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GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: House of Prayer No. 2 by Mark Richard

February 24, 2011 By Mary 50 Comments

Description

In this otherworldly memoir of extraordinary power, Mark Richard, an award-winning author, tells his story of growing up in the American South with a heady Gothic mix of racial tension and religious fervor.

   Called a “special child,” Southern social code for mentally—and physically—challenged children, Richard was crippled by deformed hips and was told he would spend his adult life in a wheelchair. During his early years in charity hospitals, Richard observed the drama of other broken boys’ lives, children from impoverished Appalachia, tobacco country lowlands, and Richmond’s poorest neighborhoods. The son of a solitary alcoholic father whose hair-trigger temper terrorized his family, and of a mother who sought inner peace through fasting, prayer, and scripture, Richard spent his bedridden childhood withdrawn into the company of books.

   As a young man, Richard, defying both his doctors and parents, set out to experience as much of the world as he could—as a disc jockey, fishing trawler deckhand, house painter, naval correspondent, aerial photographer, private investigator, foreign journalist, bartender and unsuccessful seminarian—before his hips failed him.  While digging irrigation ditches in east Texas, he discovered that a teacher had sent a story of his to the Atlantic, where it was named a winner in the magazine’s national fiction contest launching a career much in the mold of Jack London and Mark Twain.

   A superbly written and irresistible blend of history, travelogue, and personal reflection, House of Prayer No. 2 is a remarkable portrait of a writer’s struggle with his faith, the evolution of his art, and of recognizing one’s singularity in the face of painful disability.  Written with humor and a poetic force, this memoir is destined to become a modern classic.

About the Author

MARK RICHARD is the author of two award-winning short story collections, The Ice at the Bottom of the World and Charity, and the novel Fishboy. His short stories and journalism have appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Harper’s, Esquire, Vogue, and GQ. He is the recipient of the PEN/Hemingway Award, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, and a Whiting Foundation Writer’s Award. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their three sons.

Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Nan A. Talese (February 15, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 038551302X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385513029

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

I have to say that I was totally charmed by this memoir.  It is written in second person, which I think is a first for me.  To paraphrase Double Day, it is part Southern Gothic mixed with Running With Scissors and I was compelled to read it straight through.  I can’t say it is completely different than anything I have ever read, but most of those books were fiction.  I just found his whole life fascinating and he made the challenges that he face in life – crushing pain from bad hips, multiple surgeries that sounded barbaric, and horrible family life — part of the inevitable process of life which he lives to the fullest.

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

Contest is open to anyone with a US mailing addresses (no PO Boxes)

Contest ends on 3.9.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 3.10.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by Double Day Publishing and TWO copies of the book will be available.
Limit one winner per household/mailing address.

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Comments

  1. Bethie says

    February 24, 2011 at 3:16 am

    Thanks for the giveaway.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  2. holdenj says

    February 24, 2011 at 3:19 am

    I’ve heard good things about this book. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. holdenj says

    February 24, 2011 at 11:52 am

    Daily entry 2/24. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  4. bookspersonally says

    February 24, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    Sounds like a fascinating read!

    Reply
  5. Bethie says

    February 24, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    Daily Entry 2/24

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  6. holdenj says

    February 25, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Daily entry 2/25. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  7. Bethie says

    February 25, 2011 at 2:11 pm

    Daily Entry 2/25

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  8. llevinso says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:19 pm

    This kind of book sounds right up my alley!
    llevinso.bookreader[at]gmail[dot]com

    Reply
  9. nicolesender says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    daily entry
    2/25
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  10. Patty says

    February 26, 2011 at 2:02 am

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  11. Patty says

    February 26, 2011 at 2:03 am

    I love this cover!
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  12. holdenj says

    February 26, 2011 at 2:47 pm

    Daily entry 2/26. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  13. Patty says

    February 26, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    In for today.
    daily entry Feb. 26th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  14. nicolesender says

    February 27, 2011 at 5:42 am

    daily entry
    2/26
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  15. Patty says

    February 27, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    In for today.
    Feb. 27th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  16. holdenj says

    February 27, 2011 at 6:14 pm

    Daily entry 2/27. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  17. Bethie says

    February 28, 2011 at 12:20 am

    Daily Entry 2/27

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  18. nicolesender says

    February 28, 2011 at 6:03 am

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  19. nicolesender says

    February 28, 2011 at 6:11 am

    daily entry
    2/27
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  20. holdenj says

    February 28, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    Daily entry 2/28. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  21. Patty says

    March 1, 2011 at 1:06 am

    In for today.
    Daily entry Feb. 28th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  22. nicolesender says

    March 1, 2011 at 4:34 am

    daily entry
    2/28
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  23. Patty says

    March 1, 2011 at 1:42 pm

    In for today.
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com
    Daily entry for March 1st

    Reply
  24. holdenj says

    March 1, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    Daily entry 3/1. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  25. nicolesender says

    March 2, 2011 at 4:08 am

    daily entry
    3/1
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  26. Bethie says

    March 2, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    Daily Entry 3/2

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  27. holdenj says

    March 2, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    Daily entry 3/2. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  28. nicolesender says

    March 2, 2011 at 10:30 pm

    daily entry
    3/2
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  29. Patty says

    March 3, 2011 at 1:20 am

    Would love to win this.
    daily entry
    march 2nd
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  30. Patty says

    March 3, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    In for today.
    Daily entry
    March 3rd
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  31. holdenj says

    March 3, 2011 at 10:55 pm

    Daily entry 3/3. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  32. nicolesender says

    March 4, 2011 at 2:30 am

    daily entry
    3/3
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  33. Patty says

    March 4, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    In for today.
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com
    March 4th
    Daily entry

    Reply
  34. holdenj says

    March 4, 2011 at 10:41 pm

    Daily entry 3/4. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  35. nicolesender says

    March 5, 2011 at 2:15 am

    daily entry
    3/4
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  36. Bethie says

    March 5, 2011 at 2:50 am

    Daily Entry 3/4

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  37. holdenj says

    March 5, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    Daily entry 3/5. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  38. Patty says

    March 5, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    In for today!
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  39. nicolesender says

    March 6, 2011 at 6:58 am

    daily entry
    3/5
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  40. Patty says

    March 6, 2011 at 10:26 pm

    In for today.
    daily entry for March 6th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  41. holdenj says

    March 7, 2011 at 12:57 am

    Daily entry 3/6. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  42. nicolesender says

    March 7, 2011 at 6:30 am

    daily entry
    3/6
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  43. holdenj says

    March 8, 2011 at 12:46 am

    Daily entry 3/7. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  44. nicolesender says

    March 8, 2011 at 6:42 am

    daily entry
    3/7
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  45. Bethie says

    March 8, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Daily Entry 3/8

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  46. Patty says

    March 8, 2011 at 7:58 pm

    In for today.

    daily entry for March 8th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  47. holdenj says

    March 9, 2011 at 2:18 am

    3/8.
    JHolden955 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  48. Bethie says

    March 10, 2011 at 1:49 am

    Daily Entry 3/9

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    Reply
  49. Patty says

    March 10, 2011 at 1:59 am

    Daily entry March 9th
    patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

    Reply
  50. Mary (BookHounds) says

    March 10, 2011 at 4:18 pm

    JENNIFER B. — mottcat — Be sure to visit BACK TO THE HOMESTEAD here

    VALLYN — vallynwillden — Be sure to visit MY LIFE IN REVIEW here

    An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam). The winner(s) has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

    Thanks to all who entered.

    PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

    Reply

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