Dancer with Bruised Knees

by Lynne McFall

Book Overview

In this outlandish and irresistible story, photographer Sarah Blight finds herself turning 40, and facing a major depression. With a survivor's stinging wit, Sarah tells her life story, a nuclear... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811807878
• ISBN13: 9780811807876
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
• Length: 215 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Ouch. But stirring.

Anyone who reads this book as just another saga of a dysfunctional family is not used to reading real literature. I particularly loved McFall's philosophical take on life -- rather dark, to say the least, but deeply real and no delusions allowed (except maybe the biggest delusion, that the people we love are good). The character of the brother, and his horrific interactions with the narrator as a little girl -- ouch. Yet there's some redemption at the end, without going all sappy by any means. I really enjoyed this, but then I like a book that doesn't sugarcoat reality as I see it. The style is fairly minimal, not overwritten, not a lot of description to slow things down. Some images are likely to stay with me for a long time.

I love this book!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Lynne McFall does a great job of showing Sarah Blight's personality. Also it's very easy to get into the story, because of the unusual yet realistic nature. Once I got this book I couldn't put it down. This book made me not only laugh, but it also made me cry. I recomend this book to everyone 14 and up.

tart and true

McFall's novel is excellent. Its funny, true (ie often sad) but you never feel pity for the heroine-only a sense of wanting to buy this character a drink. Lynne McFall teaches philosophy and this book excudes the philosophy of a fine country song. Two extracts illustrate the book's sense of tough love humor: "You're a Blight. And a Blight never does anything to dishonor the family name." and "I was down to my last $500. I needed either a job or a new credit card."If you have not had the good fortune to be one of Lynne McFall's students, then at least read this book.

A wonderful novel about the bruised of heart.

This is a smart, drop-dead funny, tear-your-heart-out novel about loving, leaving, and losing. It's got all the depth of a tract by Wittgenstein, all the fun of a Lynda Barry comic strip, and all the pathos of the best country song you've ever heard.