Shirley H

This was a book that was hard for me to put down. It clearly told of love between a mother and child. It resonated with me in a particular way though. Having lost a child to cancer, not the other way around, it struck me in a way that made me think this is how it should have been. It brought tears and a glimpse of another perspective and another reality. The language offended me however and some of the sharing distanced me. I think these things made me feel just as removed from this story as my own experience did. Not sure if I will share this book with friends.

Manderley Forever is certainly an engaging read. I first read "Rebecca" as a high school student and loved the story. I knew nothing of Daphne du Maurier's life however. While I was drawn in and very much enjoyed reading this book, I did not have the sense of reading a biography (which this book claims to be). As an educator, I would question a student writer using information in this way for a "biography". I felt it was from one point of view rather than objective. So I left this book with the sense of being entertained but not truly informed. I felt there was amazingly strong loyalty on the part of the author. While facts could be verified, so many feelings and inferences went beyond what I believed could be verified by letters or journals. That said, it is an enjoyable read!

This is a fascinating book about Texas following the Civil War. I think if I were a Texas resident, I would have been even more enthralled. But having spent time in San Antonia, I could relate fairly well to the locations. In any case, the historical setting and the dynamics between senior gentleman and young female, formerly an Indian captive, just drew me in. Also the challenges and risks of travel during that time engaged me. I read straight through, to the finish. Besides capturing my heart, this book taught me history. It clearly portrayed the "career" of traveling to read the news to people (mostly men) - the sharing of the "News of the World". This is a book I plan to share with friends!

Once I picked this book up, it was so difficult to put it down. I had been drawn to selecting this book because I have always been a reader and instantly wondered what book I would choose for "the book that matters most". I was surprised to find that something else was even more compelling to me. Ann Hood's words spoke to the losses I have lived through in my life. It made me cry and it made my heart smile. I cannot match the circumstances of these lives with mine and I cannot say I would identify with any of the characters. Yet this book wove such a web around me, my thoughts, and my emotions. If you have experienced great pain of loss, this book may be especially for you. But this may also be a "book that matters" for everyone!