The #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author and two-time Oprah's Book Club pick delivers an extraordinary work of prodigious scope and ambition that explores the consequences of violent events, and the chaos that ensues.
Read More
The #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author and two-time Oprah's Book Club pick delivers an extraordinary work of prodigious scope and ambition that explores the consequences of violent events, and the chaos that ensues.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $0.99, good condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
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Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.08, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
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Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.43, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.48, good condition, Sold by Your Online Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.48, good condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.48, fair condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.75, good condition, Sold by Giant Giant rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reston, VA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.78, fair condition, Sold by OnlineGoodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Nashville, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
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Fair. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are solid. the cover is intact, but may show scuffs or light creases, as well as a possible rolled corner. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, The former owner may have written their name inside the front or back cover. COVER WILL VARY. The cover has curled corners.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $1.78, fair condition, Sold by Once Upon A Time Books rated 2.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tontitown, AR, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
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Fair. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket.
Add this copy of The Hour I First Believed to cart. $2.20, very good condition, Sold by The Maryland Book Bank rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from baltimore, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Harper Perennial.
What makes Wally Lamb great is that he writes about real life - a life to which the reader can truly relate.
The truth of the matter is that life often sucks! It is often mundane, depressing, frustrating, difficult and uninspiring. Filled with work, chores, arguments, leaky roofs, busted cars and money shortages.
If you do not wish to be reminded of this reality - this truth - then Wally Lamb is not the writer for you my friend. If you seek escape - look elsewhere.
The characters in Wally Lamb's books are incomplete - we witness their growth and maturation as they endure "real" life. This is a quality that I look for in any fiction that I read - I want to see struggle that I can relate with. I want to see myself reflected in the experiences of the characters. I want to be validated, encouraged and inspired.
Really, this is a book about a journey. About discovering what really matters in life - a lesson that is sometimes not learned until everything is stripped from you. As Americans, we have the luxury of surrounding ourselves with diversions. We are insulated from much of the real struggle of life - often because we are able to throw money at our problems.
But, what if you lost everything - one piece at a time. At what point would you break? When would you quit? In The Hour I First Believed, the main character, Caelum Quirk, experiences a series of devastating losses and life changes that send him "backward," landing him in the home of his youth. From the shootings at Columbine, to job loss, his wife's mental illness and death, his continual financial challenges and grueling work schedule - Caelum Quirk rises every day to meet life head on.
Reading this book requires patience. Nothing explodes. There are no graphic sex scenes. We simple walk with Caelum Quirk as he faces each day, tries to deal with what is in front of him, tries to cope with his many difficulties and finds purpose and meaning in the process. This book is filled with wisdom - with the knowledge that life is not always fair, not always fun - but is always beautiful.
Our task in life is to look through our immediate challenges - the temporal - and begin to see their purpose. Everything happens for a reason. So, instead of asking "why," we should ask "what for?" Our experiences mold and forge us - they are the building block for who we are to become. Failure to face our challenges with dignity, courage and persistence will result in a failure to grow or mature.
I am grateful for the many hours I spent in reading this book. It was a beautiful journey from which a learned a great deal about myself and about the journey we are all on in the world.
wallareader
Jul 29, 2010
another Great book by Lamb
The story is not just that of Columbine, but is a novelist study into posttraumatic stress syndrome; and how it has affected the U.S. for years.
I especially like how Mr. Lamb relates a story of very awful acts and is still able to bring humor and relations that anybody can feel.
The book is not too long, the pure fact that the book ends at all is a shame; I really enjoyed this look into another person?s life.
sammys
Nov 5, 2009
great read
I loved Wally Lamb's last two books and he does not dispoint in his new book. It is gripping and hard to put down.
ClareB
Jul 16, 2009
Contemporary but depressing
This book kept me interested, but left me down in the dumps. That's okay, given that the reader knows that Columbine was a horrible puzzling event in America and of course had long lasting effects on many people. The characters were real, if not a little too messed up. I flipped through the family diaries and didn't really miss anything because the auther recaps very nicely and ties all the loose ends. I felt lost once or twice when the story takes a sudden turn, but again, the author comes back full circle and ties it all together. Very well written, not a lot of bad language.
djesquire
Jul 14, 2009
Really hard to put down!
This is a great book. It goes a great deal into the after effects of someone present during the Columbine shootings- but also goes way beyond it and deals with many family issues, dealing with the past, supporting a spouse in trouble, learning that all of us can fail and hurt others in the "right" circumstances. It is long but worth it.
