I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
Continue »
This is a heartbreaking yet beautiful tale told from each child of a generation going backwards - ending with the great grandmother from the beginning as a child. It really opens up each person to a new perspective because you first meet them as an adult then you go back to see the child they were and why they became the way they did. Such an intriguing way to approach this story of this interesting family and the stories they tell.
The characters and story this novel tells stay with me still. I love, love, love this haunting tale - so much more than a story about a priest and his alleged transgressions. It is about a family, the people they love, and their different reactions to crisis. What an excellent book!!!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
I have never loved a book the way I love The Grapes of Wrath. When I read it, I feel the anger, the angst, the powerlessness and, most importantly, the pride that created the Joad family. John Steinbeck combines the story of the actual journey, loves and loses with his heart-wrenching opinion of the horrible conditions that people of the Dust Bowl era suffered. Though it is one of the most widely read classics of our time, I still feel like it is MY book; it has become that much a part of me. The feelings in the story are palpable. Even if you do not read the whole book, read chapter 25. I feel it is some of the best prose ever put to paper.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Written as a letter from one sister to her recently deceased sister, this book is not just about the unusual events surrounding the mysterious circumstances that led to the death of Tess. It is truly beautifully written and explores the self-discovery of the surviving sister, Beatrice. It is definitely a page-turner but it also portrays the changes Beatrice encounters and how, even through this tragedy, she is slowly becoming a different, more caring and insightful person. I could palpate Beatrice's immense pain at the loss of her sister. The story and characters become so real - they stay with me still. Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, the story changed - up until the very last page!! Excellent read!!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Well written with an interesting plot but very depressing. Want to know what your dementia will feel like? Read this book! If you are fortunate enough to keep your mind intact, this story will let you know what you will be missing.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.
Don't Miss
Customer Comments
Denise Barnett has commented on (40) products.
Fault Lines by Nancy Huston
Denise Barnett, May 7, 2012
This is a heartbreaking yet beautiful tale told from each child of a generation going backwards - ending with the great grandmother from the beginning as a child. It really opens up each person to a new perspective because you first meet them as an adult then you go back to see the child they were and why they became the way they did. Such an intriguing way to approach this story of this interesting family and the stories they tell.Faith: A Novel by Jennifer Haigh
Denise Barnett, January 1, 2012
The characters and story this novel tells stay with me still. I love, love, love this haunting tale - so much more than a story about a priest and his alleged transgressions. It is about a family, the people they love, and their different reactions to crisis. What an excellent book!!!(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
The Grapes of Wrath (Penguin Classics) by John Steinbeck
Denise Barnett, September 28, 2011
I have never loved a book the way I love The Grapes of Wrath. When I read it, I feel the anger, the angst, the powerlessness and, most importantly, the pride that created the Joad family. John Steinbeck combines the story of the actual journey, loves and loses with his heart-wrenching opinion of the horrible conditions that people of the Dust Bowl era suffered. Though it is one of the most widely read classics of our time, I still feel like it is MY book; it has become that much a part of me. The feelings in the story are palpable. Even if you do not read the whole book, read chapter 25. I feel it is some of the best prose ever put to paper.(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Sister by Rosamund Lupton
Denise Barnett, September 16, 2011
Written as a letter from one sister to her recently deceased sister, this book is not just about the unusual events surrounding the mysterious circumstances that led to the death of Tess. It is truly beautifully written and explores the self-discovery of the surviving sister, Beatrice. It is definitely a page-turner but it also portrays the changes Beatrice encounters and how, even through this tragedy, she is slowly becoming a different, more caring and insightful person. I could palpate Beatrice's immense pain at the loss of her sister. The story and characters become so real - they stay with me still. Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, the story changed - up until the very last page!! Excellent read!!(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
Denise Barnett, August 19, 2011
Well written with an interesting plot but very depressing. Want to know what your dementia will feel like? Read this book! If you are fortunate enough to keep your mind intact, this story will let you know what you will be missing.(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
1-5 of 40next