The Fall of A Sparrow (Abridged) Audiobook

" this book has been on my shelves for maybe over a year, but i just now got in the mood to start it. i can't tell yet whether i'll like it or not.... "

" After reading Sixteen Pleasures, i decided to see what else this author had written. He again reveals his understanding the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Alan, a classics professor is convinced his life is over and has learned all of lifes lessons. His oldest daughter is killed in a terrorist bombing in Italy, his wife leaves him and his 2 remaining daughters move away. He attends the trial and returns to the scene. A compelling story... "

" Excellent, a professor's daughter is killed in Italy in a terrorist attack and it describes the 7+ years after and the toll it takes on his family, etc. He is a college professor at a college in Illinois, and he heads to the trial of the accusers when they finally are tried. "

" Different. Interesting. Looking forward to read more by this author, and Knox College professor! "

" Classics professor sounds the depths of loss and new life. Not great literature but an entertaining and meaningful read. "

" This novel spans the range of human emotion. It is at times whacky and hilarious and at other times sinks to the depths of despair. The writing can best be described as lyrical. "

" dont remember when i read this or if i liked it but i did read it. "

" I felt this book was ok. It didn't grab my attention. The story didn't seem to have a climax. I also didn't like all the sentences in Greek and Italian since I didn't know what they meant, so I just skim those parts. "

" don't really know what I was expecting from this book, but it was nothing like I expected...the characters were whiny for the most part, and the plot (such as it was) didn't really pick up till the second half. "

" really rich, multi-layered story. "

" Hellenga is an english Professor at Knox College, Galesburg, IL. I think he's a very good writer. This is the story about a college professor and his family and how the death of a child turns their lives around. I thought this was a very good book with good character study of the family. "

" It could have been a good book, but too many distractions in the story. "

" I liked this book, but it was too long- could have used some editing. The premise that things that happen in life, however bad must and can be absorbed,is a good one. There is much to learn about American experience of Italian culture- that it isn't always a pleasant tour. "

" I like the religious overtones and the wife becoming a nun. I know the hero is a male pig in many ways, but he appeals to me nonetheless and this is one of my favorite books! "

" Love it, so far. Funny, poignant, well written, great sense of atmosphere. "

" I really loved the first two thirds, but then it sort of fell apart at the end. "

" A story about a family falling apart, philosophy, and finally forgiveness. Took some time to get into it. Not an easy book to get into, but it got better as it went along. "

" I found this comforting and simply beautiful. "

" For me to rate something this low is really saying something. I was very excited about this book but it definitely disappointed. You may not want to risk the disappointment. "

" Quite a magnificent and affecting novel. "

" well written book about a midwestern family dealing with all the emotions of losing a child during a terrorist bombing in Italy...the main character is Alan Woodhull, "Woody", a classics professor at a small mid-western college. "

" Love it, so far. Funny, poignant, well written, great sense of atmosphere. "

" I liked this book, but it was too long- could have used some editing. The premise that things that happen in life, however bad must and can be absorbed,is a good one. There is much to learn about American experience of Italian culture- that it isn't always a pleasant tour. "

" Engaging story although some parts seemed to drag. "

" It could have been a good book, but too many distractions in the story. "

" Hellenga's prose ranks him high on the list of current writers, and I mostly enjoyed reading "The Fall of a Sparrow". My main reservation about the book is that for me it border's on a male version of chick-lit. "

" Hellenga is an english Professor at Knox College, Galesburg, IL. I think he's a very good writer. This is the story about a college professor and his family and how the death of a child turns their lives around. I thought this was a very good book with good character study of the family. "

" Very well written. A lot of research obviously went into it. A little too much Latin though. "

" Quite a magnificent and affecting novel. "

" This is a story of how a family is emotionally "blown a part" after their college age daughter is literally blown up in the train station bombing in Italy in the 80's. I wanted to strangle the main character "Woody" most of the time, but one copes in whatever way one can cope. "

" I found this comforting and simply beautiful. "