Journal Entry 1 by heartsong2 on Saturday, June 02, 2007

Haddon's acclaimed debut novel, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," brilliantly imagined the inner world of an autistic teen-ager. Here the hero is similarly uncommunicative and detached, this time because of a stiff upper lip. George, recently retired, thinks talking is "overrated" and greets the death of a friend with relief "that they would not be playing squash again." Obsessed with his own mortality, he barely registers the dramas around him: his wife is having an affair, his daughter is marrying a man she's not sure she loves, and his son is afraid to bring his boyfriend to the wedding. Haddon has a deft comic touch, but he pushes his characters too hard toward epiphanies, and in the end this antic farce is merely affable, without surprises.
 

Journal Entry 2 by heartsong2 on Sunday, June 10, 2007

I picked this book up, but know that it will be quite some time before I actually have time to read it. Since many people have it on their wish list, I thought I'd send it out on a bookring and read it when it returned to me.

I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time so I was comfortable thinking this book would be a good bet too.

Here is the first edition of the bookring list:

minerva1221--in TX--pmed for address, will ship this week!
tranq1--in FL
pammykn--in FL
missprisy--in MA
EllyMae58--in CA
Foucault--in NJ

back to heartsong2

iliotropio--in Belgium

I would love to add some more takers, so will add and revise as needed to make shipping order make sense. Thank you so much for your interest! 

Journal Entry 3 by heartsong2 on Wednesday, June 13, 2007

On its way to Minerva1221 as of today!

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 4 by minerva1221 from Garland, Texas USA on Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Received in the mail today. I just finished a bookray so will begin this one this weekend. Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 5 by minerva1221 from Garland, Texas USA on Friday, June 29, 2007

I finished this last night and have mixed emotions about the book. I enjoyed it mostly. I felt such sympathy for George. The poor man is losing his mind and his family is acting as if it's a simple cold that will just run its course. His wife, Jean, is so wrapped up in her own world that she can't see what is going on wiith her family. I really enjoyed the characters of Jamie and Katie. There were great, real moments of family and how extraordinary circumstances forced them out of their assumed roles. It was how they fell apart and all came together that was most moving and relatable. While I did enjoy the book, overall, I was disappointed with the way it painted mental illness as a frivolity.

Thanks, heartsong2, for sharing this book!

UPDATE 6/30/2007: In the mail to tranq1 today. 

Journal Entry 6 by tranq1 from Tampa, Florida USA on Monday, July 16, 2007

I received this in the mail today. I have 2 books to read ahead of this but I should have it out soon. 

Journal Entry 7 by tranq1 from Tampa, Florida USA on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The book tells the story of a family through the eyes of each of the family members. They care a lot about each other, but they are so rapt up in their own problems that often they forgot to follow-up on the needs of the other family members.
Thank you heartsong2 for sharing this with us. 

Journal Entry 8 by tranq1 at to a bookcrosser in sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (7/25/2007 UTC) at to a bookcrosser in sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to pammykn. 

Journal Entry 9 by pammykn from Decatur, Alabama USA on Saturday, July 28, 2007

Thanks -- rec'd today. Look forward to reading soon, after 2 ray/rings I have. 

Journal Entry 10 by pammykn from Decatur, Alabama USA on Monday, August 20, 2007

Loved this one! Thought all the characters were so real. Mailong off to missprisy today. 

Journal Entry 11 by missprisy from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA on Friday, August 24, 2007

This arrived today. I will start reading it this weekend. 

Journal Entry 12 by missprisy from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA on Monday, September 03, 2007

Journal Entry 13 by EllyMae58 from San Diego, California USA on Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Received, and will read as soon as I can! 

Journal Entry 14 by EllyMae58 from San Diego, California USA on Sunday, September 30, 2007

I haven't been much in the mood to read this type of book, and I'm not sure when I'm going to get to this, so I'm opting to mail this one to the next person. I've contacted Foucault for his address and will mail the book later this week. 

Journal Entry 15 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Sunday, November 25, 2007

This arrived a week or two back, and I'm about halfway through now. I'll write more later. Sorry for the late journal entry. 

Journal Entry 16 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Oh my - this is so British! As an ex-pat Brit I have to say it's like a refreshing breeze to read a book that reminds me so much of the British "stiff upper lip." I was telling my (American) Wife this morning that she would like this, but find it disturbing.

Just like "The Curious Incident", Haddon has completely got into the head of his main characters.

Chapter 60 might be the most disturbing thing I have ever read!

What follows is the build up to the most wonderfully built British farce.

Overall, this is an introduction to the often misguided attitude of the British towards mental illness. 

Journal Entry 17 by heartsong2 on Monday, December 24, 2007

Arrived about a week and a half ago. Thanks for passing it along.