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Summary: this book touched my heart
Review: "I have never written a 'fan' letter to an author before, but I hope the author reads this web page because I want him to know how very much this book touched my heart. I began reading with some skepticism, wondering how it could hold my attention to the end; but by the time I finished, I was in tears having loved these characters for all their humanness and charm and even their flaws. This is a book about love, and all of us should be fortunate enough to find love like this in our old age. Thank you for a real gem. What's next, Gregg?
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Summary: An extraordinary first novel...Bravo!
Review: A trove of richly developed characters, led by a gruff but kind-hearted octagenarian named George Castor, pull and push themselves into an alliance against living in a rest home. George Castor resonates in the reader's heart, his many burdens, and his noble effort to overcome them, begging the question: Has our fast-paced culture raced beyond our ability to appreciate and care for the aging among us? This is a wonderfully entertaining and emotionally satisfying book with unmistakeable message...Everyone needs family, and no one should have to die alone, especially of old age
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Summary: Sensitive insight into old peoples' fears of dying alone.
Review: For the first 50 or so pages, I was puzzled and uncomfortable with George's panicky reactions to some of the events in his unusual household of aged retirees. Suddenly, I realized George was desperately clinging to his new found "family" because of his paralyzing fear of dying alone, as had his dear friend. I could clearly see the action as scenes in a movie, and I was hooked with the story. (I began to visualize Ernest Borgnine as George, etc., and even wrote a letter to Mr. Borgnine urging him to read the book.)
For a first novel from one as young as Mr. Kleiner, I was touched by his tender handling of the characters, and impressed by his insights into their quaking souls and hearts. Wonderful work!
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Summary: Loved it!!!
Review: Gregg is not only a wonderful author, but he is also my uncle. He is a wonderful uncle and when he first completed this book, I went down to his home, and stayed there for about a week at the time i was only 13 years old ( I think I was 13 somewhere close to that age anyway) I couldn't take my eyes off of the print. I loved the way the he described everything so clearly, that it was if you could really see the events unfolding in your mind. I loved how he made me laugh and he made me cry. I think it was a wonderful book, and I can't wait till he finishes another one. I love my uncle with all of my heart, and I don't just say that i loved his book because he is my uncle i say I loved it because i really did, and i think its time to read it again!!!
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: Gregg Kleiner came to my high school today and talked to us about this book. We had been reading it previously, and so it was very interesting to learn more about him and the inspirations behind the story. I can't wait to read his next novel!
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Summary: Bravo! A spirited struggle to save dignity in aging.
Review: Gregg Kleiner in his first novel depicts a spirited struggle to maintain diginity in aging. He creates a world where rich characters work to keep their spirits alive, often taking on traits of the animal kingdom (the skunk women, the rhino, and others). A world where inanimate objects carry personae, cars, candles and lawn chairs have spiritual qualities. But mostly it is about a group of aging people who want to be alive, when the conventional path would place them sedated in a nursing home. A wild journey, and a must read
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Summary: very moving, touching story with memorable characters
Review: I did not want this book to end! I felt I was there with them, wanting these people to succeed, witnessing miracles happen even if they were small. I felt like I knew George and Clara, understood them and would've liked to have known them. I will not look at older folks the same way again. I am passing this wonderful book around to all my friends and hope they too will see what we all take for granted. I cried as I finished this book (not a normal reaction for me) because it was ending, happy for the survivors and missing the ones gone on around.
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Summary: A timely portrayal of old-age activism
Review: I enjoyed Gregg Kleiner's lively writing style, and I applaud his novel approach to solving the problem of our society's lack of adequate care for the elderly. I think the book is very much in the activist tradition (and style) of Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Edward Abbey's Monkey Wrench Gang. Hopefully the book will reach a wider audience and inspire the aging baby boomers to work together to solve the problems of being old as they worked together to end the Vietnam war and change the world.
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Summary: Very well written...excellent book to read and give.
Review: I loved it and bought another copy as a Christmas gift for my grandparents. They live on Cape Cod and I thought I'd give them a taste of OR through a beautiful story. They loved it and passed it along to some of their friends. The story is well crafted.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorry folks, it bit.
Review: I ordered this book because I loved "Into the Forest" by Jean Hegland and was steered to this title. I was so disappointed. He writes like a Junior College Creative Writing student. The characters are all one-sided and the story builds to mediocre climax after mediocre climax. Save your money on this one.
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