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| Family Baggage: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Monica Mcinerney
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $1.50
You Save: $12.45 (89%)
Buy New/Used from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  (10 reviews)
Sales Rank: 113749
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 512
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0345490126
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.92
EAN: 9780345490124
ASIN: 0345490126
Publication Date: June 20, 2006
Release Date: June 20, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
?An endearing and humane story about a family and its sticky web of secrets and misunderstandings . . . one of those rare books you could recommend to anyone and know that they?ll love it.?
?The Australian Women?s Weekly
Harriet Turner knows all about journeys. She?s arranged hundreds of them for her family?s travel agency. Now Harriet is joining her adopted sister, Lara, to lead a group through the Cornish countryside. But when Lara fails to appear at the airport as planned, Harriet finds herself in uncharted territory and suddenly alone with a busload of eccentric seniors. As the tour wends its way through the picturesque landscape, Harriet must uncover her sister?s whereabouts and confront long-held family secrets involving Lara?s arrival twenty-five years ago . . . not to mention keeping track of more baggage?real and emotional?than she ever expected.
?With every book, Monica McInerney becomes more skilled at juggling plot complexities and giving depth to her characters. . . . Perfect [for] weekend reading.?
?Marie Claire (Australia)
?A book to treasure that is clever, amusing and heart-warmingly touching.?
?Woman?s Day (Australia)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 TEDIOUS January 5, 2008
I thought this book would never end. It could have been over with in 200 pages tops. The characters were uninteresting and the story was boring. The writing was tedious and read like a romance novel. I am not passing this on to anyone, I wouldn't want to put my friends through the torture.
 Witty and truthful June 13, 2007
This is the first Mcinerney novel I've read, but it won't be the last. The novel shifted point of view between several family members, but I was happiest when Harriet was the focus (and was disappointed that the last point of view of the novel was her niece instead). I found Harriet to be both a likable and believable character. Maybe it's just because I'm the youngest girl in my family like Harriet was, but I think there's more to it: Mcinerney shows how family members tend to misread each other and focus more on their own place in the family than on trying to understand each other's difficulties.
It's true that some of the "big deals" of this story were actually very little things...but isn't that how it is in real life? For us worriers, the smallest of hurts can turn into monstrous offenses---sure, it's all in our heads most of the time, but that doesn't change the emotional impact.
All-in all, the story line was charming (perhaps predictable but never boring), the writing style was easy to read and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and the insights often hit close to home.
Loved the Q & A in the back February 3, 2007
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
This was the first time I've read Monica McInerney. The explaination and title caught me. I love books about family, Ireland and travel. I thought the book was slow at first but it delveloped into a very interesting story. I particulary loved the Questions and Answer's in the back of the book. I got a real in-depth look at the author and she is someone I would want for a friend.
Family Baggage Packs Some Punches December 14, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Never having read any of Monica McInerney's books before, I didn't know what to expect with Family Baggage. I have to say, the first chapter kept me only mildly interested. However, the further I read, the more I enjoyed the story. For anyone interested in the dynamics of a large extended family, this book will provide a fun, interesting read. The characters really grew on me - none were stereotypes and I particularly enjoyed the Patrick Shawcross character. Although I suspected the truth about the main area of conflict pretty early on, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story and how it unfolded. Any book that can make me both laugh out loud and get teary-eyed certainly gets my appreciation. My only complaint - no hospital would have kept James there for so many days!!!
I will certainly be checking out Ms. McInerney's other books.
 Don't weigh yourself down with Family Baggage October 21, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I loved Mcinerney's previous book, The Alphabet Sisters. But this book was weighed down with weak characters and a plot centered around a discovery that I didn't think warranted the reaction of the character most affected. Mcinerney was reaching throughout the whole book. She reached with a weak main character and a weak discovery that was supposed to be shocking but fell short. If you haven't read her previous book, go for that one and skip the Baggage.
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