Kennedy, the author of 10 novels, including the international bestseller "Leaving the World" and "The Moment," now presents a tragic love story set...
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reviews
Aug 05, 2011
Michael
rated it: 
The Moment by Douglas Kennedy was such a suprise in a good way in that it was much better than i could of ever expected. While i was drawn to the book by the setting of Cold War Berlin something i have been facinated by for many years what totally suprised me was how good the overall story was. At no point did i feel that the romantic parts were overdone or cliched. The story itself was truelly gripping and engaging. At times sad, at times hilarious but at no time boring something emphasised by
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May 29, 2011
Anne
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As the book opens in modern day the reader is introduced to a man, Thomas, about to get a divorce. The book soon goes into flashback and the story of Thomas's great love is revealed. Set in Berlin just prior to the fall of the Berlin wall the book is full of the dark, distrustful atmosphere you would expect. The woman that 25 yr old Thomas meets is Petra and her story, when it is finally revealed, is peppered with the horrors of living through incarceration and interrogation before finally be
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Sep 18, 2011
Katiekate
rated it: 
"The Moment" is about a man who never got over his first love, and continues to live his life in somewhat of a numb and dissociative state. His affection for his daughter is genuine and touching, but his interactions with all women except the one who got away are rather cold or perversely clingy.
My favorite part is of course the segue in Germany and his relationship with Petra. His interactions with Alaistair has to be some of the best dialogue I've ever read.
I can't help b More...
My favorite part is of course the segue in Germany and his relationship with Petra. His interactions with Alaistair has to be some of the best dialogue I've ever read.
I can't help b More...
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Aug 14, 2011
Karen
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I don’t think there is any doubt that The Moment is a well crafted novel or that Mr. Kennedy is a talented author. When I initially read the blurb, I expected a love story with a hint of mystery relating to the receipt of the box from Germany. It is most certainly a love story, including the related angst. I also felt it was suspenseful simply because of the setting in Berlin - during the cold war with secret police. The story provided a couple of twists and turns and I was surprised by some
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Jun 24, 2011
Rosanne
rated it:
Not everything I am going to say about this marvelous book, The Moment by Douglas Kennedy is going to be good. This engaging, driven novel should have an exceptional review because the story is that good, however, the review will not be exceptional.
Thomas Nesbitt, an American writer, who does travel books, is our narrator. We follow him as he escapes from a bad childhood and as he starts his writing career. He has just successfully published his first book about Egypt when he decide More...
Thomas Nesbitt, an American writer, who does travel books, is our narrator. We follow him as he escapes from a bad childhood and as he starts his writing career. He has just successfully published his first book about Egypt when he decide More...
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Jun 19, 2011
Carla
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The further into this book I got, the stronger my feeling was that it was going to be one of those books that I would never forget. And it has stayed with me ever since I finished it. What an amazing title, first of all. Especially in these times, we know what it means to live in "the moment", even if we are not often able to do exactly that. But, what if you could look back and pinpoint the exact moment that your life changed its course - forever? That is exactly what Thomas Nesbitt i
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May 15, 2011
Jessica at Book Sake
rated it:
Book Review
The Moment is a novel written primarily about Berlin in 1984, when the Wall was still in place, dividing East from West Germany. Mr. Kennedy writes a story of a travel writer who goes to Berlin to write the follow up to his debut novel. Perhaps because the story is about a writer, I found it took a very long time to get to the main plot of the story, with a lot of unimportant details. There was much written about the main character's life before his trip to Berlin, which was rea More...
The Moment is a novel written primarily about Berlin in 1984, when the Wall was still in place, dividing East from West Germany. Mr. Kennedy writes a story of a travel writer who goes to Berlin to write the follow up to his debut novel. Perhaps because the story is about a writer, I found it took a very long time to get to the main plot of the story, with a lot of unimportant details. There was much written about the main character's life before his trip to Berlin, which was rea More...
