The Double Bind: A Novel

Amazon.com

Best known for the provocative and powerful novel, Midwives (an Oprah Book Club® Selection), Chris Bohjalian writes beautiful and riveting fiction featuring what the San Francisco Chronicle dubbed "ordinary people in heartbreaking circumstances behaving with grace and dignity." In his new novel, The Double Bind, a literary thriller with references to (and including characters from) The Great Gatsby, Bohjalian takes readers on a haunting journey through one woman's obsession with uncovering a dark secret. We think Bohjalian fans will be thrilled with this compelling and unforgettable read, but just to be sure, we asked bestselling author Jodi Picoult to read The Double Bind and give us her take. Check out her review below. --Daphne Durham

Guest Reviewer: Jodi Picoult

From the provocative and gut-wrenching The Pact, to the brilliant genre-bending The Tenth Circle, to her latest novel about a high school shooting Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult's riveting novels center on family and relationships, and bring to light questions and issues that remain with a reader long after the last page is turned.

I once heard a fellow novelist call writing "successful schizophrenia"--we invent people and worlds that don't exist; but instead of being medicated, we are paid for it. Although countless novels succeed in whisking the reader away on the heels of such fabrications, there are very few that pull the curtain away from the craft, allowing us inside the mind of a working novelist as he combines reality and fantasy. Chris Bohjalian's The Double Bind is not just one of these; it's the finest example I've ever read of a book that tips its hat to both the beauty of the literary creation, as well as the magical act of creating.

Fact and fiction become indistinguishable in The Double Bind: The story centers on Laurel Estabrook, a young social worker and survivor of a near-rape, who stumbles across photographs taken by a formerly homeless client and tries to understand how a man who'd taken snapshots of celebrities in the 50s and 60s might have wound up on the streets. However, an author's note tells us that Bohjalian conceived this book after being shown a batch of old photographs taken by a once-homeless man; and the actual photos of Bob "Soupy" Campbell are peppered throughout the text. In another neat twist, Bohjalian's resurrects details from The Great Gatsby, which become "real" in the context of his own novel--Laurel lives in West Egg; part of her hunt for her photographer's past involves meeting with the descendants of Daisy and Tom Buchanan.

As a writer who counts The Great Gatsby as one of the books that changed her life, this inclusion was both startling and remarkable for me. Who doesn't want one's favorite characters to come to life--even if it's only within the constraints of another fictional work? But Bohjalian chose his text wisely: no discussion of The Great Gatsby is complete without alluding to missed opportunities and unreliable sources--critical elements in Laurel's quest. And therein lies Bohjalian's true double bind: all stories--even the ones we tell ourselves--are subject to our own interpretation, and to the degree we can make others believe them.

The Double Bind may flirt with the classics, but it's not your father's stuffy old tome: it's the sort of book you want to read in one sitting, and it packs a twist at the end that will leave you speechless. It also, worthily, spotlights the cause of homelessness in a way that isn't preachy, but honest and explanatory. Ultimately, what Bohjalian's done is offer his lucky readers another reminder of why he's such an extraordinary author: by creating characters that become so real we lose the distinction between truth and embellishment; by reminding us that the story of any life--whether fictional, functional, or marginal--is one to be savored. --Jodi Picoult

Book Description

Throughout his career, Chris Bohjalian has earned a reputation for writing novels that examine some of the most important issues of our time. With Midwives, he explored the literal and metaphoric place of birth in our culture. In The Buffalo Soldier, he introduced us to one of contemporary literature’s most beloved foster children. And in Before You Know Kindness, he plumbed animal rights, gun control, and what it means to be a parent.

Chris Bohjalian’s riveting fiction keeps us awake deep into the night. As The New York Times has said, “Few writers can manipulate a plot with Bohjalian’s grace and power.” Now he is back with an ambitious new novel that travels between Jay Gatsby’s Long Island and rural New England, between the Roaring Twenties and the twenty-first century.

When college sophomore Laurel Estabrook is attacked while riding her bicycle through Vermont’s back roads, her life is forever changed. Formerly outgoing, Laurel withdraws into her photography and begins to work at a homeless shelter. There she meets Bobbie Crocker, a man with a history of mental illness and a box of photographs that he won’t let anyone see. When Bobbie dies suddenly, Laurel discovers that he was telling the truth: before he was homeless, Bobbie Crocker was a successful photographer who had indeed worked with such legends as Chuck Berry, Robert Frost, and Eartha Kitt.

As Laurel’s fascination with Bobbie’s former life begins to merge into obsession, she becomes convinced that some of his photographs reveal a deeply hidden, dark family secret. Her search for the truth will lead her further from her old life—and into a cat-and-mouse game with pursuers who claim they want to save her.

In this spellbinding literary thriller, rich with complex and compelling characters—including Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan—Chris Bohjalian takes readers on his most intriguing, most haunting, and most unforgettable journey yet.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent as usual.......2007-10-05

I love reading his books. i am in the world he creates. Each book is a new experience. He is definitely not a formula author. Our book club selected another of his books for discussion. We enjoyed it and the discussion. We want to invite him to conference call with us.

