Nineteen Minutes - anyone read it yet?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-23-2003
Nineteen Minutes - anyone read it yet?
7
Sun, 03-18-2007 - 5:24pm
If you haven't read "Nineteen Minutes" (Jodi Picoult), you HAVE to read it. Be prepared, however, to stop to hug your teen every 5 or 10 minutes. It is a very difficult book to read if you are a parent -- especially if you have a teen --, but it is so incredibly thought-provoking. Definitely worth the time.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Sun, 03-18-2007 - 5:26pm

I haven't read it. What is it about?

Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-23-2003
Sun, 03-18-2007 - 5:44pm

It's a fictional story of a shooting at a small town high school in New Hampshire. The story covers the event (and the years leading up to it) through the eyes of the shooter, some of the students, and some of the adults in the community. The author makes some amazing observations and insights. A lot of the focus is on how, when, and why people judge each other. But there are also some interesting story lines covering the possible defense. And I really loved the thread about the economics of happiness.

The book is not grizzly, and in fact is very gently written in spots where someone less skillful with words would have fallen short. Also, I'm not a fan of books written in first person, so I enjoyed it because, with the exception of some short diary entries, the book is written in the third person.

I noticed today that it's on the NY Times as the #1 best seller (went right to #1 without working its way up the list).

Avatar for ivillage_sista
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 03-18-2007 - 9:44pm

I've never heard of it. Is it available at Amazon?


Aurelia


Mom to a College Student (Shayna), 10th Grader (Isreal)

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Registered: 02-14-2000
Sun, 03-18-2007 - 10:16pm

Thanks for the recommendation - I love Jodi Piccoult.

Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-23-2003
Mon, 03-19-2007 - 10:44am
Yes - it was released the first week in March. I checked, and it is on Amazon. (Also, it just hit #1 on the NY Times bestsellers list, so I'm sure it will be easy to find in many places.)
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Mon, 03-19-2007 - 12:41pm

Thanks for the recommendation.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 3:32pm

I bought this over the weekend and it is very moving.

Two of my three dont fit in and it truly is frightening at times. We(including the school) have always asked DS3 about teasing because, well, he totally is a kid who would get picked on-skinny, awkward, LD, speech delays, weak social skills-he always tells us no and I felt before high school teachers looked out for it-now, Im not so sure. I seriously think I will have something written into the IEP coming up in the nest few weeks-not sure what but perhaps a weekly checkin with the special ed teacher in his English class???

Anyway, it is an excellent read and the first I have read by this author