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ISBN-13: 9780316601955 - ISBN-10: 0316601950 Publication Date: 3/31/1999 Pages: 293 |
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Book Reviews of The Pilot's Wife
236 Book Reviews submitted by our Members
sorted by voted most helpful
Shannon Y. (
9 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wow this book was great! I couldnt stop once I got started! Anita Shreve truly deserves the praise she gets. I went out and bought more of her books and cant wait to start one of those. Recommended for those who love literature fiction also has a bit of suspense too!
8 member(s) found this review helpful.
If you liked "The Bridges of Madison County," you will love The Pilot's Wife.
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
An amazing book! This is the first book that I have read by this author and I can't wait to read her others. The Pilot's Wife will surprise you at every new twist. This will be one of those books that you just can't put down!
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent book! This was the first I've read by this author, and I kept thinking I knew how it would turn out, but then it would twist again.
Doris H. (
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
Story of how the pilot's wife deals with her grief after her husband dies in a plane explosion. With each new bit of information she uncovers she wonders if she ever knew her husband at all. I enjoyed this well-written story very much and will seek out more of this author's work.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent book. A real page turner. From the opening page I was hooked and could not wait to see what was going to happen. It really involves how well do we know another person?
Janis K. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
"The Pilot's Wife" is not what I would normally consider my kind of book. And now, thinking back over the book, I'm not sure why I enjoyed it, but I did. Anyway, I found it to be thoroughly engrossing and beautifully written. Well worth the time it took to read it
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
I expected to really like this book, but in the end I found it to be just okay. The plot seemed really contrived, like the author wasn't really sure what mysterious things that Jack Lyons, the pilot whose plane goes down, was up to. "The Weight of Water" was a much, much better book.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Just okay. I saw the end coming a mile away. It would make a decent beach book, as it is a very easy and quick read.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book. It was absolutely spellbinding and I could not put it down. I literally got up in the middle of the night to find time to read this one. Good to the very end.
This was my first exposure to Anita Shreve, and I am now a devoted fan!
Monica G. (
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very good fast paced read but somewhat predictable.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
A gripping story by one of my favorite authors.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I could't put this book down. Was up all night reading it just to wee what happened next.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A "Can't put it down" novel.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good story about a marriage. I will read another by this author.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I couldn't put this book down! In this book of secrets the main character is developed so well, it was easy to put myself in her shoes.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Loved this book, one of her best written books! A romantic book with a good mystery.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Sad but excellent read.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book - must read!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I didn't want to put this book down. I fell in love with the characters and began to understand them as real people. Although a somewhat tragic story, it was moving and absorbing.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
The story of a woman who finds out her husband has died, and begins to piece together a life that she was completely unaware of. On the Oprah's book club list, a very good read about love. Highly recommend!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Anita Shreve is a really unique author - I haven't quite made up my mind about her books yet. This one I enjoyed.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
You meet and marry. You live together for years. Then, your husband is reported missing and there are rumors of a secret life. WHAT! You have just entered the world of Kathryn Lyons. Join her as she searches for the truth.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I could not put this book down! It was a surprise for me. Anita Shreve really caught my interest right away and I just couldn't put it down. This book is also a part of the Oprah's Book Club.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Powerful, emotional book with a fast paced storyline and characters you will care about and be sorry to see go.
Sharon R. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
5-star review at amazon:
"This is a beautifully written novel about a happily married woman, Kathryn Lyons, whose husband, Jack, is an airlines pilot. They have a teenage daughter named Mattie. They live in her lovely childhood home in Ely, New Hampshire. For sixteen years life has been good. Then her husband goes down with his plane, just ten miles off the coast of Ireland, and ever so slowly the very fabric of their life together unravels.
The media frenzy surrounding the explosion of the plane that her husband was piloting, brings to light the plain fact that her husband had been, unbeknownst to her, leading a double life, a life that had not included her or their daughter, but had, most emphatically, excluded them. This is a story of Kathryn's navigation of the emotional roller coaster that was to become her life, as she is thrust into a maelstrom of grief and disbelief, as she struggles to reconcile her memory of the man she thought she knew, with the reality of who he now appeared to have been.
