Rating: 
Summary: Separate Challenges, Together as Friends
Review: This is yet another excellent novel by the author of The Red Tent. Anita Diamant paints for the reader a three-dimensional portrait of two women, together as friends, yet fighting their own personal battles.
Kathleen is a long time resident of Gloucester, and beginning a fight with breast cancer. Joyce is a new arrival to the town, and is fighting a battle with her career as a writer, and doubts about her marriage. A chance meeting one Friday evening at synagogue creates a friendship that is closer than any friendship either woman has experienced.
Separately and together these two friends face their own demons and come out stronger. Long walks together along Good Harbor beach bring them closer and help them come to terms with changes in their lives.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Bother
Review: After reading "The Red Tent," I couldn't wait to get my hands on "Good Harbor." Boy, was I disappointed! I think Diamant must have written this before (way before!) "The Red Tent," and then hauled it out for publication after receiving the accolades for that book. The plot is anemic and the characters are wooden, but my chief complaint is that people just don't act like this. I don't want to be a spoiler, but I can mention what happens in the very first chapter as a "for-instance." At the book's very beginning, the main character receives a massage, after which the massage therapist is dismayed to find out that this character has breast cancer. Now, I've had massages from probably 20 different therapists over the years, and they NEVER begin a session without a detailed health survey before you even get on the table. And there is still controversy over whether a cancer patient is helped or harmed by different forms of massage. Either this is the worst massage therapist in the world, or a very bad start to a very mediocre novel. Later on in the book, I was absolutely appalled at the actions of a minor character, which I won't delineate, so as not to spoil the plot any more than it already has been by the author. Suffice it to say that, having worked at a police department, I can assure you that if any law enforcement officer acted like the one in the latter portion of the book, he would be putting into serious jeopardy not only the life of the innocent civilian he was involving in the activity, but also the lives of his fellow officers. In addition, he would also run the risk of spoiling a law enforcement operation that literally can take years to bring to fruition. Also, I've never read a book before where a main character never wants to talk about the illness that provides much of the thrust of the book's narrative drive. If she doesn't want to talk about it, why write a book about it?
Rating:
Summary: Okay Harbor
Review: Following what I understand is well deserved praise for Anita Diamant's "The Red Tent," I was glad to receive "Good Harbor" as a gift. Sadly, it proved mediocre at best, and at times worse even than that. Nothing terrible here, but nothing memorable either.It begins badly. The prose in the first third of the novel hobbles along, as with a cane. Cliches, for instance, on page 60 ("Kathleen played with her necklace . . . absently"--and "somehow the dates had slipped her mind") and on 61, "She was smiling, but it was clear she meant business") are the stuff of a freshman comp student, not a novelist of Diamant's stature. The dialogue also suffers early on. In this scene when Alice (not a central character, so nothing's given away here--not that there's much TO give away in this book) announces to her friends that she's leaving her husband, one of the central characters, Joyce, responds: "Alice, I wish you all the best." It's as if the beginning of the novel does not get the polishing time it deserves or even a good rewrite in parts. The prose drops its cane, finally, but never loses its limp. The story, set in picturesque (as the novel so often reminds us) Gloucester, Massachusetts, follows the friendship of Joyce, a freelance writer and romance novelist, and Kathleen, an elementary school librarian at what the novel wants us to believe is a crucial time in both of their lives. But somehow it never quite feels this way. Kathleen is undergoing cancer treatment(over the summer, conveniently), true, but it never seems serious and Joyce, well, is suffering vaguely from her marriage and her daughter. The main problem with this friendship and ultimately the book itself is that neither of these women, despite some of the past experiences they share with one another, seems like she is truly facing loss, or change, or challenge. Though cancer is always serious--and this is breast cancer besides--Kathleen's story is told in a way that arouses little emotional involvement on the reader's part. To worsen matters, Kathleen as the better drawn character makes the poorly drawn Joyce, whose problems--unlike Kathleen's--are never fully articulated, seem whiny and unsubstantial. The friendship arises artificially, with the two women tugging over the last cookie at a refreshment table after shul one night. The dialogue pushes the reader to accept their friendship in this forced line from Kathleen's husband, Buddy: "You mean you don't know each other's names? . .. You've been over there gabbing like you were long lost cousins." It never, in fact, becomes altogether clear what makes Joyce and Kathleen such good friends, and since this friendship is the central plot, this is certainly a problem in the book. (The first moment of closeness between the two, for example, seems to occur when Joyce says "It sucks" about Kathleen's cancer.) Basically, these women have money (some), time (a lot), husbands (two dimensional) and children (again, Kathleen's are drawn better, with Joyce's daughter a bratty, spoiled teenage girl stereotype) but no real moment of crisis, either one. The best story in the novel is a subplot of an event that occurred 25 years before the novel begins, that is spooned out bit by bit, and carries more power than anything that happens in the novel's real time. This book serves as a palate cleanser between two really strong books perhaps, something easy and relaxing and quick. In short, it's okay, but not good.
