tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post6511387054735260327..comments2024-02-13T15:17:57.466-05:00Comments on Beth Fish Reads: Review: Half a Life by Darin StraussBeth Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08627666337961326265noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-35921899276589082642011-08-01T23:22:36.756-04:002011-08-01T23:22:36.756-04:00My favorite line of the book had little to do with...My favorite line of the book had little to do with the accident. <br /><br />"That's the meter you come up with, as you approach forty. If your relationship fills you with a sense of luck, you've chosen well."Ericahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07052524644015959267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-14212847218927134782011-07-29T17:00:39.789-04:002011-07-29T17:00:39.789-04:00This sounds incredibly moving. Thanks for sharing ...This sounds incredibly moving. Thanks for sharing it with us.BookGeekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620998836239969062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-52140529279880229782011-07-29T11:47:18.422-04:002011-07-29T11:47:18.422-04:00I've wanted to read this book since I heard hi...I've wanted to read this book since I heard him on NPR -- this is a perfect reminder, thanks! What struck me about your post is how a single line of text -- the one you pulled from page 103 -- can sum up the heart of an entire book, and instantly make you want to read it. Strauss' statement reminds me of James Pennebaker's research showing that keeping a secret can be as emotionally damaging as the event itself.Lisa Cronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10696762996726960344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-38338411717529939752011-07-29T10:15:18.655-04:002011-07-29T10:15:18.655-04:00Wow! This book sounds emotional. I am not really ...Wow! This book sounds emotional. I am not really one for non-fiction and other people's life stories but this one has grabbed my attention. The fact that you and other commenters feel that the author conveyed his feelings/thoughts well without trying to embellish has put this book on my list of those I want to read soon.<br /><br />Thanks for putting this one onto my radar.ibeeeghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10222760102843468991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-5471093641137526262011-07-28T23:13:18.307-04:002011-07-28T23:13:18.307-04:00As I mentioned to you on Twitter this morning, I w...As I mentioned to you on Twitter this morning, I wasn't sure why I had received an ARC in the mail but I'm never one to turn down a book! This book was well written and there was no time when I did not feel that I had a clear sense of what the author was feeling (and that's not easy to do). Especially when he goes to a movie right after the death, and intentionally goes to a different town, hoping for a bit of anonymity. That completely echoed my experience when a classmate died and our whole class went to the science fair (it wasn't a science class) as a "distraction" (it didn't work). As a reader, I wanted to shake the adults in the situation and make them realize that the author had not reconciled the utter lack of blame with the very strong feelings he clearly harbored for all of his young adulthood.Paula Kigerhttp://www.waytenmom.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-35808038684818150812011-07-28T21:02:38.316-04:002011-07-28T21:02:38.316-04:00This was a powerful read. I felt very similar to w...This was a powerful read. I felt very similar to what you did ... that it was such a good thing that he didn't embellish things and showed just how tortured he was by this experience and how it affected everything about him. It was a difficult lesson to learn, but I'm glad he was able to put it into words and work through so much of this and share it with the world. It did take a lot of courage.<br /><br />By the way, I'm just back from vacation and only leaving one comment for everyone to help me catch up with everything. Thanks for understanding.Jennershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08044537551139633301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-40230268774621933632011-07-28T19:37:52.773-04:002011-07-28T19:37:52.773-04:00Wow. Powerful stuff. On my shallow days, I always ...Wow. Powerful stuff. On my shallow days, I always dream of writing a novel. But, then I read certain books (this sounds like a goodie) and think... no way.Kate/High Altitude Gardeninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06690999267357525527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-1856328093419776732011-07-28T17:44:53.631-04:002011-07-28T17:44:53.631-04:00I have picked up, and put down, this book more tim...I have picked up, and put down, this book more times than I can count. Your favorable review may tip the scales for me. Thank you.Eleanorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03051028886041244993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-59725021296298680512011-07-28T16:40:21.058-04:002011-07-28T16:40:21.058-04:00I am curious about this one. I will have to check ...I am curious about this one. I will have to check it out!Kailanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11136262232046813471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-26469943430203542992011-07-28T16:21:53.934-04:002011-07-28T16:21:53.934-04:00It has to be the worst nightmare. I really want to...It has to be the worst nightmare. I really want to read this one..it sounds so powerful.Veenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18051587201427141480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-16358305952325729602011-07-28T14:13:01.821-04:002011-07-28T14:13:01.821-04:00I read about this book somewhere else and did not ...I read about this book somewhere else and did not think I would like it...but now I believe I was wrong..<br /><br />hey, maybe I can get it at the Borders Going Out of Businees salecaitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-38936163050944658512011-07-28T14:12:36.406-04:002011-07-28T14:12:36.406-04:00Wow.
