Summary from Goodreads:
Edward Warren, twenty-four, has been living in Thailand for five years, a prodigal son who left his family after an irreparable fight with his father, Luke. But he gets a frantic phone call: His dad lies comatose, gravely injured in the same accident that has also injured his younger sister Cara.
With her father’s chances for recovery dwindling, Cara wants to wait for a miracle. But Edward wants to terminate life support and donate his father’s organs. Is he motivated by altruism, or revenge? And to what lengths will his sister go to stop him from making an irrevocable decision?
Lone Wolf was my book club's latest selection and while I have loved other books by Jodi Picoult, this one will not be added to my list of favorites. The story line was too drawn out for me and I had a difficult time staying interested in the subject matter. I often found myself wanting to skip over the chapters where the character Luke told about his time in the wild with the wolves. The plot did not suck me in like this author's books usually do. This is just my opinion and if you are a Picoult fan then you should definitely give it a try. There were plenty of other readers that had more positive reviews.
Summary by Goodreads:
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
I absolutely loved this book. It was a pleasant surprise considering the fact that it has been sitting on my bookshelf for several years. I don't remember what made me pick it up and start reading a few weeks ago but I am so glad that I did. It was totally not what I was expecting. It is not your typical World War II novel and it is told entirely through letters. It took me two or three letters to grasp the format of the book and understand the unique way this story was going to be told. After that, I was hooked! There were many parts that had me laughing out loud and at the same time I learned about a whole new side to World War II. I highly recommend this book and encourage you not to let the "historical" description keep you from reading. There is much more to it!
Summary by Barnes and Noble:
For Kelly Corrigan, family is everything.
At thirty-six, she had a marriage that worked, a couple of funny, active kids, and a weekly newspaper column. But even as a thriving adult, Kelly still saw herself as George Corrigan's daughter. A garrulous Irish-American charmer from Baltimore, George was the center of the ebullient, raucous Corrigan clan. He greeted every day by opening his bedroom window and shouting, "Hello, World!" Suffice it to say, Kelly's was a colorful childhood, just the sort a girl could get attached to.
Kelly lives deep within what she calls the Middle Place — "that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap" — comfortably wedged between her adult duties and her parents' care. But she's abruptly shoved into a coming-of-age when she finds a lump in her breast — and gets the diagnosis no one wants to hear. And so Kelly's journey to full-blown adulthood begins. When George, too, learns he has late-stage cancer, it is Kelly's turn to take care of the man who had always taken care of her — and show us a woman as she finally takes the leap and grows up.
Kelly Corrigan is a natural-born storyteller, a gift you quickly recognize as her father's legacy, and her stories are rich with everyday details. She captures the beat of an ordinary life and the tender, sometimes fractious moments that bind families together. Rueful and honest, Kelly is the prized friend who will tell you her darkest, lowest, screwiest thoughts, and then later, dance on the coffee table at your party.
I can not express how much I loved this book. It is a biography about being a daughter, wife, mother, and friend. Mrs. Corrigan is so honest and tells her stories and opinions with the best humor! I have laughed out loud, cried, and found myself relating to so much of what she has to say. She does tell about her battle with breast cancer and follows her father's diagnoses with bladder cancer but cancer is more the background of the story than the main subject.
The love this father has for his daughter and his open way of expressing it blew me away. Another part that particularly has stuck with me were the thoughts that her husband shares he had after she tells him that her lump is cancerous. His words had me in tears and I can not imagine a more perfect confession. This is definitely a book that every woman should read.
Anybody read anything that they would recommend? I'm always open to new suggestions. There are very few things I like more than a great book that I can't put down! Also if you live in the area and are interested in joining our book club please let me know...we would love to have you as a member!
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