Long and winding middle of the road writing.......2007-09-29

Author Chris Plot Twist Bohjalian is at it again. As with his breakout novel, Midwives, The Double Bind is filled with twists and turns and things are never what they seem. Due to that fact, little that can be said without spoiling the plot. A young woman who has survived a harrowing ordeal lands a job at a homeless shelter. After being given a box of photographs belonging to a recently deceased client of the place, she tries to find out as much as possible about the man and his family. Although her coworkers, friends and acquaintances believe that she is going overboard in her quest, she is undeterred and doggedly pursues the truth. In a number of places, the reader will likely find him or herself wondering about certain coincidences and unlikelihoods, but if he or she is can just go with it - things will eventually become clear. Clever plotting aside, the book has its problems: it is long, long, long and the writing is not exactly compelling; there are two sections (within the prologue and again in the Chapter 28) that contain profanity and graphically described violence; except for some discussion of the fact that the homeless often suffer from mental illness and Laurel's encounter with a homeless man (during which she throws caution to the wind, telling her companions that she will escort the strange man to the shelter ALONE), the whole "homeless" angle of the story seems pretty sanitized; and anyone unfamiliar with The Great Gatsby is sure to have a tough time of it. The story's highlights can be found by reading the following (if you plan to read it in its entirety, don't read on): the prologue, page 200 (for "the double bind" explained), and chapter twenty-eight through the reader's guide. Best thing about the book - the surprises - worst - the writing. Midwives is a better choice.

WOW........2007-09-27

I am rarely as enthralled with a book as I was this one...couldn't put it down, and I will recommend it to many people! Very different, brilliantly creative, and breathtaking. READ IT.

A Painful Reality.......2007-09-17

No matter how lurid, misunderstood, violent or repugnant the subject, Chris Bohjalian wrests his themes from the daily news, fleshes them out with realistic details and spins a compelling tale that both enchants
and educates the reader. His latest book, The Double Bind, deals with the aftermath of a brutally senseless attack on a compassionate young social worker.

The author aced this one, and I will never again see a young woman pass by on a bicycle without reliving in my mind the horror of a cruel encounter on a bright fall day along a Vermont country lane. The event and the subsequent unfolding of the residual pain are told with
compassion and a surreal weave of reality and fantasy. It's hard to imagine where this talented writer will take us next!

Izzie Hayes, avid Bohjalian fan

A literary game not played by fair rules.......2007-09-17

I have to give Mr. Bohjalian 5 stars for chutzpah. How many authors would so tightly link their own work to one of the American classics of the 20th century--perhaps the Great American Novel itself--forcing any reader to compare Bohjalian to Fitzgerald? I can assure you that, if this work is representative, Mr. Bohjalian is no Fitzgerald; they hardly speak the same language.

But wait, the chutzpah gets even more extreme! It is possible that Mr. Bohjalian has deliberately given us this rambling, slack style--sometimes seemingly deliberately hanging with Spanish-moss-like clumps of unfocused, clicheed phrases that only a nonwriter would dare have appear under his own name--for a literary purpose. Without revealing too much--and the book is all about the series of relevations that progressively emerge--I think I can safely suggest that Mr. Bohjalian may be dropping a (perhaps massive) clue about where the story is heading by writing in such a slack, nonliterary style. Chutzpah indeed to set himself up so close to a master stylist like Fitzgerald just to make himself look like a bad writer to advance his own plot.

Or maybe not. Maybe the book really isn't that coherent. It teems with references to The Great Gatsby on many levels. It invites the reader to hear these references in multiple voices speaking in the primary narrator's voice. But for the life of me, I can't distinguish where one voice starts and another leaves off. Shifts appear to occur in the middle of paragraphs. Or at least, the story can be viewed as coherent only if this is going on. As a reader, I feel like one of the early German scholars of the Bible trying to sort through the distinct voices present in the text and wondering what scribe could have edited these voices together in such a haphazard patchwork. What was the scribe trying to do?! What is the author trying to do here?

I can't be more detailed without revealing key elements of the story. Let me say simply this. I came to the book with great expectations. I actually lived in F. Scott Fitzgerald's dorm room in college and had a classmate who saw himself and his girlfriend as the reincarnations of F. Scott and Zelda. (Sounds like part of some alternative take off on Gatsby, but this one wasn't fiction ;-)). I felt a literary mystery story unfolding through the pages of The Double Bind and my expectations rose. I love a good literary game. But as the revelations unfolded, I couldn't make them hold together. Other readers I have spoken to have had the same reaction. At the end of the day, I can't tell what the author actually intended us to believe happened in his story. More than anything, I felt as though he had not played fairly by any set of rules he had set for the game. Or maybe more mercifully, the game didn't have coherent rules to begin with. Takes Mr. Bohjalian off the hook, but it takes any fun out of the game. I came away frustrated and disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Difficult Topic Handled with Sensitivity
Sold!
Read this book, share it with your children
A life-changing book.
Sold Book

Sold
Patricia Mccormick
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786851716
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Customer Reviews:

Difficult Topic Handled with Sensitivity.......2007-10-12

Writing about how Nepalese girls are sold into slavery and taken to India to be forced into a life of prostitution is no easy matter -- especially in a YA book. Given the topic, Patricia McCormick manages not only to pull it off, but to pull it off with sensitivity.