I don't think I could read this but it...<i>Wow</i>. <br /><br />I don't think I could read this but it sounds marvelous -- honest without being grotesque. I can only imagine what it feels like to survive something like this -- and clearly, this isn't so uncommon. Honest exploration of topics like this are so important for healing and I appreciate that Strauss went there in this book.Audrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07511122937603890352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-38508772572374905532011-07-28T12:36:07.961-04:002011-07-28T12:36:07.961-04:00I added this book to my to-read list after I heard...I added this book to my to-read list after I heard his interview on NPR, but I'd forgotten about it. I'll have to move it up my list. Thanks for the review.Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02541818947891733283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-50101464931851580202011-07-28T12:18:11.895-04:002011-07-28T12:18:11.895-04:00Like Sandy, I also thought that this was a fiction...Like Sandy, I also thought that this was a fictional book, but upon reading your review, I see now that it's not. I think that seeing things from this perspective would be rather eye-opening, especially in light of the fact that Strauss had to go back and face the repercussions of the accident, and face the mental scars that the accident left him with as well. It sounds like quite a powerful read, and if it had you wanting to highlight passages, I can imagine that it might be something that I would also really get a lot out of. Thanks for the very thoughtful and enticing review. Though I hadn't paid much attention to this book before, I will be reading when I can.Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-35570857198251436472011-07-28T10:26:50.951-04:002011-07-28T10:26:50.951-04:00What's interesting in this case, and I should ...What's interesting in this case, and I should have stated it more strongly, is that there was no blame/fault, and there was likely little he could have done to avoid the accident.Beth Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627666337961326265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-61913923553403195082011-07-28T10:11:22.744-04:002011-07-28T10:11:22.744-04:00The tragedy of his teen years would be impossible ...The tragedy of his teen years would be impossible for some to get over. We all make terrible mistakes in high school and regret them, but his courage in facing it down and even writing about it is admirable.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04179027379034179865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-77241330990379273532011-07-28T09:41:43.813-04:002011-07-28T09:41:43.813-04:00Darin is a beautiful writer in general, and I love...Darin is a beautiful writer in general, and I loved this book in particular. I heard him on NPR ("This American Life"?) doing sort of an essay version of this, and it was excellent. So glad you enjoyed it as well.Eleanor Brownhttp://www.eleanor-brown.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-15547847290220112212011-07-28T09:03:39.602-04:002011-07-28T09:03:39.602-04:00i'd really like to read this book despite the ...i'd really like to read this book despite the difficult subject. we had a similar situation at my high school and the girl who was responsible for the accident that claimed the life of her boyfriend ended up leaving our school for another. she just never came back after the accident. i always wondered what happened to her and couldn't imagine the suffering she endured--the boy who died was her boyfriend. i wonder if this book is one i could use (or excerpt) in my classroom. i'm forever warning my students about safe driving. thank you for this review--i'm going to pick up half a life.natalie @book, line, and sinkerhttp://booklineandsinker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-70270987838425039632011-07-28T08:59:06.811-04:002011-07-28T08:59:06.811-04:00Wow, that sounds like a powerful (and brave) book....Wow, that sounds like a powerful (and brave) book.bermudaonionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10726401178972099557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-48940253024386609502011-07-28T07:57:06.220-04:002011-07-28T07:57:06.220-04:00I read another book by Mr. Strauss and loved it! I...I read another book by Mr. Strauss and loved it! I can't wait to read this one! Maybe I'll just move in up in my TBR pile after reading your review.Julie P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16008101127541997459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291822984443127930.post-18169189884008164962011-07-28T07:26:15.296-04:002011-07-28T07:26:15.296-04:00In my mind, I thought this was fiction. Seriously...In my mind, I thought this was fiction. Seriously, God bless this guy for working to get past this. We had something like this happen in our school too, and those survivors were never the same, physically or mentally. And there was nothing any of us could do to understand what it felt like to be them. Excellent review.Sandy Nawrothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00564390728106776030noreply@blogger.com