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Jodi Picoult was our Guest Editor in January 2014 - click here - to see the books that inspired her writing.
Jodi Picoult is the author of twenty-one internationally bestselling novels, including My Sister's Keeper, House Rules and The Storyteller, and has also co-written two YA books with her daughter Samantha van Leer, Between the Lines and Off the Page. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children.
Author Photograph © Deborah Feingold
A lone gunman takes the women and doctors at a controversial abortion clinic hostage. Nobody has ended up there by choice. As the tense negotiation for their release unfolds, hour by crucial hour, back in time through the day that brought the hostages and their captor to this moment, every certainty is questioned, every judgement thrown into sharp relief. Because matters of life and death look very different when you, or the ones you love, are staring down the barrel of a gun . . . Powerful, thought-provoking and deeply involving, Jodi Picoult's new novel is told in reverse, propelling the reader through intertwining characters and uncovering motives in this unflinching exploration of what makes a life.
The Center for women's reproductive health offers a last chance at hope - but nobody ends up there by choice. Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder. Now life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real: a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage. Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator, the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point. And certainties unwind as truths and secrets are peeled away, revealing the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose.
Just incredible… this punchy, beautiful, readable story vibrates with a powerful energy. After Turk Bauer accuses nurse Ruth Jefferson of murdering his new born son, Kennedy McQuarrie defends Ruth in court. Each of the three main characters, in their own distinct and unique voice, tell us their story, we live side by side with them, and also delve into their past. This is a book that made me think, but also deep down in the centre of my innermost core it made me feel. Within a few pages I was crying, then in the next chapter I was burning with disbelief, a short while later still, I was reflecting, contemplating, questioning. This isn't about good and evil, it isn't as simple, or even as complicated as that, this is a book that shines a light on racism, on prejudice, and then invites you to examine your own thoughts and feelings. I was desperate to know the ending, and yet didn't want it to finish, and when I turned the last page I sat back and just felt myself float free. At the centre of ‘Small Great Things’ is an open, welcoming, loving heart that beats with a vibrant intensity, and it is quite simply, a must read. ~ Liz Robinson
One of our Books of the Year 2016. December 2016 Book of the Month. Just incredible… this punchy, beautiful, readable story vibrates with a powerful energy. After Turk Bauer accuses nurse Ruth Jefferson of murdering his new born son, Kennedy McQuarrie defends Ruth in court. Each of the three main characters, in their own distinct and unique voice, tell us their story, we live side by side with them, and also delve into their past. This is a book that made me think, but also deep down in the centre of my innermost core it made me feel. Within a few pages I was crying, then in the next chapter I was burning with disbelief, a short while later still, I was reflecting, contemplating, questioning. This isn't about good and evil, it isn't as simple, or even as complicated as that, this is a book that shines a light on racism, on prejudice, and then invites you to examine your own thoughts and feelings. I was desperate to know the ending, and yet didn't want it to finish, and when I turned the last page I sat back and just felt myself float free. At the centre of ‘Small Great Things’ is an open, welcoming, loving heart that beats with a vibrant intensity, and it is quite simply, a must read. ~ Liz Robinson
To tell you much about this might give away the surprise and shocking ending, suffice to say it is written from the point of view of a daughter, Jenna, desperate to find the truth about the disappearance of her mother ten years earlier, and by that mother, Alice, who fills us in on Jenna’s childhood up to the fateful night when tragedy struck. To learn what happens from then on you have got to read this terrific tale. ~ Sarah Broadhurst One of our Books of the Year 2014. A 'Piece of Passion' from the publisher... 'Leaving Time does all the usual Jodi Picoult things: tells a rattling good story that means you can’t turn the pages fast enough; creates characters so real and vivid you expect to meet them walking down the street; teaches you something you didn’t know – and didn’t know you wanted to know! In this case what we learn about is elephants; the characters are a 13-year-old whose mother has vanished, a discredited psychic and a washed-up PI; and the question that keeps you going is ‘What could have happened to Jenna’s mother?’ But there are extra dimensions to this book that make it truly special: an extraordinary understanding of loss and grief and the relationship between mothers and children, and a humdinger of a conclusion.' - Carolyn Mays, Editor, Hodder & Stoughton
One of our Books of the Year 2014. November 2014 Book of the Month. To tell you much about this might give away the surprise and shocking ending, suffice to say it is written from the point of view of a daughter, Jenna, desperate to find the truth about the disappearance of her mother ten years earlier, and by that mother, Alice, who fills us in on Jenna’s childhood up to the fateful night when tragedy struck. To learn what happens from then on you have got to read this terrific tale. A 'Piece of Passion' from the publisher... 'Leaving Time does all the usual Jodi Picoult things: tells a rattling good story that means you can’t turn the pages fast enough; creates characters so real and vivid you expect to meet them walking down the street; teaches you something you didn’t know – and didn’t know you wanted to know! In this case what we learn about is elephants; the characters are a 13-year-old whose mother has vanished, a discredited psychic and a washed-up PI; and the question that keeps you going is ‘What could have happened to Jenna’s mother?’ But there are extra dimensions to this book that make it truly special: an extraordinary understanding of loss and grief and the relationship between mothers and children, and a humdinger of a conclusion.' - Carolyn Mays, Editor, Hodder & Stoughton
I cannot recommend this author highly enough. She always tackles nutty social issues, high emotional topics but refrains from being overly sentimental. She lets the power of the plot speak for itself. This involves the kidnapping of a daughter from her mother by her father 28 years previously. The police have just caught up with him. The story unfolds in sections with each having a chapter from the view point of a different character. The result is remarkable.Similar this month: Elizabeth Berg, Rachel Hore.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Jane Hamilton.
