Coma Books

Has anyone else noticed that he didn't address this? The double standard lives on, IMHO. One star deducted for this.

Otherwise, it's a beautiful story of love that triumphed over enormous adversity, and yes, they are still married. A movie is in the works and the Carpenters now have two children: Danny, born around the time the book was released, and Lee Ann, born in 2003.

Even if you leave the religious aspect out of it, they stayed together for one reason: They wanted to.

A newlywed myself, I bought this as an "airplane book" after seeing the Carpenter's story on "Today" and "Dateline." Not only is the story inspiring, it's also very easy to read. (I'm not the fastest reader in the world, but finished this book in 3 short sittings over a weekend!--it never made it to the plane)

In a day when the "D" word is an "easy out" this is a great example of how two people put their faith in God and each other to keep a promise.

I purchased this book for my wife after seeing the Carpenter's story on NBC's "Dateline". It is a touching story of how one man will go to regain his wife back.

I have yet to read the book, but I can assume my wife loved based on the fact that she finished the book in one day.

This is a beautiful story of love and commitment. In a world where so many couples get divorced for the sake of convenience, it's nice to read about a couple who stood by their vows (and each other) in the face of tragedy. Some of the chapters with Krickitt's journal entries get a bit long, but over all I loved it!

The Vow is one of the most amazing TRUE love stories that I have ever read. In our disposable society today, it is so refreshing to read about true love, faith, and commitment.

Kim Carpenter's wife, Krickitt, was not expected to survive massive head injuries sustained from a head on collision with a truck. Miraculously and against all odds, she did survive. Her faith in God, along with the unrelenting adoration and help of her husband and family (and of course all of the doctors!) helped pull Krickitt back into a functioning world. Unfortunately, Krickitt lost all memory of her brief marriage, engagement and courtship with her husband. Kim held on steadfast to his marriage vows and never, never gave up, despite the unsurmounting odds of their marriage ever surviving such tragedies.

It is so humbling to read of their devout faith in God, which pulled them both through some incredible life challenges, if not providing miracles in their lives, time and time again. Kim's heartfelt love for Krickitt comes through strongly and I do so admire his integrity, his devotion and the love he has for his wife. This story is a huge testament to the power and bond of love and marriage. I do believe that many men in his position would have walked out and not stood by Krickitt's side.

The Carpenters renewed their wedding vows for a second time, as Kim had to woo Krickitt all over again, as she had no memory of her husband at all. Their lives will no longer be what it was before the accident and Krickett is not the same person she was before, as is Kim. Both have grown and both have a deeper commitment and love for one another.

Living a nightmare in every conceivable way, the Carpenter's faith in God gave them the strength and will to persevere. God often gives us challenges in life and we do not understand why, and only later do the "lessons" or the meaning of all become clear to us. The messages imparted in this heart-felt story will hopefully ignite the love shared in all marriages and to help to heal those marriages in trouble and cement even further those solid marriages.

This story will have you crying and cheering as well as have you questioning what is "really" important in our lives and how faith in God can pull us through even the darkest nightmares. Love and undying faith is what it is all about!

Kim Carpenter you are one heck of a guy - the world needs more guys like you! Thank you both for a wonderful book - I recommend everyone read this book, especially couples that are engaged.

What an amazing story of love and hope that kept me reading into the late night hours ... and when I finished the book, I immediately wanted to start reading the book again... that's how much I enjoyed it. This is the first book I've read of Marlo Schalesky. I recommend this book highly - a must read ! Definately 5 stars !

You've read them before: boy meets girl, boy and girl become friends, boy and girl resist their friendship developing into anything more, and so on. The stubborn love story, wherein the characters refuse to acknowledge and/or embrace their love for each other. Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky is on one level such a story, but it develops into so much more.

The book opens with a passage from a mysterious third party narrator. Seemingly vague and general, this passage remains confusing and meaningless until the surprise ending. We then enter into a scene with the married couple Paul and Maddie taking a trip on a rainy night. A tragic accident occurs, and in the next scene we enter a hospital room. Maddie is hospitalized and drifting in and out of consciousness while Paul patiently waits.

Unlike many love stories, we are already privy to knowledge of the culmination of their relationship. The knowledge of Paul and Maddie's status as a married couple helps us to weather their indecision and struggles as they resist and wrestle with their attraction to each other throughout the relating of their love story. As Paul reaches out to her, seeking to bring her out of this state, we travel along with them as they both remember their journey to love.

Maddie and Paul meet each other in college during the `70s; Paul aiming for a career in medical research and Maddie setting her sights on the title of Doctor. They quickly develop a buddy-buddy relationship that develops the glimmer of maybe, possibly, something more. Then Maddie starts to go blind - not a great time to be starting a new relationship.

Maddie's loss of vision plunges her into a time of emotional darkness that parallels her journey into visual darkness. The recollection of this descent into darkness is set into scenes of Maddie's present - struggling against the darkness that seeks to overcome her in her hospital bed. Maddie's slow loss of vision causes her to doubt God and His plans for her life. She draws into herself and away from friends - fiercely independent and frightened of dependence on others, she pushes those away who seek to help her, including Paul.

Paul engages in a battle of his own - wrestling with his feelings towards Maddie and struggling to understand how he could love a blind woman. Both characters are extraordinarily cautious to act on their feelings, each for their own reasons. This reluctance definitely aroused my frustration with the two of them. Becoming emotionally engaged and caring for this couple makes me impatient. I want to wake them up, get their attention, and get them together! Thankfully we already know they'll be united in marriage, helping to prolong my patience.

