A Piece of Normal: A Novel and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more

Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$3.50 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Kindle Edition
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
A Piece of Normal: A Novel
 
 
Start reading A Piece of Normal: A Novel on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

A Piece of Normal: A Novel [Hardcover]

Sandi Kahn Shelton (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --  
Hardcover --  
Paperback $13.95  
Unknown Binding --  

Book Description

June 6, 2006
Dear Lily . . .

At age thirty-four, Lily Brown has her life just the way she likes it. And what’s not to like? She’s got a great job as an advice columnist for the local newspaper, an adorable four-year-old son, and an ex-husband, Teddy, who still thinks she’s wonderful. She even lives in the same beach house where she grew up, with a great view of Long Island Sound and plenty of beach roses to smell.

So what if she won’t let herself date anyone until she finds a new girlfriend for Teddy, who happens to still be hung up on her? So what if she hasn’t changed a thing in her parents’ house, even twelve years after their tragic deaths? So what if it’s been ten years since she’s heard from her younger sister, Dana, who stormed out of the house in a rage when she was a teenager? Lily is fine.

But it’s funny how life has a way of upsetting even the most perfectly laid-out plans, and when one night Lily finds herself painting ghastly orange highlights into her lovely auburn hair, even she suspects that she’s been in something of a rut. And then, when her long-lost little sister shows up, bringing with her the fun and drama and hell-raising spontaneity Lily has missed, her life suddenly takes a turn for the unexpected.

To Lily’s chagrin, Dana’s energy seems to enthrall everyone, especially Teddy. As the tension between the sisters escalates, Dana reveals decades-old family secrets that she’s been burdened with all these years, and Dear Lily must heed her own advice about accepting life’s messiness and chaos.

With her trademark blend of sparkling wit and characters you can’t forget, Sandi Kahn Shelton tells a compelling and universal story of two sisters who learn what they need to let go of, and what they have to hold on to as tightly as they can.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed


Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

One would think that an advice columnist for a local Connecticut shore newspaper would have a perfect life, being the person with the answers. But Lily Brown is stuck in a rut, living with her precocious four-year-old son, Simon, in the house where she grew up, her ex-husband Teddy living close by. The most excitement in her life happens when an attempt to color her hair turns into a disaster, until her long-lost sister, Dana, returns and turns her life upside down. Dana not only changes Lily's daily life but she also alters her perspective about the past, thanks, in part, to the revelation of family secrets. As her protagonist tries to learn that she cannot and does not have to control everyone around her and tries to enjoy the "fun" of a dysfunctional family life, Shelton delves into family relationships with humor and empathy, making this a pleasurable read. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Praise for sandi kahn shelton’s What Comes After Crazy

“Funny, funny, funny, from page one. You can’t help but root for the lovable Maz Lombard, who’s surrounded by an eccentric mother, a headstrong daughter, a deadbeat husband, and way too much whole-wheat flour. Sandi Kahn Shelton’s writing sparkles with humor and insight.” —Lolly Winston, author of Good Grief

“A zany, affecting first novel. . . . Plenty of laughs here.” —People

“A skillfully constructed, economically written novel that is funny, sad, and almost painfully accurate about human failings.” —Boston Globe

“A delightful beach book. . . . Funny/sad and frantic/romantic, but with serious undertones. . . . A great read.” —Hartford Courant

“I loved What Comes After Crazy. Smart, warm, and hilarious!” —Jennifer Crusie, author of Bet Me and Faking It

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books (June 6, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0641912250
  • ISBN-13: 978-0641912252
  • ASIN: 1400097312
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,266,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where I wrote my first book of fiction (a story about a king who was tired) when I was five years old and sold it to the neighbors so I could get money for ice cream. Since then, I've been a newspaper reporter, a columnist for Working Mother magazine, a free-lance writer, the author of three non-fiction humor books about parenting--and now, at last, as the author of two novels, I'm happy to be back to my fiction roots. Someday perhaps I'll do an update on the tired king. Meanwhile, I'm working on a new book, a love story, in between letting my golden retriever in and out of the house every couple of minutes or so.

 

Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wise and warm, funny and true, August 30, 2006
By 
N. Hall (New England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: A Piece of Normal: A Novel (Hardcover)
I loved Shelton's first book, What Comes After Crazy, but this one is even better, a great book about getting unstuck when life threatens to freeze-frame you. The characters are fully realized, and it was a joy to have them in my life while I read this book. I found myself slowing down toward the end because I didn't want the book to be over. The only thing I wish were different is the cover--the publishers have made it look rather too chick-litty, when it's so much more than that.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A tasty read, June 20, 2006
By 
This review is from: A Piece of Normal: A Novel (Hardcover)
This book made me late for everything...I couldn't put it down to attend to my regular life! The author is a deft storyteller with a rich emotional clarity: She absolutely pinpoints every nuance of feeling in scene after scene. Plus she's extremely funny. Her lead character, Lily, is strong and smart (and clueless), and for some reason I love how she describes herself at one point: "slightly off-kilter, motor running full blast, but basically okay." I had a lot of fun with this book; I'd go anywhere the author takes me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars My new best friends, June 13, 2006
By 
This review is from: A Piece of Normal: A Novel (Hardcover)
This is the kind of book that sucks you in so completely, that you are so sad when it ends, because you are not going to be able to visit with your "friends" anymore.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   


Listmania!




Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject