- Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Fawcett Books; Reprint edition (Mar 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345468694
- ISBN-13: 978-0345468697
- Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 2 x 17.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,573,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
From the author of Every Last One, a story about abandonment and second chances
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
Late one night, a teenage couple drives up to the big white clapboard home on the Blessing estate and leaves a box. In that instant, the lives of those who live and work there are changed forever. Skip Cuddy, the caretaker, finds a baby girl asleep in that box and decides he wants to keep the child . . . while Lydia Blessing, the matriarch of the estate, for her own reasons, agrees to help him. Blessings explores how the secrets of the past affect decisions and lives in the present; what makes a person or a life legitimate or illegitimate and who decides; and the unique resources people find in themselves and in a community. This is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and personal change by the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer about whom The Washington Post Book World said, “Quindlen knows that all the things we ever will be can be found in some forgotten fragment of family.”
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First Sentence
IN THE EARLY HOURS of June 24 a car pulled into a long macadam drive on Rolling Hills Road in the town of Mount Mason. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
IN THE EARLY HOURS of June 24 a car pulled into a long macadam drive on Rolling Hills Road in the town of Mount Mason. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this anna quidlen novel a little slow to start, but once you get to know the characters you have real concerns about the way things are going to turn out for them. A lovely story about two main characters whos lives change when a baby girl is left in the driveway, you find yourself picking up the book every chance you get! Beautifully written!
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What a surprise this book turned out to be. I had not heard of the author before but would recommend it highly The descriptions of places and people paint pictures for the reader and it was a very enjoyable read which was both sad and funny. I am looking forward to reading anything else by this author.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed "Every Last One" by Anna Quindlen earlier this year, I was keen to investigate her back catalogue and I began this week with "Blessings", published in 2003.
Blessings is the name of the estate where Lydia Blessing, an elderly widow, leads the life of a semi-recluse with occasional interruptions by her curmudgeonly cook, Nadine and ex-con caretaker, Skip Cuddy. The status quo is broken by the unexpected arrival of an abandoned new-born baby girl, left on the steps of the garage where she is found by Skip.
Anna Quindlen has a very sedate style of writing, quietly building up the story, feeding the reader snippets from the past. Her descriptions of the landscape are truly exquisite, focussing on every detail so you live and breathe the ambiance of Blessings, this once palatial home, now fading like its owner. Lydia is the archetypal crabbid old woman, brought up with high standards but the hard edges are gradually softened with the arrival of baby Faith. Likewise, Skip, the young handyman, discovers strengths and emotions he never knew he possessed.
Whilst it's obvious that Anna Quindlen is a very fine writer, Blessings didn't quite hit the spot for me - yes, I liked it but at times it didn't fully engage me. Lydia's frequent mulling over past events in the midst of the present narrative was very distracting and it made the storyline clunky in the extreme. 3 stars from me for a quite enjoyable, relatively short read.
Blessings is the name of the estate where Lydia Blessing, an elderly widow, leads the life of a semi-recluse with occasional interruptions by her curmudgeonly cook, Nadine and ex-con caretaker, Skip Cuddy. The status quo is broken by the unexpected arrival of an abandoned new-born baby girl, left on the steps of the garage where she is found by Skip.
Anna Quindlen has a very sedate style of writing, quietly building up the story, feeding the reader snippets from the past. Her descriptions of the landscape are truly exquisite, focussing on every detail so you live and breathe the ambiance of Blessings, this once palatial home, now fading like its owner. Lydia is the archetypal crabbid old woman, brought up with high standards but the hard edges are gradually softened with the arrival of baby Faith. Likewise, Skip, the young handyman, discovers strengths and emotions he never knew he possessed.
Whilst it's obvious that Anna Quindlen is a very fine writer, Blessings didn't quite hit the spot for me - yes, I liked it but at times it didn't fully engage me. Lydia's frequent mulling over past events in the midst of the present narrative was very distracting and it made the storyline clunky in the extreme. 3 stars from me for a quite enjoyable, relatively short read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gentle Well Written Story
This is a gentle story which flows along nicely as the tale is told. Anna Quindlen writes in a style that normally I do not like - lots of prose and not so much dialogue. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jenna
a good read
An entertaining book, makes you want to keep reading it to find out the conclusion to the story. The author has insight and honesty about feelings alsway makes for a good read
Published on 19 April 2010 by M. Pfeiffer
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