I am not typically a reader of romance stories; I can assure you that this is not your typical light and fluffy romantic fare. Paul and Maddie's struggles with the imminent loss of vision and faith, and their own shortcomings add depth and meaning to the story of their love. I was relieved to find that the tale of their developing affections free them from sensual engagements. Too many romantic stories are mired in the promise or acts of physical intimacy, the reason I normally avoid the genre.

I was drawn to this title for several reasons - the assurance that the characters involved would marry, the spiritual struggle and theme of spiritual darkness brought on by the blindness and the promise of a surprise ending - I couldn't resist. Schalesky doesn't disappoint on any of these counts. Many would feel that a story in which you know the outcome of relationship would be without suspense or uncertainty. Countless titles offer formulaic and predictable endings; a skillful author, Schalesky succeeded in taking me by surprise with the book's conclusion.

Read it for the love story, the spiritual struggle, or the surprise ending, but do read it. Paul and Maddie's deep and enduring love along with their faith in God overcomes their fears and takes them Beyond the Night. You won't want to miss this one. I'll be watching for future releases from Schalesky, who is writing more titles with unexpected endings.

P.S. This is one you'll want to share with your girlfriends.

I hadn't read Marlo in a long time, and may I just say this book really caught me by surprise. It's so well-written and though the subject matter was difficult, I never felt pelted by the story. I was enthralled! Do yourself a favor and pick it up. : )

This is a touching love story between a husband and wife, from their first meetings to their final reuniting. Most of the story describes Maddie's coping with her fears of going blind, and their evolving relationship. This is the first fiction relationship book I have read by Mario Schalesky, and I am so impressed by her faith and way with words.

David and Maddy were best friends long before they fell in love. Then Maddy begins having health problems and discovers she has Stargardts, an ailment that causes blindness. She knows exactly what this means to their relationship, but David overcomes her fears. Together they build a wonderful marriage, even have a daughter, and life is good until a terrible accident threatens their world.

Beyond The Night is an exquisite story of love, faith, and of a bond between two people too strong to be broken. An emotional tale of a woman learning to live with shattered dreams, and a man who who loves too much to let her go. I won't say any more because I don't want to give away the surprise ending, but this book will grip your heart. Don't miss it.

It is sad when you have to go to such lengths to get your point accross. I guess we are all truly BLESSED to have FREEDOM OF CHOICE. I too agree with many many areas of this book. But I know something greater than you and me is out in this wide wonderful universe. The RELIGION part I totally agree with because every ounce of RELIGION is man MADE. I hope when you read this book that you as I know that "the higher power" lives within each of us. And that FREE WILL is an amazing thing!


Debbie in Indiana

Dr. Henderson has an informal conversation with the reader which boils down to "the sky is blue, the grass is green, and you know it is, so please stop pretending it ain't so!"
I personally didn't disagree with a single point he made in the book.
The fact that what he is saying even 'needs" to be said in the 21rst Century is proof of the "mind control" abilities of the Religious organizations of the World.
Joining "any" Group can be a "slippery slope".
All "groups" demand "some" degree of sacrifice of an individual's personal freedom of thought and action but they "reward" with a lessening of personal responsibility, and often so slowly that the individual is unaware of what has been lost while enjoying what has been gained.
Taken to an extreme,this process can logically produce "extreme" loss of personal freedom and "extremely" irresponsible behavior, as the Jonestown Massacre sadly demonstrated.
I hope that our present state of "Groupthink" doesn't necessarily have to get much worse before it gets better.

WOW!... Never have I read anything that mirrors my own personal philosophy about God so well! This book should be required reading for any Unitarian Universalist, like myself, who really wants to know what it means to seek truth as a humanist. John gives us plenty of reasons why we should not think that 'In God We MUST Trust'! An obvious conclusion is that the best thing to have faith in is yourself. I constantly redefine, by reason, my spiritual equation to live by. Thank you John Henderson for writing great words that fit in that formula!!! This is really an extremely intelligent, well written book deserving far more than a simple AMEN!!

This book expresses many of the thoughts of the "silent minority". The presentation of religious beliefs/analyses in a straight forward manner sprinkled with humor provided many thought provoking situations.

Whatever your religion - or lack of religion - this is a book that will make you re-think all the religous dogma you've learned from any upbringing or current belief.
The focus of the book is that all organized religions, without exception over centuries, have had many social and politcal agendas - surprisingly enough, common sense morality has never been on the top of the list. For the most part, good words have been followed by bad deeds. For this reason, many of our greatest leaders historicaly have not been proponents of organized religion. They may well have believed in God, but only through their own wisdom, saw through the flaws of organized religion.
God.Com makes you think about this - especially in the context of the current religious turmoil between East and West. Even if you're not "religious", lot's of people are and you need to be aware of the consequences!

I happen to have known the O'Bara family since I was in kindergarten... I went to school with Edwarda for eight years and knew her mother as my teacher. Dr. Dyer did a great job showing the devotion and care of Kaye with Edwarda. Whether one agrees with her decision or not, you will have to admire her courage, tenacity, and devotion to her children.

I so wish I were rich, so I could buy more copies of this book and give away. I buy as many as I can from the used bin. I don't think the money gets back to Kaye and Edwarda when I buy the used books, but at least the message is getting out.
I give the books to friends. send them to those indivisuals in positions's of authority, ie: mayors, politicians, civic leaders, friends and relatives. I highly encourage everyone to buy as many copies as you can and give away. new or used, the money and message gets spread. if you have any doubts as to whether or not this book is this good, at least buy one copy for yourself and read it.
Dr. Dyer has much good info for everyone, above and beyond "A Promise is A Promise"
thank you so much Kaye and Edwarda !!
cowboy bob !!

