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Me Again
"A beautifully wrought tale of courage, hope, and awakenings of all kinds."
~ Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants
Miracles can be damned inconvenient. That's what thirty-four-year-old stroke victim Jonathan Hooper learns when he wakes up after spending six years in a coma. Everyone calls Jonathan's recovery a "miracle," but since nobody had expected him to recover, his sudden awakening becomes an awkward intrusion on the lives of his family and friends. To make matters worse, Jonathan doesn't even recognize these people. The stroke has wiped away most of Jonathan's memory, while the coma has withered his body. In short, Jonathan's not the man he used to be - whoever that was.
The only bright spot for Jonathan is Rebecca Chase, a young woman he meets in the hospital's long-term recovery unit. A stroke has drastically changed her personality, making her a stranger to her husband. Gone is the vivacious trophy wife, replaced by a shy, awkward woman with a knack for saying exactly the wrong thing.
They don't fit in. And they'll never be the same. But now they've got to decide what matters most: who they were, or who they can become?
A steadily accelerating story exploring the irony, humor, and opportunity that can accompany personal calamity, Me Again follows the intertwined paths of two people forced to start over in life: one looking for his place in a world that has moved on without him, the other struggling to navigate a relationship with a man who wishes she were someone else.
~ Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants
Miracles can be damned inconvenient. That's what thirty-four-year-old stroke victim Jonathan Hooper learns when he wakes up after spending six years in a coma. Everyone calls Jonathan's recovery a "miracle," but since nobody had expected him to recover, his sudden awakening becomes an awkward intrusion on the lives of his family and friends. To make matters worse, Jonathan doesn't even recognize these people. The stroke has wiped away most of Jonathan's memory, while the coma has withered his body. In short, Jonathan's not the man he used to be - whoever that was.
The only bright spot for Jonathan is Rebecca Chase, a young woman he meets in the hospital's long-term recovery unit. A stroke has drastically changed her personality, making her a stranger to her husband. Gone is the vivacious trophy wife, replaced by a shy, awkward woman with a knack for saying exactly the wrong thing.
They don't fit in. And they'll never be the same. But now they've got to decide what matters most: who they were, or who they can become?
A steadily accelerating story exploring the irony, humor, and opportunity that can accompany personal calamity, Me Again follows the intertwined paths of two people forced to start over in life: one looking for his place in a world that has moved on without him, the other struggling to navigate a relationship with a man who wishes she were someone else.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2011
About the author
Keith Cronin
8 books24 followersAuthor of the novel ME AGAIN, Keith Cronin is a corporate speechwriter and professional rock drummer who has performed and recorded with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, and Pat Travers.
He is also becoming informally known as "the title guy," having provided the title for Sara Gruen's blockbuster Water for Elephants, as well as Susan Henderson's HarperCollins debut Up from the Blue.
Keith's fiction has appeared in Carve Magazine, Amarillo Bay, The Scruffy Dog Review, Zinos, and a University of Phoenix management course. A native of South Florida, Keith spends his free time serenading local ducks and squirrels with his ukulele. Visit him online at keithcronin.com or facebook.com/keithcronin.
He is also becoming informally known as "the title guy," having provided the title for Sara Gruen's blockbuster Water for Elephants, as well as Susan Henderson's HarperCollins debut Up from the Blue.
Keith's fiction has appeared in Carve Magazine, Amarillo Bay, The Scruffy Dog Review, Zinos, and a University of Phoenix management course. A native of South Florida, Keith spends his free time serenading local ducks and squirrels with his ukulele. Visit him online at keithcronin.com or facebook.com/keithcronin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
October 4, 2011
First thoughts after finishing: "What a lovely debut novel. I bought it hook, line, and sinker."
"And Dad?" I reached out and touched his arm, startling him. We stopped, standing among the graves of people unknown to us, looking at each other.
"Even though I don't remember you," I said, frightened about what I was about to say but convinced of it being what I needed most to say, "I love you. Here and now. I love you."
