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  <title><![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True ]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Thu Apr 10 07:58:40 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[This is a book I have been meaning to read since 1997. That's actually even before it was officially published, which might seem weird, if you didn't already know that Wally Lamb was teaching writing at my high school at the time he was working on this novel; and if you didn't know that my freshman ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19860612">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>8</votes>
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  <read_at>Mon May 05 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Apr 11 20:15:52 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu May 29 08:04:10 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Ufta. Well...it's a testament to the quality of this book that I was willing to stick it out the entire 900 pages (well, 856, but who's counting?) If you can get past the intimidating bulk and stick it through to the end, there really is some quality writing here that is well worth the time it takes...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19979266">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Taylor]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Eugene, OR]]></location>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Tony award-winning Ken Howard (<em>1776</em>, <em>Child's Play</em>) reads <em>I Know This Much Is True</em> with the conviction of a used car salesman and the charm of a seasoned politico. Reminiscent of a former football coach recalling his glory days, Howard's booming, rich voice is a beefy compliment to Lamb's powerful prose. Never to be mistaken as a ventriloquist, Howard makes little distinction when moving in and out of character--his voice barely cracks an octave for dainty female personalities. However, this understatement (so to speak) lends to smooth transitions and believable, down-to-earth narration. (Running time: six hours, four cassettes) <em>--Rebekah Warren</em>]]>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>7</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 25 21:32:28 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 16 18:28:54 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[The point of view, the colloquial style, the brutal light in which Lamb paints Dominick's life -- as the identical twin who is not the schizophrenic, as the survivor of abuse, as a parent that lost a child to SIDS -- is awesome. It's not a difficult read, but it can be really gut wrenching at times....<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/888857">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <id>399247</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Laura]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>7</votes>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[saw it on a shelf, got a feeling like I had to read it]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Feb 11 16:21:21 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 19 15:21:09 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<strong>901 pages</strong><br/>     <u>I Know This Much is True</u> by Wally Lamb is by <em>far</em> the best book I've read in a long time.  Calling it my favorite is an understatement; as is trying to sum it up in one review.  <br/>     During the break, all I wanted to do was read.  I read about 300 pages a day!  I can't descr...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15185451">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15185451]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15185451]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <id>997778</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jennine]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Hamilton, MT]]></location>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>5</votes>
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  <date_added>Mon Mar 17 14:25:03 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Mar 17 17:30:20 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is one of those books I read that has never left me. After I finished it I just sat in my chair and cryed for a long time.  And I can't explain why exactly, as the ending was surprisingly hopeful.  It explores the nature of close family relationships and how you can love someone and also hate t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17960677">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17960677]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>17578126</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Judy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Wilmington, NC]]></location>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>5</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[People who like family epcis]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 1999</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Mar 12 04:42:12 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jun 07 10:02:00 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Lamb's tale of one man dealing with his twin brother's schizophrenia is honest and true to life. Spanning decades and making a number of digressions (a grandfather's biography, a flashback to when Dominick realizes he and his brother are not the same person), the story was always engaging.<br/><br/>...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17578126">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17578126]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17578126]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Traci]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Anchorage, AK]]></location>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>4</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[anyone who feels like they're living their own consolation prize for a life]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2001</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Apr 03 14:31:23 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Apr 03 15:26:15 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is my favorite book ever. <br/><br/>I was reading it while I lived in New York, during the 2 weeks I was holed up in my apartment in New Jersey recovering from the shock of 9/11 . . . adjusting to life all alone in a big city with just my baby daughter (who, at that time, I felt some ambivale...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19394841">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19394841]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19394841]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>65247</id>
    <user>
    <id>7026</id>
    <name><![CDATA[JO]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Chandler, AZ]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7026-jo-d]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.01</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>862</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Men and Women]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Feb 21 04:09:14 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 22 16:48:13 -0800 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Again, Wally Lamb. This book is about two identical twins in two very different worlds. Dominic is strong willed, confused, yet thoughtful. His brother is schizophrenic, depressed and in an institution. <br/>The book starts out in a shocking way revealing a situation that stuna a little city. Domin...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65247">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65247]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65247]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>2695776</id>
    <user>
    <id>158603</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Emily]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Chicago, IL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/158603-emily]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[those who tin foil their heads]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jul 03 22:27:18 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jul 03 22:31:08 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I read this book ages ago- some time before college- and got so consumed by the characters that I thought about them for weeks after I'd finished the book.  I would wonder about things on which Lamb didn't elaborate, would think about their personalities, their situations.  It's remarkable when a bo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695776">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695776]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695776]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>14484370</id>
    <user>
    <id>866070</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Erin]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Round Rock, TX]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/866070-erin]]></link>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Feb 03 19:11:24 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Feb 03 19:18:51 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Ug.  I got physically ill reading this book.  IT is about mental illness, dysfunctional families, and domestic abuse. It's the story of one family's dark secrets and recurring patterns of behavior largely succeeds in its ambitious reach. It's about a sibling's responsibility, depicting the moral and...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14484370">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14484370]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14484370]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>10810590</id>
    <user>