I noticed someone below who was curious as how one could keep tabs on the story of Edwarda O'Bara..
There is a website dedicated to them at www.edwardaobara.com
with pictures and messages from the mother.This is the only thing I can really add to the reviews below.

I, like I am sure everyone else who read this book was deeply touched. My respect for Kaye was imeasurable thinking of all the sacrifices she made. I can honestly say the only other mother who may surpass her is Jean Ellison. (One mother, One Daughter, One Journey by Jean and Brook Ellison)Jean Ellison not only does what Kaye does, but her daughter, unlike Edwarda is paralyzed from the neck down since she was 11 years old.You may have heard that her mother attented ALL HER CLASSES from 7th grade to senior year in Havard. I was a little troubled by reviewer Patricia had stated. The first being a very valid question, if Wayne Dyer is such a good friend and a multimillionare then why not set up a trust? It is a valid question. Yes I know that the proceeds from the book go to Kaye Obara, but after books are read they are resold and that money goes to the original buyer, Kaye Obara does not receive that money.Secondly, what I found troubling was the statement that she (the reviewer Patricia ) had lunch with Kaye and indicated she was not a sweet, soft spoken person.She further states she will not elabarate, but I wished she had. Is this kind of scam? Did Patricia mean that she was just a stronger person than she thought, but then states not is always as it seems. I now hesitate to donate anything as this has me wondering. The book was beautiful, but this review troubled me as this person actually met someone from the story and did not seemed impressed.

After Wayne Dyer (of whom I am a big fan!) wrote about this woman and indeed, wrote this book with his wife, I was curious to read it. Even though after reading the summary of it, and looking at Edwarda O'bara's website, I had some questions.

Anyway, I did not find this inspirational at all, and quite honestly, I think that Kaye O'Bara has made herself into a martyr. Having worked as a nurse, and done homecare with patients, I cannot for the life of me figure out why she has had to sacrifice so much to keep her daughter alive. Never leave the house? Feed her every two hours? Please, give me a break.

There are these very commonly used devices called feeding pumps, and they are very sensitive, and can deliver as much or as little food as you want per hour--they are used on premature babies and can deliver as little as 1 cc an hour for heaven's sakes. So why isn't Edwarda on a feeding pump at night? Why is Kaye sleeping only 90 minutes at a time and feeding her daughter every two hours? Sorry, but even the most brittle diabetics do not have to be fed that often. And with a feeding pump, she can sleep all night and keep her daughter fed.

Now, she feeds Edwarda every two hours round the clock. Why? What person, even a diabetic in a coma, needs to eat that often? Again, if Edwarda's metabolism is that unstable, the feeding pump would work wonders. And why does she need to check her blood sugar and give insulin every 4 hours? Diabetics generally don't set their alarm clocks in the middle of the night to check their blood sugar. You would think that after all this time, and with the same routine, Edwarda's schedule would become routine and she could go through the night without insulin. And there are also insulin pumps which can keep blood sugar stable. Sorry, Kaye, but you know that it is quite possible for you to sleep through the night--or at least, 4-6 hours at a stretch.

And her visions of Mary? Well, I am a believer in apparitions and I do believe that saints, Jesus, Mary, etc, have appeared before people. However, I think that Kaye is hallucinating from exhaustion, and has in her mind that Edwarda is somehow "blessed" and that she has a divine mission.

Kaye's decision to keep Edwarda at home is certainly noble, and she says that is because she made a "promise" to her daughter never to leave her. Uh, I highly doubt that this is what her daughter had in mind. When she fell ill, she was undoubtedly frightened and made her mother promise that she wouldn't leave her alone, probably referring to leaving her in the hospital by herself! I think Edwarda would be horrified to see how her mother has martyred herself on her behalf, on the basis of words uttered by a frightened teenager. Kaye has taken these words to mean that she is supposed to sacrifice her life so that her daughter (who I believe has long gone from this realm)will not be "alone."

Kaye keeps insisting the Edwarda is going to wake up, but its been 37 years. I think it's time to face reality, and maybe enjoy what time she has left in her own life. Sorry, but I found this book extremely depressing and Kaye to be a little unbalanced and she needs to let go. I'm not talking about allowing Edwarda to die, but to place her in a hospice or long term care facility, and maybe spend some time with her other child who she has grossly neglected for the past 37 years. Take a walk on the beach, go to church, sleep all night. She can visit Edwarda everyday and make sure she is being taken care of, she has sacrificed enough of her life, and as I said previously, I am sure that this is not what any daughter would expect from her mother.

I'm glad that I took this out of the library, as I would not recommend it to anyone.

If you are a fan of Stephen King's The Talisman,as I am,you will most definitely love The Resurrectionist. I bought it on recommendation from amazon on overlooked books and while I was intrigued by the synopsis,I was not at all disappointed. This book kept me in my bathtub for three hours and I literally laid around the house all day and read this book in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

It intrigues me that two people can read one book and have such stunningly different experiences. While I would be the first to admit that The Resurrectionist is a roller-coaster pot pouri of styles and characters I would take that as a blessing rather than a curse.

To be sure, in his four previous novels O'Connell has been guilty of flaying a man alive in visceral prose and a bout of dwarf throwing. He has also brought us some of the most riveting prose in contemporary American literature, managing to combine highly cerebral ideas with riveting narrative structures.