(from Me Again page 242)
That writing absolutely struck a chord with me because I had almost the exact same conversation with my beloved Grandfather when he was in the final stages of Alzeimer's. I was visiting for what would be one of my final times. I held his hands and looked him in the face and told him how much I loved him and that he was the best grandpa in the whole world. He then looked right at me and said, "Sis, I don't know who you are, but I do know that I love you." Knowing that a loved one's memory is affected regardless of how it happened is never easy to deal with, but I think Keith Cronin took a step in the right direction by taking his reader along for the journey as Jonathan tries to find his way back to life after waking up from a coma. I loved this book and most of all I loved Jonathan. There is nothing contrived about this story and I believe that it may help readers think twice about the difficulties one faces after being stricken down by a stroke. I think one of the important views of the story were from Jonathan's family. It was hard for them to reconcile themselves to the fact that the new Jonathan was NOTHING like the old Jonathan. In a way, it was a bit harder for them to deal with than Jonathan because he didn't remember anything of his old life.
Recommend? Absolutely! This is a solid story and one that I was immersed in for a few days. It helps shine a light on the debilitating effects of strokes and how even though someone may look fine on the outside, it doesn't truly represent how far their mental abilities may have been diminished. I cared about Jonathan and those close to him...what more can a reader ask for?
"And Dad?" I reached out and touched his arm, startling him. We stopped, standing among the graves of people unknown to us, looking at each other.
"Even though I don't remember you," I said, frightened about what I was about to say but convinced of it being what I needed most to say, "I love you. Here and now. I love you."
(from Me Again page 242)
That writing absolutely struck a chord with me because I had almost the exact same conversation with my beloved Grandfather when he was in the final stages of Alzeimer's. I was visiting for what would be one of my final times. I held his hands and looked him in the face and told him how much I loved him and that he was the best grandpa in the whole world. He then looked right at me and said, "Sis, I don't know who you are, but I do know that I love you." Knowing that a loved one's memory is affected regardless of how it happened is never easy to deal with, but I think Keith Cronin took a step in the right direction by taking his reader along for the journey as Jonathan tries to find his way back to life after waking up from a coma. I loved this book and most of all I loved Jonathan. There is nothing contrived about this story and I believe that it may help readers think twice about the difficulties one faces after being stricken down by a stroke. I think one of the important views of the story were from Jonathan's family. It was hard for them to reconcile themselves to the fact that the new Jonathan was NOTHING like the old Jonathan. In a way, it was a bit harder for them to deal with than Jonathan because he didn't remember anything of his old life.
Recommend? Absolutely! This is a solid story and one that I was immersed in for a few days. It helps shine a light on the debilitating effects of strokes and how even though someone may look fine on the outside, it doesn't truly represent how far their mental abilities may have been diminished. I cared about Jonathan and those close to him...what more can a reader ask for?
January 9, 2012
This was a great read -- funny, compelling, heartwarming and authentic.
Jonathan Hooper awakes from a 6-year coma, defying all the odds after suffering a massive stroke at the age of 28. As he works to regain his ability to speak, walk and take care of himself, he also must come to terms with the fact that he remembers almost nothing of his previous life. During his month's-long recovery in the hospital, Jon becomes friends with another young stroke victim, Rebecca. While Rebecca's memory is intact following her stroke, she has suffered a complete personality change and is now a stranger to her husband. While Rebecca struggles to somehow "fix" what has been broken, Jon struggles with the gradual realization that he might not have been a very "good" person in his previous life. Together, they navigate the daunting and "weird" path of rebuilding their lives and discovering who they have become.
The author's writing style is witty, sharp and authentic. The dialogue rings true, the main and supporting characters are multidimensional, and the story moves along at a quick pace. While I saw some of the plot twists coming from a mile away, others caught me completely off guard. Overall, this was an entertaining, heartwarming read that left me emotionally satisfied upon turning the final page.
One other thing worth noting is that the author has promised to contribute 25 percent of his earnings from the book to the American Stroke Association.