McCormick is a writer's writer, and the calibre of wordsmithing is a cut above your average YA fare. She first conjures the natural beauty of mountainous Nepal, even though her protagonist, a thirteen-year-old girl named Lakshmi, is dirt poor. Then, for contrast, she describes the claustrophobic penury and filth of Lakshmi's city captivity. In Nepal, our young protagonist lives with her Ama and her evil stepfather (a twist on the Cinderella motif). It is he who ultimately gambles what little they have away and heartlessly sells his stepdaughter into slavery (she assumes she is going off to be a maid and bravely vows to send what she earns home so her Ama can install a tin roof on their hut).

After a grueling trip into India, Lakshmi slowly discovers what's up and refuses to partake, but is drugged and forced to acquiesce. There are two scenes where it is clear what is happening, yet McCormick is anything but brutal and ugly while describing these brutal and ugly acts against an innocent child. Nevertheless, a mature and sensitive reader is called for, and the book is recommended more for high school aged readers and adults.

Written in free verse, an increasingly popular style of writing in the YA trade, SOLD will move you and anger you -- exactly McCormick's intent. It's beautifully written and worth all of the accolades it has received (it is a National Book Award finalist). Highly recommended.

Sold!.......2007-09-21

This book tells the story of a young Lakshmi. She lives in poverty, and longs to help suppport her family. One day, she finds that her stepfather is shipping her away with her new "aunt." She is excited and nervous about leaving her family to make money. She makes a long journey across Nepal, and is finally turned in to Mumtaz, her new employer. She is shown her room which she finds filled with beds. It is later that night that she realizes she has been sold into prostitution against her will. How will she escape?

This is Patricia McCormick's second novel, and an amzing book. I would reccommend it to anyone over the age of ten. This book hurls you straight into Nepal and the surrounding area, providing a vivid view of Lakshmi's world. Sold is full of courage and hope. It is a powerful read.

Read this book, share it with your children.......2007-09-21

This book is an eloquent introduction to the shame of the exploitation of children for sex. I have been involved in ending global female exploitation for 30 years. This short, accessible book is the best I have read to create understanding and awareness of this complicated problem. It is a first person narrative written in a simple style. In following the story of one girl, the book deftly explains how this horrible practice occurs and resists eradication. Parents may want to read the book first, but it is appropriate for most teen and adult readers. The sexual descriptions are not graphic or salacious, but focus on the impact on the victim. The wealth of details about life in the mountains and the heroine's journey are fascinating and open a door for American readers to a life far removed from our own experience, a life of beauty and poverty. The author carefully keeps her story from becoming too painful too read, while never flinching from sad realities. Read this in your book club, share it with your daughters, and also with your sons.

A life-changing book........2007-09-17

I read this book recently. It affected me very much. I now want to go to Calcutta to help these innocent girls. It is a horrifying story, but the truth is that the things that happen in this book are happening right now. And many girls do not have the happy ending like Lakshmi does.

Sold Book.......2007-09-08

Transaction & product were fine but it turned out it was not the right book I needed.

Average customer rating:

alright but not too uplifting
Esperanza Rising
Yo, Yo,Yo!! By Jacky-Boy
Mother
The Best of Both Worlds

Esperanza Rising
Pam Munoz Ryan
Manufacturer: Blue Sky Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 043912042X

Book Description

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, & servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life and her own depend on it.

Customer Reviews:

alright but not too uplifting.......2007-10-06

The book was a pleasent read but left me wondering at the end if esperanza actually had risen or if she did have any chance of rising further.

Esperanza Rising.......2007-09-24

Excellent book with many themes to be used - Used with Mexico Unit in sixth grade social studies
Great examples for 6 traits of writing
High percentage of interest with boys and girls in sixth grade
Used a cd also to add variety of readers

Yo, Yo,Yo!! By Jacky-Boy .......2007-09-10

Yo, Yo, Yo, Pay attention I'm telling you about a great book. Sheesh!! Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan shows how the life of a young rich girl is turns upside down and how she struggles to keep her family afloat. To begin, Esperanza's life is perfect. She lives on a huge ranch in Mexico surrounded by servants. Then, in a stunning turn of events her father is murdered by bandits. After the death of her father, the greed of her uncles forces Esperanza, her mother and three of their former servants to move to California to find work. Unknown to Esperanza and her family is that her greedy uncles want the ranch for themselves. Esperanza's uncle asks for her mother hand in marriage so they can both have the ranch. Esperanza's mother is unwilling to do so. So seeking revenge the uncles burn down their beautiful house. In the process they injure Esperanza's Abuelita (Grandmother). After sending her to recuperate with her sisters, Esperanza, her mother, Alfonso, Miguel, and Hortensia go to California. Once in California they go to a work camp. No sooner had they gotten settled in, then Esperanza's mother is taken ill by Valley Fever. Too weak to continue working, she is sent to the hospital and Esperanza must take over work for her to pay the bills. She is also saving to bring Abuelita to California. If you wish to know what happens you must read the book for yourself. Mwah hah hah hah!! Believe you will like it (if you don't then you're just a little weird). =]

Mother.......2007-07-24

This book was on my middle schooler's summer reading list. He loved the book. He finished it in 1 & 1/2 days.