A strong tale of an unlikely friendship between a young woman and an old man. He has a secret that is so dark he does finally want to end his life. This author is first-rate and here tackles perhaps her most difficult of issues so far … the Holocaust. Full of different stories which intertwine, twists which leave you stunned and an unexpected climax, this is a must read.
This American author takes gritty, social issues as the themes of her hard-hitting tales and keeps you turning the pages in astonishment through twists, misunderstandings and injustices. Here we have a mother’s fury and pain spilling out of control with truly alarming consequences. It couldn’t happen in the same way in the UK but as a piece of emotional drama it’s terrific. She was one of the Richard and Judy Book Club picks and has an impressive backlist, all of which I also highly recommend.Similar this month: None but try Nicholas Evans.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Joshilyn Jackson.
She has done it again. I keep waiting for this lady to produce a mediocre book for, with some seven published over here in quick succession, one expects at least one to be poor ....... but no. Each tackles a nutty social problem, some perhaps a bit American, but nonetheless, all powerful human dramas. This one has the addition of a graphic novel within its pages, the father's relationship with his daughter the central theme. It adds an interesting dimension to a tale of date-rape, false, or not, accusations, suicide or murder ..... I'm not telling you. I just want to recommend yet another very successful Jodi Picoult. She is quite a find.Comparisons: Anita Shreve, Jane Hamilton, Andre Dubus.
This American author takes gritty, social issues as the themes of her hard-hitting tales and keeps you turning the pages in astonishment through twists, misunderstandings and injustices. Here we have a mother’s fury and pain spilling out of control with truly alarming consequences. It couldn’t happen in the same way in the UK but as a piece of emotional drama it’s terrific. She was one of the Richard and Judy Book Club picks and has an impressive backlist, all of which I also highly recommend.Similar this month: None but try Nicholas Evans.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Joshilyn Jackson.
Luke Warren would sleep in the dirt if it meant he could be under the stars. He lives by the laws of nature, and would surely want to die that way. But Luke is in a coma, and his family must make an unbearable decision. As tensions and secrets rise to the surface, the tragic accident which brought them back together against the odds could well tear Luke's family apart forever. They know Luke would not want to live like this. But how can they choose to let him die?
Loosely based on The Crucible, this is a frightening tale of persecution, injustice and hysteria within a small community made worse by being set in a town haunted by its history. Jodi always tackles big issues in her highly compulsive tales and this is no exception. I find her hard to put down. Her My Sister’s Keeper was one of Richard and Judy’s Book Club choices.Comparison: Joshilyn Jackson, Jane Hamilton, Anita Shreve.Similar this month: None but try Nicholas Sparks or Robert Goddard.
Jodi Picoult’s latest offering, Harvesting the Heart, sees new mother Paige struggling with being a parent. Doubting her ability to cope and haunted by the fact that her own mother left her when she was only five, she wonders whether her baby would be better off without her. As always, Picoult tackles this moral dilemma with honest conviction and beautifully written prose.
You can't choose who you love ... Number One bestselling author Jodi Picoult's new novel asks what it takes to make a family in today's world. Click here to see her latest book, Between The Lines, which was written with her teenage daughter, Samantha Van Leer.