May 09, 2011
April
rated it:
THE MOMENT by Douglas Kennedy is an interesting,touching love story set during present day,2010 and during the Cold War in Berlin. While it moves from past to present it is easy to follow and a story of true love. It has love,danger,friendship,entrapment,
entanglement unto spy games,betrayal and emotional turmoil during troubled times. It is about the moments of ones life,the good,the bad,the ugly and the truly wonderful moments. This is an epic love story set of all times during the Cold W More...
entanglement unto spy games,betrayal and emotional turmoil during troubled times. It is about the moments of ones life,the good,the bad,the ugly and the truly wonderful moments. This is an epic love story set of all times during the Cold W More...
May 03, 2011
Katrina
rated it:
Cold War. Berlin. Two subjects that are normally not my cup of tea, but I found this novel completely engrossing. Douglas Kennedy is a master of storytelling-he is able to breathe life into his characters-so much so that you feel that they are sitting right next to you on your sofa.
The novel begins in the present, with Thomas Nesbitt's failed marriage and divorce. The marriage never stood a chance, Thomas realizes because he never fully gave his heart to his wife. Despondent, he rece More...
The novel begins in the present, with Thomas Nesbitt's failed marriage and divorce. The marriage never stood a chance, Thomas realizes because he never fully gave his heart to his wife. Despondent, he rece More...
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Nov 15, 2011
Meg - A Bookish Affair
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This book has a great story but also some big ideas. In the book, Thomas talks a lot about moments that change everything. They are the so called watershed moments where you can point to a specific before and after of the event. These are the moments that we look back to be able to understand where we are at in the present. They're the things that almost haunt us in a way. Kennedy does a wonderful job of using words to make the reader hone in on this idea of life being a series of game changing
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Dec 03, 2011
Myrina
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Jul 02, 2011
Frances
rated it:
I have read a hundred books in my life, but there's only a few that I will never forget. This book is one of the few.
The Moment tells the story of Thomas Nesbitt (the travel writer) and Petra (the translator) who met and fall in love at the time when Berlin was divided in two. Thomas, an American, decided to write about Berlin in his second travel book. He met Petra, an aloof german translator who was recently exiled from East Berlin. While Petra tries very hard to avoid Thomas, beca More...
The Moment tells the story of Thomas Nesbitt (the travel writer) and Petra (the translator) who met and fall in love at the time when Berlin was divided in two. Thomas, an American, decided to write about Berlin in his second travel book. He met Petra, an aloof german translator who was recently exiled from East Berlin. While Petra tries very hard to avoid Thomas, beca More...
Nov 17, 2011
Sallie
rated it:
Thoughtful and complex!! THE MOMENT by Douglas Kennedy took me by surprise. In the beginning I was put off by a character that I found hard to identify with or like very much. However, as the story began to unfold I was really caught up in the cold-war world of divided Berlin and the ex-pats who gathered there for various reasons. The ever present Wall acts as a character in the book and is a vital part of THE MOMENT. Careful not to be over dramatic, Kennedy paints a very grey world on one s
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Dec 22, 2011
Jael
rated it:
Our lives are made up of a series of moments. For some, one incident can make or break you. Will you come to regret a decision you only had a moment to make? Or will it be the best decision you ever made?
"Though you might think, at the time, that this "something" is rooted in an obvious need (sex, romance, or other variations on an amorous theme), the truth is: you won't understand what the true meaning of the moment was until long after it has been stored in that clutte More...
"Though you might think, at the time, that this "something" is rooted in an obvious need (sex, romance, or other variations on an amorous theme), the truth is: you won't understand what the true meaning of the moment was until long after it has been stored in that clutte More...
May 11, 2011
Donna
rated it:
Berlin, the Cold War and love. Present day Maine,a redone house, and divorce. These are the backdrops for this novel about love and choices by Douglas Kennedy. Thomas Nesbitt writes travel books and while doing so, isolates himself from his family. Divorce papers arrive on his doorstep intensifying his already tense mid-life crisis. Then, just as he is settling in to his new life, a box arrives with the name "Dussman" on it. The name brings with it memories of a very special love affai
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Jul 23, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
Excellent, engrossing, I did not want to put this down! So far one of my favorite Douglas Kennedy books next to The Pursuit of Happiness. This author's stories are intelligent and sophisicated. Recommended to me by my friend Gerard, I now find everyone I recommend Kennedy's books to becomes an avid fan themselves.