This is a remarkable book, written in clean spare prose, that underscores some of the very emotion laden issues with which it grapples. At times infinitely sad and poignant, it is a story of betrayal and splintered memories. A very absorbing, skillfully told tale of adultery that will hold the reader in its thrall."
Lynne J. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
In the middle of the night, a man knocks on the pilot's wife's door. He's come to tell her that there had been an explosion on the international flight her husband was piloting and it had gone down in the sea just outside of Ireland. There were no survivors. He's from the pilots' union, and has also come to stay with her to help with the flood of press and questions that will be coming her way. But as he is handling the press, the pilot's wife is discovering other thngs that lead her to question whether or not she really knew her husband - and eventually lead her to London to seek answers.
Yes, This book gets the rare (from me anyway) five star rating. It is compulsively readiable. I simply could not stop reading as the secrets unfolded. Although I correctly guessed some of the revelations that came, that didn't ruin the story at all. That's because it wasn't simply about the unfolding mystery, it was also about the pilot's wife's reaction to everything that she learned.
I remember clearly the day several years ago that a co-worker of mine came in looking particularly haggard. I asked her if she was OK, and she said that she was fine. She had just been up most of the night reading a novel - this novel. However, this book languished on my TBR for years. That's primarily because I tried to read Fortunes' Rocks by the same author (which is loosely related to The Pilot's Wife), and I just couldn't get into that story. So I wasn't all that eager to try The Pilot's Wife. I'm sooooo glad that I finally picked it up.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Husbands and their secrets will never turn out good.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Just an okay book but quite predictable and silly ending that was ho-humm. I would have liked different characters developed. Easy read.
Julia S. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked it! Worth the read. Maybe a little predictable, but still enjoyable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
To slow at the beginning. Had to put it down so many times. Not my favorite of this author.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A great book that I really enjoyed. I don't think it quite compared with "The Bridges of Madison County" like on reviewer said, but it was very good.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very intriguing and shocking, yet believable
Erin K. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I've read several of Anita Shreve's books, and this one is definitely the best of them all, in my opinion. I highly recommend it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a very good book. Very sad, though, and very true to life!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this story! It is so well writed that you feel like you are there experiencing this heartbreak. It will shake you up to realize that all is not always what it seems. (and sometimes that is because we don't want to "see" what is in front of us! A good read!
Judy B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Can't say enough good things about this book. From beginning to end it was fascinating. A wonderful, suspenseful story.
T O. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who has trust issues in their marriage. Past or present, this is a book that will definately amplify the fact that you never really know anyone completely
LYNN K. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really did not think I would like this book from reading the back cover, but I LOVED it! This was a great book that was my introduction to Anita Shreve, who is now one of my favorite authors. It was hard to put down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable---one revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever the knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it explores the question: how well can we ever really know another person?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The story is interesting but the writing is a little "8th grade".
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wonderful. Marvelous. Highly recommended.
Sue E. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late night knock on the front door. When Kathryn Lyons received word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a lot of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack lead a secret life, Katheryn sets out to learn the truth, no matter what the knowledge might cost. Her search explores the questions, how well can we ever really know another person?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Gripping, intense, page turner.
Mystery.
Kathryn's husband dies in a plane crash, after his death she discovers things she never knew about him.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was ok...not the greatest, but quickly and easily read in a weekend. Didn't enjoy the ending. I would say it was worth reading, but not earth shattering.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Did her husband really live a secret life?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A GREAT STORY !
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
back cover: A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable -- one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we ever really know another person?
Kristine C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Page turner!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Oprah's book club choice....very moving novel...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not my usual choice of reading but I enjoyed this one, a bit of light reading, a bit sad.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not really worth the time when there are so many other better books out there. I thought it was going to be very deep and moving but instead I found it very contrived and predictible and in the end a little shallow like a trashy made-for-tv movie.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
could not put this book down.. read it in one night cover to cover.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Easy read. Hard to put down once you start and it's easy to become emotionally connected to the main character.
