Wally Lamb

I just read The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. I don't remember being so caught up in the characters in a book in a long time. Have you ever read a book, and weeks after you're finished you still wonder what the characters are up to now? Or are you ever suddenly reminded of a vivid scene or character? I can't seem to let this one go. It was that good. I had read another of Wally Lamb's books, I Know This Much Is True, and I remember feeling the same way about it. Wally Lamb is a master of storytelling and of character. So my sister reminded me that I should read She's Come Undone, also by Wally Lamb (his debut novel). I absolutely could not put this book down. By the way, you can find a great list of her favorite books if you link to her blog. She's a bit of a book snob (in a good way, gosh). So I trust her list. Plus, she and I have this weird history of buying each other the same gifts, having the same thoughts, and saying the exact same thing at the same time. I think we're psychically connected.

*******DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!******* These books are not for the faint of heart. There is a fair amount of sex and language in all three books. In the dedication of The Hour I First Believed, Lamb says in his dedication to his mother, "Sorry about all those four-letter words, Ma. That's the characters speaking. Not me." I personally believe that characters, in order to be real, have to be unedited and harsh sometimes. It doesn't bother me, as long as it's not superfluous and it adds to the character and story. But I will probably go straight to Hades, so you may not want to join me there. If it will bother you, don't read it. I'm just sayin.'