I have recently read three blog critiques which have left me wondering about the Giordian knot that O'Connell has entangled himself in by simply being ambitious. They have also left me wondering about the cognitive abilities of certain readers. Thus this missive is directed at G.B.H. Hornswoggler (who, just via his/her presumed pseudonym is probably not to be taken too seriously), Carrie Laben and Mike Meginnis (who, in his blog, admits that "I'm not writing in order to be a productive critic..."). All three have taken a sledgehammer to The Resurrectionist and all three, I believe, read a very different book to the one I have now delved into twice with total relish.

It is more than a little difficult to contextualize O'Connell's writings. He's become, deservedly, something of a cult [and sadly I have to stress cult] favourite via his first four books, The Skin Palace, Box Nine, Wireless and Word Made Flesh - all of which I can heartily recommend as well. These were all categorized as `crime' novels, which didn't even start to encompass their bizarre depths. With The Resurrectionist he has made categorization even more impossible by blending psychology, comic book culture, crime, 50s noir and parental despair.

The New York Times Book Review stated that: "To call Jack O'Connell's novels imaginative, or even original, doesn't begin to say it... There's something both exciting and unnerving about [his] kind of hallucinatory writing." The Los Angeles Times claimed that: "O'Connell [is a] cackling genius. . . . Fans of his previous novels, the cult favorites The Skin Palace, Box Nine and Wireless, will be glad to hear that The Resurrectionist is just as demented and deeply enjoyable." Meanwhile the Minneapolis Star-Tribune claims that: "It blends the out-there mysticism of H.P. Lovecraft, the dark corridors and femme fatales of Dashiell Hammett, and the pulpy, lurid qualities of '50s comic books."

I read this book some months ago and find every morning that I am sipping a coffee and staring at its spine with something close to awe. Its slippery position in terms of genre is part of the intrigue - should it sit between William Gibson's Spook Country and James Ellroy's Cold Six Thousand? Or, in its clear nod to horror should it snuggle up against Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves? Or, in its' decidedly sensitive investigation into notions of loss should it sit between Steve Erickson's Our Ecstatic Days and Cormac McCarthy's The Road? Or, in its homage to comic culture should it be somewhere between Jonathan Lethem's Fortress of Solitude and Charles Burns' Black Hole?

You see the problem I'm having here. O'Connell embraces so many genre attributes that he is impossible to pin down. The Resurrectionist is borderline surrealist fantasy, crime writing at its best, horror story and a moving tale of love and loss and sex and violence. My rambling list of comparisons are amongst my favourite books of recent years and it intrigues me that while Gibson may be raking in the cash, writers such as O'Connell and Steve Erickson remain trapped in a somnambulistic nether world of contemporary literature.
Genre-placement is dangerous stuff, as I became aware to my great chagrin when the mother of an ex-fiancé gave me Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy one birthday. I sniffed and put it aside. Westerns? Not my cup of tea I decided rather rashly. Was I dead wrong? Absolutely. Years later I would discover Child of God and, from there, circle back to the Border Trilogy. McCarthy is his own genre pure and simple. Biblical, potent, nasty, unwavering works of literature indeed.

Is Ellroy's Cold Six Thousand simply `crime'? Is Danielewski's House of Leaves simply `horror'? And for those who loathe science fiction, they are missing out on the visionary pursuits of such writers as Phil Dick and J.G. Ballard.

Of course the adverse is also true, as is clearly seen with O'Connell and Erickson. Genre guarantees at least a niche. Books such as The Resurrectionist or Our Ecstatic Days are, quite simply, impossible to categorize. O'Connell's first four novels were promoted as crime, indeed, the earlier ones were published by Mysterious Press. This would have garnered him a niche market, but much of his work is far more cerebral than your average crime novel. Suddenly shift him to a publisher such as Algonquin and his average reader will no doubt be thrown off balance.

Genre is, of course, all about marketing. Some authors have enormous luck with such marketing - William Gibson with Neuromancer and Neal Stephenson with Snow Crash lucked out with `Cyberpunk' masterpieces, but both books were far more curious than the average sci-fi book. Both investigated notions of religiosity and hermeneutics in their pages, but once an author is `placed' the audience follows. Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and Gibson's last few books could hardly be described as Cyberpunk.

Like Gibson and Stephenson, O'Connell has inserted many broader elements into his novels. Hermeneutics and the evolution of linguistics runs like a river through Word Made Flesh, just as it does in Snow Crash. An obsession with cinema is shared by O'Connell's The Skin Palace and Steve Erickson's most recent foray, Zeroville.

There has been at least one blogger who seemed confused by O'Connell's narrative shifts in The Resurrectionist. Interestingly O'Connell has taken on a not dissimilar approach to Alan Moore in Watchmen, in which Moore peppered the comic-book narrative with various texts, including, in a moment of sheer inspiration, psychiatric evaluations of his characters. Both books shift back and forth between the `comic' narrative and `reality.'

Comics are of course central to another of O'Connell's peers, Jonathan Lethem in his Fortress of Solitude. Lethem is another writer who has avoided easy categorization as a genre writer. Starting out with Philip K. Dick inspired sci-fi mixed with a touch of Sam Peckinpah and Chandler, Lethem found some kind of mainstream acceptance with his marvelous Motherless Brooklyn. But Lethem is, at heart, a more gentle writer than Erickson or O'Connell (I suspect a girlfriend left me because I recommended Erickson's Arc d'X to her).

The New York Times review of The Resurrectionist was placed under their Crime review section. This, to me, was akin to placing McCarthy's The Road under Westerns or Erickson's Days Between Stations under Science Fiction. Genre is a tricky business indeed. O'Connell has flown high above easy categorization with his Resurrectionist - will a new audience fly with him?

I hadn't read any of Jack O'Connell's novels before so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got really impressed me. O'Connell shows he can is a master of suspense, drama, science-fiction and fantasy. The story is well narrated and constructed -- you don't know where you're going, but you don't feel like you're wandering aimlessly either. My one disappointment was that I wanted it to be longer, it seems to me that the frame of this story could have held a lot more weight -- the characters are quite interesting and he would of held my attention for another 100 pages or so.

This is a fairly amazing piece of work from Jack O'Connell, who fictionalizes the city of Worcester, MA (not far from where I live) as Quinnsigamond (the old Indian name for Worcester and the name of a community college there). Worcester's on the way back up, so it's not quite as bleak as O'Connell portrays it, but man, can this guy write! The book is a tornado of pop culture and literary influences that are both dark and hilarious at the same time. For my money, there's only one place where the whole thing topples over--however, it's a key spot, and it's where the book threatens to go from genuinely gripping to maudlin and just flat-out absurd. Yet O'Connell manages to bring it back from its own dementia, and the ending is quite moving. I'm not sure who to recommend this book to--I haven't really liked many of O'Connell's novels except for "Box Nine." Fans of James Ellroy, who also blurbed it, might like it. But truly, it's as original a pop culture stew as I've read in a long time. If you're looking for something strange, different, and unusual, check this book out. Warning: those without any sense of irony, black humor, or pop culture ethos should not even try.

An earlier review said that they expected to be reminded of Kafka when reading this book. It reminded me more of Kosinski. I'm not a fan of either author or O'Connell it seems. But I recognize that they have talent - they just don't write what interests me.

I try to read many different kinds of books. Some I can't put down and some I can't wait to put down. This is one that had enough interest that I didn't stop reading it, thinking that maybe it would get better. It didn't. I got to the end and wished I had spent my time on something better.

The book was often disjointed. Almost every character was a mental case. I felt like I was reading about people in an alternate universe or from the perspective of someone with a loose grip on reality. The title even bothers me. The Resurrectionist is a minor character, hardly someone to title the book after. It's as if Twain had titled his book Duke and King instead of Huckleberry Finn.

Maybe I just don't get it. If you are into the dark, surreal, and morbid then maybe you will get it.

I have long been a cycling fan, and have had the pleasure of meeting some of America's foremost cyclists at and around the Tour de Georgia. It's been of significant excitement to have met and been around both Saul Raisin, his family, and Dave Shields and to see in person the commitment to life, clean cycling, coupled with the courage to make the comeback Saul has; and the ability to make his recovery live in each of the reader's minds by Dave Shield's extraordinary story telling ability.
Read the book whether you're a cycling fan or not!

I am a cyclist and avidly read anything about cycling. This true story of Saul Raisin encompasses every aspect of life- hard work, passion, tragedy, love, sacrifice, generosity and triumph. Dave Shields presents Saul's life very beautifully. It inspires one to be better in one's own life; to strive for one's dreams and to survive and recalculate when the unexpected presents itself. I loved this book.

David's other works are very good, but this book is quite different. It is a great inspiration and motivator for anyone.

Even if the reader hardly remembers how to ride a bike, the story is special.

Good luck Saul!!

Although the center of this story is a cyclist, the book is an inspiring story about a family's courage and an individual's recovery from a traumatic accident. I read it over the Thanksgiving weekend and it is a wonderful reminder of all the things for which we should give thanks.

This book would be a great gift for the family of anyone recovering from a brain injury or any other injury requiring extensive rehab. It shows the toll that an accident can take on the family and the individual, and shows that many "lows" are a part of the recovery process. But it is also a inspriring story of life and love.

This is an engrossing and inspiring book that is written in such a way that it can be enjoyed by anyone not just cyclists. The book is broken into two parts. The first half of the book is told from Saul's parents' perspective. Dave Shields does an impressive job of conveying the emotions that his family goes through as Saul struggles to stay alive in a foreign hospital. It is almost like you are walking through each day's events with them. The second half of the book is told by Saul. He talks candidly about his struggle to relearn the simplest task such as feeding himself. He tells how the people that stood by him like his mother, father, girlfriend and teammates gave him courage and strength to meet the challenges he faced. This is more than a book about cycling and a man's road to recovery. This is a book about courage, family, hope, determination and prayer. Saul and David tell a story that inspires and encourages. Well worth reading.

I just finished reading "Heaven Looks a Lot like The Mall" and it was very funny. I liked how you learned about everything that she had brought in the mall and that it had a special purpose. Like the light blue prom dress, everything had a meaning. Well I hope Heaven does look like the mall cause I could wear stuff thats like a 24,000 fur coat from Saks and never have to pay for it. But I think the "Mall Manager"(a.k.a GOD!!) would probably stop me!!

since the moment i opened Heaven looks alot like the mall, i loved it. i love the beging, middle and the end! it took me only four days to read the whole book from the day i bought it.

Title makes the book sound superficial, when actually it is a thoughtful look at a girl's life & a lot of the bad decisions she has made. Does that make her a bad person? How much can she blame on a psycho mother? Surprisingly good book--hope it comes out as an audiobook soon.

I sense a bit of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven theme in this book, although this book's main audience was teenage girls. It gives interesting insight into life after death, which is a subject that many people try to portray, but I haven't read many as interesting and neat as this book. The book was written in "poems" (much like Sonya Sones, Ellen Hopkins, etc) and was a really fast read. I enjoyed it because the main character wasn't the typical angsty teenager. She had problems, but she didn't mope and whine about them. She just did what she wanted. But in the end, I like the change of the character. It really was interesting to see her transformation from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. I was kept wondering what was going to happen, and it didn't bore me with unneccessary details. Wendy Mass is one of my favorite authors, and with good reason. Heaven Looks a lot Like the Mall is definitely an excellent book. However, if "poems" aren't really your thing, then I would also recommend her book A Mango-Shaped Space, which is even better than this book.

