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The Accidental Tourist (2002)

The Accidental Tourist (2002)

Book Info

Author
Genre
Rating
3.89 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0345452003 (ISBN13: 9780345452009)
Language
English
Publisher
ballantine books

About book The Accidental Tourist (2002)

The Accidental Tourist really surprised me. I have never read Anne Tyler before and I don’t usually get into general fiction like this but this was, to put it very simply, a beautiful novel and story. It is amazingly well-written, the characters are totally unique but believable, and the plot is interesting from beginning to end. I lost just a little bit of interest near the end when the book seemed to turn into a romance, but most stories involve love and the choices that go with love so this wasn’t much of an issue with me. Also, I am one of those people who loves a book involving a disobedient dog. Edward, from this novel, fits that description nicely and Macon’s efforts to tame him are hilarious. Most importantly for me, and I know it is something I always mention, was the brilliance in the characterization. Anne Tyler really seems to understand people. Not just a few types of people but people in general. Whenever her characters surprised me in this book, I would be shocked but I would always accept their actions as reasonable even if they weren’t predictable.In short, a book that I am proud to have read. With the millions of books in the world that we will never have time to get to, it is nice to read one that I know I loved and will remember, instead of wishing I hadn’t wasted my limited reading time on it. I recommend this to absolutely everyone.

Buddy read with Kim.I first read this back in the late eighties and loved it, and recently decided to do a re-read just to see if I still loved it as much. I've changed and my life circumstances have changed, so I wondered... And I'm happy to say that not only do I still love it, but I think I love it a lot more than I did the first time around. Call it accumulated life experience if you like, but it had a resonance and a poignancy that touched me at a much deeper level. I laughed, I cried, I cheered Macon on, and hissed when someone threatened to get in the way of his journey out of grief. At times his story was heartbreaking but it was ultimately uplifting, so worth every second I spent in his company. I would love to count Macon Leary amoung my friends.Anne Tyler is an amazing author. She makes her flawed and quirky characters so vulnerable and human, and writes about them so compassionately that you can't help but like them and empathize with them. I don't know of another author who can reach out from the page and make me feel so deeply or care so much. She is a real talent.I would highly recommend this book to all :-).

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“Burying one’s child is against the flow of nature,” said the wife of the Speaker of the House (Philippine Congress) in her eulogy for her 16-year old daughter several years ago. Her only daughter got burned when their short-circuited Christmas tree went in flames. The clueless poor daughter was sleeping and got trapped inside her room. No one was with here in the house when that happened.This is one thought that, whenever it crosses my mind, I always whisk away immediately: the death of my chil
—K.D. Absolutely

First time I am reading this author. It's really well-written! I will read some of her other novels. The characters are all very imperfect, very touching, and I got attached to them to the point that I miss them when the book was finished. Above all, the author's style is really brilliant. She takes ordinary lifes and transform it into something very meaningful, and very poignant. Reading some comments here, I see that some people didn't like the book at all because "nothing happens". Fair, it's not a novel with a lot of action; it's a rather slow and introspective pace, and it describes the life of ordinary people; but they are facing important choices - it's about overcoming a child's death and getting on with life, it's about choosing the right parner despits his/her imperfections; it's about choosing security over risk and fun... I didn't find it boring at all. There are lots of interesting secundary characters and lots of really good dialogues. I would recommand it to people who enjoy reading English literature and enjoy discovering interesting characters.
—Catherine

I didn't know this was an old book until I began reading it and noticed some references that dated the book. I also didn't know it had been made into a movie! Neither of these facts influenced my mixed opinion of the book.I enjoyed the author's writing style and ability to illustrate the way seemingly tedious events influence the path of one's life as much as big events do. The author also did a wonderful job of demonstrating how difficult it is to break away from one's comfort zone and what the rewards can be once you do. I thought the characters, except one, were more akin to the tedious events than the big, interesting ones and often found myself struggling to get through the book. The character who initially attracted me to the book was a dog trainer. My high hopes for her were dashed as soon as the author noted her use of a choke collar, but still, I gave her a chance. In the end I was turned off by her over the top "uniqueness." I should note that her training techniques were typical for the mid-80's, but it did influence my opinion of her.Overall, I thought it was "okay" and helped to pass the time. It is not a book I would recommend, nor will I keep it on my bookshelf.
—Kara

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