A teenage suicide pact, one dies, the other does not and the families fall apart. I cannot believe the power of this author, her My Sister’s Keeper was about bringing a child into the world to keep another alive and her Plain Truth was about an Amish mother accused of murdering her baby. Each book tackles profoundly tough, sensitive issues putting them in the context of real life. She’s extraordinary and although new over here, she has been writing for years. Her British publishers have bought eleven of her books and are bringing one out every four months. I’ve no idea if she can keep the spellbinding power up but so far I have been bowled over.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Joanna Trollope, Alice Hoffman.Similar this month: None, but try Rosie Thomas or Jenny Eclair.
A strong tale of an unlikely friendship between a young woman and an old man. He has a secret that is so dark he does finally want to end his life. This author is first-rate and here tackles perhaps her most difficult of issues so far … the Holocaust. Full of different stories which intertwine, twists which leave you stunned and an unexpected climax, this is a must read.
When Luke Warren is involved in a car accident which leaves him in a coma, his family are gathered together against the odds; they face an impossible dilemma. His daughter Cara is praying for a miracle: she will fight everything and everyone to save her father's life. His son Edward can't imagine that a man who once ran with wolves could ever be happy with a different life. But Edward hasn't spoken to Luke for six years. How can he dare to speak on his father's behalf? Somehow, they must choose: Do they keep Luke alive? Or do they let him go?
Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 19 May 2011. You can't choose who you love ... Number One bestselling author Jodi Picoult's new novel asks what it takes to make a family in today's world.
November 2010 Good Housekeeping selection. Jodi Picoult’s latest offering, Harvesting the Heart, sees new mother Paige struggling with being a parent. Doubting her ability to cope and haunted by the fact that her own mother left her when she was only five, she wonders whether her baby would be better off without her. As always, Picoult tackles this moral dilemma with honest conviction and beautifully written prose.
This is an unabridged audiobook title. Another thought provoking read from Jodi Picoult. Family bonds and friendships are tested as a mother fights to protect her family although what start out as best intentions can sometimes have the opposite effect. Fans will enjoy and new readers will discover the sensitive and moving writing Picoult is famous for.
I cannot recommend this author highly enough. She always tackles nutty social issues, high emotional topics but refrains from being overly sentimental. She lets the power of the plot speak for itself. This involves the kidnapping of a daughter from her mother by her father 28 years previously. The police have just caught up with him. The story unfolds in sections with each having a chapter from the view point of a different character. The result is remarkable.Similar this month: Elizabeth Berg, Rachel Hore.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Jane Hamilton.
This American author takes gritty, social issues as the themes of her hard-hitting tales and keeps you turning the pages in astonishment through twists, misunderstandings and injustices. Here we have a mother’s fury and pain spilling out of control with truly alarming consequences. It couldn’t happen in the same way in the UK but as a piece of emotional drama it’s terrific. She was one of the Richard and Judy Book Club picks and has an impressive backlist, all of which I also highly recommend.Similar this month: None but try Nicholas Evans.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Joshilyn Jackson.
This American author takes gritty, social issues as the themes of her hard-hitting tales and keeps you turning the pages in astonishment through twists, misunderstandings and injustices. Here we have a mother’s fury and pain spilling out of control with truly alarming consequences. It couldn’t happen in the same way in the UK but as a piece of emotional drama it’s terrific. She was one of the Richard and Judy Book Club picks and has an impressive backlist, all of which I also highly recommend.Similar this month: None but try Nicholas Evans.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Joshilyn Jackson.
She has done it again. I keep waiting for this lady to produce a mediocre book for, with some seven published over here in quick succession, one expects at least one to be poor ....... but no. Each tackles a nutty social problem, some perhaps a bit American, but nonetheless, all powerful human dramas. This one has the addition of a graphic novel within its pages, the father's relationship with his daughter the central theme. It adds an interesting dimension to a tale of date-rape, false, or not, accusations, suicide or murder ..... I'm not telling you. I just want to recommend yet another very successful Jodi Picoult. She is quite a find.Comparisons: Anita Shreve, Jane Hamilton, Andre Dubus.
As with Jodi’s smash hit ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ this is an addictively readable, well crafted and compelling drama which brings to the fore a very topical issue in today’s troubled world – divorce and its aftermath. The young daughter of the divorced couple confides in an imaginary friend and begins to perform miraculous healings whilst her mother falls, first into depression and then sees an opportunity to exploit her daughter via a media frenzy. Is it to get back at her ex-husband or a genuine cry for attention?
