- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Delta (10 Nov 1997)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385317042
- ISBN-13: 978-0385317047
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.9 x 21.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,348,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
At sixteen, Billie Weinstein has plenty of problems: She's the only Jewish girl living in the all-Italian neighborhood of West Berry, NJ; she's trying hard to please her know-it-all father who listens to opera at full volume and drives full speed, and her too-accommodating mother who is either taking care of Billie's father, or Billie and her sister, or the two dogs; and on top of everything else, her older sister Cassie goes off to college, leaving Billie to fend for herself.
And now Billie's studying for the SATs. The task her father has given her is to learn twenty words a day, read the New York Times at least twice a week and watch Masterpiece Theatre whenever he tells her to, mostly because he likes it. Then Billie discovers her sister's secret: Cassie is battling anorexia and Billie's parents excuse Cassie's weight loss as stress due to the competitive atmosphere at college. Billie knows something is drastically wrong with her sister; something that could be fatal.
This novel is touching and funny and moving, and it got great reviews. And Billie Weinstein is so wry and humorous a protagonist, she's the kind of girl every woman wishes she'd had as a best friend growing up.
And now Billie's studying for the SATs. The task her father has given her is to learn twenty words a day, read the New York Times at least twice a week and watch Masterpiece Theatre whenever he tells her to, mostly because he likes it. Then Billie discovers her sister's secret: Cassie is battling anorexia and Billie's parents excuse Cassie's weight loss as stress due to the competitive atmosphere at college. Billie knows something is drastically wrong with her sister; something that could be fatal.
This novel is touching and funny and moving, and it got great reviews. And Billie Weinstein is so wry and humorous a protagonist, she's the kind of girl every woman wishes she'd had as a best friend growing up.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is quite an interesting take on a story about living with an eating disorder. It is written from the perspective of a girl who's sister has anorexia and so it is interesting to see how a non-sufferer also suffers, although not with food issues. It is somehow quite fresh compared to other novels of the same genre, perhaps due to the perspective it has been written from. Very interesting and quite a good easy read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
36 reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
No answers, but thought provoking
7 Jun 2001
Format:Paperback
I was on page 157 before I even looked up from this page-turner of a novel, probably most suitable for young adults.
This story is written from the perspective of the younger sister of an anorexic, but it is much more than a novel about anorexia. {On that same subject, I tried to read "The Passion of Alice" by Stephanie Grant last week and put it aside.}
"My Sister's Bones" is a first novel by Cathi Hanauer. It is the study of a family - and we all know these people: the doctor-father who pushes his children to perfection, the mother who does not like to challenge her husband's edicts, the kids who love/hate their father and love/pity their mother. I think this author has done a good job of portraying family dynamics, with fairly good writing.
I was not surprised to see that Elizabeth Berg wrote a blurb for the cover of this books. In some ways, the writing is reminiscent of Berg's, but for a younger audience.
While a good story, it seemed a mite shallow for the subject. But maybe that is not all bad if it makes people aware of the problem. I am conflicted over the rating to give this and wish that 3.5 stars were available.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
a bare-bones look at life
19 Aug 1997
Format:Paperback
if you have a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a family, you will want to read this book. Cathi Hanauer's painstakingly accurate depiction of the heoroine's coming of age amidst a family plagued by a domineering father, submissive mother, and an anorexic-stricken sister can be understood by all readers. Rather than focusing on the traditional and often popularized aspects of anorexia, Hanauer gives us Billie, the younger adolescent sister of Cassie, a rapidly deteriorating anorexic. Through Billie, we not only experience the turmoil of adolescence, but we also share an aspect of eating disorders that are rarely depicted....the effects of the disorder as seen through the eyes of the afflicted's family. The struggles of Billie and her family are frighteningly realistic, and one only naturally wonders about Hanauer's insight. Even my sister, the younger sister of an anorexic, will agree
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Not Just a Story About Anorexia
12 Aug 2005
Format:Paperback
I picked up this book expecting to read a book about anorexia told by the person with the disorder who focused solely on the effects of anorexia on herself. That is why when I discovered that Billie (the sister of Cassandra, the anorexic) was the narrator of the story, I was a little surprised.
Billie is sixteen when her sister Cassie goes off to college at Cornell, which is referred to in the book by Billie as 'Corn Hell', by the prompting of her docter father. A little before Christmas break, Billie recieves a phone call from Cassie that truly disturbs her. Over Christmas break Cassie looks way too thin and becomes withdrawn from all of her old friends and family. Her father blames it all on exams and the stress of college. Billie knows it is something more complicated.
Although the main point of this story is about how Billie and her family deal with Cassie's anorexia, My Sister's Bones is also about Billie discovering herself in a divided town when she has no upbringing true to any one race/religion (her father is Jewish by birth but he never raised his kids that way). She finds comfort in her best friend Tiffany, learns why giving up Vinnie was a mistake, and realizes that Dominick is not all what he seems to be.
The uncertainty of Billie is easy to relate to and the story line itself is definitely complex and compelling enough to scare anyone out of becoming anorexic. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a thought-provoking novel or insight into how much anorexia really hurts the person and their family and friends around them.
Billie is sixteen when her sister Cassie goes off to college at Cornell, which is referred to in the book by Billie as 'Corn Hell', by the prompting of her docter father. A little before Christmas break, Billie recieves a phone call from Cassie that truly disturbs her. Over Christmas break Cassie looks way too thin and becomes withdrawn from all of her old friends and family. Her father blames it all on exams and the stress of college. Billie knows it is something more complicated.
Although the main point of this story is about how Billie and her family deal with Cassie's anorexia, My Sister's Bones is also about Billie discovering herself in a divided town when she has no upbringing true to any one race/religion (her father is Jewish by birth but he never raised his kids that way). She finds comfort in her best friend Tiffany, learns why giving up Vinnie was a mistake, and realizes that Dominick is not all what he seems to be.
The uncertainty of Billie is easy to relate to and the story line itself is definitely complex and compelling enough to scare anyone out of becoming anorexic. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a thought-provoking novel or insight into how much anorexia really hurts the person and their family and friends around them.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
