Open House

Rating:
Summary: Divorce is not any problem, she said.
Review: In January 2000, I visited her at a small house in MA as a translator of Japanese. On her shiny bookshelf, I saw three books in Japanese; Durable Goods, Talk before the Sleep and Range of the Motion. She told me its an amazing thing her stories being translated by another people in foreign languages. Then she showed me the cover of this book and told me about this story.

We talked together about ourselves in several hours drinking tea at her tiny kitchen table.

Next week, we went a horrible concert playing by a rich family, I don't know. She was so sorry its a terrible music concert, she said. But I love Buch and I don't think it is not so wrong.

On the way to her home by car, she said; you could live in this town so I'd hand over my novel and you will translate it quickly. It is right, I hoped it. And then she pointed at the place; the flags anything else.

Well, she said loudly, it is Open House!

Rating:
Summary: Enough already
Review: There's more whining in the reviews below than there is in "Open House." Readers who demand that fictional characters be role models are missing the delicacy and depth of this little gem of a novel. OK, you know how it's going to end long before it does, and about the most exciting thing that Sam, the heroine, does is to go out to eat. But this is a book about a woman who is forced to look around her, who breaks out of deadening stereotypes and starts to build an original, authentic, observant and loving life. If you want to love this book, pay attention to the witty and sensuous details, not the plot. Pay special attention to Sam's rich memories of childhood and to the various role models that present themselves to her, arguing through their actions how life ought to be lived. This is a book to cherish.

Rating:
Summary: Not the author I've come to know...
Review: I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Berg's work but, unfortunately, this isn't her best work. I found it easy and full of the easy way out. I could see each path and storyline before it ever ended up happening. It lacked challenge and intrigue. I have come to expect wonderful things from this amazing author but, this one just didn't do it for me. Not worth your time or money. Try her other works. You'll be happy there.

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss the lesson!
Review: This was my 1st Oprah read, mainly because I work in a bookstore and get so tired of people coming in for the latest "ophrah book" and asking me if I've read it. Reading some of the reviews here I can't believe some people didn't get IT! This book wasn't about a pathetic woman getting divorced by her husband after 12 years & a son. This book was about a woman needing to find herself & what SHE likes, wants, and desires. We have to look beyond the marriage, the kid, job, etc and remember our SELVES. Her husband tried to say she was too simple for him, but look who changed his mind later. Please, ladies, let's not forget that after all the money, material things, and the man are gone, what do we have left? I wish you all tranquility.

Rating:
Summary: An Oprah Pick disappointment
Review: Since reading most of the Oprah Picks and having been impressed with the writing and theme of them, I was anxious to grab and begin this one immediately. However, I was most surprised to find this shallow and immature story! The same theme can be found in a more mature and moving story in Anne Rivers Siddons book Up Island. Open House had depressing and shallow characters--I thought Sam was pathetic!! Her husband, even more, and King has some kind of a huge problem--not the answer to life's mysteries!! This was my first experience with Elizabeth Berg --in all fairness, I should try one of her earlier books. This certainly was not worthy of any kind of recognition!

Rating:
Summary: open house is like reading a letter from your best friend
Review: Open House is vintage Elizabeth Berg.I started reading and couldn't stop and now that I'm almost through I reading more slowly because I don't want it to end. I know someone out there knows this feeling. She writes with amazing insight to her characters. I know and appreciate them all. All I can say is please don't let it be long before another one is written. If your like Ann Tyler you will also like Elizabeth Berg. She is very human in her writings.

Rating:
Summary: Far from her best, but okay
Review: First I read _Range of Motion_, then "Pull of the Moon_, then _Talk Before Sleep_, and I love Elizabeth Berg. I liked _Durable Goods_ and "Joy School_ less. _Open House_ is good, especially the middle of the book. I found myself a little lost about who this was at the start, and liked it more when some history and depth was given. I found the end predictable in regard to King. Also, I felt that the pregnancy was completely unnecessary. Also, much of the book just touched the surface of what it is like to get divorced. This tried to pull in too many things (date rape, pregnancy, motherhood, the wish to come back) and that detracted from the real story.

Rating:
Summary: Why?
Review: Aren't any other women as tired of works about whining women as I am? Even those created by better writers than Elizabeth Berg?

Curiosity about the Oprah effect made me give this a try but I shouldn't have wasted my time. This novel is as bad as it gets of an overworked genre. The heroine never came to life for me--was merely the voice of an author not worth listening to. Amazon's obligatory one star is one too many.

Please move on in your reading, Ophrah!

Rating:
Summary: Raw, simple poignancy
Review: OPEN HOUSE and the main character Sam (Samantha) seemd like such a simple book and a simple character, but there were many raw poignant truths that I would find myself pausing while reading and reflect upon ALL that Berg was saying in her simplicity. I found her characters believeable, the touches of humor terrific, and the final love scene touched my heart. I would have given Berg 5 stars except that I had just finished reading the best novel I'd read in years--A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT by Cynthia Thayer--and OPEN HOUSE couldn't match it for power and poignancy.

Rating:
Summary: Berg at her direct, honest best
Review: Once again, I felt that Elizabeth Berg had crawled inside my head and kept whispering thoughts that I would have had in the same circumstances as her main character, Samantha (Sam) Morrow. Written with humor and compassion, the story of being "left" just when you thought your life was in place, rang true and honest. I have yet to read an E. Berg book that I wanted to put down for a second. Some are better than others, but all echo the themes of life's struggles with often a little whimsy thrown in.