Sunday, May 2, 2010

SO MUCH FOR THAT: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
SO MUCH FOR THAT

BY LIONEL SHRIVER

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From New York Times bestselling author Lionel Shriver (The Post-Birthday World, We Need to Talk About Kevin), comes a searing, deeply humane novel about a crumbling marriage resurrected in the face of illness, and a family’s struggle to come to terms with disease, dying, and the obscene cost of medical care in modern America.

From the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller The Post-Birthday World comes a searing, ruthlessly honest new novel about a marriage both stressed and strengthened by the demands of serious illness.

Shep Knacker has long saved for "The Afterlife": an idyllic retreat to the Third World where his nest egg can last forever. Traffic jams on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway will be replaced with "talking, thinking, seeing, and being"—and enough sleep. When he sells his home repair business for a cool million dollars, his dream finally seems within reach. Yet Glynis, his wife of twenty-six years, has concocted endless excuses why it's never the right time to go. Weary of working as a peon for the jerk who bought his company, Shep announces he's leaving for a Tanzanian island, with or without her.

Just returned from a doctor's appointment, Glynis has some news of her own: Shep can't go anywhere because she desperately needs his health insurance. But their policy only partially covers the staggering bills for her treatments, and Shep's nest egg for The Afterlife soon cracks under the strain.

Enriched with three medical subplots that also explore the human costs of American health care, So Much for That follows the profound transformation of a marriage, for which grave illness proves an unexpected opportunity for tenderness, renewed intimacy, and dry humor. In defiance of her dark subject matter, Shriver writes a page-turner that presses the question: How much is one life worth?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lionel Shriver is a novelist whose previous books include Orange Prize–winner We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Post-Birthday World, A Perfectly Good Family, Game Control, Double Fault, The Female of the Species, Checker and the Derailleurs, and Ordinary Decent Criminals. She is widely published as a journalist, writing features, columns, op-eds, and book reviews for the Guardian, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Economist, Marie Claire, and many other publications. She is frequently interviewed on television, radio, and in print media. She lives in London and Brooklyn, NY

REVIEW:


Shepherd Knacker is the kind of character that most people, like myself, can relate to. In SO MUCH FOR THAT by Lionel Shriver, Shep is just the nice kind of guy who works hard and does things the way he is supposed to, paying his bills and even helping out some of his relatives. He cares for his family responsibly and like so many, puts off his own dreams. The handyman business he started became a success and you would think with all things right in the world, he would be happy but his dream was to leave all the crowds, traffic, and noise behind and just be somewhere that he would have time to think and read and live simply on much less money than now. Shepherd calls this dream place “Afterlife” and living this simple life out in a third world country is his goal. He talks of it so often but his wife, Gwynis, never seems to take him seriously and never thinks it is the right time to go. Shep seriously building a small savings-a nest egg, sells his business to one of his employees to further uncomplicate his life in order to be ready to carry out his dream of Afterlife.

When Shepherd finally decides one day that he can’t wait forever, he leaves his job and says he is ready and moving now to a third world country to carry out his dream. He tells Gwynis he is going with or without her. However, ironically, when he tells her, she has just found out the devastating news that she has cancer caused by asbestos and she desperately needs Shep’s health insurance for her care and treatment of what is most likely a death sentence.

As we watch Shepherd’s life savings and dream slowly dwindle away as it is used to help pay for cancer treatments for Gwynis, we see Lionel Shriver taking on our country’s healthcare system. The story deals with the harsh reality of just how much our health insurance really covers in a devastating illness like this and how oncology gives patients treatments that only extend their lives for a few weeks or months while draining a family’s financial resources. Shriver pulls no punches in clearly telling how much isn’t covered even under Medicare. The novel relates just how this can put a strain on the best relationship and in a situation where one of the partners is weaker than the other, it can be overwhelming. Jackson, who is Shepherd’s best friend, plays an important role as the couple’s friendship is involved with the steady decline of health care and Shep’s savings. Jackson and Shep get into some realistic, well-written dialogue about insurance companies, local government, and everything capitalism is involved with.

With real, hard hitting questions of how long does one allow treatment to continue when only buying minimal time, to how do friendships and marital relationships hold up when dealing with death, SO MUCH FOR THAT will hold your attention and push readers to face some reality and perhaps the question of their own mortality. Shriver’s well written characters and convincing dialogue make SO MUCH FOR THAT a relative book to read and surprisingly hold one’s attention and keep the reader turning pages perhaps, I think, in hope of a fairy tale ending as after all, this is fiction, isn’t it?


GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KYLE AND GOOD PEOPLE
AT HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,
I HAVE 3 COPIES OF THIS WONDERFUL
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!



--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON ANOTHER BOOK YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ BY THIS AUTHOR WHEN YOU CLICK HERE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING INTERESTING YOU FOUND ABOUT LIONEL SHRIVER FROM THE HARPER COLLINS SITE HERE.