The Best of Both Worlds.......2007-07-01

This has been one of my favorite books since I read it. It Is about a gilr who has luxury and over night all of that vanishes. She is forced to live in California and work hard. While she is ther she is trying to work. But then her mom gets sick and she works extra hard to pay her mom`s bills andraise money to bring her abuelita( grama) to her mom. She also has feelings for Miguel, a servant boy. I give this unbelievable book 5 stars. I would give it more if i could.

Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America

Average customer rating:

An insight into poverty in the United States
Every Christian
under the overpass
A must read
Changing the way

Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America
Mike Yankoski
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590524020
Release Date: 2005-03-31

Book Description

After meals from garbage cans and dumpsters, night after night Mike and Sam found their beds under bridges and on the streets. They were forced to depend on the generosity and kindness of strangers as they panhandled to sustain their existence. For more than five months, the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejectionâand all of this by their own choice. This is their story. Through Mike’s firsthand account, Under the Overpass provides important insight into the truths of the street and calls the younger generation of believers to take great risks of faith to bring Christ’s love to the neediest corners of the world.

âI Am Disgusting.â

Mike Yankoski’s life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. By his own choice. From the United States capital to San Diego, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, journeyed as homeless men for five months. Not for a project or even in response to a dare. He needed to know if his faith in God was realâif he could actually be the Christian he said he was apart from the comforts he’d always known.

So with only a bag on his back, a guitar in his hand, and Sam by his side, he set out. And like any traveler in a foreign land, he returned a different man. Mike’s unusual, captivating, and challenging story will rock your own worldâ¦perhaps even change your life.

Pull out quote/sidebar/starburst:

âThoreau said, âSimplify, simplify, simplify!,’ but at that moment I couldn’t help wondering if I had gone too far.â

Endorsements: Please leave room for one more.

âMike Yankoski hangs out with alcoholics and drug addicts. He panhandles for bus fare and eats from dumpsters. Yes, he has guts. But he also has faith.â

Dean R. Hirsch

President, World Vision

âEveryone with a beating heart will benefit from reading this book.â

Kim Meeder

Bestselling author of Hope Rising

Story Behind the Book

âFaith is more than just an emphatic âAmen’ at the end of the sermon on Sunday morning. Frustrated with the feeling of having strong convictions and yet not being able to do anything about them, I began to understand Paul’s promise of contentment in Christ âwhether with everything or with nothing.’ What would it look like to give up the comfortable life and live homeless? Is God enough to sustain me? Is He trustworthy? Is He worth staking my life on? What happens if I die? Will I even survive? Such questions rang loudly in my mind as we decided to lay down everything in a full embrace of the homeless life. Some experiences were uncomfortable, some shocking, some disturbing, some hilarious, and still others frustrating, but five months of life on the streets has left us, our faith, and our lives forever changed.â

Customer Reviews:

An insight into poverty in the United States.......2007-10-11

Easy to read and full of observations and insights of who is living on the streets of the United States and what it's like to live there. A great read for anyone who lives in this country.

Every Christian.......2007-08-14

If you proclaim Jesus Christ and your Lord, you need to read this book. It will awaken the sleeping Christ living inside of you. Wanna know what Jesus would do, He would be about reaching out to people who need to be seen and loved. This book will shake your faith awake.

under the overpass.......2007-08-04

This book has launched a new ministry for our faith community. This book was first read by a youth in our senior high group and August 6th we began our ministry. Currently (August 2007), we have the privilege of knowing approximately 12 folks who literally live 'under the overpass.' Our friendships have grown. We meet the folks where their needs are. We are able to assist with their laundry, hygiene, medical needs and transportation thru various available resources. There is one couple who have been able to regularly attend our church services with the aide of transportation. Several of our friends have been able to assist with "Habitat for Humanity" (they thrive on working with a purposeful intention). We recently finished our vacation Bible school and one of our friends was able to assist with the set-up and running of our outside market place. These ARE our friends, and we are their trusted friends. Now that is God! Thanks to this young man and his travelmate for sharing their experience and igniting the 'ol Holy Spirit in us! We each are humbled that the Lord has selected "us" to be involved in His divine connection known as friendship. Thank You Jesus!

A must read .......2007-07-12

This was an awesome read in every sense of the word. A real eye-opener.

Changing the way.......2007-07-09

This book has truly changed my heart and my perspective towards homeless people. I feel compassion and a strong urge act out these emotions. It amazes me how one book can change my total outlook. I find myself stopping and talking to homeless whenever I see one. I give them granola bars and jamba juices and it makes me so happy to see their faces light up just knowing that someone cares for them. I would give this book to anyone to read because it challenges you to do what's right. As a Christian, this book put it straightforward and lets you know what is up.

