Anna Quindlen: "Every Last One"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-04-12/anna-quindlen-every-last-one
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist presents the story of a mother, a father, their family and the unforeseen, catastrophic consequences of everyday actions.
Guests
Anna Quindlen
Newsweek columnist. Her many books include the best-selling "A Short Guide to a Happy Life," and the novels "One True Thing" and "Blessings."
Comments
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This show is another book promotion hour.
This book is another mainstream book only - always the same novels or non-fiction.
What's not covered is most types of publishing and most publishers.
Revenue sharing, means NPR will promote his album and get money back from sales through their promotion.
No tough reviews or negative reviews on NPR website to upset sales.
No coverage of any publishers against revenue sharing.
No response to any of this from NPR or DR Show.
No response from NPR Ombudsman whose job it is to represent listeners concerns. Time to deal with this. This is a clear cut straightforward major problem of conflict of interest that is unfair to most publishers.,
Thanks, Tom Hendricks
PLEASE USE MY FIRST NAME ONLY
I have read all your novels, and read an advance copy of Every Last One 2 weeks ago. I stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing it, so obviously I found it very readable. The story was very realistic. That said, I also found it greatly upsetting. I can't get it out of my mind. I'm having trouble recommending it for that reason.
Jean
Regarding Anna Quindlen interview:
Her quote of "we baby boomers are just taking up space, and maybe we should move out of the way to give the younger folks a chance to succeed." Pardon my words, but what a load of crap. I'm 60 years old, a unemployed six-figure retail executive who has been aggressively looking for work for over six months. The family savings are nearly gone, the kids college plans have moved from being accepted at multiple 4-year universities to attending community college close to home so they can work and help contribute to the family finances. As the family struggles to keep the home we built and have lived in for 15 years, I'll be damned if I will move aside because I'm "taking up space". However, it's really nice to know that Ms. Quinlan can do so.
To the caller who said that Americans are against the health care plan.
By Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — More Americans now favor than oppose the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against the legislation.
Thank you For you wonderful show Diane. Long time listener first time contacting you show. Anna Quindlen, really touched my heart with her story about friends closeness to the family.
I had a friend for 22 years we were friends since we were in 7th grade. We have a huge fight. And I ended up being that kid who was so close to the family for many years. It hurt me to this day to think about it. But it was for the best for our friendship to end, at the the time, but I missed his family dearly and sometimes I miss him. I am so happy to say we rekindled our friendship. I just enjoyed hearing this perspective and it helped to validate my emotions. Thank you for offering this interesting perspective to the public!!
Hi Diane and Anna,
I have a question about the generation of Americans that are just ahead of us Boomers. I think they are sometimes referred to as the "Silent Generation." Those born too late to be involved in WWII and Korea and too old to be involved in Vietnam and the Boomers coming of age in the '60's and early '70's. This was a small generation by comparison to the Boomers, untested, not represented by any elected president, and (from my personal contact with them) seem to be very conservative and rather negative in their outlook. As a former college professor, I have noticed they have also produced a generation of children that seems the most disconnected and confused (Gen. X) compared to the children of the Boomers.
However, as with every generation, The Silent Generation did come into power as they matured into their 40s and 50s starting in 1980 up to about 2005. Their age is now between 65 and 80.
With all that has transpired in our country over the last 15-20 years, has Anna confused the Boomers with the Silents?!
After all, the Boomers have just started to take control of the reins of political, economic and social power over the last 5 years or so.
What is Tom Hendricks problem regarding Diane's book reviews? I have always found them interesting, often introducing me to an author/book I might otherwise have ignored. I notice that many of them are also reviewed in newspapers or magazines. Is he that opposed to Oprah's book discussions?
I most especially enjoyed today's discussion with Quindlen, not just about her book, but also about her views on life in general. I don't think she meant that all of those in the 'older' generation should step aside but that we need to allow voices from a rising generation to be heard. That being said I'd like to believe that they have something to contribute when they do speak. Good opinions require serious thought, not just a rambling series of sentences.
Congratulations to Diane for winning the Peabody!!! Most deserved.
When talking about the priest who can be married, she forgot to say that Eastern Orthodox Priest can be married. Somehow every media in the USA overlooks the second biggest Christian Community in the world!
I thought it was interesting that Anna Quindlen cited the fact that she can now pay for her adult children's health care insurance as a way that she is personally benefitting from the health care bill.
I went in yesterday for my annual OB-GYN visit, and my doctor and I were discussing the health care bill and the relatively recent government research panel that recommended women under age 50 not receive mammograms. My doctor mentioned that she and every single practicing physician she knew were against the health care bill. She also mentioned that the AMA had let doctors down for decades by not representing working doctors, and she did mention that she herself is not even a member of the AMA.
She sees the government backed panel recommending mammograms not be provided to those under 50 as a taste of what is to come as a cost-reducing measure and a tremendous step backwards for women. According to my OB-GYN, the medical journals have been "lit up" with those opposing the health care bill, but especially furious about the recent mammogram recommendations. The opinion is that the statistics have been manipulated to support cost-reduction measures at the expense of women's lives. There was not a single OB-GYN or oncologist on the panel making these recommendations. ACOG opposed the health care bill and has strongly reacted to the mammogram proposal.
Personally, I would rather pay for my daughters' health insurance plans for a few years if needed out-of-pocket when they are in their early twenties, than worry that when they are 40, they may choose to not have a mammogram due to the out-of-pocket cost. If this is the beginning of what government run health care looks like, then I already don't like it.
I just finished reading this book, and like everyone else I have a broad spectrum of emotions. As a "baby boomer" parent of three adult children one of the aspects of the book that I really think we need to discuss is the effect the lives we lead have on our children. Infidelity in marriage, divorce, substance abuse, avoidance of dealing with difficult subjects, etc.-all of these take their toll. We recite the mantra "our children are resilient" yet I have witnessed many children suffering and committing senseless acts, some which have lead to tragedy. Our own lack of self-discipline, of valuing right relationships, has contributed to problems in our society. I say this as a liberal voting, open to diversity, Presbyterian USA person. It is time for a serious, national dialogue about these issues. Perhaps someone like Judith Wallerstein could help.
I just finished Every Last One last night at 4 a.m., as I couldn't put it down no matter how hard I tried. It was one of the most heartbreaking, touching books I've ever read, and I don't think I've ever cried so many tears before reading a novel, but many of the tears were tears of happiness and hope. Thank you so much for writing this most memorable story, which I will never forget.