I Know This Much To Be True

[Deborah]

Our mid-August book.

[Lilith]

WELL! If Chapter ONE didn't perk your interest to read this book! My oh my! What a start!!

[Deborah]

The hand!!!

[Lilith]

Thomas and Dominick seem like they had such a typical, cute brotherly relationship! I wonder what the revelavance was of the scary man on the bus (on page 91) who Thomas says he will dream about his whole life after...He's so scary that he makes Thomas cry, while mentionting that their mother is holding the Jesus painting...I wonder if there's some sortv'e connection between that sceene and the sceene later, where Thomas is all religous, but angsty at the same...if that makes sense. hah I having troubles explaining what I mean =P

[Deborah]

Let me call catch up. I am on page 50. I noticed from both Wally Lamb books birth fathers are sort of MIA and both books take place on the East Coast. Loving the book so far. I really enjoy his style. New York Times and Oprah books!

[Lilith]

I was also feeling that there were similarities! Wally Lamb is SO good! I REALLY like his style...keeps you drawn into the story

[Deborah]

His characters are so we defined. It is good how Dominick watches out for Thomas. It is also tragic how both mothers die in tragic ways. I am waiting for Dolores to make an appearance. I like how both books took place before cell phones and computers.

[Deborah]

You know Wally Lamb helps women in prison with their writing and had their essays published. Why had I never heard of him before Mildred.

[Lilith]

Yes! Hahaha! I was JUST wikipediaing him!!

[Deborah]

Busted!!

[Lilith]

heheheheh!!!!

[Deborah]

This book is long, but seems it will be a quick read. I mean 2-3 weeks. I wish he had more books of this genre.

[Lilith]

I know. Me too. I was looking up the synopsis' of his other books and they're very different. I hope he comes out with another one more like She Comes Undone or I Know This Much Is True!

[Deborah]

On page 93. Good point about the religious connection. That man was scary. Just reading creeped me out. Thomas sure does cling to religion, but if it helps him out. All he wanted was his Bible, but it has to be approved by his doctor. I wonder if Wally Lamb had family that was committed? Seems to be an ongoing theme.

[Lilith]

I tried to find out more about his personal life by searching on different sites for his biography. I wanted to know THAT (if he had family and close friends with mental illness) and who is father is or was and if he's still alive. But I couldn't find anything.

Maybe you should write him a letter on our behalf! Heh!

[Deborah]

Yes, he needs to address our questions, I will get right on that.

[Lilith]

I have a theory on what Dominick's dream might be about (page 116). When the twins are watching Wizard of Oz, Thomas cries about the scary flying monkeys, which causes Dominick to cry as a reaction to seeing his brother cry. So a negative association with the flying monkeys is established. Then later, on page 93, Ray is taping Thomas' hands together as punishment for chewing on his sleeves. At this point, Dominick, again refers to the flying monkeys...while something negative is happening with Thomas. So in his dream, while Thomas is skipping stones and Dominick notices the flying monkey up in the tree that turns into a woman, my theory is that that is some kind of premoninition of something bad that will happen to Thomas. Maybe not. But the flying monkeys did re-accure quite a few times within negative associations.

[Lilith]

No way!! No pressure, but that would be amazing! I would if I wasn't so shy!

[Deborah]

Ha I sent a tweet to him!

[Lilith]

Oh good! Let me know as soon as he answers! I'm sure he'll be very happy. I have a feeling he gets a lot of fanmail!

[Deborah]

Okay more comparisons from both books. They both called their mom "ma" and Thomas and Dolores both watched tv instead of studying in college. The book keeps getting better and better. I am waiting for some whales.

[Deborah]

Page 218 after Dominick has his vasectomy he goes home and to bed and reads Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance. Such a good book. I have had two paper copies which are long gone and now own the Kindle edition. Anybody else read it?

[Deborah]

I love this book. The detail is amazing especially with Thomas and the cameras and the taped conversation. I am on page 242 and my goal is to get too 500 by Sunday.

[Deborah]

Page 248 are a list of books. Maybe one will make the cut.

[Deborah]

Sorry for the spam. When I was in college I lived in the same dorm as my brother [ diff floor and room]. After one term I moved across campus to a different building far away. I can relate to Dominick.

[Lilith]

I haven't read that book,no. I really liked the taped conversation too! It does such a good job at putting you in the mindframe of a schizophrenic!

[Deborah]

I just finished chapter 26 where Joy tells Dominick she is pregnant. I feel bad for the way Thomas is being treated. It is now getting good. Half way done and I can't put it down.

[Lilith]

damn you're a quick reader!! how is it possible you're already there?!? I'm on page 300-something

[Lilith]

I'm at the part where Dominick takes out the trash and discovers Joy's pregnancy test. I found the parts where Dominick was in and out of Hatch, talking to the doctor to be a little boring...kindv'e went on and on.