Jonathan Hooper awakes from a 6-year coma, defying all the odds after suffering a massive stroke at the age of 28. As he works to regain his ability to speak, walk and take care of himself, he also must come to terms with the fact that he remembers almost nothing of his previous life. During his month's-long recovery in the hospital, Jon becomes friends with another young stroke victim, Rebecca. While Rebecca's memory is intact following her stroke, she has suffered a complete personality change and is now a stranger to her husband. While Rebecca struggles to somehow "fix" what has been broken, Jon struggles with the gradual realization that he might not have been a very "good" person in his previous life. Together, they navigate the daunting and "weird" path of rebuilding their lives and discovering who they have become.
The author's writing style is witty, sharp and authentic. The dialogue rings true, the main and supporting characters are multidimensional, and the story moves along at a quick pace. While I saw some of the plot twists coming from a mile away, others caught me completely off guard. Overall, this was an entertaining, heartwarming read that left me emotionally satisfied upon turning the final page.
One other thing worth noting is that the author has promised to contribute 25 percent of his earnings from the book to the American Stroke Association.
June 27, 2012
Love it so far, funny, sad, realistic. wonderful story about younger people that suffer from strokes. Kicker is that 25% of the profits go to the charity.
October 24, 2011
When thirty four year old Jonathan Hooper wakes up after six years in a coma following a stroke the world is a blank slate to him. He doesn't remember who he is or how he ended up in the hospital, he can't talk, his muscles have atrophied, and he has no concept of numbers or time. Not having expected him to ever recover, his family and girlfriend have moved on with their lives, a situation which may bother Jonathan more if he actually remembered any of them. The fact is, however, there's very little Jonathan does remember. And so begins the arduous task of relearning how to live.
During the course of physical therapy Jonathan meets Rebecca Chase, who's also in the process of recovering from a stroke suffered at an unusually young age. Unlike Jonathan, Rebecca didn't lose her memory after her stroke. Not her memory of people and events anyway, she just doesn't remember why she ever found any of it appealing...including her husband. Together the two of them help each other rediscover who they were, and who they want to be. Okay, I know. On the surface it sounds like Lifetime Movie of the Week material, but there's more to it than that.
To begin with, author Keith Cronin smoothly infuses Me Again with a very healthy sense of humor. Jonathan's rediscoveries of certain things provide opportunity for humor in and of themselves (check out the book trailer below), but it's the way he accepts the challenges in his new life with such matter-of-factness and sense of self-deprecating humor which gives him an utterly charming voice as the story's narrator. It's not all shrugged off with a laugh, however. As Jonathan rediscovers his past he realizes he wasn't exactly a straight-shooter. In fact, he becomes pretty sure he was involved in some kind of embezzlement from the accounting firm he used to work for. Rebecca is also faced with some difficult realizations post-stroke. From her fellow church goers to her friends to her husband, everyone keeps waiting for her to "get better" and be the person she used to be. But she and Jonathan both know they don't ever again want to be the people they once were, and come to understand that moving forward can only happen after breaking free from the past, even if that means leaving certain things - and people - behind.
Me Again is not the type of book I typically read, but I'm glad I took a chance on it. Cronin has a wonderfully down-to-earth, engaging style of writing which makes reading about a potentially touchy topic very comfortable. He accomplishes this in large part by not sugar-coating or romanticizing what Jonathan and Rebecca are going through, but rather by allowing the reader to experience the recovery process alongside his characters, warts and all, without fear people will be put off. It's a level of self-assured writing one would expect to find from an author with multiple works under his belt, making it all the more impressive that Me Again is a debut offering. I certainly expect to be seeing Keith Cronin's work again.
During the course of physical therapy Jonathan meets Rebecca Chase, who's also in the process of recovering from a stroke suffered at an unusually young age. Unlike Jonathan, Rebecca didn't lose her memory after her stroke. Not her memory of people and events anyway, she just doesn't remember why she ever found any of it appealing...including her husband. Together the two of them help each other rediscover who they were, and who they want to be. Okay, I know. On the surface it sounds like Lifetime Movie of the Week material, but there's more to it than that.