Imagine coming upon a bag of forgotten things, then reliving memories for each and every item you touch. After being beaned on the head during a game of dodgeball, high school junior Tessa finds herself in what she thinks is heaven - but it looks a lot like the local mall.

Is she dead or just dreaming? She remembers being hit by the ball. She remembers falling down on the gym floor. She remembers being a "mall brat," which she compares to being an army brat, but without the moving around. Because both of her parents work at the mall, it's just as familiar to her as her own home.

Soon, Tessa meets an oddly interesting boy who leads her to a bag filled with things she's obtained from the shopping center over the years. The bag includes a baby shoe, a box of crayons, a pair of flip-flops, and a prom dress, among many other things. Tessa then relates a series of events, one for each item. She remembers scenes with her parents, her older brother, her friends, the girls she wanted to befriend, the boys she wanted to date.

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall is a fast, compulsive read. The story flows smoothly. Though it is written as a verse novel, it does not rhyme and is not set to a certain meter. Tessa's memories are related in chronological order, making it easy for readers to quickly learn the story of her life.

This isn't a maudlin modern Our Town, but rather a charm bracelet come to life. Instead of this being a scrapbook of the best and happiest times of Tessa's life, it's an honest look at what she's been though. She's not proud of everything she's done, and she must learn to take responsibility for her actions. As her shame and secrets come to light, Tessa begins to realize that she can still shine -- and that (hopefully) she's got a lot of living to do.

I received the item in a timely manner and the "used" description was an honest assessment... I would recommend this seller.

Very good experience - product in great condition, shipped on time and arrived early despite my concerns.

I would order from with seller again.

Well described product. This book is very easy to follow along with the lectures, and is a great resource for introducing the basic principles of microeconomics.

Great text so far however the problems vary between 4th editions based on weather or not it was made for the US or Canada!

The book was in really good shape with minor markings inside...very good buy and very pleased. Thanks!

In the novel Amnesia, the Protagonist Dr. Peter Zak works in the Neuropsychiatric Unit. Life for him consists of work and rowing in the Charles, in his last gift from his wife Kate. This being the only thing that could keep him from playing back those chilling images of Kate's death. He had long since stopped working as a forensic scientist until one call from an old friend drew him back in. A very intriguing case had come up, seems a women was shot in the head, and left to die, spent weeks in a coma, only to wake up and remember the killer. Dr. Zak's job could she really remember who the killer was after being shot in the head and going into a coma? This book was a very good mystery novel. I myself enjoyed reading it but found that I came to be inpatient because of the time it took to really unravel the mystery. I found that the action just doesn't really come soon enough for me personally, but when it did it was hard to stop reading.

You are all invited to come toWinsted's Beardsley & MemorialLibrary Mystery Discussion Groupmeeting.    They say that the apple ofcreativity doesn't fall far fromthe tree. That appears to be thecase with this apple from theEphron family tree.   On April 9 we will have thepleasure of hosting HALLIE EPHRON.  Hallie is the third daughter ofHenry and Phoebe Ephron, whom amongother things, wrote the screenplays for"Carousel", "Desk Set", and "Daddy LongLegs".      Her older sister Nora Ephron, isthe writer, director and producerof such favorites as, "Sleepless in Seattle", and "You've Got Mail". In my opinion, these are a farcry from the bad majority of theHollywood violence andblood-letting movies that besmirchthe once "silver screen".   Before deciding to join herfamily in the writing trade, Hallietaught at Curry College and LesleyUniversity. I also discovered thatshe teaches workshops for publishedand aspiring writers in Summerwriters'conference classes on CapeCod.   With her partner Donald Davidoff,Hallie has authored the Dr. PeterZak mysteries:Amnesia(2000),Addiction(2001), anda soon-to-be-published Delirium. Donald Davidoff is aforensicpsychologist who teaches atthe Harvard Medical School, andruns a neuropsychiatric unit in theUniversity's psychiatric hospital.

This is the kind of book that grips you from page one and makes you want to re-read the whole thing when you're done to see if you could have spotted whodunnit. Very much looking forward to "Addiction" next and hopefully a whole series of books by such great writer(s).

I liked this book not just because Peter Zak is sympathetic and engaging, and not just because it has a suspenseful and well-constucted plot. I liked this book because it explored the idea of memory and made me think differently about eye-witness testimony. A great read!

As a mystery novel, "Amnesia" has it all! The location (Boston) is beautifully described, the characters are multi-dimensional and deftly drawn, and the plot is complex enough to pose an intellectual challenge but suspenseful enough to surprise the reader in the final chapters.

"Amnesia" was written by two people: a writer and her collaborator, a practicing forensic neuropsychologist. Their combined strengths result in the creation of a masterful mystery.

This is one of the most accurate pictures of life in the "New South" that I've ever read. The setting is Georgia, on both sides of the tracks, and the story spans roughly 20 years in the lives of a number of unforgettable characters.

Caterina is a socialite and potentially the First Lady of Georgia. Annie Lou is the mainstay of her sharecropper family, and also of her part of the community. These two ladies seem so different, but they share a friendship which, no doubt, would be frowned upon by many on both sides of the tracks.

