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Summary: A book that speaks the dark truths of depression
Review: From the first line of the amazing "Ordinary People " to the last the reader is taken on an emotional rollar coaster with the main character Conrad Jarrett. We see a family in dire need of help after the accidental death of the eldest son. Not only do we feel Conrads pain, we are able to see ourselves in him. That's what makes this book so real, the ability to say, "I've felt that way too,". I first picked this book up during a dark time in my life. It helped show me that others have felt this way too and that there is a way out. Conrad instilled hope in me and I feel that all people should read this fantastic book.
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Summary: AN EXCELLENT BOOK
Review: I READ THIS BOOK AFTER I SAW THE FILM, AND I THINK THAT IT IS THE VERY BEST BOOK THAT ANY MAN CAN READ.
IT HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND IN A VERY INTERESTING WAY THE MEANING OF LIFE, THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP, AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ALL MAY FIND IN THE EVERYDAY'S SITUATI0NS.
I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE.
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Summary: It had a profounding effect on how I viewed my teenage life.
Review: I really liked this book and what it had to say. I was strongly written and still stays true to me this day. It shone a lot of light on me during my teenage years and showed me that life could be worse. I also helped me understand my friend more, who went through a very similar situation
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Summary: best book ever read
Review: I read this book in school ( gr. 12 ) and i was the first one done; i just had to read the book and not stop till it ended, very cool boo
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Summary: Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Review: When I started reading this book, I thought it was boring. I didn't ever want to read it, even though I knew it had to be read. Once I got to the middle of the book, I thought it became more interesting. By the time I was three quarters of the way through the book, I really liked it and I never wanted to put it down. The only thing I did not like in the end was that the book just stopped. There was no tie-up of the loose ends.
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Summary: ...
Review: "Ordinary People" a novel by Judith Guest, had a pretty strong affect on me. I borrowed the book from a classmate during "free time" in history and I started to read it. I got to chapter two before the bell rang and after school i went to the library to pick it up. I managed to finish it in three days. I related so much to this book in ways that I thought I would never relate to a book. I felt that Conrad was one of my friends; I felt that I had known him for a long time. The only confusing thing about this novel was the way that Guest switched between Conrad and Mr. Jarrett narrating the story. After a while, though, I could figure out who was talking because the very different points of view. I thought that the title was very appropriate for the whole book. Each character--Beth the mom, Calvin the dad, and Conrad the son-- are striving to be "normal"; they also want to become a normal family. At the same time, it made me question what a "normal" person was, what a "normal" family was. Is a normal family the family with both the parents happy with each other and their child or children? Or is it some other living arrangement and living conditions? I think it's the latter. In this day and age I haven't met very many people who are happily married. I feel that Guest did a good job of expressing each characters perspective. I felt myself asking the same questions Calvin asked of himself, wanting the same things Conrad wanted of himself, and feeling the same coldness that Beth felt. I would recommend this book to anyone. It has such a simple plot, but such real characters. Guest also has a beautiful way of writing and depicting each character, major or minor.
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Summary: Be my Guest
Review: Saw the move-loved it. Then read the book and loved it even more. Actually, I went back and saw the movie again, and re-read the book, just to see if it would hold up. While there were some dated elements, the entire thing came off great. The book is much more intense and the writing style fits perfectly in with the tale-just the way that the style marries with the elements in such other great books such as SOPHIE'S CHOICE or McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. The only sad thing about OP is that too many people will be able to relate to it; to the dysfunctional family and their environs. I know I can. Sad, but true.
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Summary: Shows there is no such thing as ordinary
Review: From the outside, the Jarretts are a perfectly ordinary family leading a perfectly normal life. But their lives are not ordinary or perfect at all. The older son, Buck, died in a boating accident and the younger son Con tried to kill himself by slitting his wrist. This is a story of a family trying to rebuild their lives and overcome the belief that they need to be perfect. It shows the fears we all have about our own worth.
I absolutely loved this book. I read it last year for school and I was hooked. Judith Guest is an amazing writer. I loved the way she went so much into Conrad's and Cal's heads. I could really relate to Conrad and what he was going through. I think most people can relate with went through Cal and Con's heads. It shows how there really is no such thing as ordinary and no one is perfect. A must read. I swear you'll fall in love with it.
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Summary: A Review on Ordinary People
Review: The book Ordinary People by Judith Guest is a great book. It makes you question what it takes to be ordinary. The book is about a family that is coping with a member's death. Each one copes with the situation differently and it is a struggle with each other because they feel the need to walk on their tiptoes.
The family is well built; they are pretty wealthy being in the upper-middle class. The father works hard to be successful, the mother is perfect; a perfect host, perfect wife, and perfect mother. The two sons were good at school. One was more shy than the other and lived in his older brother's shadow, but life was good. Life was good until one day changed their whole existence as they knew it.
Conrad is the son, who lost his brother. His brother Buck died in a freak boating accident and Conrad feels it is his fault. He attempted suicide, has been in a mental institution for almost a year, lost all of his friends, and quit the swimming team. His father, Calvin, is overly nice to Conrad and does not punish or question Conrad's actions. His mother Beth and him do not get along at all. They have totally withdrawn from each other. All three of them strive to be normal, strive to hide their emotions because they do not know how to deal with them. Although the three seem fine in public, they really are not. They hide their emotions so well that no one around them really knows what is going on.
My favorite character is the psychologist, Dr. Berger, who Conrad starts seeing. It is seen that he is much different from Conrad's past psychologists and he is an interesting character. At first Conrad hates going there, but eventually he starts to enjoy his sessions and starts to consider the psychologist one of his good friends. Dr. Berger has a good effect on Conrad as he realizes that he needs to move on by making new friends and dealing with his mother.
The characters seem so real and I believe that the strongest part of the book is the characterization. Judith Guest switches the narration between Conrad and Calvin. I enjoy this because the points of views are extremely different and it helps to read to points of the story. You learn the way both of them think. One thing I would have liked would have been a narration from the mother, so I could understand her reactions because she is so cold and insensitive. Since you do not really get to know her, the impression you get is that the reason no one gets along is her fault. It is easy to read and once you get rolling you will not want to set the book down. Guest made the title, Ordinary People, somewhat of a joke; it is made out to be a total contradiction.
I would recommend this book to anyone. This book is easy to relate to because at one time or another everyone asks themselves the question what to be normal is. What do you have to do? It also makes you realize that families have to go through a lot to stick together. Anyone can be hiding their emotions so that people think they are ok.
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Summary: Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Review: They had two sons: now they have one. It used to be Conrad and Buck, but now it is just Conrad. What do parents feel like when one of their children gets killed in a freak boating accident? And how does the one that survived feel? Conrad Jarrett was a normal teenager. He liked to swim and chase girls. He had good grades, often, A's. But before this book starts something drastic happens. His older brother drowns is a boating accident. He was on the same boat, and yet he survived. He tries to commit suicide, but fails. He has been through many shrinks and almost a year at the hospital. Now he is back at school: the A's have gone to D's and he has withdrawn and become very secluded. This tells about him getting out of the shell. It almost seems like his parents keep him in the shell. His mom makes him feel unwanted, and his father makes him feel too loved. But this story is not only Conrad's: it is the story of his family of not so `ordinary people', changing after their oldest son dies. The story really touches your heart and makes you think.......
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