    <id>424303</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Pam]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Herndon, VA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/424303-pam]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>5</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Dec 21 07:45:35 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jan 11 06:52:49 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Wow, what a fantastic book.  I read the last 550 pages of this book in one day, disregarding the myriad other things I was supposed to get done.  Excellent writing -- every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next (and hoping it didn't, because that would be too predictable) he threw in a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/10810590">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/10810590]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/10810590]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>11185649</id>
    <user>
    <id>722618</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jason]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Washington, DC]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/722618-jason-gehring]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>6</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Dec 28 17:14:18 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jul 07 14:42:18 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[another book that was like a sucker-punch to the gut. even with 900+ pages, i didn't want this one to end, though it ended beautifully. cried again at this one, which is rare. and it contains one of my favorite written sentences. i didn't care if it is an oprah book. i loved &quot;she's come undone,...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11185649">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11185649]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11185649]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>19835258</id>
    <user>
    <id>356305</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sara]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[New York, NY]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 09 18:55:42 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Apr 09 18:56:07 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a VERY lengthy book! Hardly read books this long because they tend to get very boring for me and lead to confusion. However this book was different- it was actually good in a way, although it still left me questions and misunderstandings about the book. Still, I still got the big picture at ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19835258">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19835258]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19835258]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[William]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[any Joe Schmoe who feels that life has handed them a bad deal a lot of the time.]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[samantha]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jan 03 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Feb 11 10:20:33 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 13 19:46:24 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Wow. <br/>I've read this book during a particular time of turmoil in my life and it was just what I needed, I think. The book is a journey through the life of Dominick Birdsey, a 40 year old housepainter who has pretty much reached near bottom in his satisfaction with his life. He is the twin broth...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15148708">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15148708]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15148708]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>7687199</id>
    <user>
    <id>419381</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Julie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Brooklyn, NY]]></location>
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  <isbn>0060987561</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">2486</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>23585</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <date_added>Sat Oct 13 18:39:30 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Oct 13 18:39:45 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The storyline feels authentic as we flash between the growing years of the twins, Thomas and Dominick. In his twenties Thomas develops schizophrenia, and his brother becomes the caretaker after their mother's death. Dominick does not undertake his task lightly. In fact, it dominates his entire life....<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7687199">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7687199]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>7403053</id>
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    <id>503845</id>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[everyone!]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Oct 07 18:33:15 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 07 18:45:17 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is absolutely my favorite book ever. It's quite a long read, but the story pulls you in almost immediately and you can't stop reading until the end.<br/><br/>Though it ended quite well, I remember finishing it and just sobbing. The insights on humanity (both the good and bad parts of it) were...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7403053">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7403053]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>11606643</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Beca]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <read_at>Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jan 03 23:50:01 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jan 04 00:03:18 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[this is one of my all time favourite books. it is really huge but don't let that put you off, if you hang in through the length you will NOT be dissapointed. if you don't know what it's about i won't ruin the story but will just give a brief insight. it is from the perspective of a approximately 30 ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11606643">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11606643]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11606643]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>19993876</id>
    <user>
    <id>60483</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kameka]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[New York, NY]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/60483-kameka]]></link>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 12 06:57:52 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jun 04 08:18:39 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Wow! This was a really great book. Very complex characters touching on many aspects of the human condition (living as an identical twin, schizophrenia, depression, adoption, death, love and a whole host of others.) While the topics covered in this book can be at times very heavy, I think it is an ac...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19993876">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19993876]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19993876]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <user>
    <id>1159722</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Darian]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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  <average_rating>4.11</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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  <date_added>Thu Nov 13 10:28:36 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Nov 13 10:30:04 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Another try, this time with my book club. This seemed really convoluted and both brothers were so messed up that I ended up caring more for the 'crazy' one because at least he had an excuse.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/37626845]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/37626845]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[I Know This Much Is True]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>Oprah Book Club® Selection, June 1998:</strong> What if you were a 40-year-old housepainter, horrifically abused, emotionally unavailable, and your identical twin was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed in public self-mutilation? You'd either be a guest on the <em>Jerry Springer Show</em> or Dominick Birdsey, the antihero, narrator, and bad-juju magnet of <em>I Know This Much Is True</em>.  Somewhere in the recesses of this hefty 912-page tome lurks an honest, moving account of one man's search, denial, and acceptance of self. This is no easy feat considering his grandfather seemed to take parenting tips from the SS and his grandmother was a possible teenage murderess, his stepfather a latent sadist, and his brother, Thomas, a politically motivated psychopath.  Not one to break with tradition, Dominick continues the dysfunctional legacy with rape, a failed marriage, a nervous breakdown, SIDS, a car crash, and a racist conspiracy against a coworker--just to name a few. <p>  A stretch, both literally and figuratively from his Oprah-christened bestseller, <em>She's Come Undone</em>, Lamb's book ventures outside the confines of the tightly bound beach read and marathons through a detailed, neatly cataloged account of every familial travesty and personal failure one can endure. At its heart lies Freud's &quot;return of the repressed&quot;: the more we try to deny who we are, the more we become what we fear. Lamb takes Freud's psychological abstraction to the realm of everyday living, packing his novel with tender, believable dialogue and thoughtful observation. <em>--Rebekah Warren</em> </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Nov 08 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Nov 05 06:49:14 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Nov 09 04:31:11 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[this was one hell of a book.  even besides the fact that it is close to 900 pages.  <br/><br/>the book is basically the story of Dominick Birdsey, the &quot;sane&quot;  twin brother of a mentally ill Thomas.  It deals with his life struggle as twin, caretaker, family member, and friend of this per...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/36952212">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/36952212]]></url>
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