To express the above paragraph another way, this book takes an honest look at racism in all its many shades and hues. I grew up in the New South, then attended an all-black college even though I'm white. Next, I managed a Latino hog farm where I was the only English speaker, and finally I moved to China. Racism is a subject I know. This book showed me that I don't know everything yet.

The plot is juicy. Intrigue, secrets, lies, adultery, marriages that succeed and marriages that fail, oppression, power plays, political politics and sexual politics, racism, and all the other goodies we know go on just below the surface. A few extra goodies you might not expect, such as bipolar disorder, a coma patient, and a hint of the psychic. Plus, a wonderful history lesson that will intrigue and enlighten, and a natural weaving of the past with the present. You can read it at that surface level and lose yourself for a few very enjoyable hours.

But, I didn't read it like that. Well, I did read it like that, but at the same time I didn't read it like that. The author has put so much into this novel that it would be a shame to miss any of it. Plot, characterization, description, and a real gift for the English language. This book gives you much to feel, and to think about, long after you finish reading it. Savor it. Then reflect upon it.

What astonishes the reader most when reading the debut novel by Edith M Holmes is that it is in fact a debut novel. The words are lyrical and will permanently ingrain themselves into your soul. Regardless of where you feel you are on the topic of reparations for the descendants of the slaves in America, you will at a minimum have a strong desire to do some serious research after you have finished this outstanding novel.

Told most predominantly, in the voices and minds of four Southern Cats, The many families this saga focuses on are some of the most believable literary characters I have ever met, in some very everyday,( yet rarely talked about in polite company) circumstances. I laughed out loud, cried and blushed. I got angry and worried for, people that I had to keep reminding myself , exit on paper. The likelihood that at this very moment there are people such as these, made it all the more realistic. "Presions incorporates historical fact, the struggling memory of a comatose patient and the diligent journalizing of a psychiatric patient. It brings to question who is crazy and who simply is gifted beyond the "norm. It evaluates the effectiveness of the Emancipation Proclamation and makes you re-think the causes and effects of federalized systems and states rights that are in existence now. What I had long believed in regards to separate but equal and desegregation were challenged as well.

Edith Holmes forced me to investigate topics that are largely kept out of the media and out of common everyday dialogue. Pressions ia mesmerizing, challenging, thought provoking and had me so engrossed that I did little else while reading but take down notes of things I wanted to look further into. It is entertaining and will make a Oscar contender screen play that only the most inept screenwriter can possibly mess up. From the late 1800's to present day it uncovers dirty secrets, treachery , lust and love. It will challenge the boundaries of social mores. I pray that a sequel is forthcoming and patiently await the next masterpiece by author, Edith M Holmes. She is worthy of a Pulitzer and Nobel Laureate. I highly recommend reading this book and plan to give out several copies as gifts. This is truly a mesmerizing and provocative book!!!
Reviewer Silver Fox

A beautiful and badly traumatized Jane Doe has been lying in a New York hospital in a coma for three years. Unable to reach the patient and afraid of losing her forever, her doctor tries an unconventional method to bring her back from the darkness. He turns to a mysterious patient with psychic abilities known as Sylvia to try and reach the comatose woman. Using her unique abilities Sylvia is able to invade the darkness of the coma and communicate telepathically with the unknown woman. What Sylvia discovers is that the Jane Doe is actually none other than Caterina Christiana Ford, the very wealthy and powerful First Lady of Georgia. Sylvia must break through the pain and scattered memories of Caterina to find out how and why such a prestigious Southern belle is laying unclaimed in a New York hospital. As her telepathic sessions get underway with Caterina, Sylvia soon learns that she isn't the only one with special abilities communicating with her. Someone from Caterina's past is also invading the dark recesses of her mind.

Annie Lou is a proud African American woman who has fought most of her life for the fair treatment of her people in their small Georgia town. Annie Lou knows that the more things change the more they stay the same, especially in the Deep South, a place that is often reluctant to change. She and the women in her family have always worked for Caterina and her kin. It is during these years of servitude that Annie Lou learned of injustices bestowed upon the Blacks in the Georgia. Although Caterina is a woman of privilege, Annie Lou develops a close and loving relationship with her that lasts for decades. However, there is a connection between the two women that was forged decades ago in secrecy that still haunts them in the present.

Sylvia, Annie Lou and Caterina all find themselves on an extraordinary journey to uncover truths to secrets that can heal as well as destroy families, even the future of Georgia. How did Caterina end up in a hospital in a coma so far away from those who love her? What secrets are locked away in her mind that are so painful to confront that they could destroy her road to recovery? What secret does Annie Lou and Caterina share that could bring down the political career of a top Georgia official? Can Sylvia help Caterina battle her demons to save herself and those she love?

In 'PRESSIONS: MEMOIRS OF A SOUTHERN CAT, author Edith Holmes has woven together a complex tale of mystery, passion and drama. She brings to life the troubled history and legacy of the Deep South and how holding on to traditional attitudes can prevent social, economic and spiritual growth to its sons and daughters. A story that spans generations, social and racial backgrounds, 'PRESSIONS: MEMOIRS OF A SOUTHERN CAT is a saga in the true tradition of the great southern dramas that readers have come to know.

Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

`PRESSIONS REVIEW
DISILGOLD Magazine

"Pressions: Memoirs of a Southern Cat is remarkably one of the most exciting novels of the millennium. It is filled with deeply embedded mystery, and the most beguiling uninhibited secrets of a lady's past southern history and family background that has her running for her life until the tragic day she winds up in a coma, and answering to a Clairvoyant Psychic who may be able to help her reveal more hidden truths. There is an element of magic, and surrealism that is original and breathtaking."

