LoveReading Says
April 2014 Book of the Month.
An American road trip with a difference. Our travelling companions are a surly, wheelchair bound teenager, Trev, with muscular dystrophy and his damaged carer, Ben, a man whose never done care work before. Trev’s well looked after by a very caring mother but he has an estranged father on the other side of America. Ben takes Trev to visit him, so lots of adventures along the way, obviously, but it’s the slow revealing of Ben’s background that really strikes a chord and how both men learn from each other. They pick up a girl and that is charming too. A lovely, special book.
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'A fantastic book, it tugs at your heart strings in an unpredictable way. A book that is full of humour and compassion for life...A must read for 2014' Katie Dickinson.
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Sarah Broadhurst
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Jonathan Evison Press Reviews
We have asked a select number of members and browsers to review The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving. You can read their reviews below.
Phylippa Smithson - 'I cannot speak more highly of this incredibly touching, sad, uplifting and ‘straight-faced’ delivery of the humour of this book, all packed into just 276 pages.' Click Here to read the full review.
Ann Alderton - 'A compelling picaresque tale for the 21st century featuring a cast of dysfunctional misfits and a road trip. The novel's underlying sadness is tempered by a comedic warmth that keeps it real.' Click Here to read the full review.
Sue Wallace - 'Tragic, funny and moving story of Trev, a disabled teenager, and Ben, his caregiver and a road trip they take. It's a great read.' Click Here to read the full review.
Julie Bertschin - 'Beautifully touching story of a road trip by a carer and a Muscular Dystrophy sufferer across America. Both funny and tragic at the same time. Wonderful.' Click Here to read the full review.
Ian Harvey-Brown - 'Brilliant, heartwarming - the ending made me want to weep.' Click Here to read the full review.
Katie Dickinson - 'A fantastic book, it tugs at your heart strings in an unpredictable way. A book that is full of humour and compassion for life...A must read for 2014' Click Here to read the full review.
Jane Pepler - 'A road trip across America like no other for Ben and Trev which breaks all the rules of caregiving that Ben has ever learned...This is a fantastic book, beautifully written and totally absorbing.' Click Here to read the full review.
Alison Burns - 'The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving is funny, sad, uplifting and hopeful. I enjoyed every page of it.' Click Here to read the full review.
Jacki Moorcroft - 'An acutely moving story which is sad and funny, full of warmth and compassion, but mostly about finally finding hope and redemption after a terrible tragedy.' Click Here to read the full review.
Suzanne Beney - 'A journey of many roads – a physical journey across America, a journey through emotions, a journey of caring for people and a journey of finding yourself.' Click Here to read the full review.
Genevieve McAllister - 'The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving should be sad, but it’s not. It’s poignant, yes, but it’s also laugh-out-loud funny and packed full of observations on the absurdity of life.' Click Here to read the full review.
Linda Hill - 'Witty, insightful and captivating...Sad, funny and ultimately uplifting without being saccharine, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving is a brilliant book.' Click Here to read the full review.
Rachel Aygin - 'It's like the characters hijack the plot and take it off on lots of side tracks and yet somehow you don't mind...If you like quirky books, this is for you.' Click Here to read the full review.
Carina Barnett - 'This book captured me from the first page. Evison writes with a light but acute humour, coupled with an engaging and distinctive turn of phrase.' Click Here to read the full review.
Christine McCormick - 'Whilst I did enjoy this book, I did find the first half a little hard going...Thankfully, once the road trip with Trev got under way, then the story really took off.' Click Here to read the full review.
Cathy Burman - 'Very well written, compassionate, witty, and fast moving. You will wonder throughout what is going to happen next and you will be routing for Ben all the way through.' Click Here to read the full review.
Lindsey Whittle - 'A story of two damaged people, taking a road trip which eventually includes other casualties of life.' Click Here to read the full review.
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Further praise for The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving.
'Jonathan Evison is a gifted raconteur with a wicked sense of humor and an unflagging empathy for humankind in all its sad, foible-filled magnificence. In The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, his myriad talents are displayed in full bloom'
Patrick Dewitt
