused imagination). Despite his own troubles---and a brief stay in Chattahoochee---Adam looks to mentor his son, Addison, in the ways of love. Awkward, unsure, and employed as the world's least accurate obituary writer, Addison pines for a beautiful and painfully earnest linguistic student but must compete for her attention with his older and more sophisticated half brother from Evelyn's first marriage. But if anybody can set these worlds in order, it is Adam, who has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time and allowing others to believe he's someone he's not. Whether it's delivering a baby, rescuing a marriage, or exposing a Communist conspiracy, our protagonist is up for the job. Paradise Dogs, from Georgia Author of the Year Award winner Man Martin, is a farcical tale of paradise lost, the American Dream, and the true measures of love
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1429990244
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Adam Newman once had it all. But then he lost it. Now Adam yearns to reunite with his estranged wife, Evelyn, and recapture the Edenic life they once had running Paradise Dogs, the roadside hot-dog restaurant now legendary throughout central Florida. He has a few obstacles along the way. For starters, there's his impending marriage to Lily. There's also the matter of a quarter million dollars' worth of diamonds that he mislaid, along with what appears to be a shadowy conspiracy that is buying up land around the Cross-Florida Canal (and which may or may not be a product of Adam's alcohol-infused imagination). Despite his own troubles---and a brief stay in Chattahoochee---Adam looks to mentor his son, Addison, in the ways of love. Awkward, unsure, and employed as the world's least accurate obituary writer, Addison pines for a beautiful and painfully earnest linguistic student but must compete for her attention with his older and more sophisticated half brother from Evelyn's first marriage. But if anybody can set these worlds in order, it is Adam, who has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time and allowing others to believe he's someone he's not. Whether it's delivering a baby, rescuing a marriage, or exposing a Communist conspiracy, our protagonist is up for the job. Paradise Dogs, from Georgia Author of the Year Award winner Man Martin, is a farcical tale of paradise lost, the American Dream, and the true measures of love
Monsters of Men
Author: Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763652113
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 636
Book Description
In the riveting conclusion to the acclaimed dystopian series, a boy and girl caught in the chaos of war face devastating choices that will decide the fate of a world. As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many. The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale.
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763652113
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 636
Book Description
In the riveting conclusion to the acclaimed dystopian series, a boy and girl caught in the chaos of war face devastating choices that will decide the fate of a world. As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many. The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale.
Reunion
Author: JacqueD
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1452036551
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 587
Book Description
Sara is a sweet, but naive young girl raised all her life on the vast countryside in Virginia where neighbors are few and far in between. Until shortly after her fourteenth birthday the family relocates to a suburban area in Maryland after her father decides it's in their best interest for financial reasons. Though Sara will miss the only life she has known, still she looks forward to the move with hopes and dreams of fitting in, and making friends. Little does anyone realize that Sara's welcoming committee will be a group of uncontrollable teens who severely bully her, and later devise a plan to commit an unspeakable crime against her that will go unpunished. Leaving Sara with emotional scars that will dwell deep inside her for years to come. Creating nightmare's that force her to relive the crimes committed against her over and over. No one knew the secrets she lived with, tucked away deep inside. Nor did they know that some day Sara's past would collide with her present, and that all Hell would break loose at the High School Reunion.
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1452036551
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 587
Book Description
Sara is a sweet, but naive young girl raised all her life on the vast countryside in Virginia where neighbors are few and far in between. Until shortly after her fourteenth birthday the family relocates to a suburban area in Maryland after her father decides it's in their best interest for financial reasons. Though Sara will miss the only life she has known, still she looks forward to the move with hopes and dreams of fitting in, and making friends. Little does anyone realize that Sara's welcoming committee will be a group of uncontrollable teens who severely bully her, and later devise a plan to commit an unspeakable crime against her that will go unpunished. Leaving Sara with emotional scars that will dwell deep inside her for years to come. Creating nightmare's that force her to relive the crimes committed against her over and over. No one knew the secrets she lived with, tucked away deep inside. Nor did they know that some day Sara's past would collide with her present, and that all Hell would break loose at the High School Reunion.
