About this guide ann packers provocative debut novel, the dive from clausens pier, portrays one young womans conflict between her commitment to the people in her life and of her duty to be true to herself. She is also the author of mendocino and other stories. His fiancee, carrie, is not in love with him anymore and is. It begins with a disaster that could happen, out of the blue, in anybodys life, and it forces us to ask how we would bear up in the face of tragedy and what we know, or think we know, about our deepest allegiances. The dive from clausens pier is one of those small miracles that reinforce our faith in fiction.
The dive from clausens pier tv movie 2005 the dive from. This is not the case in ann packers first novel, the dive from clausens pier. She is a past recipient of a james michener award and a national endowment for. I read the novel the dive from clausens pier and found it to be heartwrenching and a great look into the mind of a torn young woman. Putting this aside, a dive from clausens pier is a thought provoking first novel recommended to many women. As interesting as the idea for the dive from clausens pier iswoman leaves her fiance after he breaks his neck and becomes a quadriplegicpacker cant quite pull it off. From ann packer, author of the new york times bestselling novels the dive from clausens pier and songs without words, a collection of burnished, emotionally searing stories, framed by two unforgettable linked narratives that express the transformation of a single family over the course of a lifetime. A collegeaged woman is faced with difficult decisions when her boyfriend dives off a pier and becomes a quadriplegic. The dive from clausens pier by ann packer librarything. Yet another sad attempt at turning a book into a film. And i had no idea they made a lifetime movie out of the book.
You can help us build our book club kits collection by donating copies of books your group has read. The dive from clausens pier by ann packer, paperback. In this story, the lifechanging event takes place in a threepage preface before chapter 1, and everything else. Rent the dive from clausens pier 2005 on dvd and bluray. The dive from clausens pier reminds us how precarious our lives are and how quickly they can be divided into before and after, whether by random accident or by the force of our own desires. Review pier leaps into deep end, does belly flop sfgate. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new. The character kilroy talks about hard art picasso and soft art matisse and certainly packer s is the former. The dive from clausens pier play program scene selection. Apr 01, 2001 from shortstory author packer mendocino, 1994, a reflective and probing first novel about a young woman reassessing her life after her fiance is crippled. I picked it back up friday and finished it today, saturday. The entire book is one long exercise in feeling and memory, in love and in loss. The novel is divided into three parts which detail the transitions of carries life. It begins with a disaster that could happen to anyone and forces us to.
But when mike is paralyzed in a diving accident, leaving seems unforgivable and yet more necessary than ever. Mike is a quadriplegic after suffering a major diving accident. Finishing ann packer s the dive from clausen s pier is at once an immense relief and an immense loss. The dive from clausen s pier animate this dilemma and carrie s startling response to it with the narrative assurance, exacting realism, and moral complexity we expect from the very best fiction. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. The dive from claussen s pier was first telecast by the lifetime network on july 25, 2005. Then mikes dive from clausens pier happened and their lives were permanently altered. Ann packer received the great lakes book award for the dive from clausens pier, which was a national bestseller. The dive from clausens pier is a mustread novel that illuminates the meaning of friendship, loyalty and unconditional love. The dive from clausens pier vintage contemporaries ebook. Apr 08, 2003 the dive from clausens pier has an affinity with the work of rosellen brown. The character kilroy talks about hard art picasso and soft art. The dive from clausens pier tv movie 2005 the dive. The dive from clausens pier by ann packer overdrive.
I discovered the book by accident and went about encouraging my. If you have not read the book and watch the movie, fine. The dive from clausens pier animates this dilemmaand carries startling response to itwith the narrative assurance, exacting realism, and moral complexity we expect from the very best fiction. Unhappy in the relationship, she is considering ending it when her fiance mike dives off clausens pier into shallow water and breaks his neck. Envision an inverted version of the dive from clausens pier written from mikes point of view in which carrie had been the one to have had the. Putting this aside, a dive from clausen s pier is a thought provoking first novel recommended to many women. Listen to dive from clausens pier by ann packer at. The character kilroy talks about hard art picasso and soft art matisse and certainly packers is the former. It does what the best novels so often do, making the largest things visible by its perfect rendering of life on the smaller scale. The dive from clausens pier by ann packer about the book a riveting novel about loyalty and selfknowledge, and the conflict between who we want to be to others and who we must be for ourselves. The dive from clausens pier madison public library. This book is character driven and reaches right to the heart of relationships. Knopf told through first person narration, the novel centers on carrie bells response to her fiances paralysis and through her reactions, questions the obligations and loyalty people have to those in their life.
