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170th out of 598 books
—
480 voters
Magnificent Obsession
When Robert Merrick's life is saved at the expense of the life of an eccentric but adored surgeon, the carefree playboy is forced to reevaluate his own path. Merrick embarks on a course of anonymous philanthropy, inspired by reading the doctor's private papers. An engaging and dramatic story of personal redemption and private sacrifice, this spiritual tale has served as an...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
April 7th 1999
by Mariner Books
(first published 1929)
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Jan 13, 2008
Kendra
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Kendra by:
Darcy
I have read this book at least twice. I think it is a young adult book. But the story is so good, well written, and inspiring. It's just fun to read like watching your favorite movie, it just makes you feel good. I have my own copy if any of my friends want to borrow it.
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I had a really hard time getting into this book so it took me a while to finish it, but once I got started I really enjoyed it. I enjoy Lloyd Douglas' writing style as well as his creative outlook on religious themes. I definitely needed to read an inspiring book lately and this one was a perfect fit. I finished it a couple days before fast sunday and then that weekend was studying the topic of fasting, I read the article in the April 09 Ensign by Shayne M. Bowen on Fasting With Power and was st...more
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I am currently re-reading this 1929 edition I purchased for $3.00 at the public library. I read this many years ago as a teenager, then again as a young mother. I still find enjoyment and inspiration in the theme of the book now as I enter my 60's. To serve without expecting recognition, reward or thanks is a rather unusual approach to life. This is a theme often popular at Christmas by giving to the needy without expecting anything in return except the warm feelings in the heart. In this book,...more
I have seen the Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson movie several times, but had yet read this 1st edition book that I found in an end table I purchased at a flea market. And I must say the book surpassed the excellent movie. It is a moving book that epitomizes the Christmas and New Year Seasons. Interwoven lives are affected by tragic accidents. Saved from drowning, Robert Merrick learns the price that was paid by eminent Dr. Wayne Hudson and transforms his life to continue Hudson’s work and make amends...more
I had to speed race to get this book read in time for book club last night. I think reading it so quickly served me well. There are a LOT of characters that weave in and out of the story as the book spans many years of time. I REALLY enjoyed the whole idea of this book. The plot being that a man dies at the exact same moment that another man's life is saved at his expense. The 'saved' man then spends the rest of his life trying to make of himself anything close to what the deceiced man's life wa...more
“Pay it forward”-esque novel written in the late 1920s about a wealthy young cad turns altruist. I truly liked, and rooted for, the protagonist and found the writing style unique and quirky and very post-flapper. The sentence structure all over the place and Tourette’s-like at times so I can see why other reviewers took issue with it even though it worked for me. Indeed, for a “light” read it can be a bit hard to muddle through.
Despite having been written over 80 years ago, this story has a new...more
Despite having been written over 80 years ago, this story has a new...more
I really enjoyed this story of an aimless man who, through circumstances beyond his control, finds himself compelled (if unwillingly) to take on a life of philanthropy and service. It was an interesting viewpoint from which to consider what it means to live a selfless life, and the enlightenment that can come from such a commitment. Many reviews here speak of this being a Christian book, but to say such implies an exclusion of other religions to which the concepts within this story apply. I woul...more
I found an old copy of this book at a used book store. Although I am now living in Fayetteville, NC, I lived in Roanoke, VA for 20 years. There was an inscription in this book, I suppose, writting by the first owner of the book, that mentioned Roanoke. So, of course, I had to purchase the book.
As I read this book, I was transported to that time, movies were in black and white; the women all wore suits with shoulder pads and tight skirst, that is when they weren't in gowns;the men all wore suits...more
As I read this book, I was transported to that time, movies were in black and white; the women all wore suits with shoulder pads and tight skirst, that is when they weren't in gowns;the men all wore suits...more
Took awhile to get into it. I fluctuated between moments of not wanting to put it down and moments of boredom/skimming. The writing--perhaps due to it's age--can be wordy. It's best to read this in large chunks because after you get going, your minds works with the sentence structure. Truly. The first five minutes or so each night had some sighs but they went away.
So - The concept is good, but I wish Douglas would have stuck closer to the one I expected. Don't you just hate when authors don't do...more
So - The concept is good, but I wish Douglas would have stuck closer to the one I expected. Don't you just hate when authors don't do...more
I wasn't sure what to think of this book at first. It seemed to take a while to get off the ground. Once I did get into it, I had a hard time putting it down because I just wanted to see how it ended.
The story is of one man who's life was saved at the expense of a renowned surgeon. It had religious overtones, but not anything specific beyond believing in God, being grateful and trying to pay back someone for all the blessings one receives.
I think there was a lot to be taken away from this book...more
The story is of one man who's life was saved at the expense of a renowned surgeon. It had religious overtones, but not anything specific beyond believing in God, being grateful and trying to pay back someone for all the blessings one receives.
