- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1 edition (Oct 21 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1578565979
- ISBN-13: 978-1578565979
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.7 x 21 cm
- Shipping Weight: 286 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #608,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Samson is one of the best novelists in the inspirational market (Women's Intuition; Songbird), and she excels in her ability to portray authentic characters in this most recent foray into fiction. Pearly Laurel, 55, and her husband, Joey, have been soul mates for their 35 years of marriage. She's never shared his rock-solid faith and finds that life is unbearable when he unexpectedly dies. Determined to commit suicide by a rather improbable method, Pearly discovers Joey's last "wish list," which details seven things he wanted to do (including getting a tattoo and climbing a pyramid). She adds her own four items to his list and sets out to accomplish them all. Soon, she's involved with other people, including a young teen who needs her help. "Why in the world would God use me when I don't really know if I want all that much to do with Him?" asks Pearly. Lighter moments are provided by Pearly's neighbor Maida, who is addicted to a sexy daytime soap and provides updates on the exploits of the characters. Using first-person narrative, Samson knows how to show without telling, and although her word choices are occasionally a little over the top ("his bamboo arms"; a character named Shrubby Cinquefoil), most descriptions are delightfully fresh. The satisfaction of the novel comes not in the fulfillment of the wish list, but in Pearly's unforced journey toward faith and healing. This is a fine example of the strides being made in evangelical Christian fiction, which other CBA novelists would do well to emulate.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
“With a style and voice that’s uniquely her own, Lisa Samson has created an unforgettable heroine in Pearly. I couldn’t put the book down until I reached the end, then I was sorry it was over. This book is the living end. Don’t miss it!”
–Robin Lee Hatcher, best-selling author of Firstborn and Beyond the Shadows
“Lisa’s wit, humor, and insight never fail to amaze me. This book is no exception. Pearly is one of those quirky, lovable characters that touches your heart and changes the way you look at ‘everyday’ things like life and death and love.”
–Melody Carlson, author of Finding Alice and Looking for Cassandra Jane
“If you think fiction isn’t true, meet Pearly. In The Living End, Lisa Samson gifts us with raucous but oh-so-real responses to the questions that plague us all if we’re awake. Where is meaning? What is love? Who gets hurt most when we challenge authority? What is a life well-lived? Lisa’s characters stick to your ribs with names like Peta and Cheeta and Pearly Everlasting, who is everlasting and who, like Scarlett O’Hara, will live forever in my mind. Running beside Pearly as she races to finish her to-do list will leave you breathless, then inspire you with everlasting hope. Samson spins this story out with intensity and joy, compelling us to discover if Pearly will end her life before she truly finds it.”
–Jane Kirkpatrick, award-winning author of A Name of Her Own
“This story is a pilgrimage from grief to faith. Samson respects those deep processes of the soul, and her characters step into life, one day at a time.”
–Vinita Hampton Wright, author of The Winter Seeking
–Robin Lee Hatcher, best-selling author of Firstborn and Beyond the Shadows
“Lisa’s wit, humor, and insight never fail to amaze me. This book is no exception. Pearly is one of those quirky, lovable characters that touches your heart and changes the way you look at ‘everyday’ things like life and death and love.”
–Melody Carlson, author of Finding Alice and Looking for Cassandra Jane
“If you think fiction isn’t true, meet Pearly. In The Living End, Lisa Samson gifts us with raucous but oh-so-real responses to the questions that plague us all if we’re awake. Where is meaning? What is love? Who gets hurt most when we challenge authority? What is a life well-lived? Lisa’s characters stick to your ribs with names like Peta and Cheeta and Pearly Everlasting, who is everlasting and who, like Scarlett O’Hara, will live forever in my mind. Running beside Pearly as she races to finish her to-do list will leave you breathless, then inspire you with everlasting hope. Samson spins this story out with intensity and joy, compelling us to discover if Pearly will end her life before she truly finds it.”
–Jane Kirkpatrick, award-winning author of A Name of Her Own
“This story is a pilgrimage from grief to faith. Samson respects those deep processes of the soul, and her characters step into life, one day at a time.”
–Vinita Hampton Wright, author of The Winter Seeking
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unforgettable,
By
This review is from: The Living End (Paperback)
I admit that I am a diehard Lisa Samson fan, but this is her best book yet. Pearly Laurel made me cry and made me laugh. I suffered with her when she lost her husband, and I rejoiced with her as she found both healing and a unique family. I was definitely surprised by the ending. This was an I-can't-put-the-book-down read that made me stay up way too late, into the wee hours of morning, just so I could see what happened next.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great book by Lisa Samson,
By
This review is from: The Living End (Paperback)
The book was about a women whose husband/soulmate dies unexpectantly after a stroke. She is quite devastated and doesn't know how to move on. She decides to fulfill her husband's "to-do" list and then end her life. But she meets so interesting people along her quest to fulfill her husband's to-do list, people who help her to find her faith in God and to make her realize that her life is worth living after all.I love books by Lisa Samson. Her sense of humor and unique voice comes through so good. I love her flawed, yet lovable characters. I love the names Pearly, Cheeta, and Peta. The author did a really good job in showing how much pain Pearly was in when she lost her husband. It was clear that she loved her husband very much. Pearly comes up with a unique way to commit suicide. I won't go into the details as I don't want to spoil the book for you, but things are resolved beautifully at the end and Pearly decides that life is worth living and that she has so many people who love her. I loved how all the things happened at the end of the book where Pearly's life is spared at the last minute and how God really makes things happen for a reason and that He really is in control Lisa Samson has a subtle way of presenting God's truth without sounding preachy and without making you feel like she is shoving the Bible down your throat. I highly recommend this book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sometimes an End is Only the Beginning,
By "somakiss" (Munroe Falls, OH) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Living End (Paperback)
This was not an easy book for me to read because there was little chance of remaining detached from Pearly. Using superb skills, Lisa Samson pulled me into the very thoughts of a freshly widowed woman. The details were incredible: I could see the dust settle in the empty house, taste the bitter shaving cream on the mirror, and feel the comfort of Joe's shirt. To be a bystander was impossible.Pearly develops from a woman focused solely on her husband to an individual, a friend, and a mother. As always, Samson's characters make the story come alive. There is nothing better than a fresh perspective on life. Find it within the pages of The Living End.
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