Eight Seconds [Paperback]

Jean Ferris (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (2000)
• ASIN: B001D6HZTO
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Whole New World, October 29, 2003

By 

James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eight Seconds (Paperback)

The world of bull riding is not anything that I'm familiar with. Growing up in the suburbs, my life was skateboarding and walking down to the U-Totem to pick up the latest Archie comic book. But one great thing about dating is that you constantly and endlessly exposed to the new. My boyfriend, a rodeo fan, picked up this book on a recent trip and devoured it, and handing it to me saying "Read this". I did, and found a beautiful, intriguing coming out tale.

John Ritchie is the main character, a normal teenage boy whose life on the ranch is seemingly idyllic. He has a family that loves him, chores to do, and a vision for his future, well as strong a vision that a teenage boy could have. His father suggests that he attend a rodeo school, which John cannot wait to attend. Going with his best friend Bobby, he meets Kit, a tall, strong cowboy with whom he feels an immediate attachment. Kit and John become friends, and spend their time at rodeo camp discussing how they've always felt different from others. Upon returning home from camp, John learns his new friend, challenging him to the core, both about his beliefs about homosexuality and his own internal struggling with it.

Ferris does something wonderful with this story. She allows John's eventual discovery of who he is to come slowly and naturally. It's both sweet and without much fanfare, but powerful enough to launch John on the rocky and uneven path of acceptance we've all walked. For anyone just coming out, this book shows that path, a small section of it, as a positive step forward.

Set in the world of rodeos, this book also serves as a primer for those of us city folk uninitiated with that world. The rodeo scenes were authentic and honest, and why anyone would want to sit on a bull for eight seconds is beyond me, but you appreciate the characters desires to do so.

Eight Seconds is a powerful, simple coming out story, with an interesting, unexpected ending, that left me thinking for days, as I'm sure it would you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Engaging Read, July 3, 2001

By 

Joan A. Curtin (Broadview Hts., OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eight Seconds (Hardcover)

A good book should take you to someplace new; new surroundings, new emotional territories, new ideas. Jean Ferris has done that in this book.

In addition to the slightly exotic (to an Easterner, at least) world of Rodeo and Bull Riding,the delicate handling of a young man's heart facing a truth that will change him forever, is beautifully rendered.

Johnny's thoughts on realizing that he is gay, and that facing that truth isn't nearly as bad as denying it, say it all:

"Maybe love was love, no matter who was doing it, and if you found it, you should be glad, because it wasn't such an easy thing to find."

A sensitive subject, sensitively handled. I hope this book gains a wide readership. It touched my heart.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deaing with issues, May 28, 2004

By 

Cody Davis (Locust Grove OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eight Seconds (Hardcover)

John went to a rodeo school to learn to ride bulls. John learns His new best friend, Kit is gay. Now John has to deal with riding bulls and pressure from his friends and family because they think being gay is indecent . Now riding bulls is easy compared to dealing with reality. He has to deal with his own sexuality and find out what is more important to him. What his friends and family think,or his friendship with Kit.

I liked this book because I am interested in rodeo,and suggest anyone else who is interested in a rodeo drama to read this book.