Falling Bodies

by Andrew Mark

Jackson Tate's wife and two children are gone -- taken away in the blink of an eye by a brutal car accident. A professor of physics, Jackson can mathematically prove that the universe is governed by specific laws, can explain why planes fly and how matter interacts. But he can't fathom the consequences of loss, or reaffirm his former belief in the unity of love.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Death, Love, Grief

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Kym Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sad and tragic story of Jackson Tate whose family perished in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. His wife and two children died at the scene. Yet in his grief, something happens. He feels he has been robbed of his family and thinks about the life they could have had, but now they won't. He feels deeply wounded, grieved and angry.

The loss of Jackson's family by a drunk driver reminded me of a similar scenario in my family a few decades ago. My first cousin's wife was on her way home with her three children and a repeat drunk driver was on the road that day, hit them head-on, killing her, two of her children and her daughter who survived had to go through reconstructive surgery and much therapy. This part of the story really ticked me off, as the drunk driver pleaded not guilty and was out on bail with legal counsel that was trying to get his charges dismissed. Jackson's pain is all too real and it makes you wonder if the author, Andrew Mark experienced such a horrifying loss.

Jackson does something uncharacteristic and leaves town abruptly and is on the run for something he thinks he's committed. On his unplanned trip out of town the van he's driving catches fire and perishes leaving him to be able to grab the photo albums of his family and a few personal items. Throughout his on-the-road dilemma, he runs into Libby, an innkeeper whose husband is succumbing to Alzheimers and for the first time since his family died in that crash, he begins to release his thoughts based on science/physics and learn to live again.

[Donette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was swept up by the first sentence of this book. It was a story of a man who losses his wife and two kids. His pain and sorrow is so eminnate throughout that my own emotions were brought to fruition by the end. The main character tries to make sense of his grief through science and the laws of physics but his emotions and feelings don't fall under any catagory explained by man.
Sometimes I skim through parts of books but I read every word of this book because even the most simple object or event was captured in beautiful poetic justice. Even though this book unearthed my feeling of grief and loss it also validated them and somehow I felt my raw wounds had been soothed. I was emotionally exhausted but renewed by this book.

[Caroline Mcphail-Lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The connections the author makes between physics, love, life, and living thread through the pages of Mark's story of life, love, loss, memory, rage, acceptance & understanding. At times I grew frustrated with the repetition or seemingness of it, that I just wanted the author to get to the point already. As I reader I would have appreciated more conclusions at the end, but by Mark not doing so allowed me to romanticize my own. Book was alright.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Mark nailed the intense emotion surrounding tragedies. Well written with characters that lived off the pages.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I felt that the author must have experienced some real grief in his lifetime because he expressed so beautifully what grief felt like for the main character of the book who had recently lost his family very suddenly. The story is told to us very gradually and as I learned more I felt even more deeply for his plight.

Jackson Tate is a physics professor by training and tries to use physics to explain the feelings he is experiencing. AS a man used to logic and set rules, he struggles with understanding what has happened and how he can cope. Ultimately he sets out on a road trip in an attempt to run away from all that has happened. Needless to say, simply running away solved nothing and it is only when he meets Livvy after his escape vehicle breaks down that he cans tart to talk about his experiences. Livvy understands because she has lost her husband to Alzheimer's even though he is still alive. I lost my Mum to this so I could identify easily and I confess I shed lots of tears throughout the reading of this book.

Although this is a book about loss and grieving that loss, it is also a book about healing and hope. I highly recommend it.

[Poli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good example of a book where characters have several layers. In fact I felt their anguish throughout the pages as well as the changes they go through along the story. The idea of using physics to explain certain things gave some originality to a kind of situation which has been written many times before.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book quite some years ago. Don't remember specifics, but I have it marked down as an enjoyable read.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from the mystery/suspense novels I have been reading of late, but a welcome change. Very well written journey into overwhelming grief and guilt and the power of love.

[Cobygirl517 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written, tender & beautiful story.

[Julie Oechsli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story. Lots of physics references which were ok. I liked the meaning of the story ..You can't run from your life...you have to face it.

[Dazey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting to see these simple laws that I know form physics and see them applied to someone's grief and directly to the way they view the world. I enjoyed that it was not completely analytical and unfeeling but dealt with deep emotion and the way it can abrupt your life. Grief is dealt with in so many ways and there is no handbook for a way to cope; it is something you have to figure out for yourself, even if others don't agree with what you know you need to feel closure. This book put into perspective how a person can think critically and know these "higher" forms of education and still experience something that is everyday.

[L. J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this at a thrift store and can see why someone got rid of it. This book wasn’t good, in my eyes, anyway. It could’ve been shorter. It was a decent concept, someone processing the loss of family, but it was so boring to get through. Such is life; it’s not supposed to be entertaining or something positive, but it shouldn’t be uncompelling, too.

[Kimberly Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Jackson and Lizzy touched my heart as he waded through his grief of losing his family. The story was somewhat predictable, but well written and easy to read.

[Barbara Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this insightful, thought provoking novel. The characters were well defined, the quotes from famous scientists very appropriate and the story itself very absorbing.

[Myra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about someone processing the loss of their family from a violent death. You feel the numbness of the character to what has taken place in their life, the denial, everything. I was very caught up in the story. Would definitely recommend it..

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due dolori che si scontrano. Due dolori forti, due dolori diversi, due dolori che hanno bisogno di un riscatto per sciogliersi, ma questi riscatto pare un tradimento. E' stato interessante fino a tre quarti, nulla di eclatante ma profondamente vero, le persone che soffrono con dignit� non hanno bisogno di grandi azioni per viverlo. Poi alla fine, probabilmente giustamente, l'autore eccede in qualche modo. Mi rendo conto che non poteva fare diversamente vista la trama inventata, ma io avrei scelto pi� la soluzione di quel dolore che un riscatto civico (e civile) Tutto sommato, un libro che a ritrovarselo tra le mani si legge volentieri, ma nella mia biblioteca si dimentica facilmente e non rimarr� tra quelli che si scelgono da portarsi dietro tutta la vita

[Zézinha Rosado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Não me admira nada que este livro tenha sido recomendado por Nicholas Sparks, pois é uma escrita bem do género de Nicholas Sparks...
A história é simples mas bonita: duas vidas que se cruzam, ambas pautadas pelos seus desgostos e pelas suas perdas, sentimentos que colidem, atracções que se fazem sentir...
Tudo isto descrito de uma forma simples, fácil de ler e envolvente.
Recomendo!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy read - one night if you're really devoted - but I found it capable of evoking powerful emotions of love and loss and examining the good parts of marriage and parenthood.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in 2002 and have it marked as a very good read.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

should have been a novella, there was nothing in this book that couldn't have been said in 110 pages as opposed to 259

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a novel about dealing with grief than a romance novel, but indeed it is both. I enjoyed the characters and read this book pretty quickly.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intellectual read

[Ana Fernandes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Não gostei muito do livro...Achei aborrecido.

[Bill Donhiser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift. It held my attention and has a good storyline. The characters are believable and it is a good time passer

[Dani · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. I'm angry at Nicholas Sparks for endorsing this. That's the only reason I read it, and it was not good at all.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man and a woman both suffer tragedies, meet and fall in love.