To begin with, author Keith Cronin smoothly infuses Me Again with a very healthy sense of humor. Jonathan's rediscoveries of certain things provide opportunity for humor in and of themselves (check out the book trailer below), but it's the way he accepts the challenges in his new life with such matter-of-factness and sense of self-deprecating humor which gives him an utterly charming voice as the story's narrator. It's not all shrugged off with a laugh, however. As Jonathan rediscovers his past he realizes he wasn't exactly a straight-shooter. In fact, he becomes pretty sure he was involved in some kind of embezzlement from the accounting firm he used to work for. Rebecca is also faced with some difficult realizations post-stroke. From her fellow church goers to her friends to her husband, everyone keeps waiting for her to "get better" and be the person she used to be. But she and Jonathan both know they don't ever again want to be the people they once were, and come to understand that moving forward can only happen after breaking free from the past, even if that means leaving certain things - and people - behind.
Me Again is not the type of book I typically read, but I'm glad I took a chance on it. Cronin has a wonderfully down-to-earth, engaging style of writing which makes reading about a potentially touchy topic very comfortable. He accomplishes this in large part by not sugar-coating or romanticizing what Jonathan and Rebecca are going through, but rather by allowing the reader to experience the recovery process alongside his characters, warts and all, without fear people will be put off. It's a level of self-assured writing one would expect to find from an author with multiple works under his belt, making it all the more impressive that Me Again is a debut offering. I certainly expect to be seeing Keith Cronin's work again.
September 18, 2011
Keith Cronin is not only an author, he is also a musician who has recorded and/or performed with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Davy Jones of The Monkees. This is one author who has a great deal of artistic experience and, thankfully, he shows a great deal of that in this, his debut novel.
Jonathan Hooper is our main character and boy, does he have a rough start the minute he opens his eyes and finds himself in a hospital room surrounded by people he doesn’t even know.
You see, six years ago, Jonathan suffered a stroke and has literally been in a coma for all that time. Here he now is, a thirty-four-year-old man who recognizes no one around him, and is being heralded as a true miracle by his family, doctors - everyone!
However, one of the worst things about his ‘magical’ recovery is the fact that…when you are literally gone for six years, and no one expects you to ever come back, the rest of the world has already left you behind and gone along without you. The people surrounding him, his family and friends, have already accepted the fact that Jonathan was never going to come back to them, so they went on with their daily lives and have already coped with Jonathan’s demise. Therefore, when his eyes open and his memory remains lost, he becomes almost a burden to his family, friends, and society in general.
Rebecca Chase is a woman who is also in the hospital struggling with her days in the long-term recovery unit. She is also going through the aftereffects of a stroke, but hers is a bit different. Rebecca wasn’t in a coma for the last few years, she is simply a woman who is having to deal with the fact that because of her illness, her mind and personality have become drastically different. And it doesn’t help that she was once a go-getter who was literally her husband’s “trophy wife,” who is now dark, nervous, timid, and weak - something her husband can not bear.
The hilarity ensues as Rebecca and Jonathan spend more time together, and Jonathan suddenly begins remembering the fact that he wasn’t all that nice of a guy before the stroke. Every part of this book is filled with kindness, laughter, and fun, as well as strong emotions of fear, frustration, and the attempt at trying to find how to like yourself once again. A great debut!
Jonathan Hooper is our main character and boy, does he have a rough start the minute he opens his eyes and finds himself in a hospital room surrounded by people he doesn’t even know.
You see, six years ago, Jonathan suffered a stroke and has literally been in a coma for all that time. Here he now is, a thirty-four-year-old man who recognizes no one around him, and is being heralded as a true miracle by his family, doctors - everyone!
However, one of the worst things about his ‘magical’ recovery is the fact that…when you are literally gone for six years, and no one expects you to ever come back, the rest of the world has already left you behind and gone along without you. The people surrounding him, his family and friends, have already accepted the fact that Jonathan was never going to come back to them, so they went on with their daily lives and have already coped with Jonathan’s demise. Therefore, when his eyes open and his memory remains lost, he becomes almost a burden to his family, friends, and society in general.
Rebecca Chase is a woman who is also in the hospital struggling with her days in the long-term recovery unit. She is also going through the aftereffects of a stroke, but hers is a bit different. Rebecca wasn’t in a coma for the last few years, she is simply a woman who is having to deal with the fact that because of her illness, her mind and personality have become drastically different. And it doesn’t help that she was once a go-getter who was literally her husband’s “trophy wife,” who is now dark, nervous, timid, and weak - something her husband can not bear.
The hilarity ensues as Rebecca and Jonathan spend more time together, and Jonathan suddenly begins remembering the fact that he wasn’t all that nice of a guy before the stroke. Every part of this book is filled with kindness, laughter, and fun, as well as strong emotions of fear, frustration, and the attempt at trying to find how to like yourself once again. A great debut!
November 13, 2012
You might expect a book about a young man recovering from six years in a coma following a stroke to be depressing. From the first paragraph of the novel, though, the narrator, Jonathan, alters our expectations.
"I was born on a Tuesday morning. It was a difficult birth, because I was thirty-four years old."
The author doesn't sacrifice reality for humor. The difficulties and discouragement of Jonathan's efforts to regain a functioning body that can walk and talk aren't ignored. Jonathan has other problems that are even more troubling. He doesn't know his parents or brother; he doesn't remember the ex-girlfriend who visits to tell him she's moved on; and he begins to suspect that he was far from a nice or even an honest person before the stroke.
Rebecca, the woman he meets in physical therapy has similar problems. Once described as "bubbly," she has become self-aware and painfully (at least to others) honest. Her marriage is in trouble.
Part of the plot focuses on Jonathan's relationship with Rebecca, but this is no typical love story. They are brought together by the mutual determination to thrive rather than merely survive, burdened by the expectations of others to either become the people they once were or to suffer as brain-damaged vegetables.
Written with a deft blend of wit and compassion, Me Again can inspire readers to recognize that any situation can be improved with liberal applications of courage and humor.
"I was born on a Tuesday morning. It was a difficult birth, because I was thirty-four years old."
The author doesn't sacrifice reality for humor. The difficulties and discouragement of Jonathan's efforts to regain a functioning body that can walk and talk aren't ignored. Jonathan has other problems that are even more troubling. He doesn't know his parents or brother; he doesn't remember the ex-girlfriend who visits to tell him she's moved on; and he begins to suspect that he was far from a nice or even an honest person before the stroke.
Rebecca, the woman he meets in physical therapy has similar problems. Once described as "bubbly," she has become self-aware and painfully (at least to others) honest. Her marriage is in trouble.
Part of the plot focuses on Jonathan's relationship with Rebecca, but this is no typical love story. They are brought together by the mutual determination to thrive rather than merely survive, burdened by the expectations of others to either become the people they once were or to suffer as brain-damaged vegetables.
Written with a deft blend of wit and compassion, Me Again can inspire readers to recognize that any situation can be improved with liberal applications of courage and humor.
October 10, 2011
I won this book though a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. "Me Again" is the fictional story of a Jonathan Hooper, a man who has a stroke when he is 28-years-old which leaves him in a coma for 6 years. When he wakes up he has forgotten almost everything. He doesn't remember his parents, his former girl friend, or even how to count. Over time he learns how to function in the world again and he comes to realize that it's okay to be the new Jonathan and not try to fit into the mold of who he was before. This book has a few twists and turns, but it is easy to follow the story line.
Well written and easy to read. There were a few characters in the book, however, that swore more then I cared for, but overall I really liked this book.
Well written and easy to read. There were a few characters in the book, however, that swore more then I cared for, but overall I really liked this book.
December 31, 2011
I read this book in a plane, while I waited in shopping lines, while at family get-togethers (in moments I could steal away for a few minutes). It was such a lovely reading experience that I kept wanting to go back in and see what happened next to the characters. Despite the seriousness of the situation these characters find themselves in after suffering strokes, the narrator (and Cronin, of course) has such an endearing sense of humor that you care about him instantly. I'd often laugh out loud as I read this book, while other times it tugged at my heart. It was an incredibly satisfying read.
November 23, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book, especially as I could relate to the characters having some medical issues. I think Keith did a fantastic job giving a view of what a person with medical issues may have to deal with, not only physical but mental as well. I have not read anything by this author before and am tempted to see what else he has written.
September 3, 2011
Me Again was a surprisingly heartwarming story which I thoroughly enjoyed! Will be reviewing this book for TLC Book Tours mid-September.
May 14, 2013
A freebie on Amazon, I was intrigued with the idea. The story is about a 36 year old guy who wakes up after six years after having had a massive stroke. It's a very 'Regarding Henry' kind of story, except for the fact that it's witty and in turns funny, where 'RH' was all drama.
Basically, Jonathan was NOT a nice person before the stroke. He was a swindler of an accountant living it up in Chicago, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients in scams. But he doesn't remember doing it. Or being that way. Heck, he doesn't remember his parents, brother, or even how to count or talk. And when he starts to put himself back together again, to rediscover his life, what he sees that he was before is distasteful to him.
At the same time, Rebecca is also recovering from her own stroke at the same rehabilitation center. She hasn't forgotten a thing from before her trauma, but something inside of her has changed. She's not that person, anymore... and she doesn't like her husband, friends, the artifice they all want to plunge her back into. She feels like there's been a shift, and she's not able to continue as she was before. Much like her therapy buddy, Jonathan.
Jonathan's journey (which he makes with Rebecca as his friend) is a sweet, funny, interesting one. The only problem I have with it is that it's... well, a little bi-polar. First it's a light-hearted satire about Jonathan's physical recovery. Then it shifts, and it's this TV-series about the threat of his scam partner and where he hid the money, becoming almost a mob-boss story line. Then it shifts again and becomes this sad saga of the long-lost sister with family drama in four-part harmony. Finally, it fades into a quirky romantic comedy with the hero rescuing the heroine from her dopey brute of a husband, so that they can fall in love on the very last page.
It's NOT a romance... or a drama... or a comedy... or a mob story, for that matter. I'm not saying that it was disjointed, per se, just that it was like a sonata - with very different parts that didn't always flow into each other smoothly. And if you're looking for a romance, there is little development of emotions in this one, ladies. BUT... I liked it. I really liked it. The rehabilitation was done well. The characterizations were done well. The writing was engaging. It was just... a sonata.
Basically, Jonathan was NOT a nice person before the stroke. He was a swindler of an accountant living it up in Chicago, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients in scams. But he doesn't remember doing it. Or being that way. Heck, he doesn't remember his parents, brother, or even how to count or talk. And when he starts to put himself back together again, to rediscover his life, what he sees that he was before is distasteful to him.
At the same time, Rebecca is also recovering from her own stroke at the same rehabilitation center. She hasn't forgotten a thing from before her trauma, but something inside of her has changed. She's not that person, anymore... and she doesn't like her husband, friends, the artifice they all want to plunge her back into. She feels like there's been a shift, and she's not able to continue as she was before. Much like her therapy buddy, Jonathan.
Jonathan's journey (which he makes with Rebecca as his friend) is a sweet, funny, interesting one. The only problem I have with it is that it's... well, a little bi-polar. First it's a light-hearted satire about Jonathan's physical recovery. Then it shifts, and it's this TV-series about the threat of his scam partner and where he hid the money, becoming almost a mob-boss story line. Then it shifts again and becomes this sad saga of the long-lost sister with family drama in four-part harmony. Finally, it fades into a quirky romantic comedy with the hero rescuing the heroine from her dopey brute of a husband, so that they can fall in love on the very last page.
It's NOT a romance... or a drama... or a comedy... or a mob story, for that matter. I'm not saying that it was disjointed, per se, just that it was like a sonata - with very different parts that didn't always flow into each other smoothly. And if you're looking for a romance, there is little development of emotions in this one, ladies. BUT... I liked it. I really liked it. The rehabilitation was done well. The characterizations were done well. The writing was engaging. It was just... a sonata.
November 10, 2012
Me Again was a quick heartwarming read. It reminded me of the Harrison Ford movie Regarding Henry.
A man, Jonathan, wakes up from a 6 year coma with his memory gone. As we get to know the man who woke up, we see him try to piece together the man he used to be, and he begins to realize that he probably wasn't a very nice, or good person. He learns of certain things he did, and while he is unable to recall doing them, he still has to come to terms with the shame he feels at having been that sort of person.
