Product Description

Huge American bestselling novel that tells of identical twins: a paranoid schizophrenic and his brother whose life is dominated by his resentment of and love for his damaged twin Dominick Birdsey's whole existence is coloured by the knowledge that his twin brother can never be fully responsible for his frightening behaviour, while he himself has beaten the biochemical odds to remain sane. But at what cost? This powerful, heartwrenching drama draws on the deepest human emotions: the need to know oneself, responsibility to family, the influence of hidden history. The result is a highly acclaimed novel of survival, written with great sensitivity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16239 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 912 pages

Review
'A triumph of simple beauty' Time 'I Know This Much Is True never grapples with anything less than life's biggest questions! a modern-day Dostoyevsky' New York Times 'Every now and then a book comes along that sets new standards for writers and readers alike. Wally Lamb's latest novel is stunning -- and even that might be an understatement' Associated Press 'Lamb creates a nuanced picture of a flawed but decent man. And the questions that permeate the novel! contribute to a fully developed and triumphantly resolved exploration of one man's suffering and redemption' Publishers Weekly 'A modern Greek tragedy! [Lamb's] success is to present this with terrific readability, tenderness, optimism and, most surprisingly, wit! The hallmark of the book is fine writing and a commendable depth of characterisation' The Times 'Wally Lamb's achievement is to force you to feel Dominick's pain! the events in Dominick's everyday nightmare are presented with a sneaky simplicity which generates emotional tension' Daily Telegraph

About the Author
Wally Lamb's first novel, 'She's Come Undone', won rave reviews when it was published in 1992. It was a finalist in the 'Los Angeles Times' First Novel Award, a Top Ten book for 'People' magazine and a Notable Book for the 'New York Times'. Both 'She's Come Undone' and 'I Know This Much Is True' have been chosen for Oprah's Book Club. Wally Lamb now teaches writing at the University of Connecticut. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and their three sons.

Customer Reviews

A lyrical masterpiece of the wisdom of a broken heart
When I first heard about I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE on Oprah a couple of years ago I avoided it for two reasons, the latter being the important one. I knew all too well much of the subject matter, as it possessed my father; as close to me as the fictional character's brother was to him. But when I finished reading this literally 900-page novel a week ago, all I could think was that this was its cental flaw: IT WAS TOO SHORT.

Wally Lamb, a genius of a novelist, has written a momument to love, healing, self-awareness and the human spirit that has only been equalled, I can only guess, by some of the best work of the 20th century--including Joyce, Melville, Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison and Hemingway. I cannot imagine anything ever written short of the world's religious texts surpassing this. The central story is of a man named Thomas Birdsey and his struggle to answer with honor the Biblical question Cain asked God--"Am I my brother's keeper?"--via taking care of his schizophrenic twin, and his own struggle against the dying of the light of his own sanity in the process. Lamb manages to teach more lessons about the nature of life, family, power, abuse, pain, wounds, healing, forgiveness, spirit, love and epiphany through the flowering of Thomas' consciousness in this novel--not to mention the architectue of schizophrenia itself, and how it serves as the ideal albeit frightening metaphor for our entire Age--than any DOZEN self-help books, tear-jerker movies and trips to Church or the therapist that I could ever think of. Lamb does not tear apart the the fabric of modern life or maliciously diagnose the diseases affecting it for the manipulative purpose of creating characters and a convincing storyline. He sings modern life. He creates a symphony with modern life. And in so doing he bears a human soul more true and more consistently than most real people are capable of bearing to the most intimate among us in a lifetime.

The family and friends and even strangers in this novel became family and friends and meaningful people to me; so much so that after 900 pages I still didn't want the book to end, even when it did so nearly perfectly. In other words, Wally Lamb with I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE places the novel, the entire art form that is the modern novel, back into its proper place as part of the healing art of mythic sorytelling, in a way that has to be read to be imagined or believed. I sat with this book ready to embrace a fairly good story and fairly good writing. I found myself turning pages uncontrollably and wiping tears as several of the chapters ended and whole new chapters of a human life began. A book I subconsciously gave myself a month or so to get through became the book I read in a little more than a week, wishing there was more.

This is a masterfully constructed piece of craftsmanship given life by the heart of a Shaman, in love with life. Read this book regardless of your background and be changed--for the better. The tired old cliches have finally been given a book that gives them new life: I laughed, I cried; I couldn't put it down.

Incredibly moving and compelling story
I had never read anything by Wally Lamb before picking up this book at my local High St shop here in London. It was a cold, damp day, with rain and sleet forecast for later in the week and, as it was just before the New Year, I had the week off from work. I curled up with this book on the Tuesday afternoon and was completely hooked by the time the elusive sun actually set for the night.

This is a wonderful book. The characters are believable and, even more important, their predicaments are real. I note that one reviewer commented on the number of tragedies faced by these people --- in my experience, that's real life. Also, I think Lamb did a brilliant job of portraying the ups and downs life offers.

I was gripped until the very last page. And I was moved to tears by the conclusion.

This is a wonderful book. I recommend it in the highest possible terms.

Perfect and "I know this much is true"
I first read the synopsis of this book while browsing in a bookstore and for some silly reason I never bought it there and then. I was unable to get the book out of my head and it took me almost six months to find it again as couldn't remember the authors name, thank heaven I finally found it.

This book is beyond doubt my favorite book ever. On finishing this book the total feeling of satisfaction was undeniable. I've never heard of anyone say that, and I've never used that terminology before but it was exactly that - Satisfying. The story is so true to life and the way it was told encapsulated me in his life.

I disagree with the reviewer who complained about the amount of hardship in this book, welcome to real life. When I read this book I had no real trauma or tragedy in my life but it appealed to me. A few years later the amount of sadness I have seen has just confirmed the sentiment of this book. There is still a lot of enjoyment in this story and I loved the ending. I too am like the other reviewer who misses it when it's not on the shelf and I lend it to everyone in order to share the enjoyment of the book. In fact I have just treated myself to a second copy that I can have at all times while my other copy is on lend.

Finally to the person who read this book in one day and did not enjoy it. I find it hard to imagine reading 900 pages in one day and being able to feel the true emotion, and understand the true greatness of this book. It would be like drinking an exquisite bottle of wine while suffering with the cold, no sense of smell or taste and missing out on the enjoyment.