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1st out of 6 books
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3 voters
Leaving Home: Short Pieces
by
Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author)
Leaving Home brings together three, previously published short pieces, each dealing with a variation on the theme of leaving home. The first, Weights and Measures, deals with the tragic loss of a child; the second is a non-fiction letter Picoult wrote to her eldest son as he left for college; and, Ritz tells the story of a mother who takes the vacation all mothers need som...more
Kindle Edition
Published
January 12th 2011
by Laura Gross Literary Agency
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May 13, 2013
Kathy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
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review of another edition
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I've had this ebook for awhile and I finally read it. Here are my separate reviews on each of the sections:
Weights and Measures - This one was ok. A sad story about the loss of a child. An otherwise happy couple grieve over their daughter's death. This was an interesting take on how the mother and father handled the loss in their own way. An interesting ending, I must say, but overall this story was weak. Sorry (3 stars)
Letter to her son - This next piece was a letter from Jodi to her colllege b...more
Weights and Measures - This one was ok. A sad story about the loss of a child. An otherwise happy couple grieve over their daughter's death. This was an interesting take on how the mother and father handled the loss in their own way. An interesting ending, I must say, but overall this story was weak. Sorry (3 stars)
Letter to her son - This next piece was a letter from Jodi to her colllege b...more
Leaving Home is a collection of three previously published short pieces by Jodi Picoult with the theme of leaving home, in audiobook form read by the author. The first piece, An Open Letter To My Son, is written to her eldest son Kyle on his leaving home for college. In it she recalls his arrival into the world and talks of lessons of the heart: things that can only be learned through living life, and her hopes for his life.
The second piece, Weights and Measures, describes the heartache of the...more
The second piece, Weights and Measures, describes the heartache of the...more
Leaving Home by Jodi Picoult
3 stories about how others leave home.
One is a letter to her son as he leaves for college. It starts out
at a hurricane in the 90's when she delivers him early and about
different things in their life as he grows up.
Another is a story about a little girl who dies from an illness.
They talk about her past and her funeral service and how the mother
is the last to see her as she was the first to see her when she was
born. She leaves her with a stuffed animal and a book called...more
3 stories about how others leave home.
One is a letter to her son as he leaves for college. It starts out
at a hurricane in the 90's when she delivers him early and about
different things in their life as he grows up.
Another is a story about a little girl who dies from an illness.
They talk about her past and her funeral service and how the mother
is the last to see her as she was the first to see her when she was
born. She leaves her with a stuffed animal and a book called...more
This collection of three short pieces explore feelings and reactions centered around the theme of "Leaving Home". I liked how each of the pieces explored a different method of leaving and the very different feelings it can evoke. From the grief of loosing a child to the understanding of how much family truly means, Jodi Picoult does a great job capturing her characters' feelings on the page. In just a few words, she pulls you in to the point where you care about the characters and can't stop rea...more
I am a HUGE Jodi Picoult fans. I love that in the beginning she writes the readers a letter saying that she knows the waiting from year to year can be just awful (which is SO true), so she's given us a little taste of her fantastic writing with these three short stories. These short stories were incredible, and it makes me want to go back and read all of her books over again, just because she is such an amazing storyteller.
The first story is about a husband and wife that have lost their daughte...more
The first story is about a husband and wife that have lost their daughte...more
This was an interesting book for me to read. I'm a fan of Picoult's books, although I consider them fairly light. They deal with heavier subjects, but the writing rarely gets deep into character study or anything like that. When I saw there were some new "short" stories to read out by her, I grabbed them and immediate read them.
They are fairly short. On Kindle, it's less than 800 locations for all three stories. I thought this would be enough for the author to get her point across, but I was bot...more
They are fairly short. On Kindle, it's less than 800 locations for all three stories. I thought this would be enough for the author to get her point across, but I was bot...more
I love Jodi Picoult. If she published her shopping list, I would buy it and read it 5 times over. I was very excited to have something to tide me over before Lone Wolf.
These three short 'stories' are held together by the theme of 'leaving home'. The first, 'Weights and Measures' tells the story of two parents dealing with the loss of their only child. I can only imagine how painful that would be, but this didn't quite hit the mark for me. I could have dealt without all the symbolism, as I found...more
These three short 'stories' are held together by the theme of 'leaving home'. The first, 'Weights and Measures' tells the story of two parents dealing with the loss of their only child. I can only imagine how painful that would be, but this didn't quite hit the mark for me. I could have dealt without all the symbolism, as I found...more
In this collection of three short stories, Jodi Picoult as always, was able to capture the emotions of each of her characters and bring these forth for the readers to empathize with.
In ‘Weights and Measures’, I marvel at the symbolism of how grief can either reduce or embolden a person.
In the second piece, which is actually her letter to her oldest son as he leaves for college, I read lines that I have also mentioned and talked to my two teenage children about. Add to that the fact that Jodi’s...more
In ‘Weights and Measures’, I marvel at the symbolism of how grief can either reduce or embolden a person.