Maureen C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very well written novel that will keep you turning the pages very rapidly to reach the conclusion. This is the first novel I have read by Anita Shreve and it definitely will not be the last! I admire a writer who can grab your attention and keep you turning each page saying to yourself "What really happened? I have to get to the bottom of this." A wonderful book...no wonder it was a best seller and part of Oprah's Book Club.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book to read on vacation! All my sisters really enjoyed - surprises in it!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A oprah's book club book.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
great read altho i didnt care 4 her other novels.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was my first Anita Shreve novel and I am hooked - no fluff or drivel, no predictability - a smart and page turning read. Great story.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
From Amazon.com
"Oprah Book ClubŪ Selection, March 1999: With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:
Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.
The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off. "
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This Shreve book was easy to read and very enjoyable. Not unlike her other books, Shreve addresses some very difficult topics in this book, such as trust, infidelity, and a child who has experimented with their sexuality.
Kathryn, the heroine of the story, is catapulted into despair when she finds that her beloved pilot husband, Jack, has been killed in a plane crash. Comforted by Robert, a man from the union, who knows more than he initially reveals. Jack's death brings to light some disturbing possibilities which Kathryn must explore, and then come to grips with.
The story is wonderfully gripping. I really enjoyed this Shreve title, but like some of her others, wasn't thrilled with the ending, which was odd and I felt left unanswered questions.
Definitely worth reading though.
Kathryn (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book!
Until now, Kathryn Lyons's life has been peaceful if unextraordinary: a satisfying job teaching high school in the New England mill town of her childhood; a picture-perfect home by the ocean; a precocious, independent-minded fifteen-year-old daughter; and a happy marriage whose occasional dull passages she attributes to the unavoidable deadening of time. As a pilot's wife, Kathryn has learned to expect both intense exhilaration and long periods alone ? but nothing has prepared her for the late-night knock that lets her know her husband has died in a crash. As Kathryn struggles with her grief, she descends into a maelstrom of publicity stirred up by the modern hunger for the details of tragedy. Even before the plane is located in waters off the Irish coast, the relentless scrutiny of her husband's life begins to bring a bizarre personal mystery into focus. Could there be any truth to the increasingly disturbing rumors that he had a secret life?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Until now, Kathryn Lyons's life has been peaceful if unextraordinary: a satisfying job teaching high school in the New England mill town of her childhood; a picture-perfect home by the ocean; a precocious, independent-minded fifteen-year-old daughter; and a happy marriage whose occasional dull passages she attributes to the unavoidable deadening of time. As a pilot's wife, Kathryn has learned to expect both intense exhilaration and long periods alone but nothing has prepared her for the late-night knock that lets her know her husband has died in a crash. As Kathryn struggles with her grief, she descends into a maelstrom of publicity stirred up by the modern hunger for the details of tragedy. Even before the plane is located in waters off the Irish coast, the relentless scrutiny of her husband's life begins to bring a bizarre personal mystery into focus. Could there be any truth to the increasingly disturbing rumors that he had a secret life?
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A pilot\'s wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can you really know another person?
Audrey Niffenegger, who wrote The Time Traveller's Wife, could use some lessons from Anita Shreve: You can write a compelling, sympathetic, page-turner without constant profanity, vulgar depictions of sex, and shallow characters.
The Pilot's Wife is one of the better books I've read recently. It was like standing helplessly by while watching a train wreck about to happen, and unable to look away. From the very first line in the book you know that things will continue to worsen for the main character with each turn of the page, that her "perfect" world as she knows it will unravel to almost unbearable levels. Shreve knows how to expertly draw the reader into her tales, can develop her characters into people we either know or can see in ourselves. Niffenegger, with her book, could do neither. Having read both books closely together, I couldn't help but make the obvious comparisons between the two. One soared, the other sank.
I look forward to reading more of Anita Shreve.
Laura H. (This is on my "A" list! What a great story! Had my attention from beginning to end. You'll love the twist at the end.