Average customer rating:

The true meaning of wealth makes an inspiring story
How she came about
Wonderful teaching story
imaginative and colourful journey
The Quiltmaker's Journey

The Quiltmaker's Journey
Jeff Brumbeau
Manufacturer: Orchard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439512190

Book Description

Escaping from the protective walls of wealth and privilege, a young girl discovers the harsh world outside, where some people don't have as much as others. When she realizes that she has the power to help them, the young girl finds a strength and peace she never knew before. Making the loveliest quilts in all the land, the young girl decides to give them away.

Customer Reviews:

The true meaning of wealth makes an inspiring story.......2007-10-04

The quiltmaker of this story was born into great wealth, living inside a city walled off from the outside and where everyone inside was also rich. She was so wealthy, she ran out of things to spend her money on and so began wondering what was on the outside. The town elders told great tales of danger and woe, so she and the other young people were afraid to venture outward.
However, she reached the point where her curiosity got the best of her and she managed to find a way out of the town. She was shocked to discover that everyone outside her former town was poor and forced to do without. Yet, even with their lack of things, they were all willing to help her when she needed something. This was a lesson she took to heart and eventually here wanderings took her back to her point of origin.
Once back in the town she tried to convince the elders to help the poor but they refused. Furthermore, when she left the town again she was not allowed to take any of her wealth and under no circumstances would she be allowed back in. This did not prove to be a burden as her pure heart caused even the animals to bring her what she needed. Her first act was to make a quilt for a mother and son who were huddled and freezing. Once that was done, her heart was warmed so from that point on she made quilts and gave them away. The joy of those acts made her realize that up until that point her wealth had all been a façade and now she truly understood what it meant to be rich.
This is a story told with such simple passion and elegance that it moves you. Charity is something that you do for yourself, because the act of giving away can give you more joy than the objects themselves could ever have generated in your life.

How she came about.......2007-08-14

This is the book that tells all about how the Quilt maker came to be who she is. We loved the "Quiltmakers Gift" and so we had to get this one too. We were not disappointed!

Heather mama of 5

Wonderful teaching story.......2007-08-09

A great book to share with children, or, in my case, grandchildren. Teaching children about greed and accumulating of "things" is made so much more enjoyable with this book. As an avid quilter, I have made many, many quilts for the grandchildren, and they can really relate to the story. A definite buy.

imaginative and colourful journey.......2007-06-27

This book is wonderful for litttlies and not so littlies, including all quilters. Its full of colour and wonderful images. Enjoy

The Quiltmaker's Journey.......2007-03-31

I've been wanting a copy of this book for years and it is all I expected, a delightful read. Wonderful!

Average customer rating:

My tenth grader wouldn't put it down!
Realistic and complex characters
TYRELL
Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Tyrell (Push)
Coe Booth
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439838797

Book Description

Tyrell is a young, African American teen who can't get a break. He's living (for now) with his spaced-out mother and little brother in a homeless shelter. His father's in jail. His girlfriend supports him, but he doesn't feel good enough for her - and seems to be always on the verge of doing the wrong thing around her. There's another girl at the homeless shelter who is also after him, although the desires there are complicated. Tyrell feels he needs to score some money to make things better. Will he end up following in his father's footsteps?

Customer Reviews:

My tenth grader wouldn't put it down!.......2007-01-24

I purchased this book for my son. He read the first page and wouldn't put it down. He finished it in two days and even read it while snacking at the table. Clearly an absorbing story, I highly recommend this book for your teenaged boy, especially those who have trouble finding an engaging read.
Slightly adult content but okay for older teens.

Realistic and complex characters.......2007-01-03

I read Tyrell in one day--I couldn't stop reading. This book accurately reflects culture, language, history, and values of an African American family living in a homeless shelter in NY. Some of my favorite issues in the book include: adolescence, relationships with family and friends, foster care system, homeless/poverty, keeping secrets, and struggling to stay in school.

On p. 127 Tyrell shares what teachers and school did for him. This was heartbreaking but true for many students across America.

I will definitely share this book with high school students (Grades 9-12) and encourage them to read it.

TYRELL.......2007-01-02

THE BOOK TYRELL IS ABOUT HIM,HIS MOTHER, HIS LITTLE BROTHER TROY, HIS FATHER, AND HIS GIRLFRIEND NOVISHA.TYRELL LIVES IN A SHELTER WITH HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER IS IN JAIL. TYRELL IS TRYING TO GET HIS FAMILY OUT THE SHELTER, SO HIM AND HIS BEST FRIEND CAL IS PLANING TO THROW PARTIES SO HE CAN MAKE MONEY.HIM AND HIS BROTHER DON'T HAVE ANY CLOTHES AND THEY BE COLD DURING THE WINTER.SOMETIMES NOVISHA MOTHER BE TAKING CARE OF TYRELL AND HIS FAMILY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY OR FOOD TO EAT EACH NIGHT.TYRELL DOESN'T GO TO SCHOOL AND HES TRYING TO TAKE CARE IF HIS FAMILY AND ALSO NOVISHA AT THE SAME TIME.TYRELL MOTHER PUT TROY IN SPECIAL ED SO HE CAN GET AN SSI CHECK EVERY MONTH.THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH TROY BUT SHE WANTS THE SCHOOL TO THINK THAT SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM SO HE CAN STILL GET HIS CHECK.TYRELL BECOMES REALLY CLOSE TO THIS GIRL NAME JASMINE THAT HE MET AT THE SHELTER BENNETT WHERE THEY BOTH LIVE AT.JASMINE HAD LIKE TYRELL SINCE THE FIRST DAY SHE SEEN HIM.THEY BE HANGING OUT SOMETIMES AND SHES BEEN TAKING CARE OF TROY WHEN HIS MOTHER WOULD LEAVE HIM IN THE HOUSE BY HISSELF. STARASIA

