The Hour I First Believed

Reviews / Votes

Praise for THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED 'A fine and humane novel which tries to make sense of America's turbulent times' Daily Mail 'Captivating...he entrances' Financial Times 'Those who love a good plot will not be disappointed...He avoids any maudlin sentiment and constantly surprises. He delivers on his message of redemption...it is genuinely moving.' Independent Praise for I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE 'A modern Greek tragedy![Lamb's] success is to present this with terrific readability, tenderness, optimism and, most surprisingly, wit! The hallmark of the book is fine writing and a commendable depth of characterisation' The Times 'Wally Lamb's achievement is to force you to feel Dominick's pain! the events in Dominick's everyday nightmare are presented with a sneaky simplicity which generates emotional tension' Daily Telegraph 'A triumph of simple beauty' Time 'I Know This Much Is True never grapples with anything less than life's biggest questions! a modern-day Dostoyevsky' New York Times 'Every now and then a book comes along that sets new standards for writers and readers alike. Wally Lamb's latest novel is stunning -- and even that might be an understatement' Associated Press Reader reviews on Amazon include: 'This is my top read ever. It's fantastic.' 'I will re-read it for years to come. Why can't they all be this good?' 'The book had such an insight of human nature that it left me wondering how was it possible to capture so much truth in a simple way.' 'It will make you laugh, gasp and cry.' 'Lamb creates a nuanced picture of a flawed but decent man. And the questions that permeate the novel! contribute to a fully developed and triumphantly resolved exploration of one man's suffering and redemption' Publishers Weekly 'Captivating' Bookseller Praise for THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED 'It's disturbing yet achingly tender, a complex story related with such clarity and intimacy that the reader is captured by the narrator's dilemma right from the start. Caelum Quirk in his vulnerability, his confusion, his sympathy and above all his quiet decency, expresses so much about what it means to be a man trying to cope with the ripple effects of private and public trauma.' Debra Adelaide, author of The Household Guide to Dying 'Wally Lamb spins a great yarn, and this one is epic' Sunday Mail Brisbane