I really enjoyed this book from the very beginning. Even though I felt the ending was a bit weak, I would still recommend reading the book.
This was a fun book to read. Quick. The ending was just what I wanted to happen.
I enjoyed this book of Anita Shreve's the best. The suspense kept me going and wondering how someone lives 2 lives and makes a woman feel like they're his only world. Sad at times, but enjoyable read.
Melissa M. (Just finished reading this book in two days. Very easy read though, I must admit, somewhat predictable. Enjoyable all the same.
I read this a lot of years ago, it was my first by Shreve, and I LOVED it! I've since read and bought more just based on the talent this showed alone.
Engrossing book, she's very good at not overstating.
I loved this book about a duel life.Its bben years since I read this book and I still remember how the wife became unraveled when the truth she knew became a mirage.
This book was easy to read and engaging. The author gives enough of a sense that something suspicious is going on and keeps you turning pages to find out what it is.
Ellen L. (This was such a good read. The story was very captivating. I can't believe that the character had to endure the many discoveries she experienced after her husband passed away.
This was a moving book that explores marriage, grief, and how it is so difficult to truly know someone, even if you're married. I enjoyed it every much
Samantha Y. (Oprah's latest Book Club pick is The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreveâ"an engrossing thriller woven between the pages of a stirring meditation on love and betrayal. With one late-night knock on her door, Kathryn Lyons's worst fears as a pilot's wife come true: Her husband, Jack, has died in a mid-air explosion off the coast of Ireland. Later, a phone number found among Jack's papers leads Kathryn to London and the unfathomable truth about her husband's secret other life. A second wife and two young children are just the beginning of what Jack was hiding in England. With each staggering revelation, Kathryn must reconcile her memories of the man she loved with the disturbing portrait unfolding before her.
Taleah G. (A very interesting read - perfect summer beach read!
Nancy M. (Interesting story, part tragedy, part dectective. Drew me in and couldn't put it down.
"An absorbing, inventive tale rendered in fine, original prose." - Mike Snyder, Houston Chronicle
Great Book.not to long,finished it real quick,but it kept you reading
I enjoyed reading this book. I love mysteries and this was a mystery plus with an emotional rollercoaster.
Very emotional and moving story. had some shocking elements in the story as well. Like the author, so picked it up. Good story about people and the way some can live life.
Gripping. It's bad enough when your beloved husband dies unexpectedly, but when it surfaces that he led a double life, the unreality is beyond belief.
This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read! It is about the death of a husband, and all of the secrets that the wife finds out about him. It is so wonderful! Absolutely great!!
Anita Shreve is always great. This book is no excption. It's an Oprah Book Club selection for a reason.
Sherri H. (This is the story of a pilot's wife who receives word late one night that her husband's plane has exploded. That is the first step into a journey that leads her down a road of unexpected twists and turns deep into her husband's secret life. Definitely a page-turner!
Oprah's Book Club book
It's a mystery, one touches the reader in a personal way. It brings out the doubting inner voice that wonders, what is happening behind the normal lives around us?
Jane J. (One of my favorite books of the Oprah's Book Club! Very well written....
As a pilot's wife Kathryn receives word that her husbands plane has exploded over the coast of Ireland. She learns that her husband had a second life. The story continues through her search to find out who he really was. Good characters and well written
A novel about the wife of a husband who goes down with his plane. Oprah's book club selection.
This was one that I couldn't put down. You're drawn into all the emotions of the main characters. The settings put you right there.
This is my first book I've read by Shreve. I immediately grabbed a few more of hers after finishing. Very well written characters and plot.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but actually loved it. Not at all the chick-lit I thought it would be. Compelling plot and deeply drawn characters. Very original.
This is a great book, it take a twist you will not expect.
A great book, will keep you turning pages to find out how it ends.
Kathy G. (How well can we ever really know another person. Read about how one woman discovers truths about her husband after his death.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable -- one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack let a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who oherhusband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
Very, very good. Read it in one day. I highly recommend this book.