I think there was a lot to be taken away from this book...more
The story started out great. It's the original pay it forward story. Written by a former Lutheran Minister the story was not overly preachy. The story begins with Dr. Hudson being analyzed by his colleagues as over worked and very stressed. A man of great talent as a brain surgeon and hospital administrator. He takes a holiday and marries a young woman at least 25 years his junior. Events happen and a young man of wealth takes on the challenges that Dr. Hudson pursued. The young man makes the sa...more
I love the concept of paying it forward without letting anyone know of your good deeds. I also enjoy this kind of love story. The one complaint I have is that it was hard for me to understand some of the authors sentence structure and I had to read some sentences several times to get it! I also had to look up some of the unfamiliar words, however it's a good way to learn words and meanings, but at my age I'm not able to retain the meaning of some of the unusual (to me) words. It helps to underst...more
I liked this book. the beginning is a bit overwhelming (too many characters all at once but it turns out none of them are important) and the end a bit abrupt, but the idea for the story and the main part of it is good. Well worth reading.
I didn't like the religious/science bit, because you can't really make religion into science just by changing the names to everything, but if you ignore the annoying vocabulary and pay attentions to what they are saying it's fine.
There is a bit of romance in the...more
I didn't like the religious/science bit, because you can't really make religion into science just by changing the names to everything, but if you ignore the annoying vocabulary and pay attentions to what they are saying it's fine.
There is a bit of romance in the...more
It took me a over 150 pages to finally catch the spark. That was a lot of work for a book that I didn't love. I did like it though. Bobby's infatuation was charming and I am happy that they found their way. I just wish there was more explanation of Helen's journey to a happy ending. Granted, I expect the author only devised their relationship as a way to promote a message that he found to be a higher cause and thus couldn't concern himself with a real love affair. Too bad, because there was pote...more
I absolutely LOVED this book. For me it was life changing. I saw the blessings from the Savior through charity through new eyes. Although the book puts an interesting spin on charity I think it reminded me that God imparts blessing on righteous choices, whether the person believes in God or not. Isn't He nice?:) The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the first 40ish pages were really hard to get through and left me pretty confused as to why it was even in the book. It isn't un...more
I love it when I find a book I've never heard of before and it turns out to be lovely. The writing is a bit difficult but by end, I no longer noticed the random syntax or the author's overuse of extravagant words. The book surprised me in the directions it dared to go. These days, writers seem afraid or reluctant to dive into the "bigger" questions about religion, service, selflessness. I always love a redemption story. I don't like the title, though. It's vague and confusing and normally would...more
This book is probably better than I'm going to rate it, but Autumn and I read it aloud and it was quite hard to get through. There were a lot of characters that didn't have very distinguishing features, so each time we picked up the book we had to say, "who is that now?" The author uses very large words, so reading aloud it was hard to pronounce some of them, let alone divine the meaning. Finally, the story was by no means compelling. I think it took us nearly 4 months or better to get through t...more
Readers unaccustomed to the author's style may find the book a little tough to get through at first. Many people think of "paying it forward" as a fairly recent concept (though charity has always been with us.) This book demonstrates that it existed in some form at least 80 years ago. Religious aspects and overtones may not be to every taste, but the hook of the story (a man becoming a doctor to save someone he's injured) is fairly irresistable. However, the part they made the movies from is onl...more
This was ok. I read it for book group and found that I was measuring in fractions of inches how much of the book was left. Good premise and all, but the author's breezy(?) and disjointed style made the story difficult to follow at times. I also was not able to connect with the characters, and as one reviewer noted, the women generally came across as fairly dim. I had a hard time following the reasoning of the main character and the religion/science mishmash didn't really gel with me. Do I get "g...more
Another favorite, and I really need to get my own copy so I can read it again for the umpteenth time. It's an older book and really quite good considering. Douglas always writes a nice story with a heavy religious slant (he wrote "The Robe") Always gives you a nice thought to chew on. The story is drama drama drama all the way through (in the enjoyable way) so get ready for some sap (really tasty sap), and avoid the Rock Hudson movie version altogether because that just pushes the whole thing ov...more
Young Mr. Merrick doesn't have a care in the world. He is rich, spoiled and lives only for his own pleasure until the day he wakes up in a hospital and discovers that a good man has died because his life was spared. His encounter with death causes him to seek a penance of sorts: he buckles down at college determined to become a great brain surgeon like Dr. Hudson, the man whose life was lost so at a his might be saved. Along the way, he is introduced to a coded journal among the doctor's persona...more
Jul 25, 2011
Sondra Wolferman
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who enjoy classic fiction.
