Amazon.co.uk: Back Roads (Oprah's Book Club): Tawni L. O'Dell: Books

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Jewel (Oprah's Book Club) by Bret Lott

(2) �6.33

Icy Sparks (Oprah's Book Club) by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

(15) �6.39

Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman

(4) �5.99

A Lesson Before Dying (Five Star) by Ernest J. Gaines

(1) �5.99

Cane River (Oprah's book club) by Lalita Tademy

(9)

› Explore similar items : Books (6)

Product Description

Synopsis
With his mother in jail for killing his abusive father, nineteen-year-old Harley Altmyer is charged with caring for his three sisters in a backwards Pennsylvania coal town, but despite his fatherly responsibilities, he is still a teenage boy and lusts after the mother of two who lives down the road.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

Jewel (Oprah's Book Club) by Bret Lott

(2) �6.33

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

(5) �5.99

River, Cross My Heart (Oprah's Book Club) by Breena Clarke

(4)

Icy Sparks (Oprah's Book Club) by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

(15) �6.39

Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell

(5)

› Explore similar items : Books (33)

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

(4 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

A book with EVERYTHING, 7 Jan 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Back Roads (Mass Market Paperback)

I first heard of this book in March 2000 on Oprah Winfrey's Book Club. Having enjoyed others in her book club series - and having seen an interview with the author i felt i HAD to read this book.

The book tells an emotive and complicated tale of a family whose parents legacy lives on inside each of them.

The story is narrated by Harley Altymer, a 19 year old living in a mining town of west Pennsylvania.

Harley is stuck. With his father dead, his mother in jail for murder, and with three sisters to care for, his life is hard. Add to that a libido with a mind of it's own - one could say that Harley's existence is one of explosive hormones and emotional pits.

When Harley becomes involved with a mother of two children it gives him hope. However this new world comes crumbling down when he is forced to face the truth of his reality.

As I previously said this book is highly emotive - it is also heartbreaking and humorous. Sad and joyous... a contradiction of itself.

This book is one that most will enjoy, and one that i couldn't put down. A good book to buy as you may feel you NEED to read it again.

The book also lets you make your own mind up about certain things... but i have it on good authority that Harley and a certain person did do the thing that the book hints at... (read the book and you'll understand that!!)

Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?

(Report this)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

A moving novel, 30 Jun 2005

By	Philippe Horak (Zug, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

The main Character in Mrs O'Dell's story is Harley Altmyer, an 18 year-old boy living in the small town of Laurel Falls. He has to look after his younger sisters, Jody, Misty and Amber, because their mother is serving a life sentence in prison since she killed their father. He works at a Shop Rite with two incompetent work mates, Bud and Church, under the command of the useless boss Rick. And he has a second part-time job at Barklay's Appliances. Their house is a permanent chaos and it is very difficult for Harley to make both ends meet. He is assigned a social worker and a psychoanalyst whom he both loathes. But he has no choice since he doesn't want his sisters to be officially declared orphans and be sent to foster families.
The strength of this novel is the fact that the events are seen through Harley's young mind. He is often confused because he is not mature enough to have two jobs and educate his younger sisters at the same time. They in turn consider him more as a brother than a father and as a result there are frequent rows between them, especially between Harley and the elder girl Amber who strives for independence. But Harley is very much concerned by the well being of the girls and his worries even once make him have a hallucinatory vision of finding them dead at home, piled up in a pool of blood.
At the same time he is looking for a girlfriend and wonders if it is possible to love someone without getting personally involved, without any mutual feeling or judgement. His first relationship is a confused one with a neighbour, Callie Mercer, wife of a bank manager and mother of two children. And Harley often recalls his father and how he used to ill treat his children.
His struggle in life is all the more impressive since he gets no support at all from any adult, not even his uncle Mike.

Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?

(Report this)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

This will keep your attention from start to finish., 18 Sep 2000

By A Customer

This book is truly unique! Despite the numerous tragic events, the text is somehow not depressing. It is full of suspense and is truly well written. It also invites the reader to probe his/her thoughts on murder, incest and family relationships.

Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?

(Report this)

› See all 4 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

This book will put your personal problems into perspective!
Brilliant book! It is well thought and written beautifully. Once you start, it is difficult to put down. Read more

Published on 6 Sep 2000

› See all 4 customer reviews...