Mr. Cronin obviously did his research with regard to traumatic brain injuries and the various changes that can manifest as its subjects try to recover. It was completely believable how Jonathan and his friend Rebecca, who he meets in the hospital as she also tries to recover from a stroke, underwent drastic changes in their personalities.
A man, Jonathan, wakes up from a 6 year coma with his memory gone. As we get to know the man who woke up, we see him try to piece together the man he used to be, and he begins to realize that he probably wasn't a very nice, or good person. He learns of certain things he did, and while he is unable to recall doing them, he still has to come to terms with the shame he feels at having been that sort of person.
Mr. Cronin obviously did his research with regard to traumatic brain injuries and the various changes that can manifest as its subjects try to recover. It was completely believable how Jonathan and his friend Rebecca, who he meets in the hospital as she also tries to recover from a stroke, underwent drastic changes in their personalities.
April 21, 2013
I came across this book by accident. I forget who it was, but someone I follow on Twitter sent a link to Keith's post on QueryTracker about doing a book trailer. First I read the post. Then I watched the trailer. Then I ordered his book. Then I read it. In one sitting. I couldn't help it - it's THAT GOOD!
Keith sucks you in and makes you so wrapped up with Jonathan and his recovery, then adding small helpings of Rebecca and the other characters, you just can't leave it. And the ending? Sweet lord, this man has talent!
And yeah, book trailers work. If they're done that well. Check it out: http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2013...
Keith sucks you in and makes you so wrapped up with Jonathan and his recovery, then adding small helpings of Rebecca and the other characters, you just can't leave it. And the ending? Sweet lord, this man has talent!
And yeah, book trailers work. If they're done that well. Check it out: http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2013...
September 15, 2011
How can you resist these opening lines: "I was born on a Tuesday morning. It was a difficult birth, because I was thirty-four years old."--and not keep reading?
This heartful story is driven by a powerful trio of engines: humor, wisdom and insight about about who we are, who we were, and what we can become. There's an underlying optimism here that transforms two stroke victims' losses into something uplifting and promising.
This heartful story is driven by a powerful trio of engines: humor, wisdom and insight about about who we are, who we were, and what we can become. There's an underlying optimism here that transforms two stroke victims' losses into something uplifting and promising.
September 24, 2011
A truly wonderful story about what makes us who we are. The authors writing style makes this seem like a true story as opposed to the fiction it actually is. I received this book as part of the goodreads giveaway program and am truly grateful for having been given the opportunity to read it. Thank you Goodreads!
December 29, 2011
"Well," Dad said, "let's not tell your mother about that, if it's all the same to you."
A father and son conspiracy to protect the feelings of the mother.
Cronin has written a moving tale about two people -- Jonathan and Rebecca -- who've lost pasts worth losing and fight for new a beginning. Funny and honest in the face of tragedy, it's easily one of the best books of the year.
A father and son conspiracy to protect the feelings of the mother.
Cronin has written a moving tale about two people -- Jonathan and Rebecca -- who've lost pasts worth losing and fight for new a beginning. Funny and honest in the face of tragedy, it's easily one of the best books of the year.
October 30, 2012
Keith Cronin's blend of weighty subjects, humor, and true to life emotions makes for a wonderful read.
The characters are well-rounded, and the voice true.
It was a clever premise, and I bought into the plot right away, and went along for the ride.
I'm looking forward to more books from this author.
The characters are well-rounded, and the voice true.
It was a clever premise, and I bought into the plot right away, and went along for the ride.
I'm looking forward to more books from this author.
December 5, 2011
The cover on this book is the first surprise. It in now way prepares for what follows. The book is sad and yet funny and the characters are very real because of the realistic dialogue. This book is different, but a good read on a snowy day.
May 19, 2013
Light and enjoyable, except it rubbed my professional fur the wrong way.
*vague spoiler*
Even if you don't spend ill gotten funds for personal enrichment, using a shill to disburse the dirty money to charities still constitutes money laundering.
*vague spoiler*
Even if you don't spend ill gotten funds for personal enrichment, using a shill to disburse the dirty money to charities still constitutes money laundering.
September 12, 2011
see my full review here: http://www.girlichef.com/2011/09/book...
