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A Simple Thing: A Novel [Paperback]

Kathleen McCleary
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

List Price: $14.99
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Book Description

July 24, 2012
How far would you go to protect your children? Would you do it at the expense of your marriage? How far would you go to protect yourself?
     For Susannah Delaney, the answers lie thousands of miles away, off the northwest corner of Washington state. When Susannah discovers her young son is being bullied and her adolescent daughter is spinning out of control, she moves them to remote Sounder Island in the San Juans to live off the grid for a year. Susannah hopes to save her children from the risks they've encountered at home, and to come to terms with her own haunted past. But the move threatens her marriage to the man she's loved since childhood, and her very sense of self.
     For Betty Pavalak, who first moved to Sounder to save her own troubled marriage, the island has been a haven for more than fifty years. But Betty also knows the guilt of living with choices she made long ago and actions that cannot be undone.The unlikely friendship between Susannah and Betty ignites a journey of self-discovery for both women that brings them both home to what they love most. A SIMPLE THING moves beyond friendship, children, and marriages to look deeply into what it means to love and forgive--yourself.

Frequently Bought Together

A Simple Thing: A Novel + House and Home
Price for both: $17.55

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  • House and Home $6.00


Editorial Reviews

Review

“There is much to love about A Simple Thing: the way it transports you to another world; its delicate explorations of guilt and forgiveness; its lovely prose. But what I treasure most are its characters....” (Marisa de los Santos )

“A Simple Thing is a careful examination of friendship, marriage, and parenting; the choices we all face; and the battle so often waged between love and responsibility.” (Booklist )

From the Back Cover

When Susannah Delaney discovers her young son is being bullied and her adolescent daughter is spinning out of control, she moves them to remote, rustic Sounder Island to live for a year. A simple island existence—with no computers or electricity and only a one-room schoolhouse—is just what her over scheduled East Coast kids need to learn what's really important in life. But the move threatens her marriage to the man she's loved since childhood, and her very sense of self.

For Betty Pavalak, who moved to Sounder to save her own troubled marriage, the island has been a haven for fifty years. But Betty also knows the guilt of living with choices made long ago and actions that cannot be undone. The unlikely friendship between Susannah and Betty ignites a journey of self-discovery for both women and brings them both home to what they love most. A Simple Thing moves beyond friendship, children, and marriages to look deeply into what it means to love and forgive—yourself.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (July 24, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062106236
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062106230
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #804,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a journalist and author who also has worked as a bookseller, bartender, and barista (all great jobs for gathering material for fiction). My first novel, House and Home, was published by Hyperion in 2008. I've written articles for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, and USA Weekend, as well as HGTV.com, where I was a regular columnist. Right now I teach writing as an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, D.C., and live in northern Virginia with my husband and two daughters.

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
(19)
4.6 out of 5 stars
The characters are so real you feel like you know them or maybe ARE one of them. Angela Bloor  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
I took the book with me on my summer vacation.. Leslie H. Zemsky  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic and Spellbinding July 24, 2012
Format:Paperback
This is such a great story and so well written I had trouble putting it down. The story grabs you early on and pulls you through the challenges a mother faces with two children, and her quest to change their environment and protect them from an urban environment. Well worth reading!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read October 9, 2012
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed how McCleary wove the two stories and timelines through this exploration of how two families survive loss and getting to the other side. She also has a great visual style; I felt like I knew every inch of Sounder and would love to visit there. Recommended!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Wonderful!! July 24, 2012
Format:Paperback
This book is two (TWO!) books in one ... one story follows a mother, Susannah, as she tries to protect her children. She moves them from a big East Coast city to Sounder, a remote island in the San Juans. The other story reveals the truth about two amazing people Susannah meets on that island - Betty and Barefoot. Both Susannah and Betty must face similar heartaches. They both must come to terms with mistakes they've made in the past. They both must address and deal with their guilt and accept their pasts. Along their journeys - the reader falls in love with both Susannah and Betty, as well as the other book's characters (especially Barefoot!). If you've ever daydreamed about what life would be like if you could just run away to a remote island - or, if you just want a story that will touch your heart - then quickly stop reading this review and buy the book. You'll be glad you did.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars I could relate
I enjoyed this book as a mom of kids the same age as the characters. Although I don't think I would have done something as drastic as moving to a remote island, I could relate to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by andyson97
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy read with likable characters
Although the storyline is very predictable, I couldn't help but like the characters, especially Betty. Strong, independent and smart, she held my interest. Read more
Published 2 months ago by fictionluver
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy read
This book was one I choose for book club, it wasn't loved by all, however I couldn't stop reading it, nicely written.
Published 2 months ago by Bridget Davey
4.0 out of 5 stars THe characters will draw you in
It is a good story with interesting characters who readers can identify with because of the very human situations they get into. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Barbara Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars A Simple Thing
A Simple Thing: A Novel

Susannah was only thirteen when she lost her sister, Janie, who had been only three. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Linda Bass
3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but decent read
I found the book to be a combination of a good romance novel and a very predictable story of tired marriages, troubled teens, an irascible but kindly loner, and friendships begun... Read more
Published 7 months ago by R1Z2
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Wonderful
Simply put, it was very good. Imperfect characters that you can identify with and a story that could have been plucked from real life. Read more
Published 9 months ago by WildCardB*tches
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story in a beautiful setting
A Simple Thing is full of rich, beautiful characters and a great storyline set in one of the most heavenly places on Earth. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Angela Bloor
5.0 out of 5 stars Escape and Forgiveness
Who hasn't wanted to run away? I loved the imagery and honesty of this book and it's characters. An island without suburban distractions means peeing in your shoe in the dark,... Read more
Published 9 months ago by David C. Chavern
5.0 out of 5 stars a romance that transcends time
I loved A SImple Thing....once I started reading, it was hard to put down. I took the book with me
on my summer vacation.. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Leslie H. Zemsky
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