Finally, I think this story would transition into a quality film.
Finally, I think this story would transition into a quality film.
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Oct 20, 2011
Hazel
rated it:
This one was recommended to me and initially I found it very slow. It focuses on the Berlin wall - both its erection and its demolition, and the more I read the more the atmosphere and intensity and tragedy of those days gripped me. The romance between Thomas, an American writer, and Petra, profoundly scarred by her experiences within East Germany, is tenderly and subtly wrought. And the power of maternal love is seen in all its limitlessness as the battles of conscience and morality fight with
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Jul 05, 2011
Jillwilson
rated it: 
Had to buy a book at Adelaide airport. It could have been worse. Set in Berlin while the wall is still in place - I found it a bit over-written. Like another book I read recently, it revolves around falling in love in an instant. I have fallen in love in the space of a night so I find this credible though have to remind myself because it was a long time ago. It deals with the difficult choices made by two characters as a result of the politics of the time (about 1984). I found the plot predic
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May 08, 2011
How do you know those moments that will change your life forever? How do you recognize them for what they are? If you do recognize them, how do you proceed, knowing that no matter what you do, your life will never be the same? Douglas Kennedy’s The Moment is a beautifully written exploration of just that, as Thomas Nesbitt reminisces on his life-changing moment many years ago in divided Berlin, his regret over not recognizing it for what it was, and the impact of it on the rest of his life. Fil
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Jul 29, 2011
Sherry
rated it:
set in the the 1980's, Travel writer Thomas Nesbitt travels to Berlin to spend a year researching his new book, moving in with a drug addict artist.
He meets and falls in love with Petra, and starts a wonderful and whirlwind romance.
Although she is from East Berlin and has suffered terribly, they plan a life in New York, and are amazingly happy.
Things soon take a twist and problems arise!
I'll say no more than to say that this is an eye opening, thought provoking an More...
He meets and falls in love with Petra, and starts a wonderful and whirlwind romance.
Although she is from East Berlin and has suffered terribly, they plan a life in New York, and are amazingly happy.
Things soon take a twist and problems arise!
I'll say no more than to say that this is an eye opening, thought provoking an More...
Sep 07, 2011
Debbie
rated it:
It was very hard to decide to give this book four stars or five, so I will have to say 4.5. I almost gave up on the book by page 85. Most of the story, based in East and West Berlin during the Cold War in the 80s, dragged in the beginning and held little interest for me. But, I decided to plod on based on a friend's recommendation and I sure am glad I did. Once Petra enters the picture, I couldn't put the book down. The rest of the story is filled with intrigue, love, espionage, betrayal, and re
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Apr 14, 2011
Kristen **NaNoWriMo winner!!**
rated it:
This is one of my favorite books EVER! I've never read anything by Douglas Kennedy and I think I'll have to read more.
This is the story of Thomas Nesbitt, a travel writer, who just received divorce papers from his wife. After avoiding a freak-accident, Nesbitt returns home and finds a box from a long-lost love. The story begins as he remembers his time in Berlin with Petra. The story ponders the idea of being in the moment and how our decisions really do have long term effects. I love More...
This is the story of Thomas Nesbitt, a travel writer, who just received divorce papers from his wife. After avoiding a freak-accident, Nesbitt returns home and finds a box from a long-lost love. The story begins as he remembers his time in Berlin with Petra. The story ponders the idea of being in the moment and how our decisions really do have long term effects. I love More...
May 31, 2011
Karen
rated it:
Douglas Kennedy's newest novel The Moment defines and spotlights the moments that change our lives. Kennedy grasps the little things that occur in life, that in retrospect, become THE moments that change or define a life. The story is told primarily through Thomas Nesbitt's memories, as he relives his life as a travel writer in 1984 Germany, during the time of the "Berlin wall" and of a woman named Petra Dussmann.
I really loved The Moment. Kennedy uses words the way a painte More...
I really loved The Moment. Kennedy uses words the way a painte More...