The plot required a little too much 'suspension of disbelief' for my taste. From a feminist perspective, the female characters were an insult to my intelligence, all of them being rather weak, selfish and dependant. The theme of the book can pretty much be summed up in modern terms by the phrase, 'What goes around comes around'---a noble sentiment, but in real life very questionable. I found it strange that the high-minded hero, Merrick, would fall so deeply in love with a woman of such dubious...more
I'm not sure why I enjoyed this book so much, but I did. The plot was engaging (I can see why it was made into a blockbuster film so many decades ago) and I generally found the writing to be top-notch, including some brilliant desciptions. Occasionally, the writer failed to adequately describe what was happening or jump around in an odd way, though, and I would struggle to follow his point. Overall, the book was thought-provoking and intriguing. I think I'm going to recommend this one to my book...more
Everyone in my book club really liked this book, but I must say I had a hard time getting through it. The writing was very different than normal and took some getting used to. I want to rate it higher though just for one reason: it brought up an extremely interesting theory on God, our relationship with others, the process of inspiration, and a bit about afterlife. It was kinda like presenting all that for the "non-religious." I know the truth of how inspiration works and who God is, so it was i...more
I felt like I was in The Great Gatsby, riding around the countryside in a little convertible, going from dinner party to dinner party... I loved it! Such a romantic time period and love story!
I have to say, it was different than I thought it was going to be. I thought more would be devoted to the "personality building" concept; I was expecting more of a step-by-step guide. But I enjoyed the scientific perspective on spirituality. I believe very strongly that science and the gospel do nothing but...more
I have to say, it was different than I thought it was going to be. I thought more would be devoted to the "personality building" concept; I was expecting more of a step-by-step guide. But I enjoyed the scientific perspective on spirituality. I believe very strongly that science and the gospel do nothing but...more
I thought the movie was sweet, even with cardboard Rock Hudson in it (with Jane Wyman). But the book is much better. I liked the characters in the book much better than I liked the movie characters...The movie really watered down the plot (I guess that's not uncommon) and it truncated some good characters....
In fact, I found this a very engaging book with an interesting scientific/religious premise. It was written by an ex-minister. It's really a religious book disguised. I'm not sure that I ag...more
In fact, I found this a very engaging book with an interesting scientific/religious premise. It was written by an ex-minister. It's really a religious book disguised. I'm not sure that I ag...more
Magnificent Obsession is a story of interwoven lives, deeds done in secrecy, and love shared but not spoken. This is not a biblical story or a story that is designed as a bible teaching. It is purely a work of fiction and should be sought after only as such.
Summary: Bobby Merrick lives and Dr Hudson dies. There is to much to ruin in the story buy giving away more than that. Suffice to say that Dr. Hudson's death profoundly changes Bobby Merrick and for the betterment of the world! I can find no...more
Summary: Bobby Merrick lives and Dr Hudson dies. There is to much to ruin in the story buy giving away more than that. Suffice to say that Dr. Hudson's death profoundly changes Bobby Merrick and for the betterment of the world! I can find no...more
What a beautiful concept. The book's plot is a 'pay it forward' idea, when a rich playboy decides to dedicate his life to helping others and expecting nothing in return.
I love that this was written around the same time as The Great Gatsby, which is one of my faves, but the characters couldn't be more different. Instead of the boozy, roaring twenties Gatsby characters, these characters are driven, remorseful, and sympathetic. (This doesn't mean I like this book MORE than Gatsby, it's just differ...more
I love that this was written around the same time as The Great Gatsby, which is one of my faves, but the characters couldn't be more different. Instead of the boozy, roaring twenties Gatsby characters, these characters are driven, remorseful, and sympathetic. (This doesn't mean I like this book MORE than Gatsby, it's just differ...more
This easily could have been the inspiration for the movie, Pay It Forward. A young playboy's life is saved instead of that of a well loved brain surgeon who has spent his free time gifting anonymous gifts for those in need of help. The playboy decides it is time that he finally does something of worth with his life and goes to med school. Instantly he becomes a star pupil and he comes across the previous doctor's written journal describing how doing these anonymous things for others ends up enri...more
I enjoyed this book. I needed to get the Rock Hudson/Jane Wyman movie out of my mind and replace the scenes in my mind with the late 1920's. It felt, for me, somewhat ambiguous in it's theology and ideology, or maybe I was just skimming those parts to get to the romance.:) I just didn't feel like it was really clear what was trying to be said. I could see glimpses of clarity and then it would get cloudy again. I also wanted it to be a deeper story overall. It was better than the movie though.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| One of the best unknown Great American Novels | 5 | 22 | Jul 02, 2012 09:07pm |
was a noteworthy American minister and author. He spent part of his boyhood in Monroeville, Indiana, Wilmot, Indiana and Florence, Kentucky, where his father, Alexander Jackson Douglas, was pastor of the Hopeful Lutheran Church. He died in Los Angeles, California.
Douglas was one of the most popular American authors of his time, although he didn't write his first novel until he was 50.
His written w...more
More about Lloyd C. Douglas...
Douglas was one of the most popular American authors of his time, although he didn't write his first novel until he was 50.
His written w...more
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