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-10-17

Coe Booth's first novel, TYRELL, is a masterfully written, gritty reality check of urban life through the eyes of a heavily burdened fifteen-year-old. After his father is sentenced to prison (for the third time), it is up to Tyrell Green to take care of both his deranged mother and his seven-year-old brother, Troy. But Tyrell is only fifteen! Not only is he living in a completely run-down shelter, but he is broke, out of school, and struggling for some way to earn money to get his mom and brother out of shelter care and into an apartment of their own.

In a place like the Bronx, it is easy for young adults to get caught up in a life of crime. Tyrell knows this, but is also a man of principle (for the most part, at least). Refusing to earn his quick buck through such shady sources as drug dealing, he originates a plan to get the money he needs to get things back to the way they were. The question of whether it will work, or whether it will blow up in his face....you'll have to read TYRELL to find out (but it's worth it!)

The great thing about TYRELL is that Coe Booth keeps the pressure on at all times. Real life drama is quilted into the novel until the very end, and it is both humbling and very entertaining to read. She also incorporates real urban vernacular (e.g. "slang") to create an extremely real and convincing narrative.

Coe Booth creates an atmosphere so believable it's impossible not to walk away after reading the novel and not have taken something with you. The characters experience the lowest of lows, the highest of highs, and everything in-between throughout the course of the story--and it doesn't stop until the very end. Dripping from head to toe with sharp turns and very surprising climaxes, it's sure to keep you consumed until the last page.

It's a lot to pack into a story, but Booth does it gracefully and with extraordinary skill. I praise Ms. Booth's first novel and am waiting anxiously for the next.

Plus, she's a PUSH novelist, and it doesn't get much better than PUSH!

Reviewed by: Long Nguyen

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a lion to guard us review
THE LION TO GUARD US
A Lion to Guard us
lion to guard us
Lion to Guard Us

A Lion to Guard Us
Clyde Robert Bulla
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064403335

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

a lion to guard us review.......2007-04-30

This story is about a girl named Amanda freebold and her 2 younger siblings, Jemmy and Meg. At the beginning the 3 children and their mother live with a rich old lady named mistress trippet In London, England. She makes them work for money, except Meg and Jemmy. Their father went to Virginia to seek fortune. One day their mother got sick and eventually dies, so they run away from mistress trippet. They run into their mother's doctor Dr. Crider who takes them in. the next month they get on a ship to go to Virginia, it shipwrecks in Bermuda, they make a small town and leave on 2 makeshift boats to Virginia.... My favorite part is when Dr. Crider finds the children running away.
By: Patrick

THE LION TO GUARD US.......2007-02-09

Lion to guard us review

I would read lion to guard us if you like not to fast and not to slow books. Lion to guard us is a somewhat sad story a slow and some might put a little dull adventure.
There are three main characters. One is Meg the youngest girl, jimmy is in the middle for the ages. Amanda is the oldest and looks after them. Lion to guard us is a middle problem. Like when people steal oh wait I don't want to give the book away if you want to know read this book. Meg Jimmy and Amanda are going to Virginia for a reason and if you want to know the reason READ THIS BOOK!!!!

A Lion to Guard us.......2007-02-03

A Lion to Guard us Review

The Book, A Lion to Guard us is by Clyde Robert Bulla and illustrated by Michele Chessare. I think the book was good to me because it has a lot of sad moments and a lot of adventurous moments. And when there is a suspenseful part of the story they might end the chapter. Jemmy takes care of the door knocker their father gave them. Meg was the youngest she stayed by Amanda's side She was to quiet to step up and help much.

The main characters are Amanda, Jemmy, and Meg and their father.

Amanda, Jemmy , and Meg's Father gave them a lion door knocker before he lift for Jamestown for three years. They didn't see him since.
Amanda is the oldest of the group. She has to take more responsibility for Jemmy and Meg. [..]. He keeps care of the lion

I won't tell much more or I will ruin the story!!!

lion to guard us .......2007-02-03

Lion to Guard us
Hello. My name is Ryan Adams. I will tell you about my story. The plot is that Jemmy, Amanda, and Meg will reach their dad in Jamestown. He is building houses for the colonists. At the beginning, their dad left them with the cook, mistress tippet, Sir Randolph. When he was about to leave he gave them the lion doorknocker head. He said, "This is the lion to guard you." Then they tried to look for him. Well, I can't tell you the whole story, so I will tell you why the story was great!
I really couldn't put it down because it was so tempting to find out if they find it or not. You should read it to find out too. The style of the author is sort of old fashioned.

