How Things Break [Paperback]

Kerala Goodkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

HOW THINGS BREAK by Kerala Goodkin is the winner of the Elixir Press Inaugural Fiction Award. It tells the story of Nat, a young woman who can't sit still. As the world she knows begins to crumble, mimicking the slow disintegration of the house she illegally occupies, she explores the limitations of her personal relationships, her ambition, and the small town she calls home. Kerala Goodkin began writing HOW THINGS BREAK at age 21, during her senior year at Brown University. While in college, she cofounded The Glimpse Foundation and currently serves as Editor-In-Chief of Glimpse Magazine, as well as contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler on Campus. Kerala also volunteers as the Translator and PR Coordinator for the Committee of Immigrants in Action.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kerala Goodkin holds a B.A. from Brown University in Hispanic Studies. In 2001, she co-founded the nonprofit Glimpse Foundation and currently serves as editor-in-chief. She has traveled extensively and also lived in Bolivia for six months, where she worked as a reporter for The Bolivian Times. In addition to her work with The Glimpse Foundation, Kerala has been a contributing editor to National Geographic Traveller On Campus and currently serves as translator and public relations coordinator for the Committee of Immigrants in Action. She recently won first place in the Elixir Inaugural Fiction Contest (2004) for her first novel, How Things Break, which was subsequently published by Elixir Press in June of this year.

Product Details

• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Elixir Press (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932418148
• ISBN-13: 978-1932418149
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,400,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't judge the book by its cover, July 25, 2006

By 

Monica P. Kumar (Basking Ridge, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Things Break (Paperback)

Don't judge this book by its cover. Kerala Goodkin's novel is incredibly written and is one of the best novels I've read in awhile. By the first paragraph, you're hooked, and before you know it you're half way through. (I'm in the middle of my internship in medicine, and I read half of the book in one sitting and I couldn't put it down.) She has created a character that is refreshing, and I didn't want the book to end because it meant having to let go of the main character. The quality of this book compares to The Namesake, Kiterunner, and Middlesex--only that she substitutes ethnic themes with redneck ones. Also, its much better than The Secret of Bees. Seriously, don't be fooled by the cover. There's a reason she won the Elixir Inaugural Fiction Contest.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent first novel, November 14, 2006

By 

A. Kruglov - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Things Break (Paperback)

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I sat down and read it in only two sittings and couldn't put it down. Ms. Goodkin created unique characters from middle-America that makes you think of the greats, like James Wilcox's "Modern Baptists."

There is a real dearth of well-rounded, fully-developed female characters in today's American literature. Ms. Goodkin created not one, but four in Nat, Gram, Sandra, and Nat's mother. A real envelope-pushing achievement!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Novel, November 4, 2006

By 

Jesse L Winer - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Things Break (Paperback)

Ms. Goodkin's has created characters that willingly invite you into their lives and to accompany them to Small Town Michigan. Until this novel, I had yet to read something that kept me thinking about what its characters were doing each time I had to put it down as though they were part of my life. This is a great piece of modern literature!