November 6, 2011
An entertaining and sweetly poignant story told from the viewpoint
of a 34-year old stroke victim.
of a 34-year old stroke victim.
December 24, 2011
Much more than i expected from a book about stroke victims.It wasn't depressing. It was witty, honest and moving.Not a storyline I had heard before.
December 13, 2012
This was a really good book. The story line is moving as well as inspirational. I highly recommend it.
May 18, 2013
one of the best book's I've read this year. Jonathan wakes up from a coma after having a stroke 6 years before.
June 2, 2013
An easy read, written in a way that always made me think that it was going to turn into a religious novel.
July 3, 2023
This novel is both a love story and a story of survival, about two people who suffer life-threatening strokes that change their personalities and their lives. Jonathan and Rebecca meet during their hospital stay, at physical therapy sessions, and become friends who support each other's attempts to recover and share what they remember of their past lives.
Jonathan remembers almost nothing about his former life after awakening from a six-year long coma. He has trouble understanding numbers although he used to be a successful accountant. Rebecca has not lost her memory, but her personality has drastically changed, and she is no longer the person her husband remembers or wants.
How these two move toward each other on their way to recovery is the story of Me Again. There is some mystery involved as Jonathan is visited in the hospital by a former co-worker who demands money he says they embezzled from their accounting clients. Jonathan also hides from his mother the fact that he does not remember her or his father, and tries to find out more about his past, including his brother Teddy and his ex-girlfriend Victoria. And he has to solve the problem of the missing money he supposedly embezzled.
This book reminds me of at least one other book on memory loss that I've read and liked - What Alice Forgot. Both stories involved drastic personality changes, for the better, I might add. Me Again is a story of hope and determination, of loss and renewal - an inspiring book that is also a love story.
Jonathan remembers almost nothing about his former life after awakening from a six-year long coma. He has trouble understanding numbers although he used to be a successful accountant. Rebecca has not lost her memory, but her personality has drastically changed, and she is no longer the person her husband remembers or wants.
How these two move toward each other on their way to recovery is the story of Me Again. There is some mystery involved as Jonathan is visited in the hospital by a former co-worker who demands money he says they embezzled from their accounting clients. Jonathan also hides from his mother the fact that he does not remember her or his father, and tries to find out more about his past, including his brother Teddy and his ex-girlfriend Victoria. And he has to solve the problem of the missing money he supposedly embezzled.
This book reminds me of at least one other book on memory loss that I've read and liked - What Alice Forgot. Both stories involved drastic personality changes, for the better, I might add. Me Again is a story of hope and determination, of loss and renewal - an inspiring book that is also a love story.
November 26, 2017
I did really like this book from an author who is new to me. I loved the concept of a 34 year old man, waking up from a 6 year long coma, and having to learn absolutely everything about life and himself again. I particularly enjoyed the way the main character realises that before he wasn't that likeable as a person, and in fact, being able to create himself anew is actually an advantage in the long run. It's not perfect - despite the wit of the writer (I really enjoyed the sharply observed comedy in this novel) - there is a tendency to ramble a bit towards the end of the book and it started to feel a bit less tightly structured as the novel headed to its conclusion. That said, it's an enjoyable read.
October 17, 2017
Good read
I really enjoyed the relationship, friendship between Jonathan & Rebecca. My dad recently had a stroke, however, it did not affect any of his senses except for making him tired. Which he is regaining strength. This book, in my opinion, does show how major strokes can possibly affect people. And how they can regain living a new life.
I really enjoyed the relationship, friendship between Jonathan & Rebecca. My dad recently had a stroke, however, it did not affect any of his senses except for making him tired. Which he is regaining strength. This book, in my opinion, does show how major strokes can possibly affect people. And how they can regain living a new life.
December 7, 2017
I liked it. It kept me entertained. The characters were believable and interesting. You could see the happy ending and predictability coming from afar but you still enjoyed getting there. I would like to know why Jonathan didn't seem to have any medical bills after his 6-year ordeal and resulting PT. Seems like $300K would just barely make a dent in that.... (never mind storage fees).
June 23, 2017
Well written. Had some funny lines. The story was interesting enough to keep my attention.
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