Rating: 
Summary: I'm still crying!!
Review: My copy of LOSING JULIA has been the most cherished (and well-worn) member of my library--until I bought my copy of this book. In my humble opinion, Mr. Hull is one of the finest authors of our time. He expresses his character's point of view so poignantly that suddenly, I am an 80 year old man looking back over my life and dealing with the indignities of growing old, or I become the terrified soldier facing people I have no personal quarrel with but who I have to kill or suffer certain death. He expressed Andrew's teenage angst like I've read no one else do it. He described the feelings and difficulties of a loving 50 plus year marriage till I prayed I should be so lucky. And he described deaths--the painful ones, the ones that come too soon, the violent ones, and the ones that come in a warm bed with loved ones all around.
I just finished this novel. It's 3:00 in the morning, and I'm still crying. I highly recommend it and his debut novel, LOSING JULIA. With both books, I think you'll laugh a lot, cry a little, and maybe feel a kinship with the characters you'll read about.
Rating:
Summary: I'm still crying!!
Review: My copy of LOSING JULIA has been the most cherished (and well-worn) member of my library--until I bought my copy of this book. In my humble opinion, Mr. Hull is one of the finest authors of our time. He expresses his character's point of view so poignantly that suddenly, I am an 80 year old man looking back over my life and dealing with the indignities of growing old, or I become the terrified soldier facing people I have no personal quarrel with but who I have to kill or suffer certain death. He expressed Andrew's teenage angst like I've read no one else do it. He described the feelings and difficulties of a loving 50 plus year marriage till I prayed I should be so lucky. And he described deaths--the painful ones, the ones that come too soon, the violent ones, and the ones that come in a warm bed with loved ones all around.
I just finished this novel. It's 3:00 in the morning, and I'm still crying. I highly recommend it and his debut novel, LOSING JULIA. With both books, I think you'll laugh a lot, cry a little, and maybe feel a kinship with the characters you'll read about.
Rating:
Summary: When Worlds Collide!
Review: Remember that movie from the 50's? "When Worlds Collide?" I think I do. They were talking about giant planets then, not generations, but I think it's an apt analogy.I picked up Jonathan Hull's novel because of an interest in Normandy, really. The rest of it sounded like a Lifetime Channel movie. 180 pages later, I'm riveted to the book, flipping pages, going back to see how Mead survived the Ardenne and if Punchy was going to lose any toes or worried if Andrew, high not on life, is going to do one more thing to make his grandfather flip out. Andrew is a genius, angry, familiar with drugs, rageful, 16 year old teenager who has had the misfortune of his best friend committing suicide. Andrew's mother is a cross between a ditz who can't get her feet on the ground or perhaps one of those self absorbed parents. And Mead parachuted into Normandy on June 5, 1944, and his life was never the same. His wife of 51 years died three years ago, and he is lonely, angry, and yes, rageful. Andrew has secrets he keeps from his grandfather. But guess what? Mead has secrets too. What happens when fate bring grandfather and grandson together is what "The Distance from Normandy" is all about. Read it. New author. No kickboxing, sex, or evil governmental ABC plots. You'll be enthralled. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury
Rating:
Summary: Hull once again engages and envelops readers in his story
Review: THE DISTANCE FROM NORMANDY is the long-awaited sophomore novel from Jonathan Hull, whose debut effort, LOSING JULIA, is one of my favorite books. Once again Hull engages and envelops readers in his story. As the book opens, Mead, a World War II veteran with harrowing memories of the Battle of Normandy, is living alone in California. He misses his wife, who died of cancer. He copes with the realities of old age, and he spends a lot of the day nostalgic about the past. His world is rocked one day when his daughter, Sharon, a single mom, calls to inform him that his only grandchild, Andrew, has been booted from school for brandishing a penknife at a bully. Andrew is coping badly with the suicide of his best friend, Matt, and could benefit from some stability in his life in a new place. Mead offers to have his grandson spend three weeks of summer vacation with him. His goal: to get Andrew back in line. As soon as Andrew arrives, their worlds collide. Mead lives his life with the orderliness of the Army, while Andrew is a typical teen, prone to wearing loose fitting clothes, lying on his bed listening to music and daydreaming about girls. His grandfather cannot relate to