Philomena

by Jay McInerney

Genres: Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

John Barrett McInerney Jr. is an American writer. His novels include Bright Lights, Big City, Ransom, Story of My Life, Brightness Falls, and The Last of the Savages. He edited The Penguin Book of New American Voices, wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film adaptation of Bright Lights, Big City, and co-wrote the screenplay for the television film Gia, which starred Angelina Jolie. He is the wine columnist for House & Garden magazine, and his essays on wine have been collected in Bacchus & Me (2000) and A Hedonist in the Cellar (2006). His most recent novel is titled The Good Life, published in 2006.

Reviews

[Laurie Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran into the movie and watched it first. Then I discovered there was a book written. The movie tells the story from the viewpoint of Philomena while the book tells the story from the experiences of Michael. I thought they were both very good and very interesting! It is hard in our day and age to imagine this happening! Here, they could have met each other if only the Catholic Church/nuns would have been cooperative!

[Annette]

There were elements of this book that did not ring true. Thank you to goodreads for putting Susan Kavanagh's up front. This was a tragic story of alienation for both Philomena and Micheal Hess. Obviously Michael became a super successful person probably in part as a result the care given to him by his mother at first, and his adoptive mother later, regardless of the appalling disregard by the system of Philomena's rights .Prurient would be the term I would use for the fabricated vision of Micheal's personal life. we will never know its truth. I think and hope that times have so changed young women are not found solely accountable for being pregnant, and that some times soon there is a responsibility for the impregnator as well. Flawed but significant read.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Movie was much better than the book

[Sandy Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book. the movie was a big disappointment

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was just ok-assume the movie was better(haven't seen it yet)!