Rating:
Summary: An Okay Harbor
Review: Given all of the, from what I understand, deserved hype over "The Red Tent", I was delighted to receive "Good Harbor" as a gift. Unfortunately, however, I found it only an acceptable novel. Nothing terribly bad here, but nothing striking either. The first problem is a rough beginning. The prose hobbles through the first 70 pages or so, as if with a cane. The cliches on pages 60 and 61 when Kathleen plays with her necklace chain "absently" (of course), and the Rabbi smiles in a way that showed "she meant business" are the stuff of a freshman comp student, not a novelist of Diamant's stature. Since the dialogue in this section of the book is also weak (on page 54, Joyce says, "Alice, I wish you all the best . . . It takes a lot of courage to do what you're doing,"), it seems that this section of the book just didn't get the polishing time it deserved. And though the prose drops its cane halfway through, improving somewhat, it never quite loses its limp altogether. The story, set in Gloucester, Mass. is about a friendship and some of the life events shared in it by its two participants, Joyce, a freelance writer and romance novelist, and Kathleen, an elementary school librarian, both of whom the novel keeps trying to tell us, are at crucial life stages. Kathleen is undergoing breast cancer treatment (over the summer, conveniently) and Joyce, well, is struggling vaguely with her marriage and her daughter. Kathleen is obviously the stronger character, and something that she reveals from 25 years ago in bits throughout the novel is the most real problem in the book, much more real than anything that happens in the book's real time. The well drawn Kathleen only shows up more the poorly drawn Joyce because it's just not clear what Joyce's problems are in the way that we are clear about what Kathleen's problems are. It is a lopsided friendship on the page, in that way. Basically, while this is a mildly interesting book, a palate cleanser between really good books, perhaps, it never truly succeeds because neither character seems really at risk for losing anything. Both have money (some), time (a lot), husbands (two-dimensional) and children (again, Kathleen's are more realistically drawn than Joyce's daughter, who is just a stereotype of the pouty, spoiled teenaged girl). But there is no crisis point here, no big decision to make, no transformation for either character to experience. And other than their beach walks, there doesn't seem to be much that binds them; it's not clear why they are such good friends, after all. Right after they meet, a bit of dialogue sets out to push the idea of this friendship along ("You mean you don't know each other's names? . . . You've been over there gabbing like you were long-lost cousins."). This is a feeling that remains; these two are friends because the narrator says they are, and not because the friendship arises in a natural way. There are some nice moments in "Good Harbor" and one can't help but like Kathleen a lot, and feel for what she's going through with her cancer. But it's feeling at a distance, and not in a committed way that marks this okay, but not good, book.
Rating:
Summary: Cliches and yawns...found myself nodding off...
Review: Dense to get through because it's so prosaic...am I alone
in being slightly offended that a well-received published writer uses cliches like "bored her silly"? I mean, it shows
that she just didn't take this book very seriously. In fact, it's actually the author's "romance novel." Was
she ashamed of this book, like the romance writer in
'Good Harbor'? Well, she should be...the book kind of
goes "plink, plunk, plink," like an amateur playing "Chopsticks" over and over on the piano. That said, the book held interest for me only in that I
come from Cape Ann, Mass. and so was interested to
see what sites there the book would visit. Otherwise -
ho-hum...never would have gotten published, in my opinion,
if the author wasn't a so-called "literary darling."