Andrew and reflects back on his own youth that was defined by war, comrades who blew up around him and life that was all too real. Mead and Andrew strike a measured relationship. They test each other endlessly. While there is an essence of caring between them, there is a gap in their rapport that has been bred by physical and emotional distance. Neither is warm; both are hurting. Each is trapped in his own memories --- Andrew of wishing he had been able to save Matt, and Mead of war and an incident in Normandy that haunts him. One day while rummaging around the house while Mead is out, Andrew finds an old German Luger, which is a souvenir from the war along with some other war momentoes. Shortly after this Andrew gets himself into more trouble and Mead makes a decision to take him to Normandy to show him the world he knew with a goal to sharpen him up about history, and what mattered. This trip to Europe --- and into the past --- brings secrets to the surface for both of them. While plot and storyline are critical to any book's success, Hull's true skill comes from how he writes character and emotion. His style captivates his readers and immediately draws them into the story. As he did in LOSING JULIA, Hull captures the indignity of growing old. Here he also captures the pressures of being young. There are many comedic moments as these two generations collide. The first night Mead buys huge steaks for dinner only to learn that his grandson is a vegetarian. Their first trip to the California beach together pairs this aging codger with a penchant for embarassing bathing attire with his grandson who is a slave to his raging hormones and a teen's desire to fit in. Some of the best dialogue surrounds Andrew's matchmaking attempts to bring his grandfather and Evelyn, the woman across the street, together. Mead is his usual curmudgeony self about this. Andrew is tenacious in his efforts. The story here takes a twist that this reviewer found extraneous, but delivered some imagery that wrapped the book nicely. I read this book four months before tapping out this review, yet I still find myself smiling as I think about it. It's not LOSING JULIA, but it is a book that I recommend heartily. And as I read the last page, I eagerly looked forward to Hull's next title. Jonathan, get writing! --- Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book, reaches across the generations
Review: This book was wonderful. I'm biased though as I also loved Losing Julia. Jonathan Hull has a way with words and characters. All the characters were well developed. A troubled teen is taken in by his grandfather for the summer. The grandfather eventually takes him to the Europe that he experienced during WWII. Both confront their demons and win. Amazing. A read that could be enjoyed by young and old alike. There were some nice plot turns here too. Also, my personal favorite is the peeks into the characters thoughts and their dialogue. I do not like a book that is too "sappy" and this one if full of wit and sarcasm and real responses. Loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Across the Generations
Review: This is a great read. Hull captures two very different worlds - that of a troubled teenager and an aging WWII veteran -- and almost magically makes them meet. This is an inspiring tale of a grandfather and grandson that covers the challenges of both adolescence and old age with wit and insight. Hull's WWII scenes are as gripping as his WWI scenes in Losing Julia and a high point of the book. The Distance From Normandy is hard to put down and the ending is perfect. It's easy to imagine this one on the big screen.
Rating:
Summary: On reading the Distance FroM Normandy
Review: This is quite honestly one of the best books that I have ever read. It is full of pain,loss,history, courage and hope.It is the story of healing within ones self and healing within a family.Baby boomers like myself,are given a tour of a world that we know nothing about.Mr.Hull's History lessons are graphic and soul searing. In my opinion he is one of the best writers alive. Thank you,Valerie Oviatt
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book!!!!!
Review: What more can I add to the other reviews that are printed here? This book is so good and teaches so much and is a joy to read. Don't be put off by the language mentioned by another reviewer, it's needed to give depth and reality to the characters. Young people talk that way, thats just the way it is. The book shows how old age and teen age are so much alike in the fears, the loneliness, the isolation of each. The grandfather is rough, tough and seemingly harsh, but underneath he has alot of love to give. The grandson is sweet, sensitive and troubled and is filled with feelings. Please, if you are reading this, do yourself a favor and read this book. You wont soon forget it.
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