[Deborah]

Yeah it starts getting juicy with Joy!!

[Deborah]

So i wonder how the prison system feels about this book where Wally talks about the prison abuse. What is so ironic he writes a book how Thomas was locked up and clearly should have not been. Then he goes and volunteers at a women's prison. Hmmmm.

[Deborah]

Wally will always be forever Uncle Wally from now on.

[Lilith]

Hahaha!!! OUR uncle ;)

[Deborah]

I forgot about the fingernail clippings. And then her uncle abandoned. Not sure how believable I find the story about Joy and her uncle and him hiding in the closet. So tragic.

[Lilith]

I'm on page 764! I'm getting there, I'm getting there!! Dominick's recollection of Thomas' and their mother's tea party and Ray coming home and freaking out was so upsetting!! The way he was so aggressive with Thomas and locked him in the closet. I almost cried. It was so unbearable. My gosh, Wally's talent for writing from the perspective of children, how he writes about their behaviour and the way they fight, etc, is so spot-on, it's amazing.

So I skipped through all the rest of the grandfather's stupid transcript. I realized I didn't mind reading the first one because it was pretty short. When I started reading the second one, I was getting really agitated and upset, and I didn't want to have that feeling while reading. They completely interrupt the flow of Dominick's and Thomas' story and put this stupid bullshit right in the middle...it's so misplaced...it's so useless...it's not even interesting at all. Now I completely got why you skipped it. So I should be finished much faster at this rate. By Friday for sure.

[Deborah]

Yah the transcriptions takes away from the book. The best part is in the last 100 pages. Wally does have a knack for writing. If you want to take a week break after you finish I totally understand. Let me know what you think of the ending. I like how Dom reached an understanding with Ray.

[Lilith]

I find it interesting how Dominick referred to the family dynamic as teams...Thomas and their mother against him and Ray and how in the end, it's like they won because Thomas and their mother were in the ground. NO! I don't want to take a break!!! I want to start Vegan next weekend, okay?

[Deborah]

I can see how Thomas and his mom would be close. I mean he knew all along who their dad was. Everybody looked out for Thomas.

[Lilith]

WHY DID HE DIE!?!? WHY?!??!?! =(

[Deborah]

I know!!!

[Deborah]

Well Dom felt he died in Hatch!!

[Deborah]

Thomas and their mom were "two peas in a pod." I just can't imagine being treated by the system that way and ending up in jail. I know it happens all the time, but man the more I think of it. These people get put in jail and don't get the help they need. The people looking out for Thomas seem to have his best interests, but still he should not have gone to jail. And the things that happened to him in jail.

[Lilith]

OH...MY...F-ING...GOD!!! How Dominick put Ray in his place!! I certainly did NOT see that one coming!! Holy shit did he ever give it to him, right in front of everybody! I am so proud of him, after all these years of Ray successfully keeping all the abuse hush-hush! Go Dominick GO!!!

[Deborah]

I really enjoyed this book. I felt though because it was so long I sort of didn't grasp on to the little things. Some things I did of course. You know I would have been Thomas's friend for sure. I thought the story was well written. I have noticed Wally wraps things up pretty quick. But then again the story really only takes place over the six months Thomas was in Hatch and the aftermath of his death. It is interesting how kids take on different characteristics of their parents. Like Thomas was the mom and Dom was Ray. I liked how Dom benefited from the therapy and was able to get back his life. I am glad things worked out for him and Dessa.

[Deborah]

Deborah wrote: "Page 218 after Dominick has his vasectomy he goes home and to bed and reads Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance. Such a good book. I have had two paper copies which are long gone and now ow..."

Okay too funny. I loaned Zen and the Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance to a co-worker a few years ago and then then she moved to Idaho. She texted me yesterday about a few other things and mentioned she still had that book. I have the Kindle version. I told her to pass it on to someone who would enjoy it. :) So ironic since we just finished the book and they mention this book within the book.

[Lilith]

I find that the last chapter of the book is very "I get back together with Dessa, get married, go back to teaching, Ray gets a prosthetic leg" BAM! THE END! The whole book was a certian pace, then all of the sudden the last chapter was like FAST FORWARD. WOAH, okay! I like the way the last line was the title of the book. Very clever! lol

[Deborah]

Yeah it does wrap up pretty fast. Boom my brother dies and now my life is back on track. I do like the end line. Ends sort of like She's Come Undone. It almost isn't believable. I love Wally's style.

[Deborah]

Yeah it does wrap up pretty fast. Boom my brother dies and now my life is back on track. I do like the end line. Ends sort of like She's Come Undone. It almost isn't believable. I love Wally's style.