The dive from clausens pier opens with an immediate tragedy to draw readers in to the story. Reading guide for the dive from clausens pier by ann packer. I recommend it for all people in need of a good book. If at the end of a book it leaves you wanting more, you know you have read a good book. Apr 21, 2015 the dive from clausen s pier is one of those small miracles that reinforce our faith in fiction. The dive from clausen s pier 2005 a young woman michelle trachtenberg starts a new life in new york after her fiance will estes becomes paralyzed in a diving accident. She is a past recipient of a james michener award and a national endowment for the arts fellowship.
Goodreads members who liked the dive from clause ns pier also. Michelle trachtenberg, sean maher, will estes, kristin fairlie, dylan taylor, matthew edison, janet land, diana reis, corey. Good book alert the dive from clausens pier katie talks. The dive from clausens pier, by ann packer, tells the story of carrie bell, a twentythree year old woman who is engaged to her high school sweetheart. At turns enigmatic and candid, this absorbing story challenges us to look inward and to ask discomfiting questions about our relationships, our priorities, and our selflessness for which. The dive from clausen s pier is a very well done, well written story of 23 year old carrie bell, a young woman from madison, wisconsin. Feb 02, 2004 packer is able to develop an engaging story without compromising the eloquent writing for which her short stories are renowned. It does what the best novels so often do, making the largest things visible by. The dive from clausens pier by harry winer harry winer. This is the sort of book one reads dying to know what happens to the characters, but loves for its.
Told through first person narration, the novel centers on carrie bells response to her fiances paralysis and through her reactions, questions the obligations and loyalty people have to those in their life. Songs without words, ann packers followup novel to the book club favorite bestseller the dive from clausens pier, once again showcases the many strengths packer possesses as a writer. But if youve read the book i recommend not watching the movie. The dive from clausens pier by ann packer goodreads. This study guide consists of approximately 42 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the dive from clausens pier. Finishing ann packers the dive from clausens pier is at once an immense relief and an immense loss.
Find books like the dive from clause ns pier from the worlds largest community of readers. With a keen and compassionate eye, she lays bare the nature of female friendships. The dive from clausens pier is the bestselling debut novel of american author ann packer. The water level is too low and he is taken to hospital in a coma, with a broken back. Rent the dive from clausen s pier 2005 starring michelle trachtenberg and will estes on dvd and bluray. Hope the book was better and made more sense out of the difference between love and guilt. When mikes dive results in a spinal cord injury there is pressure from all sides for carrie to remain with him. Ann packer is a wonderful writer in many waysfine, welltuned dialogue, thoughtprovoking descriptions of peoples motives, and so onbut plot isnt her big talent. While mike literally dives from clausens pier, who figuratively dives from clausens pier. Twentythreeyearold carrie is already quietly bored with mike when he dives off the pier at clausens reservoir and breaks his neck. Here is a good book alert for you the dive from clausens pier by ann packer. The dive from clausens pier 2005 a young woman michelle trachtenberg starts a new life in new york after her fiance will estes becomes paralyzed in a diving accident. The title of the dive from clausens pier relates to a dive into water that carries fiance mike makes in the opening chapter of this book.
The dive from clausens pier is a 2005 lifetime original film based on an ann packer novel directed by harry winer and starring will estes, michelle trachtenberg, and sean maher. Lifetime movies a list of 62 titles created 8 months ago drama a list of 326 titles. Mike, showing off for his somewhat disgruntled fiancee carrie, dives into some water and seriously injures himself. Packer writes with a rare density of detail and ideas, and its just possible that the reader will be wiser at the end of the book than she was at the beginning. Set in madison, with many small details local readers will love.
What metaphoric images does the title conjure up for the reader before and after reading the novel. The dive from claussens pier was first telecast by the lifetime network on july 25. But if you make the mistake of seeing the dive from clausens pier, youll also want to go out and buy the novel, to see what you and the filmmakers at the lifetime cable channel missed, which. Released 2005, the dive from clausen s pier stars michelletrachtenberg, willestes, seanmaher, kristinfairlie the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 36 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. The dive from clausens pier tv14 1h 26min drama, romance tv movie 25 july 2005 when an accident renders her fiance a quadriplegic, carrie faces mounting pressures that ultimately cause her to start a new life in new york. But if youve read the booki recommend not watching the movie. But while the dive from clausens pier is sometimes slowmoving, packer.
Songs without words, ann packers followup novel to the bookclub favorite bestseller the dive from clausens pier, once again showcases the many strengths packer possesses as a writer. The dive from clausen s pier is a 2005 lifetime original movie based on an ann packer novel directed by harry winer and starring will estes, michelle. This article appeared in the february 2, 2004 issue of the hatchet. Shes had the same best friend, the same good relationship with her. Packer is able to develop an engaging story without compromising the eloquent writing for which her short stories are renowned. It begins with a disaster that could happen to anyone and forces us to ask how we would bear up in the face of tragedy. A wife struggles to make sense of her husbands sudden disappearance. The dive from claussens pier was first telecast by the lifetime network on july 25, 2005.
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