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Sylvia G. (Scottsdale, AZ)
"Truthiness"
Veritas is both Harvard's motto and the central theme of this novel. In writing their alumni updates for their 20th reunion, four friends employ various degrees of truth and during the reunion are confronted with how their lives have met both the expectations that come with graduating Harvard as well as their own hopes and dreams. Sounding like chic-lit for the middle aged, this novel surpasses that genre with it's good writing, insights, structure and smartness. I didn't put it down.
Ariel F. (Madison, WI)
The Red Door
I found this to be an interesting read. I think book clubs could read it and have an interesting and thought-provoking discussion. Reading it made me think about people that attended college with me and how their various lives have turned out. Some that you expected to be very successful have not been, and others have done very well.
Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
The Red Book - a Familiar Theme
"The Red Book" is a readable story about 4 friends who met at Harvard and reunite at their 20th reunion and how life changes and how it is possible to reinvent oneself at mid life. The theme is not new. More Magazine profiles such women monthly. This is essentially an updated version of Rona Jaffe's 1986 "Class Reunion". As I was reading this book I had the nagging feeling I'd read it before...and then I recalled Jaffe's book, which I loved in the 80's. But, I didn't like or feel compassion for Kogan's primary characters with the exception of Jane. I wanted to slap the other 3. I think Kogan created some
…more compelling & interesting secondary & tertiary characters...which caused me to give the book 4 stars. (less)I really wanted to like this book, however, it never really grabbed me. The characters came off as shallow and self-absorbed. Their Red Book entries were the best part of the book - seeing the way in which they viewed or, more precisely, wanted others to view their lives. The book was difficult for me to finish and I found myself picking up and putting down the book quite a bit. It was difficult to get through the entire book and if it hadn't been for this review I probably would not have finished it.
Robin W. (Marinette, WI)
I really couldn't relate....
I really couldn't related to these characters even though I only graduated from college 4 years earlier but I did want to hear more about their lives. My favorite part of the book is the jail scene - I loved that! Parking tickets - who would have thought....
Debra L. (Deerfield, IL)
The Red Book
This was an average chicklit book. The characters were interesting, but their stories not so much. I liked the idea of Harvard college friends going to their reunion, but the story never went anywhere.This would be a vacation read!
Laura P. (Atlanta, GA)
The Red Book
This 20th college reunion story (Harvard '89) uses the practice of publishing a reunion book ("THe Red Book") as a foil for the story of 4 college roommates whose lives are very different from the images they choose to project. The characters cover the spectrum of racial, sexual, and national categories, and touch on pretty much every controversial social issue out there - same sex marraige, abortion, pre- and extra-marital sex, sex change surgery, May-December relationships are all there. WIth a boatload of characters, Kogan is able to do very little actual character development, and few of the characters she
…more focuses most on are sympathetic. (It's hard to feel too sorry for the producer's wife who might have to sell her second home in Antibes.) On the plus side, though, the writing is more than competent and it's really hard to put the book down. I would take it to the beach in a heartbeat, but I will not be recommending it to my rather serious book group. (less)The premise of the book was wonderful. Catch up with four Harvard graduates as they gather for their 20 year class reunion. I imagined reuniting with three of my good friends from college and catching up on the ensuing years. Would four people thrown together in college be able to gather together again? With that in mind, I eagerly started reading the book. As much as I tried, I just couldn’t make myself care for the characters. I found myself forgetting about it once I put it down. It’s just possible it was too close to chick-lit to completely capture my attention. I still believe the premise should work.
