The Tender Land: A Family Love Story

I read this book when it came out several years ago and just finished it for the second time and still can't believe how powerful the story is and how well the book is written. I knew Sean (Kathleen's younger brother) all the way through grade school and went to his house several times to visit him over the years. I considered myself a close friend of Sean's and never realized what was going on his life until reading this book. I always wondered why a young, extremely bright, good looking kid would even contemplate such a fate. It's extremely well written and I would recommend it to anyone.

It has been a good long while since I've read a book as well written as The Tender Land. Finneran writes in a style that seems to be unaffected by other books covering this sort of topic---a family tragedy. She writes without sensationalism or blaring confrontations about a family that is basically kind, decent and loving, but haunted by what they call "the sadness"---depression that affects them generation after generation. By going back and forth in time, we learn by the end so much about this caring and unique family, and how they managed to go on after losing one of their own.

Many reviews quote"heart-rendering" . This is the book the quote was coined for. You will ache for this family and their tragedy. You will want to know how they move forward and on with their lives and you will care. The writing is superb and probably one of the best in this genre I have ever read.

This may be the best book of any kind that I have ever read. Finneran's profound exploration of family love is so true, so wise, so powerful. In line after line I recognized truths about my own family that I did not realize I knew. Her own family comes alive in this beautifully written memoir, but it is our family that we end up thinking about in new ways. What a gift.

This is an incredibly beautiful book. I found myself actually making noises out loud (sighs, wistful "ahs") while reading it! It is that beautifully written and that beautiful in its sentiment!The author does an amazing job in detailing her struggle to come not only to accept herself, but also to accept her brother's death (by suicide). She slowly peels away layers of her family history and the details of what led her brother to commit such a desperate act. I found this very moving as it allowed me more time to feel I understood him and to question (as everyone does when something like this happens), "Why?"I really cannot recommend this book enough. I hope you simply do yourself a favor and buy it.