Search - I Know This Much Is True

This was one of the best books I've ever read. There are so many characters and I thought that he tied them together so well. This is a really good read...hard to put down.

One of my favorite books. It grabs you in the frst chapter and keeps you wrapped up until the end.

Dominick Birdsey learns about his family and himself in I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE, Wally Lamb's epic novel that centers on two men, identical twins, one of whom is mentally ill.

A whopping 897 pages (the trade paper back version), this book goes into great detail the life story of Dominick Birdsey, his paranoid schizoid brother Thomas, their timid mother and their grandfather who started his life in Italy.

The opening chapter takes us to the public library and Thomas has just performed self-mutilation: he has chopped off his hand in response to the Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield). And Dominick is there to rescue Thomas, as he's done their entire life. Thomas is taken to a psychiatric hospital for close observation, but in the mean time, Dominick ends up meeting with the psychiatrists, who help Dominick deal with issues he has with his brother, and soon a whole slew of issues comes rolling off of his tongue. It's an uphill battle, but through the help of the psychiatrists and his grandfather's journal, Dominick learns to deal with his anger and his frustrations over his life, and he comes to terms with a lot of things that he felt resentment over in the past.

There is not enough I can say about this book. It was quite the novel, with so much detail to the life stories of these people, covering three generations from Italy to America. Yet it all helped to tell Dominick's story. It surely was not a light read, but despite the huge volume, I was able to finish this book in less than two weeks. It is fast paced and there's never a dull moment.

I really enjoyed this book!! I couldn't put it down once I started reading it.

I enjoyed this book by Wally Lamb, even though it was incredibly sad. Sometimes you just need a good book to wallow in. This is one of those.

This is on "Oprah's Book Club" The inside says this: "On the afternoon of October 12, 1990 my twin brother Thomas entered the Three Rivers, Connecticut Public Library, retreated to one of the rear study carrels, and prayed to God the sacrifice he was about ot commit would be deemed acceptable." Good book, kept my attention the whole time.

Excellent book. Very good story.

Wonderful and interesting story. Very easy read.

The narrative explores the theme of sibling responsibility, depicting the moral and emotional conundrum of an identical twin whose love for his afflicted brother is mixed with resentment, bitterness and guilt.

Enjoyable story full of heartache and thought.

Wally Lamb is an excellent writer. In this book he takes us into the lives of twin brothers. Thomas is the gentler one., the one who develops emotional problems. Dominick is stronger and has to take on the role as the protector. Mr. Lamb keeps you reading with a sincere desire to discover the outcome of the lives of these men.

this long drawn out book, is well worth the time.

This is one of those books you "live." I read too fast and was bereft when finished. A good read.

doesn't even come close to his first book; i was upset i spent the $ on hardcover

Oprahs book club pick. Very in depth book, but it wasn't my favorite. I do enjoy Wally Lamb's other books. Many people have reccommended this book and that's why I read it. It's good, just a little depressing.

This is a deep, dense, thick book with a rich, slowly revealed story. The tale of twin brothers - one suffering mental illness, the other feeling the "guilt" of being normal. A study of family and its influences on your life - what can be controlled, dealt with, and what makes you grow. Fascinating, moving, and powerful.