See ya later!
Ryan Adams

Lion to Guard Us.......2007-02-01

LION TO GUARD US

This book is very good I really loved it. Amanda, Jemmy ,and Meg Freebold are all alone their mother is dead and their father is in Jamestown. Later Dr. Crider brings them to his house . The next day he took them to the boat heading for Jamestown. The writer tells the story in 1609. I really liked this book. I give this book five stars.

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Fly Away Home
Great, realistic story..
Sticks with you
Bizarre Homeless Tale
Fly Away Home

Fly Away Home
Eve Bunting
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395664152

Book Description

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

Customer Reviews:

Fly Away Home.......2007-09-24

This is a wonderful book about homelessness from a child's point of view. The child likens himself to a bird trapped in the busy airport where he and his father live very carefully as to be undetected. A job for his father will free them to fly away from their temporary home like the bird that finally flies away when an automatic door opens one day.

Great, realistic story.........2007-05-30

This book is more true to life then may people would like to a admit. As a school teacher, I have been using this book for years to share the plight of the working homeless. I have also worked in the homeless shelters of Boston and can't tell you how many people are struggling just to get on their feet. This book is sad, however you would been amazed how much empathy and new awareness an older child has after reading is wonderful piece of literature!

Sticks with you.......2007-01-08

I'm now 20, but I remembered reading this book when I was much younger. It's come into my mind more than once, and I'm glad to've finally found the title of the book again. You see, this is the kind of book that'll stick with you for a very long time. You've read the plot summary, so you know that this isn't exactly a regular children's book in its mood, but if it is possible at all for a children's book to truly change the way a child looks at the world in such a way that the impression remains, this is such a book. The illustrations are beautiful and hazy and dreamlike, though the story exists not in a fantasy world, but in a very mature reality. The story is pretty unique, but the feelings of comfort and love are threads that any child could stand to learn from. I highly recommend this as a much needed book for any child's collection.

Bizarre Homeless Tale.......2006-12-21

This story is quite bizarre and depressing. I'm keeping it for the collector's value. Thoughtful and synmpathetic. Problem: Sadly, there's no way a homeless father and son could live in an airport for more than a day or two in the post 9-11 era. Even the most ignorant security guard team would discover them and kick them out.

Fly Away Home.......2006-05-26

This book is great and kind of sad. The way it's sad because it was about the kid and his father being poor and they got to live in an airport and they could be kicked out from there. Also, they are trying everything to get out of there and live a good life. Out of all the way the writing of the book is good.

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I Am David
Great movie
I Am David--Must be published
Wonderful book
I Am David

I Am David
Anne Holm
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152051600

Book Description

David's entire twelve-year life has been spent in a grisly prison camp in Eastern Europe. He knows nothing of the outside world. But when he is given the chance to escape, he seizes it. With his vengeful enemies hot on his heels, David struggles to cope in this strange new world, where his only resources are a compass, a few crusts of bread, his two aching feet, and some vague advice to seek refuge in Denmark. Is that enough to survive?
David's extraordinary odyssey is dramatically chronicled in Anne Holm's classic about the meaning of freedom and the power of hope.

Customer Reviews:

I Am David.......2007-09-19

I had seen the video first and then wanted to read the book.
It was an excellent story: emotional, of course.
I was glad to have the chance to read it.
Well written.

Great movie.......2007-07-05

This is one of the most moving stories I have seen on film. Although the book was excellent, parts of the book seemed contrived. The movie had a different feel. This is not an action film, but a great deal of the story is told by facial expressions and "body language." It is also a meaningful film which can be shared with the entire family. There are certainly historical lessons which can be discussed. We have watched it several times and not gotten tired of it yet.

I Am David--Must be published.......2007-04-01

It is a must to publish this manuscript, "I Am David", written by Anne Holm. This is about a boy named David who had spent his twelve years of live in a concentration camp. David did not know how he got into the camp, his religion and who his parents were. Things change when a guard gave David a chance to escape. This book shows that hope shines brightest in the darkness of times.
Firstly, David has very high moral standards. For instance, he refuses to accept payment for a small service that he renders voluntarily to a stranger. Also, David refuses to hit a boy back after the boy beat him into a pulp and called him names. This is because he thinks that if he hit him back, he would be just as rotten and worthless as the boy, thus he would have no right to be able to escape. For him, to choose to observe high moral standards is a symbol of his newfound liberty.
Secondly, David was very courageous. He sprang into a burning shed to save a little girl, Maria. It was through his courageous act that Maria did not die. Although David was courageous, he did not dash into the burning shed without thinking. He was smart enough to wrap wet clothes around his head to keep the smoke out, thus preventing him from being unconscious and being burnt to death too. He learnt this skill by seeing a man in the camp doing this when the man escaped from a burning building, thus he was applying past knowledge to new situations.
Lastly, David was very determined to learn new things. When he first escaped from the camp, he did not really know how to read and write. After much practice, he finally managed to do it. Also, David did not know how to use words properly at first. For instance, instead of saying that a bathroom was "lovely", he said that it was "beautiful and good". Thus, he began to learn of more words, for example how to use the word "nice", "pretty" and "beautiful" differently.
"I Am David" is a very touching book. Anne Holm uses him as a blank canvas on which can be drawn the first experiences of life - beauty, knowledge, trust, religion, love, everything. I hope that this finest novel ever will be published.