Another gritty, social subject tackled with authority and high drama, this author certainly knows how to deliver a punch. A prosecuting officer on abuse cases’ worst nightmare happens: her five-year old son is raped. Knowing the culprits so often get away scot-free, she disastrously takes the law into her own hands. The consequences are a little far-fetched for over here but this is America and it seems anything is possible. How it is all resolved is riveting stuff. She is very good.Comparison: Anita Shreve, Elizabeth Berg.Similar this month: Patricia Gaffney, Noelle Harrison.
Pre-order Jodi Picoult's stunning new novel about life, death, and missed opportunities. 'A writer the world should be reading right now.' Independent Who would you be, if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are now? Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully. But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved. Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain. As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us? Two possible futures. One impossible choice. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 'It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes.' Financial Times 'Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios.' The Sunday Times 'A matchless talent for hitting emotional notes.' Irish Times
Dawn thinks she knows everything there is to know about dying. As a death doula she helps her clients fix what is left undone so they can peacefully make the final transition. But when her plane plummets from the sky and she thinks she is experiencing the last moments of her life, she is shocked to find that she isn't thinking of her husband or teenage daughter - but of a road she strayed from 15 years earlier, when she turned her back on her PhD studies. Against all odds, Dawn survives, and the airline gives her a free ticket to wherever she needs to get to. in alternating chapters, we see possible choices: Land - returning to her husband, a quantum physicist who studies the possibilities of parallel universes, she is faced with a test to her marriage and a daughter who is struggling with self-image issues. And Water: returning to her studies and the archaeological site she worked on 15 years earlier, where the man she abandoned is about to make the discovery of a lifetime. But time may not be as straightforward as we think. As Dawn explores her possible futures, she is finding out what a well-lived life means, what we leave behind of ourselves when we leave the earth, and who she might have been...
THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR 'It is impossible not to be held spellbound by the way she forces us to think, hard, about right and wrong.' Washington Post Katie Fisher is Amish. For eighteen years, she has grown up in a community set apart from the modern world by lifestyle and belief. It is a community fiercely protective of its way of life. To turn your back on it is to lose everything - your church, your home, and your family. So in the middle of the night when the baby comes, Katie does the only thing she knows how to do in times of stress: she prays. Exhausted, she falls asleep. When she wakes, the child is gone. Her prayer has been answered. But faith alone cannot help when the baby's body is found. THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, Jodi's stunning new novel about life, death and missed opportunities is available to pre-order now.
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 'True to form, Picoult keeps you guessing to the end in this morality tale . . . an edge-of-your-seat thriller' Sunday Express With one terrible, senseless act, Shay Bourne transformed the life of the Nealon family forever, leaving June Nealon widowed and alone to care for her daughter Claire. Now, as he sits on death row, Shay has one final request. He wishes to donate his heart to Claire and save the young girl's life. To June, accepting such an offer would mean allowing Shay to stay with them forever. But refusing means risking the life of the only person she has left. From internationally bestselling author Jodi Picoult comes this brilliantly thought-provoking novel, beautifully written and impossible to put down. THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, Jodi's stunning new novel about life, death and missed opportunities is available to pre-order now.
May 2016 Book of the Month. This companion novel to the bestselling Between the Lines also works wonderfully as a life-affirming standalone novel, and features a sprinkling of full-page colour illustrations that exude the feel-good nostalgic ambiance of traditional fairy tales. Sixteen-year-old Delilah finally has her prince. Literally. Oliver has stepped from the pages of Delilah’s favourite fairy tale and is now a living, breathing teenage boy after having switched places with Edgar, son of the tale’s creator. Oliver turns more than a few heads at high school with his dashing good looks and social faux pas, including “doing the queen's wave as we head down the science wing” and being punched by the president of the LGBT Alliance for his unwittingly inappropriate use of the word 'fairy'. But while Oliver and Delilah are elated at being together, love in the real world isn’t entirely a bed of roses. Meanwhile, back in the fairy tale, (which has been given a sci-fi makeover), Edgar is also struggling and, when misfortune strikes the tale’s creator, the characters she gave life to are called upon to return the favour. Whimsically entertaining throughout, Off the Page has a soft-centred heart that beats with the big themes of love, loss and searching for happy ever afters. “Home isn't where you are. It’s who you're with,” remarks the novel’s storyteller towards its end, which is an aptly warmhearted sentiment to come away with.
THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A writer the world needs to be reading right now' The Independent 'An apposite and nuanced novel... Picoult writes about an emotive, controversial issue with unflinching precision.' Red 'Incredibly compelling and page turning' Dolly Alderton 'A very special novel about a very difficult subject.' Grazia 'Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios' The Sunday Times A lone gunman takes the women and doctors at a controversial abortion clinic hostage. Nobody has ended up there by choice. As the tense negotiation for their release unfolds, hour by crucial hour, back in time through the day that brought the hostages and their captor to this moment, every certainty is questioned, every judgement thrown into sharp relief. Because matters of life and death look very different when you, or the ones you love, are staring down the barrel of a gun . . . Powerful, thought-provoking and deeply involving, Jodi Picoult's new novel is told in reverse, propelling the reader through intertwining characters and uncovering motives in this unflinching exploration of what makes a life.
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A writer the world needs to be reading right now' The Independent 'An apposite and nuanced novel... Picoult writes about an emotive, controversial issue with unflinching precision.' Red 'A very special novel about a very difficult subject.' Grazia 'Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios' The Sunday Times The Center for women's reproductive health offers a last chance at hope - but nobody ends up there by choice. Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder. Now life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real: a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage. Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator, the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point. And certainties unwind as truths and secrets are peeled away, revealing the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose.
The astonishing novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about a young boy with autism falsely accused of murder. When your son can't look you in the eye...does that mean he's guilty? Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger's Syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subjectforensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he's always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he's usually right. But when Jacob's small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob's behaviors are hallmark Asperger's, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob's mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Theres always more beneath the surface.Once, Hope Payne was a mermaid, performing at the local theme park and captivating audiences young and old.Today, shes married to a pragmatic marine biologist who has filled the pool in their backyard with flounder for a special study. Before he begins, the fish vanishechoing a loss Hope alone can understand. She senses theres something underwater, something alive and hungry for more, but is she in too deep to ever resurface?New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoults Mermaid is a spellbinding short story about the sacrifice it takes to swim again.
'It's hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes' Financial Times When a newborn baby dies after a routine hospital procedure, there is no doubt about who will be held responsible: the nurse who had been banned from looking after him by his father. What the nurse, her lawyer and the father of the child cannot know is how this death will irrevocably change all of their lives, in ways both expected and not. Small Great Things is about prejudice and power; it is about that which divides and unites us.
When Willow is born with severe osteogenesis imperfecta, her parents are devastatedshe will suffer hundreds of broken bones as she grows, a lifetime of pain. In this provocative story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, ';Picoult writes with unassuming brilliance' (Stephen King). Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of ';luckier' parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health. Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte had known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life? Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Handle with Care is an unforgettable novel about the fragility of life and the lengths we will go to protect it.
Die Golds und die Hartes sind Nachbarn in einer wohlhabenden Stadt in New Hampshire und seit vielen Jahren eng befreundet. Ihre Kinder Chris und Emily wachsen miteinander auf. Von Kindesbeinen an sind sie unzertrennlich, bis sich diese innige Freundschaft in der Highschool in eine romantische Liebe verwandelt. Die Eltern sind zufrieden, da sie mit dieser Verbindung gerechnet haben. Doch dann bricht eine vollig unerwartete Tragodie uber sie herein, die das Gluck von Chris und Emily zerstort ...
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER *; With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power, and race, Small Great Things is the stunning new page-turner fromJodi Picoult.SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE ';[Picoult] offers a thought-provoking examination of racism in America today, both overt and subtle. Her many readers will find much to discuss in the pages of this topical, moving book.'Booklist (starred review) Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene? Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her familyespecially her teenage sonas the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about othersand themselvesmight be wrong. With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassionand doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.Praise for Small Great Things';Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written. . . . It will challenge her readers . . . [and] expand our cultural conversation about race and prejudice.'The Washington Post ';A novel that puts its finger on the very pulse of the nation that we live in today . . . a fantastic read from beginning to end, as can always be expected from Picoult, this novel maintains a steady, page-turning pace that makes it hard for readers to put down.'San Francisco Book Review
Die Ehe von Mariah und Colin White ist gescheitert. Ihre siebenjahrige Tochter Faith reagiert zunachst mit Schweigen, beginnt aber bald mit einer unsichtbaren Beschutzerin zu reden. Als Faith ubersinnliche Fahigkeiten entwickelt, geraten Mutter und Tochter ins Zentrum eines aufdringlichen Medieninteresses. Nur Ian kommt ihnen zur Hilfe, ein gewiefter Reporter, der sich jedoch Hals uber Kopf in Mariah verliebt, was die Dinge nicht einfacher macht ... Eine meisterhaft erzahlte Geschichte uber Wahrheit und Zweifel.