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON HOW YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG OR SUBSCRIBE. IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW YET, YOU CAN BY SUBSCRIBING VIA EMAIL, FOLLOW ON GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT, OR ON FACEBOOK WITH NETWORK IN LEFT HAND COLUMN TODAY..OR ALL THREE! EACH WAY YOU FOLLOW IS A SEPARATE ENTRY AND COMMENT.


GIVEAWAY ENDS
6 PM, EST,
MAY 19

GOOD LUCK!

129 comments:

Linda Kish said...

We Need to Talk About Kevin sounds interesting

31994 Crecy Drive

Linda Kish said...

GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

She likes one of my favorite shows..Desperate Housewives

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

enyl said...

I would like to read:Double Fault,We Need To Talk About Kevin,Game Control, and A Pefectly Good Family.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

e-mail subscriber.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

I'm amazed that the author admits to being self-righteous.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

GFC follower.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

Tweete.
twitter.com@enylstil#so
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

NetworkedBlogs follower.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a email subscriber.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I would like to read the female of the species.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

By Book or By Crook said...

The book club I'm in read We Need to Talk About Kevin several years ago and we all pretty much hated it. But I would be willing to try another book by this author.

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

By Book or By Crook said...

I am an email subscriber

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

Margie said...

I'd like to read Female of the Species.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Her book We Need to Talk About Kevin won the Orange Prize for Fiction, 2005.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Facebook fan
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

blog follower via GFC
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

email subscriber
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Colleen Turner said...

Hi there!
A lot of her books sound really interesting, but I would especially like to read We Need To Talk About Kevin and A Perfectly Good Family.
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I am a Facebook Fan!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I am an email subscriber.
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I am a Google Friend Connect follower!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I learned from the website that the fictional character she admires the most is Pippi Longstockings! Love it!
candc320@gmail.com

Irene said...

The Female of the Species is a book that is going on my TBR/Wishlist!


cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Irene said...

I can't believe she watches Desperate Housewives!!!! But then, so does my sister and my nieces...


cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Irene said...

I follow via Google.


cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Irene said...

I am an email subscriber.


cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Irene said...

I left a message on Facebook, and I am a fan.

cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

bermudaonion said...

I would love to read We Need to Talk About Kevin. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

bermudaonion said...

I found it interesting that Lionel Shriver loves Pippi Longstocking, because I do too! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Pamela Keener said...

OMG reading the blurb about We need to talk about Kevin looks like a book I'd love to read.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

On Her nightstand is an interesting book called As Meat Loves Salt.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I follow your blog via GFC
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I am via FB (Pam Keener)
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I am an e-mail subscriber.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290@comcast.net

traveler said...

I would like to read We Need to Talk about Kevin. Thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

She sounds unique and unusual. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Vera said...

"Double Fault" sounds great! vvperesk@gmail.com

Vera said...

I like how the author says her best habit is running 9 miles every day, and her worst habit is constantly telling people about it! I'm the same way about working out - can't help talking about it!

vvperesk@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I read Lionel Shriver's book "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and it was terrific. I would love to read any of her books but am very interesed in "Double Fault" and "Checker and the Derailleurs" as well as "The Post-Birthday World".

Aimala127@gmail.com

Unknown said...

What interests me most about Lionel Shriver is the variety and breadth of her writing. It's amazing and speaks to how talented she is that not only has she written novels but she's also written essays, op-ed pieces, book reviews, columns etc. and she's written for magazines/papers as varied as the Financial Times and Marie Claire. I also love that she lives in Brooklyn part-time.

Unknown said...

I follow your blog via email and Blogger Dashboard! I really enjoy your blog and want to be sure I keep up with you!

Aimala127@gmail.com

https://booksthoughtsadventures.com said...

I really want to read this book...I loved her first one...it was amazing...

Elise said...

Id like to read We need to talk about kevin.
caliblue7@gmail.com

Elise said...

I am an email subscriber.
caliblue7@gmail.com

Elise said...

I am a follower on GFC
caliblue7@gmail.com

Elise said...

According to the website The author admires Pippi Longstocking as a fictictional character.
caliblue7@gmail.com

rubynreba said...

I would like to read A Perfectly Good Family
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

She runs 9 miles every other day!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I follow on google
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I follow on Facebook
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Glenn said...

I'll be reading "We Need to Talk About Kevin" in a couple months as part of an online book club. Thanks for the giveaway.

glenn_pessano AT yahoo DOT com

g.g. said...

I would like to read The Post Birthday World

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I am a google friend connect follower

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I subscribe via email

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I found out she doesn't like oatmeal which I eat most mornings and like

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

bison61 said...

I'd also like to read A Perfectly Good Family

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Jolee said...

I'd like to try the Female of the Species. joleehamlin@comcast.net

Jolee said...

Follow on gfc. joleehamlin@comcast.net

Jolee said...

I found out she doesn't like oatmeal. I still like her though. :-) joleehamlin@comcast.net

SueFitz said...