Discover the secret past of Caterina, also know as CAT, who somehow winds up in a coma. She desperately tries to regain memories of her past with the help of Sylvia, a renowned psychic in hiding. No one knows who did this to CAT. Her past includes marrying Hughston, a dashing and intelligent man running for office as governor of Georgia. It seems as if nothing can stop him until the day a profound secret entangles him with Annie Lou. The secret is an eyebrow raiser and could evidently jeopardize Hughston's career. However, secrets about his wife Caterina, could destroy his life as she discovers that their son H.J. has a life threatening blood born disease. The twisted plot of `Pressions mysteriously reveals that H.J. can be treated with blood donations from Annie Lou, the black maid. It becomes apparent that someone here is harboring an ancestral past that point the finger at Caterina, and can ruin her husband's career.

More discoveries unfold in `Pressions as it is discovered that Annie Lou is also, a Dream Weaver who can flashback to the past. Readers will sense plenty of tension and ask questions meanwhile, that reflect Annie Lou's disturbed toils with everyday racism in the American south and sure to capture readers of all nationalities as white and black people must intertwine by necessity for America to keep its fabric of peace together.

Now the "R" word has hit home, and it seems as if there is nowhere for Caterina to hide or run as the upcoming possibility of her reign as First Lady of Georgia alongside her husband who wants to keep her and his past a secret battles her need to help her son or perhaps not help her son. Her mind persuades her to take flight and run away, and she winds up in a cross battle of moral Vs political integrity. The latter ensues as a much more powerful struggle as Annie Lou's transferred struggles will leave readers also trying to answer if whether or not, Blacks can stand still while a flyer for a Democratic party holds a confederate flag on one side and the words, " If THEY win, we lose," referring to a black family featured on the back.

Can you stand for your child to go to school and read history books void of the real struggle of Black families, and not just reminders of racism, lynching, and war? Can you stand how history books evoke fear and silence in Black children from ever growing up and taking risks to speak against hate crimes? Can you stand to be a White American who knows your family is bred with black blood, but are too proud to omit this so-called societal fallacy or acknowledge these family members who have acknowledged you? If you are a Black American in 2008, these are just `Pressions of the past, that still linger. If you are white, and void of prejudice, you will sympathize with the struggles that carry on from the appointment of a black governor to a romance between Hughston and Nicole that will force even the most knowing soul to trace one's genealogy before getting married.

Yes, there is a clever story about the CATS, four ladies who'd you never guess will have to face racial tensions to just cope in their own world. This is a sensitive issue that will cause eyebrows to raise when it becomes evident that the number one issue in America today is racism!

Annie Lou, just one of the CATS in this epic novel reveals all truths as the owner of a day care center committed to writing a children's book about Black History in the future. She heralds as a historian who understands that to exist in this world, total acceptance and a feeling of belonging is greater to the Black American than one's own desires and needs, even love.

The dynamic layers of race relations and culture from as long ago when slavery existed in America takes on a course of struggle as the CATS of `Pressions still try to find their place and purpose of existence among the most intricate and engaging story plot to come along since Lalita Tademy's, Cane River. `Pressions creates a whole new meaning of racism filled with deception, twisted relationships and lies that filter to the reader's inner psyche, and disgust for the way of the world. Getting justice, a voice in on the issue, and successfully fighting back against racism proves to be a tumultuous journey for all 4 CATS that people whether black, white or brown will be able to see how racism in modern America today does adversely effects every facet of everyday peoples lives. "Pressions is brilliant, poignantly written, fit for a movie starring Denzel Washington, Haley Berry, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Maya Angelou, Phylicia Rashad, Cicely Tyson and Sanaa Lathan or maybe even the author herself, Edith Holmes, someone who may very well be one of the most gifted storytellers of all time in the millennium, and obviously influenced by the works of "The Great Ones," and some living today.

Edith Holmes is not your average storyteller. There is history embedded in every page that will leave readers to wonder if Edith is a dream weaver herself, someone who can escape into someone's dreams and dig up the past to the point of discovering THE TRUTH.

You will find a YOUnity Reviewers Guild Top Honor Award reflecting the magnificence of a lady writer of our time who is just as intriguing as her characters.

5 Stars! The DLNA!

Heather Covington
CEO/Publisher of Disilgold Soul Magazine

When the Deep South turns tides from winter to spring, its beauty cannot be compared to any other place on Earth except perhaps the Garden of Eden. It was always magical for Caterina, that is, until an intense scandal is ignited between Caterina's African-American maid, Annie Lou, and Caterina's powerful politician husband, Hughston J. Ford V.

The Southern Socialite...Clouded with depression after her son is shot, Caterina is on the run and forced to protect herself against buried secrets flaming out of control. It seems her son, H.J., has inherited a rare blood type, and without her maid's blood, he will die. What's in the BLOOD? For Hughston, it is the pureness!

The Dream Weaver...Annie Lou is the mainstay of her family, a people trapped in the failing lifestyle of sharecroppers. Oppressed, regardless of her blood type, she tries to formulate a plan to end the failures of her people. But just like Caterina, ancestral pride is keeping her and her people in bondage.

Will past deeds stop the Southern Cat from becoming the First Lady of Georgia? Will Annie Lou's bloodline keep the Governor's son alive, and end his political ambitions?"

About the author: Today, Edith M. Holmes lives in a small town in the Deep South of Georgia. After serving in the United States Army, she is now a disabled American veteran. She is passionate about reading and writing, and has published many articles in her local newspaper on diverse topics.