The title character is drawn in to a maelstrom of publicity after a plane flown by her husband crashes, once rumors survace that the husband had lead a secret life. The wife sets out to learn about her husband's life. An Oprah selection.
Very realistic and sympathetic characters. Kathryn's life is turned upside down and her emotinal journey in dealing with events is surprisingly suspensful.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knowck on the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable.......
Love Anita Shreve's work. This is a story that I couldn't put down till I finished it
As always, Shreve weaves her tale among exquisitely human characters ~ a very good read, I enjoyed in immensely.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we ever rally know another person?
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock on the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her jusband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we really know another person?
I guess I was expecting more excitement from this book. I thought it was kind of boring.
Wonderful story. Emotional, mysterious, romantic, captivating. All the good stuff!
I really enjoyed this one. How well do we really know anyone? This book was a quick read, great for the beach.
ANNA S. (This book is part "detective story" and part "interior monologue." You are drawn into a story of a tragic plane crash and the unravling of a secret life, exploring the question, how well do we really know our spouses.
With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:
Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.
The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off.
Monika D. (An intense, emotional, hard read - but very, very good! I read this one in one sitting, couldn't put it down.
A novel by the author of the national bestseller "The Weight of Water".This is an Oprah's Book Club selection. This copy is a first edition trade-size paperback (5 1/2 x 8 1/2), 1999.
Kathryn Lyons recieves word that her pilot husband's plane has exploded near the coast of Ireland. She sets out to learn who her husband really was. Her search leads her to the question: How well can we ever really know another person? A moving novel.
Gripping... You don't want to stop turning the pages once Kathryn has opened the door.
A pilots' wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. but when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelations at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, how well can we really know another person?
This is the first book I read by Anita Shreve. It was referred to me by a woman on the cruise I took on my honeymoon. Great book!
Lora H. (
Jennifer J. (excellent novel about the wife of a pilot who dies. very interesting story.
Page turner, great read. Forget dishes and laundry, I couldn't put it down until I was done!
Intriguing book about the secret life a wife discovers about her pilot husband...
A moving book about a woman, Kathryn Lyons, whose husband Jack dies in an airplane crash. What happened and what she learned about him kept me interested throughout the book.
A complex story about a woman married to a pilot who is killed in a plane crash. She finds that her husband led a secret life and she sets out to find who her husband really was.
A Pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the lat-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives work toat a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly eplores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
Shelby G. (My first by this author and I really liked it. I found it to be a page turner as I didn't want to be interrupted while reading and would hide from my family!
You are taken in from the very first page when the wife opens the door!
Shana reviewed on 6/2/2006...A great story that holds your interest
I was sorry I read this book. I know other people like it, but if you are looking for something uplifting, this is not it. If you are even mildly depressed, don't read it.
This was a bit wordly for my tastes, but I still read it fairly quickly. There was definitely an element of wanting to know how it ends.
I love Anita Schreve's writing, one of my favorite authors, especially for stories about relationships that may be hidden. This book is no exception - a wonderfully compelling read.
Oprah's book club. Very suspenseful - will KEEP you guessing until the end. Very human story by Anita Shreve - always a good read.
Oprah's Book Club book, but I really didn't like it. I ended up skimming to the end. A plane crashes and the pilots wife ends up finding out that her husband has a 2nd family in London.
Gripping book! From the back cover..."A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time."
Tale of infidelity and survival. I read every one of Anita Shreve's books since.
Tragedy, intrique, romance..After her husband is killed in a fatal crash that could be blamed on him the wife digs into his private life. It is then she realizes she didn't know him at all. Good quick read.
A real page turner. Although I felt like I had already read the book. I found out that it was a made-for-t.v. movie in 2002. Still it was a good read.
Rebecca B. (From the time Kathryn learns that her husband, who is a pilot, has died when the plane he was flying exploded near the coast of Ireland, the action is non-stop. She soon learns that she really didn't know him at all. Her husband was leading two separate lives. As the story unravels, I literally could not put this book down. A must read!