Rating: 
Summary: Good Harbor
Review: Good Harbor was a big let down! After reading, "The Red Tent" I expected to sink my teeth into another great read! It couldn't be further from the truth! Its almost like reading a diary from a teenage kid...who has a very boring life! What was the purpose of this book? How could this woman who reinterpreted the bible..possibly come out with this piece of trash! Needless to say if this book got published, anyone with a first grade reading level could get their book published! Oh Pleeeese!
Rating: 
Summary: What a refreshing read!
Review: Ok, so it's not like her first book, "The Red Tent" ~~ but I didn't care as Diamant writes with her usual care and precision in telling a story. And I really enjoyed this book. I am not middle-aged yet, but I have always enjoyed reading a book that talks about friendship between two women. Having good friends of my own ~~ I really enjoy reading the friendship between Joyce and Kathleen. Joyce struggles with a marriage that seems to be heading for the rocks, a troubled relationship with her daughter and Kathleen struggles with her memories and guilt as she battles breast cancer. And when those two met ~~ they help each other heal. It's a wonderful journey through the pages watching how each of the woman grows into a delightful and more confident woman. It proves the old Biblical adage true ~~ one cannot walk through life alone. I really enjoyed the different pace in the scenery. I love to take long walks and though I don't live near the ocean, whenever my girlfriends and I get together, sometimes our best conversations in life happens on a walk. There is something uplifting about walking with close friends ... and something totally relaxing. You can't hide confidents when you're relaxed. And I admire how Joyce and Kathleen would just call each other up and say, "Let's go for a walk." And in those walks, they confide into each other that they wouldn't confide to their husbands. Just like women everywhere. If you like to read books about friendship and loyalty ~~ this is a good read. Diamant won't disappoint you with her writing. And you'll be lulled by the soft voices of women talking by the sea. 1-23-02
Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Read
Review: Maybe the people who liked Red Tent won't like this book; for myself, I didn't personally like Red Tent -- felt the writing was overwrought, but I very much enjoyed this story of friendship. I liked the rendering of the family relationships in Good Harbor, and I liked the faith issues that kept coming up. Not a great book, maybe, but a good read and that's no small praise.
Rating:
Summary: A SYMPATHETIC READING OF AN AFFECTING TALE
Review: With her debut novel, Red Tent (1997 Anita Diament chronicled the lives of women in ancient times by fictionalizing a Bible story. Once again the author's novel examines relationships between women but this time in a very contemporary setting. Linda Emond gives sympathetic reading to this affecting tale. We are introduced to almost 60-year-old librarian Kathleen Levine of Gloucester, Massachusetts when she is diagnosed with breast cancer and must undergo radiation treatments. The diagnosis and ensuing therapy throws her life into a whirlpool of stress. She is understandably frightened and further burdened by long held secrets. Joyce Tabachnik, a free lance writer who has recently enjoyed considerable success with a novel, has just bought a small home in Gloucester where she hopes to continue writing and enjoy visits from her family. But Joyce, too, is beset by woes of a different nature. The two women meet, walk the nearby beach together, and share their thoughts. Out of a chance meeting a bond of friendship develops which is both supportive and affirming. Definitely a woman's book for those who wish to lose themselves in another's travails. - Gail Cooke
Rating: 
Summary: Story of 2 women dealing with life
Review: I actually give this book 3.5 stars. It's a very good story and a treat to read with real as life characters living out their life's situations. Joyce is entering a lonely stage in her life because her daughter is growing older and more distant as well as a lack of connection to her husband. Kathleen deals with her treatments for breast cancer and the depressing memory of the death of her son 25 years ago.
These two women meet in a coastal, New England town and take daily walks on the beach as their friendship grows. They share pieces of their lives with each other.
This is a very mellow story and a rather quick book to read. The writing flows and the landscape descriptions can actually "take" the reader to the beach. Very good book that I definitely recommend any middle aged woman to read, but would be enjoyed by anyone.
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