Everything Is Illuminated
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| Length: | 11 hours, 50 minutes | ||||||||||
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Suggested Titles
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A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
- Book Rating: 4/5
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The Tipping Point
by Malcolm Gladwell
- Book Rating: 3.5/5
Overview
Humor and pathos are deftly woven together in this remarkable novel that has won sweeping critical acclaim. USA Today calls Everything Is Illuminated "a hilarious yet heartbreaking tale of family and discovery." Jonathan is a Jewish college student searching Europe for the one person he believes can explain his roots. Alex, a lover of all things American and unsurpassed butcher of the English language, is his lovable Ukrainian guide. On their quixotic quest, the two young men look for Augustine, a woman who might have saved Jonathan's grandfather from the Nazis. As past and present merge, hysterically funny moments collide with episodes of great tragedy--and an unforgettable story of one family's extraordinary history unfolds.
Reviews (9)
A Mixed Bag
Written by Todd Palmer on May 12th, 2008
- Book Rating: 4/5
I've seen the movie, and the book was much more detailed and interesting. Alex's parts in the book are absolutely hilarious, and entertaining. Jonathan's parts, while interesting, sometimes get weighted down in overly detailed dull descriptions. Overall I enjoyed this book and the story, but the story does tend to wonder a bit on it's journey.
Had some moments but,,
Written by Anonymous from Woodbridge, NJ on March 28th, 2008
- Book Rating: 2/5
Plot moves at a turtles pace. Gave up after disc 5. I gotta say the dog, grandfather and Alex are hilarious! Gonna watch the movie tonight.
Hard, but good
Written by Sarah T on November 24th, 2007
- Book Rating: 4/5
Be patient with this book: it isn't instantly clear what's going on, but it's worthwhile! The simple desire to do well is strikingly juxtaposed with scenes of inordinate cruelty by Nazis and more ordinary cruelty by more ordinary people, just as a largely fanciful tale is juxtaposed with a difficult reality in the narrative.
Everything is Illuminated
Written by Anonymous from Miami, FL on November 1st, 2007
- Book Rating: 2/5
I'm sure that this is a good book but I really couldn't get past the guy talking in the heavy accent... I returned it before I finished it.
Head scratcher
Written by L Hudson on September 4th, 2007
- Book Rating: 2/5
As the description says, this book does go from hysterically funny to deeply tragic, but mixed within those two elements are parts that are so completely strange that I actually fast-forwarded through some of it. Also, it's sprinkled with quite a lot of (in my opinion) unnecessary sexuality that is pretty explicit. Don't listen with your kids in the car...
Everything is Illuminated
Written by Loni on July 2nd, 2007
- Book Rating: 4/5
As much as this book took me to the Nth degree of absurdity, it also shook me with horror and sadness. It is not a light read/listen, but an inventive way of illustrating the atrocities that occurred under the Nazi occupation.
Odd and quite entertaining
Written by Katy Bunker on May 15th, 2006
- Book Rating: 4/5
I was initally unsure about the characters, but I quickly grew fond of their quirkiness. As you progress through the book, the themes do become darker. It raises some difficult questions. I thought it was clever, insightful, and well-written. Ignoring a few gratuitous sections, I highly recommend it.
Everything Is Illuminated
Written by Yuri Lemeshev from Dallas, TX on March 17th, 2006
- Book Rating: 4/5
It is a very nice book. Dry sense of humor. Knowing both Russian and English made it hilarious to me. It is a interesting story of a man searching for his past roots and making up details as he goes.
Everything is Illuminated
Written by j Cipperly from Castleton on Hudson, NY on July 29th, 2005
- Book Rating: 1/5
Suitable for those readers who get a kick out of correcting other people's grammar and vocabulary. I stuck it out through the first three discs. This book in neither amusing nor illuminating. Even the randy dog with the foolish name doesn't provoke a smile.