In the second piece, which is actually her letter to her oldest son as he leaves for college, I read lines that I have also mentioned and talked to my two teenage children about. Add to that the fact that Jodi’s...more
This was my first taste of Kindle shorts and I'm a bit iffy about it. Easy to read, you fly through the pieces, but maybe it is just me wanting a bit more meat on the bones,
The first story was about losing a child. Picoult brilliantly captured the sense of loss the parents were feeling but I'm not sure that some of her symbolism worked. I get what she was trying to do, but it was distracting and didn't work for me.
The best of the three for me was her letter to her son. I thought that was beautif...more
The first story was about losing a child. Picoult brilliantly captured the sense of loss the parents were feeling but I'm not sure that some of her symbolism worked. I get what she was trying to do, but it was distracting and didn't work for me.
The best of the three for me was her letter to her son. I thought that was beautif...more
This collection is two short stories and one letter (to her oldest child, who is at college).
The first story is about a couple whose only child (a seven-year-old girl) has died in a car accident. It's not a spoiler to say that I cried. The other story is about a mom who takes a vacation without her husband and two children (and without warning them ahead of time). But the letter is fantastic. It's all the advice I wish I had gotten 12 years ago, when I was starting college.*
It's 43 pages, so you...more
The first story is about a couple whose only child (a seven-year-old girl) has died in a car accident. It's not a spoiler to say that I cried. The other story is about a mom who takes a vacation without her husband and two children (and without warning them ahead of time). But the letter is fantastic. It's all the advice I wish I had gotten 12 years ago, when I was starting college.*
It's 43 pages, so you...more
Author Jodi Picoult reads three pieces - a letter and two short stories - in this hour-and-a-half long audiobook.
1. Letter - The author give life and learning advice to her son as he leaves for college. I couldn't really get into this much, maybe because I don't have kids. Three out of five stars.
2. "Weights and Measures" - A couple deals with the death of their daughter in this short story that takes a slight turn into the fantastic. For some reason, I imagined this being made into a short movi...more
1. Letter - The author give life and learning advice to her son as he leaves for college. I couldn't really get into this much, maybe because I don't have kids. Three out of five stars.
2. "Weights and Measures" - A couple deals with the death of their daughter in this short story that takes a slight turn into the fantastic. For some reason, I imagined this being made into a short movi...more
I guess strictly speaking this isn't a "book." Amazon has started publish what they call "Kindle singles," and this is three short stories by Picoult all written around the theme of leaving home. The first is the parents' response to the death of their daughter; the second is a mother's letter to her son as he leaves for college; and the third is a mother who takes a vacation from her family (father and two children) and what results from that. The first story was a little weird, the second good...more
OK, disclaimer. I love Jodi Picoult and I liked her writing in this book. It just couldn't have been a worse time for me to read it! The first story is about a couple dealing with the death of their little girl. If you know me, you know why it was a bad time for this one! The second story was a letter from to Ms. Picoult to her son as he leaves for college. My son turns 30 in March and the advice to her son could also have been written for any son embarking on a new adventure or just dealing wit...more
The problem I guess is not the book really because I am not the world's biggest fan of short story collections, however I gave this a go as I really like the author's work. One of the things I like about her books is the confrontation and consideration of difficult and interesting subjects. For one thing I appreciate the chance to ponder these things as she throws them into my path and she certainly did with this one. The middle story is not for anyone that has lost a child and was the sadest an...more
Looking for an emotional, raw read in under an hour. Picoult has just what you need. I felt every character- as they struggled to find meaning in what defines "home" and how that definition is created around others in our lives. Her first short captures, what I would assume is, those complex feelings parents have as their child leaves for college. Her second explores the natural wax and wane of relationships as unexpected and unwanted happenings in life force us to assess what we really need in...more
Well written three stories, all dealing with leaving home. The first opens with: "The loudest sound in the world is the absence of a child." It's about the torment of a couple dealing with the loss of a child. A sad tale of profound loss. The second is a note that a mom, the author, gave to her son when he left for school. A poignant message of love and lesson that we all can appreciate. The third is about another mom that feels so empty in her own life that she leaves her family. It's about her...more
If I had to describe this selection of short stories I would say emotional. This short read brought tears to my eyes. The first short is about the loss of a child with a hint of the paranormal. In these few pages, I felt the raw emotion of losing a young child. It is almost too hard to describe. My heart ached for the parents and imagining the possibility in my own life made me cry. The second story is a letter Picoult wrote to her own son as he was leaving for college. She writes all of her tho...more
This is a great short-story collection about leaving home. There are 3 stories here from Picoult; one a letter to her real-life son as he goes off to college, one about a couple that loses their little girl to illness and one about a mother that takes a vacation from her family, only to realize how much she loves them.
