Reviewed on Richard and Judy on 8th June 2005 and voted the third most enjoyable read by viewers. A car crash kills Charlie’s little brother and, after a near-death experience, leaves Charlie with an ability to see the dead, to remain in touch with his brother and to share time with him. But this is no ghost story, you just accept Charlie’s gift, it’s a natural part of his gentle life, it’s beautiful and touching. Then Charlie falls in love and the novel becomes heart-achingly moving and totally enthralling as extraordinary choices have to be made. Simply written, thoughtful, intelligent and emotional, it may be a little saccharine for some, but I loved it, gently weeping at the end. It has just been chosen as a Richard and Judy summer read and personally, of the six featured books, this is my pick for the winner.
Heartwarming and uplifting novel examining love in all its guises. As a boy, Charlie St Cloud narrowly survived a car crash that killed Sam, his little brother. Years later, still unable to recover from his loss, Charlie has taken a job tending to the lawns and monuments in the New England cemetery where Sam is buried. When he meets Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventurous woman in training for a solo sailing trip around the globe, they discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that, after a violent storm at sea, eventually forces them to choose between death and live, past and present, holding on and letting go. The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud is a romantic and uplifting novel about second chances and the liberating power of love.
Ben Sherwood is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist. His acclaimed novel The Man Who Ate the 747 (August 2000) was published in 13 languages and is being adapted as both a feature film and musical. His latest novel, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud (March 2004) is also in development as a major motion picture. Since April 2004, he has served as executive producer of ABC News' Good Morning America. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. Educated at Harvard and Oxford, he lives with his wife and son in New York and Los Angeles. He is working on a new novel, Lucy the Unforgettable.