Oh My Dog
Author: Beth Ostrosky Stern
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439168660
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
Calling the toughest canine questions! Owning a dog is one of life’s great joys, but sometimes the challenges it brings can make even the most devoted dog lovers panic, throw up their hands, or feel completely overwhelmed. Before you get to the end of your leash, turn to this friendly and relatable reference that’s the next best thing to talking to a dog-owning friend who's seen it all. In Oh My Dog, animal rights activist Beth Ostrosky Stern has compiled tips and invaluable advice from experts—and from her own experience as dogowner—to sooth concerns, answer questions big and small, and help you and your dog get the most out of your relationship. From the moment you even consider getting a dog, to caring for your old friend when his puppy years are far behind him, Oh My Dog covers every angle of dog ownership, including: • Which breeds would be good match for me? • What do I look for in a vet? • How do I make sure our first night together is as stress-free as possible? • What activities will help me bond with my dog? • Is my dog showing sign of illness? • What should I know before I head to a doggie day care or park? • How do I read pet food labels? • What should I do in an emergency? Choc full of informative side bars, questionnaires, to-do lists, and much, much more, Oh My Dog is the answer-filled field guide for anybody who owns a dog or is considering getting one. •••••• Beth Ostrosky Stern
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439168660
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
Calling the toughest canine questions! Owning a dog is one of life’s great joys, but sometimes the challenges it brings can make even the most devoted dog lovers panic, throw up their hands, or feel completely overwhelmed. Before you get to the end of your leash, turn to this friendly and relatable reference that’s the next best thing to talking to a dog-owning friend who's seen it all. In Oh My Dog, animal rights activist Beth Ostrosky Stern has compiled tips and invaluable advice from experts—and from her own experience as dogowner—to sooth concerns, answer questions big and small, and help you and your dog get the most out of your relationship. From the moment you even consider getting a dog, to caring for your old friend when his puppy years are far behind him, Oh My Dog covers every angle of dog ownership, including: • Which breeds would be good match for me? • What do I look for in a vet? • How do I make sure our first night together is as stress-free as possible? • What activities will help me bond with my dog? • Is my dog showing sign of illness? • What should I know before I head to a doggie day care or park? • How do I read pet food labels? • What should I do in an emergency? Choc full of informative side bars, questionnaires, to-do lists, and much, much more, Oh My Dog is the answer-filled field guide for anybody who owns a dog or is considering getting one. •••••• Beth Ostrosky Stern
Fight Like A Girl
Author: Clementine Ford
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1786073641
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
'This rallying cry will persuade you to battle for true equality' Stylist An incendiary debut taking the world by storm, Fight Like A Girl is an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be. Online sensation and fearless feminist heroine, Clementine Ford is a beacon of hope and inspiration to thousands of women and girls. In the wake of Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo campaign, Ford uses a mixture of memoir, opinion and investigative journalism to expose just how unequal the world continues to be for women. Personal, inspiring and courageous, Fight Like A Girl is an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be. The book is a call-to-arms for women to rediscover the fury that has been suppressed by a society that, despite best efforts, still considers feminism to be a threat. Urgently needed, Fight Like a Girl is a passionate, rallying cry that will awaken readers to the fact they are not alone and there’s a brighter future where men and women can flourish equally – and that’s something worth fighting for.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1786073641
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
'This rallying cry will persuade you to battle for true equality' Stylist An incendiary debut taking the world by storm, Fight Like A Girl is an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be. Online sensation and fearless feminist heroine, Clementine Ford is a beacon of hope and inspiration to thousands of women and girls. In the wake of Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo campaign, Ford uses a mixture of memoir, opinion and investigative journalism to expose just how unequal the world continues to be for women. Personal, inspiring and courageous, Fight Like A Girl is an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be. The book is a call-to-arms for women to rediscover the fury that has been suppressed by a society that, despite best efforts, still considers feminism to be a threat. Urgently needed, Fight Like a Girl is a passionate, rallying cry that will awaken readers to the fact they are not alone and there’s a brighter future where men and women can flourish equally – and that’s something worth fighting for.
The Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Series: Books 4 - 6
Author: Stella St. Claire
Publisher: Relay Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 525
Book Description
All Bark and No White Knight Roses are red, Violets are blue, and Olivia Rickard is officially the worst at fixing relationships. Case in point: Olivia decides the best way to go about getting her boyfriend back is to tail him around town. There’s no way daring to spy on Andrew’s date was going to end well...but Olivia didn’t expect it to end in death. Hannah Maclin, Andrew’s date, is found dead in the parking lot of the restaurant with a tacky rose sticking out of her chest and lots of suspects near the scene of the crime. Hannah wasn’t a well loved woman and she’s got a long list of enemies and haters that the police believe includes Andrew. While Olivia thinks this is preposterous, it’s given her a reason to go sleuthing again. Before she can fix her love life she has to make sure the man she loves stays out of jail! As Olivia dives into a two part mystery of solving a murder and tracking her ex-boyfriend’s puzzling movements, she finds that the two investigations weave together in the old secrets and hidden passions of the