GFC follower

suefitz(at)yahoo(dot)com

SueFitz said...

I was surprised that the author was woman - what a great name though. (via her website)

suefitz(at)yahoo(dot)com

SueFitz said...

follow via facebook

suefitz(at)yahoo(dot)com

SueFitz said...

follow via email

suefitz(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I thought I entered this already but I don't see my name in the comments so I'm entering now. Hope it's not twice.

The book I;'d like to read is
We Need to Talk About Kevin

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I love her Idea about a dream vacation.. I too like time at home with nothing pressing to do, except I'd be reading a book.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Tweet: http://twitter.com/Romantic73/status/13675779214

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

And I Liked on Facebook

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I'm a GFC follower
Christine H

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I'm a email subscriber

chirth7@yahoo.com

enyl said...

What caught my attention was the fact that you thought that it was not the author's best effort; nevertheless,you thought the book was worthy of readig.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

Margie said...

I am glad I became a BOOKIN' WITH BINGO II FB fan!

mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Debbie F said...

I follow on networked blogs!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I'm a GFC follower!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I would like to read We need to talk About Kevin and A perfectly Good Family. Both sound like good books.

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

catss99 said...

the post birthday world looks good--already read "we need to talk about kevin" it has a really good ending
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

i follow w google friends
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/catss99/status/13813279680
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

I learned that she is a runner, and that her books have won some really prestigious awards.
catss99@yahoo.com

Misusedinnocence said...

Double Fault sounds great.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Shannon said...

I follow using google Reader.

tiredwkids at live dot com

Shannon said...

I would want to read "We Need to Talk About Kevin". tiredwkids at live dot com

Shannon said...

She runs 9 miles a day? No way!!

tiredwkids at live dot com

Unknown said...

We need to Talk About Kevin would be my next choice.

I am a follower.

Eileen-wiseowl
felinmanor@aol dot com

Kristen said...

Wow...I think I pretty much want to read all of them...his stories sound fascinating! I think I'd start with "We Need To Talk About Kevin".

couponboss at gmail dot com

Kristen said...

I found out the author likes thick wine!

...and sorry for referring to her as "he" in my last comment...I saw the photo and read the info and somehow it just didn't register. Unusual name!

couponboss at gmail dot com

Beverly said...

I would like to read The Female of the Species

beachlover20855[AT]yahoo[DOT]com

Beverly said...

I found out that Lionel runs 9 miles every other day on the HarperCollins site - wow

beachlover20855[AT]yahoo[DOT]com

Beverly said...

I follow on google reader

beachlover20855[AT]yahoo[DOT]com

Benita said...

I'd like to read The female of the Species.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

Follower via GFC.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

Email subscriber.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I found it interesting that the fictional character she most admires is Pippi Longstocking.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Cindy W. said...

I would like to read Female of the Species.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cindy W. said...

I am an email subscriber.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cindy W. said...

I am a GFC follower.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cindy W. said...

I see that Mr. Shriver is a runner.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cyndi said...

I'd like to read her book Female of the Species.

Cyndi said...

I'm also a fb follower :-)

Cyndi said...

I am an email subscriber at jonescyndi@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I'd like to read We Need to Talk About Kevin.

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I found this interesting:
The fictional character I most admire is...
Pippi Longstocking.

Shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://twitter.com/Grandmamaof10/status/14169027244

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I FOLLOW ON GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT
Shirley
shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I follow ON FACEBOOK WITH NETWORK blogs shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I subscribe to your email

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I liked you on facebook

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I follow you on twitter
grandmamamof10
shundelt@yahoo.com

Johnny said...

We need to talk about kevin.
johnnystruckwash at gmail dot com

Johnny said...

Email subscriber
johnnystruckwash at gmail dot com

Johnny said...

GFC follower
johnnystruckwash at gmail dot com

Johnny said...

Author's least favorite food is oatmeal.
johnnystruckwash at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book. Please enter me in this giveaway. Another book of Lionel Shriver that I would like to read is 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'.

archanaskorner(at)gmail(dot)com

- arch

Unknown said...

and I have to agree with Lionel Shriver when she says her least favorite food is Oatmeal!!! Tell me about it... I totally hate it too...!!

archanaskorner(at)gmail(dot)com

-arch

Sarah E said...

Another book by the author I might like to read is A Perfectly Good Family.

Please enter me in this giveaway!

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

Something interesting I learned about the author is that she lives in London and Brooklyn.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/saemmerson/status/14279845925

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

I subscribe via e-mail.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

I follow via Facebook NetworkedBlogs.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

I follow via GFC.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Nancye said...

I would like to read "A Perfectly Good Family"

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Something interesting is that Lionel's least favorite food is oatmeal.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/14317696551

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Follower via GFC

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Email subscriber

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Follow via Facebook Network Blogs

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

squiresj said...

I don't know which book of his I will want to read next as I have not read any of his books. So I hope I win this one so I can read his book and then get more if I enjoy it.
jrs362 at hotmail dot com

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