I was listening to this book on a road trip. NOT a good book for driving - I was choked up a couple times in the first two stories and had a bit of blurry vision...
I was listening to this book on a road trip. NOT a good book for driving - I was choked up a couple times in the first two stories and had a bit of blurry vision...
It's not up to Picoult's standards, but part of what makes Picoult so good is being able to sit through a 500 page book and still be interested and it still tugs at your heart (I'm thinking Handle With Care here), but yes, he writing is still great even in these few short pieces. I love her. The letter to Kyle made me cry, so lovely. I must remember to read it again when I go off to uni, it meant a lot. Thank you <3
I really enjoyed these little pieces written by one of my favorite authors. The first deals with the tragic loss of a child; the second a letter Picoult wrote to her son as he left for college; and, the last tells the story of a mother who takes the vacation all mothers need. It brought to mind all the many times in life we, as individuals, leave home. Heartaches in some and happiness in others.
I picked up the audio to tide me over until her new book arrives. Fans of Piccoult will enjoy it, but it feels like these stories may have been ones that didn't pan out for books, or might have been from excerpts from magazines. She writes in a way that really captures the range of emotions we all share, and it's hard not to find a bit of yourself in her stories.
Good, but not great.
Good, but not great.
I usually really like Jodi Picoult's work, but this one not so much. The open letter to her son was interesting, but the short story about the couple who's daughter had died was strange. The 3rd story, about the mother taking a vacation, was also different.
Because this was only 2 disks, it didn't take long to listem to - but I could have spent the time better, I think.
Because this was only 2 disks, it didn't take long to listem to - but I could have spent the time better, I think.
In fairness, I have to say that I was desperate for an audio book for my commute and found this on the library shelf. So, it's not as if this was on my reading list. The third story is a 2-star.
For me, boring and saccharine. Nothing new.
I did appreciate that this short fiction/nonfiction is the author's response to her audience; they don't want to wait for her next novel to come out. I like that.
For me, boring and saccharine. Nothing new.
I did appreciate that this short fiction/nonfiction is the author's response to her audience; they don't want to wait for her next novel to come out. I like that.
This was an experiment...my sister "lent" it to me from her Kindle and I was able to read it through an app on my iPad. It was only available to me for 14 days which worked for me because this is a collection of short stories. And Picault worked her magic. She is such an astute observer of the intricacies of relationships. Although I would never succumb to the urge, I resonated with the story of the unappreciated mom who runs away.
I enjoyed these 'shorts' (not a big fan of short stories usually). 2 stories and a beautiful letter to her eldest son as he leaves home to go university. I really identifies with the letter, having a child at university myself.
The fist story was heart-wrenching, the second delightful. All in all, very quick to read, but all 3 will stay with me for a long while.
The fist story was heart-wrenching, the second delightful. All in all, very quick to read, but all 3 will stay with me for a long while.
This was different than what I'm used to reading from Jodi Picoult, but I still liked it. There could have been a little more depth, but then it would have defeated the purpose I think she was going for. There were 3 different, short stories in this collection and I enjoyed the last one the best. Anyone that is a fan of Jodi Picoult's should definitely give this book a try.
A very short book of a few short pieces--but written beautifully. One is a letter Picoult wrote to her 18 year old son as he left for college--this one touched me deeply!! The second was about a couple whose 7 year old daughter died--very poignant. The third was about a mom who needed a "time out" and subsequently goes away for a while.
This is a collection of three short stories by one of my favorite authors. Story two and three are great...I listened to the audio because Picoult actually does the reading and I really wanted to hear her voice. Despite being short stories, I still got so involved and thought (as always with her writing), what would I do?
Haven't finished the entire book yet, but went through the first two stories (there are three in total) and these are just so full of emotion that there were times it was hard to go ahead and read cuz of lumpy throat.
The stories are down-to-earth anecdotal style and depict a common theme of "going away" or "leaving".
The stories are down-to-earth anecdotal style and depict a common theme of "going away" or "leaving".
This was one of Kindle's Short Pieces by Jodi Picoult, who is one of my favorite authors. I have to say that I enjoyed the pieces, but it wasn't one of my favorites by her. Jodi's work always amazes me because of the intense research that she does in order to add depth to the storylines. With the short pieces, it never seemed to get enough into that depth and I found myself wanting more.
Of the three pieces, the second one seemed the most heartfelt, as it was a letter to her 18 year old as he lef...more
Of the three pieces, the second one seemed the most heartfelt, as it was a letter to her 18 year old as he lef...more
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Picoult was born and raised in Nesconset on Long Island, New York. Her first story, at age 5 was "The Lobster Which Misunderstood." She studied writing at Princeton University, graduating in 1987, and had two short stories published by Seventeen magazine while still in college. Immediately after graduation, she took on a series of miscellaneous jobs, from editing at a textbook publishing company t...more
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