Missy B. (When her pilot husband is shot down and publicity rumours are of his "secret life," Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was. This novel passionately explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable--one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
Wife receives word her husbands plain has crashed. But has it or is he leading a double life?Very good book, you wont wnat to put it down until you finish it.
This was my first Anita Shreve book and I loved it. The story took twists that I did't expect.
oprah's book club. how well can we ever really know another person?
Riveting story, very hard to put down. It will make you cry and be just as shocked as the character in the book. After Kathryn's husband dies in a horrific plain crash, she tries to remember if she really knew her husband as well as she thought she did. Her daughter seems to have more insight into this. In her search, she discovers love and laughter, betrayal and hurt. An Oprah's Book Club book.
Pamela G. (Wonderful story. I read it quickly as I couldn't put it down til it was finished. I'll read more by this author.
A wife learns her husbands plane has crashed. He is gone. She learns facts that tell her she may not have known him after all. What she learns keeps you reading.
Just when you think you know the loved ones in your life, your world can be flipped upside down- a real page-turner.
Fantastic. WAY better than the movie! You will be kept in suspense.
A terrific page-turner. My housework was neglected until I finished this book. Awesome! A real lesson in "knowing" people.
A good examination of the nature of grief--falls apart a little at the end.
Dianne L. (Very enjoyable, with an interesting turn of events.
Compulsively readable. An absorbing, inventive tale rendered in fine, original prose.
OPRAH BOOK CLUB
CHANGED THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD MARRIAGE AND WHAT CAN GO WRONG
Bonnie S. (I really enjoyed this book, and was quite shocked by the twist it took...didn't see it coming.
A well written book that will make wives and girlfriends everywhere wonder just a little more about what they don't know about their husband's relationships and business trips.
Very interesting story that pulls you in from the beginning.
Enjoyed this book very much; a good mystery, with a good mix of emotion. The emotional aspect of the story is especially well described. There are many surprises and it leaves you wondering "how well do I really know anybody?"
Pretty unpredictable. I was eager to get to the end and figure it all out.
This book has captivated me three times... that's how many times I've read it... and the story is just so well written..one of those books that keeps you held until the very end.
This is one of the best novels I have read. Before you start this book, be sure you have plenty of time to finish it because it's hard to put down. Anita Shreve is able to put the reader up close and personal with her almost living, breathing characters.
Good story about how much you can ever really know a person, even your spouse.
Not a bad read, but I had a hard time liking the characters.
I read this book awhile ago, back when it was first published, and I don't remember being very thrilled with it. It was one of those books that I felt obligated to read just because I spent $$ on it - definitely not a page turner.
Lorrie M. (A wife is awakened by a knock at the door, telling her that her husband (who is a pilot) has died in a plane crash. She then begins to learn things about her husband that she never knew and she knows that she must learn the truth about her husband's life and death.
Great read, very touching. Underscores the idea that we never really know anyone...
This woman is amazing. I don't know if I could hold it together as well as she did under the same circumstanxes. Goo Book!
When Katherine Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husban, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable, one step at a time. Soon drawn into a storm of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a double life, Katherine sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this story as it explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
I liked it ok,but felt I wanted to finish it soon so as I could read another more interesting book,,LOL
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband,Jack, explodes of the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life. Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explored the question, How well can we ever really know another person.
When Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable, one startling relevation at a time. She sets out to find out who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge mignt cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, how well do we really know another person?
I heard about this book because it was on many people's favorite book lists on a reading site. They did not steer me wrong. Beautifully written.
gripping, compelling read. When Kathryn receives word that her husband's plane has exploded, she begins an emotional search with surprising results...
One of the better Oprah's book titles I have read.
A very engaging book. "Oprah's Book Club" selection. Strong character development with a story that reflects real life. We are exposed to the mundane and the exciting with a twist of mystery as one woman comes to term with the truth about her husband.
Shreve doing what she does best. Makes you want to know these people, help them. Well-written and human.
A novel in which a wife unravels the details of her dead husband\'s hidden life. An easy read, and a constant page turner.
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