- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Atria; 1st Atria Books Hardcover Ed edition (May 18 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0743476824
- ISBN-13: 978-0743476829
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14 x 2.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 499 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #544,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
By the time 40-year-old Jenifer Estess died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) last December, she and her sisters had founded an organization-Project A.L.S.-to find a cure for this fatal neuromuscular disease. This fast-paced, witty book, written with one of her sisters, is both a memoir of Jenifer's six-year struggle with the disease and a chronicle of Project A.L.S.'s birth and work. Unfortunately, the beauty of the writing and the story is compromised by a too-casual structure; even simple chapter titles could have remedied the book's scattered feeling. This haze appears elsewhere, too: for instance, after deciding to found Project A.L.S, the sisters recruited theater colleagues, including Ben Stiller, to help, but they don't explain how Jenifer had made those contacts in the first place (the necessary details of her profession as a theater producer aren't revealed until the book's second half). Flashbacks to Jenifer's romantic history and to her mother's love life are well written and funny, but sometimes feel inappropriate to the story. The book does engage, however, when it details Jenifer's relationship with her supportive friend Reed, who liberates-and loves-the wheelchair-bound Jenifer. But later, as Jenifer describes her inability to speak or write, readers may wonder how she managed to create this part of the book. The final chapter, though, is beautiful: in a clever, poignant twist, Jenifer continues to narrate her death and its aftermath, bringing the sisters' love and closeness full circle as readers wonder where Jenifer ends and Valerie begins.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Touching and inspiring....It's like having lunch with a delightful and hilarious friend who you wish could stay on into the evening for just one more story, one more tale."
-- Sarah Jessica Parker
"This gem of a book is an astonishing gift. Filled with Jenifer's singular grace and exquisite wit, Tales from the Bed had me laughing and crying, and often at the same time."
-- Peter Hedges, author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape
"Even as [ALS] steals much of Jenifer away, she reaches inside and shares the best part with us."
-- Michael J. Fox
"From the vantage point of her queen-size bed, Estess displays unflagging courage and wry humor."
-- Los Angeles Daily News
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
MARCH 17,1997, was a very windy day in New York City. Walking up Amsterdam Avenue to the gym that morning, I wanted to turn around and go home. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
MARCH 17,1997, was a very windy day in New York City. Walking up Amsterdam Avenue to the gym that morning, I wanted to turn around and go home. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
DIDN'T LOVE IT,
By Dr. Sue (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tales from the Bed: On Living, Dying, and Having It All (Hardcover)
I feel guilty NOT loving this book (how do not love a book by a young woman who dies of a horrible disease). I felt it actually didn't detail the day by day trials and losses and psychological ramifications that happen with a progressive disease such as ALS; it glossed over them a little too quickly. I never felt that I had climbed into her brain to know how or what Jenifer was feeling. To tell the truth, it felt more like an enumeration of how many rich and famous people knew her and were prepared to support her fundraising
5.0 out of 5 stars
A moving story of courage,
By Tricia Wilson (Harleysville, PA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tales from the Bed: On Living, Dying, and Having It All (Hardcover)
I picked up this book on the way home from a trip for some airplane reading and could not put it down. I was somewhat familiar with Jenifer's story from seeing her and her sisters on the Today Show and other news programs when they started Project ALS. But her courageous story of life and love and what it means to be family really touched my heart - and gave me some much needed perspective in my life. I highly recommend it!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Indomitable spirit an encouragement to all,
By A Customer
This review is from: Tales from the Bed: On Living, Dying, and Having It All (Hardcover)
I deeply admire Jenifer's courage and indomitable spirit. Her sisters' commitment to love, care, and find a cure is also very admirable. My husband has ALS and I am very glad I read this book. I am challenged to love others more and do my best to make a positive difference in spite of daunting odds.
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