I Know This Much Is True

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Summary: The Agony and The Ecstacy
Review: The first 300 pages were agony; I thought they would never end, but I was determined to stick it out, because I liked "She's Come Undone."

However, the next 600 were riveting, and now, several years after reading this book, I am still searching for its equal. If you haven't read this yet, then do, and don't get bogged down at the start. The payoff is worth it; you'll hate for it to end.

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Summary: Stick With It
Review: A co-worker lent me this book and was raving about it. It's a long book, and at the beginning, it just wasn't engaging me - I couldn't imagine what this particular co-worker was thinking in praising the book. But it's very subtle in the way it hooks you in, and before you know it, you cannot put it down. The best way I can think to explain it is "satisfying". When I got to the last sentence, I literally exhaled and thought, "Wow." It is simply excellent.

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Summary: I LOVE THIS BOOK
Review: I read this book three years ago and ever since I've searched for a book that equals it. Atonement by Ian McEwan comes close but not quite as good. I loved the way it flowed, I loved the characters, I hated that it ended! I've recommended it to everyone I know that really loves books.

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Summary: One of My Best Reads in Years
Review: It's been over a year since I read this book and wish I could find something as good again. It prompted me to read Lambs other works, but this is his best so far. I loaned the book to my best friend and he felt like I did, that you hate to see it end.

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Summary: The best book I've ever read
Review: This book is, without a doubt, the best I've ever read. I was a little put off by the subject matter at first...there are many issues in the novel that I knew little or nothing about. Lamb writes intelligently without being condescending, which is a gift. He is able to explain things in such a way that you feel "included" without getting the feeling he's dumbing it down for you. As with _She's Come Undone_, his writing is intriguing and the story is woven together like a good episode of "Seinfeld." Everything comes together at the end -- the ending is perfectly appropriate with a nice mixture of emotion. An absolute masterpiece!! When will he write another??

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Summary: Unable to put down...
Review: I can honestly say that this is the most amazing book that I have ever read. From the very beginning it sunk you in and held your intrest. As the story unfolds you find yourself even more addicted to the book. I hated when the book was over...I felt like I had lost a friend. I would recommend this book to anyone. It was the best 900 pages I have ever read. I laughed, cried, and got angry with certain parts of the book. Above all I felt that Lamb created characters that I could relate to. I love this book!

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Summary: EXCELLENT! RECOMMEND TO ANYONE
Review: I never thought I would finish this book...but I did and I wanted to keep going. One of the best books I've ever read.

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Summary: 900 pages flew by!
Review: I was not looking forward to embarking on a 900-page journey. However, chapter 1 drew me in, and before I knew it, I was halfway done. I looked forward to getting 'reading' time -- and was sorry when the book ended. It's an emotional roller-coaster for sure, with stories and sub stories, but quite a fascinating and compelling tale. Give it a try!

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Summary: A true masterpiece
Review: I just finished reading this novel last night (02/06/2003), and am still in awe of the emotions that it produced in me; I wish only that it hadn't ended. Hence, I have never read a book of this magnitude that has made such a profound impact on me, and, quite possibly, my life. The character development is extremely detailed, but not monotonously so. Rather, it is suggestive of becoming so drawn into the lives of the characters that one cannot help but believe that these people are real, and that this story really took place - which, for me, is the true benchmark of storytelling. If you are reading this, and are intrigued at all by what I, and others have said...Wait not one more minute longer; read this book - you will be thankful you did....ENJOY!

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Summary: Dominick Birdsey's life story
Review: I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb

Dominick Birdsey learns about his family and himself in I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE, Wally Lamb's epic novel that centers on two men, identical twins, one of whom is mentally ill.

A whopping 897 pages (the trade paper back version), this book goes into great detail the life story of Dominick Birdsey, his paranoid schizoid brother Thomas, their timid mother and their grandfather who started his life in Italy.

The opening chapter takes us to the public library and Thomas has just performed self-mutilation: he has chopped off his hand in response to the Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield). And Dominick is there to rescue Thomas, as he's done their entire life. Thomas is taken to a psychiatric hospital for close observation, but in the mean time, Dominick ends up meeting with the psychiatrists, who help Dominick deal with issues he has with his brother, and soon a whole slew of issues comes rolling off of his tongue. It's an uphill battle, but through the help of the psychiatrists and his grandfather's journal, Dominick learns to deal with his anger and his frustrations over his life, and he comes to terms with a lot of things that he felt resentment over in the past.

There is not enough I can say about this book. It was quite the novel, with so much detail to the life stories of these people, covering three generations from Italy to America. Yet it all helped to tell Dominick's story. It surely was not a light read, but despite the huge volume, I was able to finish this book in less than two weeks. It is fast paced and there's never a dull moment. I'd say this is one of the best books selected by Oprah that I've read so far, and is part of my top 10 list of books read in 2002.