Literary Quote of the Month

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris... A Review

Why would someone hail a cab and open the door only to keep walking?

October is National Reading Group Month, and do I have a great book for your reading group! It's The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris and, after having just turned the last page, words almost escape me how amazing this book is. The Unnamed captured me, threw its arms around me and didn't let me go until the very last word. It's about being in love & the strength needed to endure lifes' detours together, the simple joys that we sometimes overlook until it is too late, and the forces of nature that can grab ahold of us for no good reason, threatening all that we know & love. Here's the blurb from the publisher...

Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife Jane still loves him, and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. And, even as his daughter Becka retreats behind her guitar, her dreadlocks and her puppy fat, he offers her every one of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world.

He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking.

Author Joshua Ferris paints Tim Farnsworth as a workaholic. His life is wrapped up in the prestigious law firm where he is a partner. One day he left work... he hailed a cab, got in the cab, opened the other door of the cab, and got out of the cab... he started walking... and he didn't stop walking until his body was so exhausted he sat down on a bench and went to sleep. He woke up in the freezing cold... it was snowing... his fingers and toes were frostbitten. But this was only the start, you see Tim Farnsworth suffers from this condition where he is compelled to walk. He will have to walk until his body is exhausted, no matter how long it takes or where he is at the time that it overtakes him.

At first I thought The Unnamed might be a light-hearted story and that Tim's walking would lead him into some funny situations. But I soon discovered that Tim's walking was no joke... Tim's compulsion created serious issues for his safety- physically if not mentally. If he was underdressed he could get frostbite. He could walk, and wake up, anywhere. He could be attacked or become injured. Tim's wife Jane waited for the phone calls to tell her where to pick Tim up, but soon the phone calls stretched out longer than the night... Tim was such a sympathetic character- what he went through, the internal torture as well as the inability to control his walking, was so well written. You could really feel what he was going through. The frustrations with trying to cure what no doctor could diagnose. And you could empathize with what his wife and his daughter were also going through - their frustrations while trying everything in their control to help.

The story doesn't just spiral down though- Tim has remissions and you begin to hope that he will overcome this "unnamed" disease. His family has hopes for him too. How he deals with his attacks, his job, his co-workers & clients, and his disease makes for some great reading. The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris is both compelling and tragic...

Grab the Reading Guide for The Unnamed! Even if you read this book on your own, the reading guide is a great way to enrich your reading experience. Learn more about Joshua Ferris at the author's website. Read an excerpt of The Unnamed!

*I want to thank Hachette Books for sending along a copy of this great book for review!

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have followed your Twitter feed for quite some time, but just signed up to follow the blog thru Google Connect. Thanks for the chance.

VTtreker@gmail.com

DarcyO said...

I would love to read this one. Please include me.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I follow with Google Reader.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I retweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/darcy1956/status/26646001727

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Autumn said...

I think this book looks so interesting. I'd love to check it out.

autumn.crochet (at) gmail.com

Autumn said...

I'm a follower via GFC

autumn. crochet (at) gmail .com

Autumn said...

I tweeted http://twitter.com/GalvezBookGirl/status/26654583679

debbie said...

I would like to read this, it sounds really good.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Brandy said...

I'm a follower!
missbrandy@gmail.com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

This would be a good book to win.
The storyline is very good.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I follow by google reader.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Jodi Webb said...

Please enter me.

webbJM AT verizon DOT com

Jodi Webb said...

Please enter me.

webbJM AT verizon DOT com

Anonymous said...

This sounds good.
page46@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I'm a follower.

Denny, Alaska said...

Sounds like an intriguing read! Count me in, please; thanks.

denny(dot)gill(at)gmail(dot)com

Denny, Alaska said...

I follow via GFC; thanks.

denny(dot)gill(at)gmail(dot)com

Tabby Lewis said...

Thanks for the chance! :)

tabbylewis at hotmail.com

Tabby Lewis said...

I'm a follower via GFC.

tabbylewis at hotmail.com

Tabby Lewis said...

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Tabby_L/status/26703015143

tabbylewis at hotmail.com

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

I really want to read this book! Please enter me.
laura at laurafabiani dot com
Great review, by the way.

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

I am a new follower.
laura at laurafabiani dot com

theoncominghope said...

Hello hello hello, I'd love to read this book, and am also a new follower of the blog!

blankettegirl@gmail.com

PoCoKat said...

Sounds like a great book! Please enter me.

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Michele said...

Thanks for the chance to win. Sounds like an interesting read.

mmmtnbike09@yahoo.com

Michele said...

I follow your blog.

mmmtnbike09@yahoo.com

BookHounds said...

no need to enter me, I just posted this on win a book.

http://winabook.westofmars.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=9564&message=6

a real librarian said...

Thanks for the chance to win!!

areallibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

would love to win...

I follow with Greader.

Thanks
willowdust@gmail.com

Cindy W. said...

Would love to be entered to win a copy of The Unnamed. I've heard good things about it.

Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cindy W. said...

I am a GFC follower.

Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Elisabeth said...

Sounds like an interesting read.

ladybook21@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I really want to read this one!
I'm a follower, and my email is: erinreadsblog {at} gmail {dot} com

Thanks!

Kayla said...

You're not suppose to judge a book, by it's cover, but it's very interesting! Sounds ike a good book.

disneykayla(at)gmail(dot)com

Kayla said...

I am a follower via GFC!

disneykayla(at)gmail(dot)com

Kayla said...

http://twitter.com/#!/Disney_Kayla/status/27180849607 Tweet.

disneykayla(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

What a captivating story with great characters and writing that sounds like it's rich and vivid. I cannot wait to read this book. Thank you for hosting this giveaway. Please include me in it!

Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I'm a GFC follower of your blog and I follow via blogger


Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

sohamolina said...

Souds like a great read


eddiem11@ca.rr.com

sohamolina said...

I am eddiem11 a GFC public follower---eddiem11@ca.rr.com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me!
stacybooks at yahoo

madwoman-doing-cartwheels said...

Kind of a quirky topic and kind of sad. I'd love to read this book. Thanks for the chance!

rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

madwoman-doing-cartwheels said...

Already following you on Google Friend Connect (Ally)

rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

Brenda said...

I'd love to win a copy of this book!

bwiseman@windstream.net

Brenda said...

And, I am now a follower of your blog.

b/

Suzanne Yester said...

I want to thank everyone who entered the Giveaway! The Giveaway has ended, the winners announced, and now I've edited this post to highlight the review!

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