town. Her mission becomes finding the truth in the misinformation, but Olivia will need to be careful—she can’t miss a clue or she’ll lose the love of her life. Kept in the Bark Olivia Rickard has turned over a new leaf. She’s done with outside investigations. Olivia has decided that, to be a better girlfriend, she’s going to turn a blind eye to the mysteries in town. Besides, her sister Janelle is acting fishy enough lately. For Olivia, that mystery is more important to solve than finding out where Andrew’s missing report is. However, Andrew isn’t letting this particular bone go. He’s worried about his coworker, and scared that something might be very, very wrong. Olivia tries to track down Hattie and her missing data so Andrew can present the report to his fullest potential. But when Olivia finds more than one suspect sneaking around Hattie’s house, her gut begins to ping and Olivia’s sheepdog, Goodwin agrees. Sure enough, Hattie Dominick is nowhere to be found, and there’s ice cream melting on her porch. Now time is ticking away faster than the Rocky Road. The Police Chief’s hands are tied and it seems like Olivia is the only person searching for this lost soul. Olivia will need to accept that she’s born for this sleuthing thing, because giving up on the hunt could mean giving up on ever finding Hattie. Without Missing a Bark Dog-nappings are an owners’ worst nightmare. When three rare, expensive, and sought after puppies go missing within a few days of each other, Olivia doesn’t even need to be asked to take the case. Her clients are like family and she can’t stand to see a family grieve over their missing canine members. But when the investigation leads her to a local jeweler’s Olivia reveals to her best friend that she’s ready to make things official with Andrew. In her shock, Jackie ets it slip that Andrew was thinking the same thing (and has a new ring to prove it!). Olivia decides to beat Andrew to the punch. How better to show her stellar level of commitment than proposing first. But the best blabbermouth seems to have tipped off Andrew too. Now, they’re playing a game of keep your friends close and your soon-to-be-spouse closer, which Andrew cements by asking to come along on this case. But when the missing puppies lead to the murder of a well-known (and well hated) romance advice columnist, Olivia and Andrew’s feelings will be tested. Not just in the battle for the bridal win, but in sifting through suspects who wanted to kill the author for ruining their love lives. Olivia and Andrew are in a rush to find who done it, before the investigation does away with their engagement.
Publisher: Relay Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 525
Book Description
All Bark and No White Knight Roses are red, Violets are blue, and Olivia Rickard is officially the worst at fixing relationships. Case in point: Olivia decides the best way to go about getting her boyfriend back is to tail him around town. There’s no way daring to spy on Andrew’s date was going to end well...but Olivia didn’t expect it to end in death. Hannah Maclin, Andrew’s date, is found dead in the parking lot of the restaurant with a tacky rose sticking out of her chest and lots of suspects near the scene of the crime. Hannah wasn’t a well loved woman and she’s got a long list of enemies and haters that the police believe includes Andrew. While Olivia thinks this is preposterous, it’s given her a reason to go sleuthing again. Before she can fix her love life she has to make sure the man she loves stays out of jail! As Olivia dives into a two part mystery of solving a murder and tracking her ex-boyfriend’s puzzling movements, she finds that the two investigations weave together in the old secrets and hidden passions of the town. Her mission becomes finding the truth in the misinformation, but Olivia will need to be careful—she can’t miss a clue or she’ll lose the love of her life. Kept in the Bark Olivia Rickard has turned over a new leaf. She’s done with outside investigations. Olivia has decided that, to be a better girlfriend, she’s going to turn a blind eye to the mysteries in town. Besides, her sister Janelle is acting fishy enough lately. For Olivia, that mystery is more important to solve than finding out where Andrew’s missing report is. However, Andrew isn’t letting this particular bone go. He’s worried about his coworker, and scared that something might be very, very wrong. Olivia tries to track down Hattie and her missing data so Andrew can present the report to his fullest potential. But when Olivia finds more than one suspect sneaking around Hattie’s house, her gut begins to ping and Olivia’s sheepdog, Goodwin agrees. Sure enough, Hattie Dominick is nowhere to be found, and there’s ice cream melting on her porch. Now time is ticking away faster than the Rocky Road. The Police Chief’s hands are tied and it seems like Olivia is the only person searching for this lost soul. Olivia will need to accept that she’s born for this sleuthing thing, because giving up on the hunt could mean giving up on ever finding Hattie. Without Missing a Bark Dog-nappings are an owners’ worst nightmare. When three rare, expensive, and sought after puppies go missing within a few days of each other, Olivia doesn’t even need to be asked to take the case. Her clients are like family and she can’t stand to see a family grieve over their missing canine members. But when the investigation leads her to a local jeweler’s Olivia reveals to her best friend that she’s ready to make things official with Andrew. In her shock, Jackie ets it slip that Andrew was thinking the same thing (and has a new ring to prove it!). Olivia decides to beat Andrew to the punch. How better to show her stellar level of commitment than proposing first. But the best blabbermouth seems to have tipped off Andrew too. Now, they’re playing a game of keep your friends close and your soon-to-be-spouse closer, which Andrew cements by asking to come along on this case. But when the missing puppies lead to the murder of a well-known (and well hated) romance advice columnist, Olivia and Andrew’s feelings will be tested. Not just in the battle for the bridal win, but in sifting through suspects who wanted to kill the author for ruining their love lives. Olivia and Andrew are in a rush to find who done it, before the investigation does away with their engagement.
I Know This Much Is True
Author: Wally Lamb
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780060391621
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 884
Book Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780060391621
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 884
Book Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.