Aug 03, 2011
Jill
rated it:
It took me quite some time to get into this book, but when I did, I couldn’t put it down. Set largely in West Berlin during the early 1980s, it is essentially a compelling love story, but also one of espionage during the dark days of the Cold War. The stark differences in the lives of those people living in West Berlin compared to those living on the other side of the Wall in the communist Eastern Bloc is a stark reminder of the hardships and dangers these people faced as well as the lengths t
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Aug 27, 2011
Amanda
rated it: 
What an ordinary book written by an extraordinarily average writer. Perhaps that’s why readers like his writing? He makes his story seem better than it really is by using a few props. He gives his character an unusual job, throws in a few foreign phrases, and crafts seemingly ‘clever’ backstories. Until you realise they are all vignettes without substance.
Or maybe I’m just a dull reader who doesn’t get it at all.
This book was a trial at 488 pages. When you start out with a protagonis More...
Or maybe I’m just a dull reader who doesn’t get it at all.
This book was a trial at 488 pages. When you start out with a protagonis More...
Aug 14, 2011
Doroti
rated it:
Любим автор. Със сигурност това не е любимата ми негова книга. В историята няма нищо кой знае какво интересно. За сметка на това е разказана около два пъти и половина - веднъж от него, после от нея, после пак от него и часът на истината е в нейните писма. Не беше нужно. Както и редицата историйчици на спорадични герои за прескачане на Берлинската стена или за живот отвъд Желязната завеса.
20 години по-рано може би щеше да звучи по-актуално или поне да зариби повече хора.
Иначе много силе More...
20 години по-рано може би щеше да звучи по-актуално или поне да зариби повече хора.
Иначе много силе More...
Jul 23, 2011
Gee
rated it:
Kennedy never fails to disappoint. The Moment was yet another astounding accomplishment from an author who is now firmly a clear favourite of mine.
This is a moving, tragic and profound story set predominantly in a cruel and inhumane time that should be a lot further in the past than it is! Kennedy portrays the tragedy and cruelty of humanity that can be wrought on a life by a moment, before making you feel hope and longing for the transformational impact on life that one single mome More...
This is a moving, tragic and profound story set predominantly in a cruel and inhumane time that should be a lot further in the past than it is! Kennedy portrays the tragedy and cruelty of humanity that can be wrought on a life by a moment, before making you feel hope and longing for the transformational impact on life that one single mome More...
Jun 07, 2011
Beth
rated it:
In THE MOMENT by Douglas Kennedy, a divorced man, a writer living alone in a cottage, receives a package in the mail. He doesn’t immediately open it but does recognize the name of the sender. It’s from Petra, someone he knew many years ago, back in the 1980s when he was 25 and living in Germany.
He kept a notebook during that time. And now he takes it out to read BEFORE he opens the package. (That was just the first unbelievable incident in this book.)
So now we go back to More...
He kept a notebook during that time. And now he takes it out to read BEFORE he opens the package. (That was just the first unbelievable incident in this book.)
So now we go back to More...
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Sep 22, 2011
Ruby
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A slow beginning which felt a little lost - was this travel writing or a novel with no story...reminiscences or fiction? Then a way in, the story picked up and it was all twirling 'n' twisting 'n' turning - a fast dance of love, mystery and intrigue as well as a pretty powerful history lesson about a fascinating time in Europe. Sometimes I wonder if Kennedy writes so much and so often that editing and focus go by the wayside. But if you get through the turgid, derivative beginning, it's worth it
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Jul 12, 2011
Jenn
rated it:
The first chapter really captivated me as I loved how the author opened up with the past references and analogies.
The Moment is really the perfect title for this book. It takes awhile but the whole story really leaves the reader thinking of "the moment" when everything could change.
Another wonderful read. It did tend to drag a bit especially with the whole storyline of Petra and Thomas's relationship but everything ties in together to a stunning thought provoki More...
The Moment is really the perfect title for this book. It takes awhile but the whole story really leaves the reader thinking of "the moment" when everything could change.
Another wonderful read. It did tend to drag a bit especially with the whole storyline of Petra and Thomas's relationship but everything ties in together to a stunning thought provoki More...
