The Hour I First Believed: A Novel by Wally Lamb
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Book Reviews of The Hour I First Believed: A Novel
Book Review: Best novel I've read in years!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wally Lamb is in my opinion one of the two best authors alive today, the other one being Pat Conroy. This book was almost as good as my favorite book of all time, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE, by Wally Lamb. The characters showed much depth and growth during the span of years in the novel. I felt real empathy for Caelum, Maureen, and even the annoying Velvet. The Columbine tragedy was not something I wanted to read more about, but in this novel it was riveting, and I realized the awful collateral damage of it more than I ever did before. I was not interested in the long sections on Mark Twain, Janis' discourse on Ms. Popper, or the mythology discussions, so I just skimmed over them to get back to the stuff of the main characters. Wally has an emotional honesty which translates into great stories. I would only recommend this book to someone who is very comfortable with their own psychological truths.Book Review: Read This Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
What can I say? It's one of the best American books I've read in the last ten years. And, here, I use the word American specifically. Profoundly contemporary of the last ten years, the characters are us. They do stupid things. They do good things. The world for them has changed so much that hope is almost non-existent. I have never been so angry or sorrowful or disgusted at characters in a book as much as I was with this book. And, yet, I still cared about them. I still carried that small pebble of hope that they would be ok.
Wally Lamb has found the zeitgeist of 21st century America and it is painful and yet still hopeful. The book is about finding our way in a world that seems to have gone mad, with us riding the crest of a wave that is in danger of crashing against the shore at any minute.
Read this book. You'll never forget it.
Book Review: Wonderful Wally Lamb, Again!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wally Lamb has again proved what an excellent writer he is. This book is fantastic. At times it can be slow, almost a burden...but there are so many layers that it is amazing anyone can write this way. I've already passed it on to the leader of a book discussion group. I believe it is over 750 pages. A main thread is the killings at Columbine H.S. and the post traumatic effects it has on the school nurse who witnessed the shootings first hand and also her husband who must deal with her aftershocks. But there is so much else to the book, diaries from some of the first involved in the Womens Rights movements, families who survived Katrina have their story interwoven. It's just so much intertwined into an unforgettable book. The book felt like a cherished friend and I was sorry when it ended. Wonderful Wally Lamb has done it again! Don't miss it.Book Review: My fave book of 2008
Summary: 5 Stars
Having read Wally Lamb's previous books, I eagerly grabbed this copy - a hefty 740 pages or so (very long I realise, and definitely going to put a lot of people off!) From the very start to the very end, I was enthralled by the story that unfolded on the pages before me.
The characters, locations, and situations are so well written as this author slowly, but so beautifully gives us the story of Caelum Quirk and his wife, Maureen, whose lives are forever shattered by Columbine shooting - and how what has happened in the past (some of the history of the family goes back to Civil War days) shapes these characters to who they are today.
Great book with a great title. Recommend to those who love true character driven stories. Those who like shorter, and more fast moving plots and no flashbacks - avoid at all costs!!!
Book Review: Thanks Wally!
Summary: 5 Stars
Well thanks a bunch Wally! You caused me to stay up way past my bedtime several nights in a row. I spend way too much money on books, but when I invested a chunk of money into this hardback I thought "700+ pages? This should keep me reading a few weeks." But NO! Four days and I'm done. That is like a 5$ a day reading habit and I just can't keep this up.
I told my friend how much I loved this book and she asked "Was it as good as his first two?" I surprised myself by realizing I had not asked myself that question. My answer? "Well, I'm not sure. But it is one of the very best books I've read this year." Worth the hardback price. Worth the lost sleep. Worth the postage to mail that heavy book to my Dad.
Thanks Wally. Sincerely. Keep doing what you do. (As if you could stop.)