Book Review and Giveaway: THE SWIMMING POOL by Holly LeCraw: The Beauty of Language. Two Winners for this one.

Title: THE SWIMMING POOL
Author: Holly LeCraw
Publisher: Double Day
Format: Completed Book
ISBN: 978-0-385-53193-1
Price: $25.95; Pages: 307

I'm going to deviate somewhat from my usual style of writing a review. I usually will provide the readers with the blurb from the book to get the juices flowing, but this time I'm only going to provide a mere hint...

At the bottom of the closet, among the dust bunnies, was a half-crushed shirt box. It felt light, and he opened it expecting to find nothing or, at most, some old, ill-considered birthday gift. But instead, neatly folded, there was a woman's bathing suit...Yes. He remembered...

Why, you may ask? The Swimming Pool is that kind of a book. It's quite literary in it's sensibilities and is written in language that should be savored and pondered upon. It reminds me of crusty French bread, freshly made, that one eats slowly and with great deliberation, stopping to chew and study the delicious depths of it.

It's a story of love, death, deception, mystery and suspense. These elements weave and intertwine with each other, leaving the reader to contemplate and fill in the voids. The story speaks to you in whispers. It is not a plot driven novel. It plunges the reader into the complex inner world of the characters as they try to sort through their myriad emotions and motivations: A husband and wife having an affair, the lust and longing of a young man; a son, that still haunts him years later, post partum depression, murder, death, possible suicide...revenge.

As a therapist, I was especially interested in the inner workings of the characters. Some readers like a story well tied up and clean at the end, but reality often doesn't work this way. Ms. LeCraw acknowledges this as she takes the reader through a meandering journey through characters who seem to have it all, but are missing a key ingredient: happiness and fulfillment.

The author, Holly LeCraw is a master of utilizing evocative and beautiful language. More than once I re-read passages just to turn the words over in my mind, play with them, consider them; a lovely turn of phrase here and there. As an aspiring author, this book is an excellent example of writing as art; of using language as a live and creative force.

Two winners will be selected. If you would like to learn of that which I speak and secure your own copy, become a follower if you're not already, post a comment and your e-mail or someway to contact you. That is all. Savor this book on a quiet afternoon with something delicious to eat and drink by your side.

The giveaway ends Sat, May 15 2010

Thanks to Judy Jacoby of Doubleday for making the books available.

Toodles!