false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172888336m/228538.jpg 228456 11 Alison Smith's close-knit Catholic family is the very picture of contentment--right up until the day her 18-year-old brother is killed in a car accident. In <I>Name All the Animals</I>, Smith walks readers through the breakdown and breakthroughs of her family in the days and years that follow. Cleanly written and only occasionally maudlin, this memoir reads like a gritty coming of age novel. Included are all of the pieces one would expect in a book that starts with a death--bereft parents, good samaritan neighbors, even a somewhat rote post-funeral scene back at the house--but Smith manages to throw in a few unexpected curveballs. A sweetly scandalous lesbian experience, a pair of skinny-dipping nuns, and a suspiciously undetected bout of anorexia come together with a quiet but ever-present insurance investigation to create a truly original story. Written in the same vein as <I>The Lovely Bones</I> or <I>The Dogs of Babel</I>, Smith's story manages to convey the beauty that can be found in coming to terms with grief. Ultimately triumphant, this is a great read for anyone searching for meaning after the loss of a loved one. <I>--Vicky Griffith</I> 221250 2004 Name All the Animals: A Memoir total:843|5:165|4:331|3:248|2:84|1:15| 843 3076 1179 116 4 2 false false Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Thu Mar 22 09:33:00 -0700 2007 Wed Mar 28 23:21:16 -0700 2007
...more...]]> 2 1 false false Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 24 13:48:04 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 24 13:56:08 -0700 2007 yeah, i'm a little biased against nonfiction, and that may have something to do with it, but this chick is just not a very good writer. she uses the same descr...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Oct 21 13:18:49 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 21 13:19:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Wed Oct 07 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 23:22:09 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 23:38:50 -0700 2009
It was beautif...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Sat Jul 25 20:26:24 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 25 20:26:35 -0700 2009 were as close as siblings can be
when they were children. Suddenly,
at eighteen, Roy is killed in a
terrible automobile accident. His
...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 05 06:21:50 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 07 12:16:12 -0800 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Feb 05 09:24:57 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 05 09:24:57 -0800 2009 The title refers to Adam in the Garden of Eden, an apt metaphor for Smith's imperfect, even devastating, coming of age. Critics loved this first memoir, heavy in themes but subtle in presentation. Although Smith focuses primarily on herself, her relationship with Roy--and, through vivid memories, Ro...

more...]]> 5 0 true false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Thu Mar 19 08:09:49 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 08:21:14 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false true Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 20 08:54:17 -0800 2008 Sat Jan 26 08:26:48 -0800 2008
In fact, the book is more of a young girl c...more...]]> 0 0 false false Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Jul 30 13:21:05 -0700 2007 Mon Jul 30 13:26:03 -0700 2007
The book is about a young girl whose brother (I think Roy is 17...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2004 Thu Jun 07 14:13:17 -0700 2007 Thu Jun 07 14:14:12 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 1 false false Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Mon Feb 16 13:26:15 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 16 13:26:25 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Thu Jun 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 06 17:23:34 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 06 17:27:25 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 0 false false Sat Jul 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 18 17:36:48 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 04 09:12:23 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jun 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 27 06:16:20 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 27 06:28:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Dec 20 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Jun 14 16:15:32 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 20 18:26:12 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Aug 12 17:05:16 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 06 03:02:43 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 12 17:05:16 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Wed Apr 09 12:20:55 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 09 12:33:46 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Apr 15 11:44:24 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 15 09:59:18 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jun 25 17:11:52 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 25 17:13:24 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=228538