[...]

Wonderful book.......2007-04-01

I Am David is about a boy named David, whose entire twelve years' of life has been spent in a grisly concentration camp in Eastern Europe. When he is given the opportunity to escape through the help of a prison guard, David seizes it. Knowing nothing about the outside world, David struggles to cope in this strange environment. Sensing that the prison guards are forever trying to track him down, he makes his journey alone armed with only a bundle containing a compass, a bottle of water, a knife, some crumbs of bread and some vague advice to get to Denmark. This is an inspiring story of a brave boy's search for freedom and survival.
I feel that I Am David is a good book because it is easy for children to relate to. It also teaches children moral values. I feel that I Am David helps us to appreciate simple things that we take for granted such as family love, a constant supply of food and water, a warm bath and school.
I Am David is written from the point of view of David himself, a child, so I found that it was very easy to relate to what he was thinking, and I feel most children should be able to do the same. Although he thinks differently from most of us, having gone through so much hardship, it is easy to put ourselves in his shoes.
Throughout the book, David shows many examples of moral values and strength of character. Even though he was hardened through those years spent in the concentration camp, David showed tenderness and kindness to all he met. I felt very touched as David never gave up, even in the face of defeat. This book has taught me a lot about persistence and kindness.
Lastly, I am David teaches us to appreciate simple things that we take for granted, as these are the very things that David needs! After reading this book, I began to treasure my daily necessities, knowing what it is like to not have them.
All in all, I am David is an excellent book. I recommend it to readers of all ages, but especially to children, as it easy for them to relate to and has many moral values. Also, reading this book helps us appreciate things around us that we take for granted. It is a story of one boy's struggle for survival. This is one of the best books I have ever read!

A.L.G.S

I Am David.......2007-04-01

I am David is a book about a boy called David who escapes from a concentration camp in Eastern Europe. He was then asked to go to Salonika and board a boat bound for Italy when no one is looking. From Italy, he walked to Denmark where his mother lives. Along the way, the courageous David's determination and trust for other people helped him reach Denmark.

When in Italy, Milan, David watched 2 boys and their sister playing in their father's barn. Out of a sudden, the barn is on fire. David quickly takes out a cloth and wets it. Then, he ties it over his mouth to prevent him form breathing in the smoke. Then, he courageously ran into the barn and saves the 2 boys' sister, Maria, from death. This example shows how courageous David is as he resisted the fire, regardless the risk of danger, not willing to let is take Maria "away" and brought her out of the barn. Also, at the end of the book, David showed courage as he knocked onto the door of his mother (which he did not know it was his mother) to seek instructions. I feel that was very courageous of David as he went to a stranger's private property and knocked on to the door.

During his entire trip, David showed determination from the start when he escaped form the concentration camp and did not want to be captured that is what I felt was determination. Also, another incident is when David was thrown off board from the ship into the sea when going to Italy. He swan with determination, hoping to reach shore and he never gave up. Never the less, during the trip from Eastern Europe to Denmark, he kept on walking, never talked of giving up, kept on walking till Denmark. That is why I feel that David is courageous.

In the concentration camp, David trusted the man, assuming that he was helping him to escape and trying to sabotage him. Also, when he stayed with Maria in Italy, David trusted that her parents would not report him to the police and kept him a secret. Moreover, David also trusted Johannes, his friend and teacher, when teaching him basic things of the "outside" world and never thought that Johannes was evil. Also, he trusted the Danish lady in Switzerland about the story of the boy called "David" and the story of his true parents.

Overall, I feel that I Am David is an excellent book to read as it shows a lot of moral values that has a great impact on life. Also, there morals such as courage, trust and determination don't just come around everyday; it takes a lot of time to understand them, which this book does explain those values.

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The best work on the subject

The Homeless
Christopher Jencks
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 067440596X

Book Description

How widespread is homelessness, how did it happen, and what can be done about it? These are the questions explored by Christopher Jencks, America's foremost analyst of social problems. Jencks examines the standard explanations and finds that the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, the invention of crack cocaine, rising joblessness among men, declining marriage rates, cuts in welfare benefits, and the destruction of skid row have all played a role. Changes in the housing market have had less impact than many claim, however, and real federal housing subsidies actually doubled during the 1980s. Not confining his mission to studying the homeless, Jencks proposes several practical approaches to helping the homeless.

Customer Reviews:

The best work on the subject.......2000-12-25

Jencks is one of the best sociologists in the world. He is a liberal, but you would not know it from this work (not that this work is 'conservative'). Here what you get is concise, well investigated and well written social science by one of the best. Jencks calmly demolishes myths about the homeless, and then walks through the various causal explanations offered by the right and left. Where he finds support he publishes it, and thats a lot considering the politicized nature of much social science. This book, though dated now, would be essential reading for those who want to understand or help the homeless in the U.S.. What really impresses me about his work is his humility about what social science does and can do while demonstrating its merits through his analysis.

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