Love Anthony

By: Lisa Genova

Narrated by: Debra Messing

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

From the award-winning New York Times best-selling author of Still Alice and Left Neglected, comes a heartfelt novel about an accidental friendship that gives a grieving mother a priceless gift: the ability to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life.

Two women, each cast adrift by unforseen events in their lives, meet by accident on a Nantucket beach and are drawn into a friendship.

Olivia is a young mother whose eight-year-old severely autistic son has recently died. Her marriage badly frayed by years of stress, she comes to the island in a trial separation to try and make sense of the tragedy of her Anthony's short life.

Beth, a stay-at-home mother of three, is also recently separated after discovering her husband’s long-term infidelity. In an attempt to recapture a sense of her pre-married life, she rekindles her passion for writing, determined to find her own voice again. But surprisingly, as she does so, Beth also find herself channeling the voice of an unknown boy, exuberant in his perceptions of the world around him if autistic in his expression - a voice she can share with Olivia - is it Anthony?) - that brings comfort and meaning to them both.

©2012 Lisa Genova (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

Hit home

As a mother of a 17 year old boy with autism, this book could have been my life. I have lived the same experiences, emotions, guilt and happiness as this mother. This is the first book I have read where the boy is given real feelings and not portrayed like a robot. My son is sweet and innocent and loving and such a gift. I have learned so much from him. am so grateful to Lisa Genova for writing this wonderful, touching, realistic story. Thank you!

Love you too!

This is one of those books that stay with you for a long time. I almost gave up on it, and then WHAM, I was hooked.

Perfect

From a mother of three children, one being severely autistic, the author’s message was dead on. She captured so perfectly the emotions of both a mother/wife with an autistic son and one with marital problems. She helped me look at my son through different eyes. We never really know what children on the spectrum are thinking. The emotional battles for acceptance for all can be over bearing during those younger years. Eventually they do get better! I’d like to think that all special needs children have more to offer then what they can show in a ‘typical’ fashion. This was a great book for me and am thankful that I found it. Good listen for all!!

Phenomenal Book - Loved it!!

Love it!!! Phenomenal book!! One of the best books I’ve ever read (or listened to)!!!! Just read it, that’s it, you will have missed something if you don’t. This was an audible book and Debra Messing is a phenomenal narrator, luckily my internet went down today, so I couldn’t work, I put on my bluetooth headset and spent the day with this absolutely awesome book. This one goes right to the top of my top 10 most favorite literary fiction books read ever, up there with When Crickets Cry and See You.
I cannot give enough praise to this story, it is so touching and heartfelt. The writing is beautiful, the story is beautiful. The ending was one of the best I have ever read, ever, and I read a lot. I have also read multiple books on autism but none of them have explained it like this from the child’s point of view. This book is not just about autism though, it is about so much more, it is about endings, beginnings, forgiving, love, loss, humor, and life. It had me hooked from the very first chapter. I loved Olivia and Beth, they made me outright laugh out loud and then cry. I was so tickled so many times, the conversation on the get back theory for adultery was hilarious. I loved the way it went thru plain normal life.
This book is so far about 5*****’s. I will recommend it to everyone I know that reads.

new perspective

great read. changed my attitude about how people perceive autism. Lisa Genova has interesting insights on most of the books she has written

Amazing and Beautiful

I had heard about this book called Love Anthony from many of my colleagues. I am a Child and Youth Worker who works with Adults with Autism as well as a developmental disability. All of them said you have GOT to read this book.
They were all 100% right! I loved this book, every page of it!
My most memorable moment was when Anthony was frustrated when there were only two French Toast sticks instead of 3. When he explained why only 2 French toast sticks were not going to work is when I truly began to understand.
Debra Messing's performance was outstanding.
Lisa, I also read Still Alice and can't wait to see the movie when it finally comes to DVD and I will be thrilled if Love Anthony makes it to the big screen.

Great book by wonderful author.

If you could sum up Love Anthony in three words, what would they be?

Touching, insightful, well written

Who was your favorite character and why?

Anthony. Can't reveal why without spoiling the story

What aspect of Debra Messing’s performance would you have changed?

She fluctuated between a very soft voice and a more audible on. I kept having to turn the volume up then down. Somewhat distracting.

If you could take any character from Love Anthony out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Beth. She was talented and interesting.

Any additional comments?

You felt like you were actually present.

Favorite book of this year

Emotional ending. At the beginning this book, I would’ve never known it was going to be the heart wrenching and warm feeling experience I’m writing a review of this book. I cried especially at the end as she speaks through the child and the love and connection we have as mothers.

Not Disappointed

Once again Lisa Genova has written an observant and empathetic story. I'm not quite sure how she does it, but this was a powerful insight into autism and must be so meaningful for any parent who has a child on the spectrum, and for anyone who has seen an autistic child/person who displays some of the characteristic; hopefully we will all be a little more understanding whenever we do.

Beautiful

Heart warming and life affirming story of everyone's potential to love completely and our choices to do so. Read it!