Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run

by Mike O'Connor

"Throughout his childhood, Mike O'Connor's family pretended to be normal. But Mike and his two younger sisters knew that their parents were hiding something - a secret they didn't dare talk about. The... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375504796
• ISBN13: 9780375504792
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrohphe

A great read. This is a riveting story - with a very unlikely ending. I recommend it highly.

An Unforgettable Story

This is a wonderful book about a family, a boy, and precarious times in the not too distant past that carry an uncomfortable resonance today. It is a tense, often scary read that's hard to put down. The motivations for all the secrets in this story are both uniquely personal and powerfully relevant. Even as the forces behind the fear and running are revealed, the experiences of a boy trying to cope with the palpable tension that clings to his family remain the unforgettable heart of this story.

Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Mike O'Connor's spellbinding style of writing takes the reader along on flights through childhood trust and resiliency, teenage survival and misadventure, adult investigations and understanding. Mysteries, danger, suspicions, uncertainty, wonder, and significant historical details are made even more fascinating because they are true. Mike's family's experiences with the fears and paranoia of the McCarthy era are relevant to today as we struggle with fears of terrorism. You will love the book's ending. I did!

This book grabbed me... I couldn't put it down!

I'd give it SIX Stars if I could! This is because the story-line and the storytelling are superb. (Actually, there were many stories) ... from the story of a youngster living on the run while his parents say there is nothing to be afraid of, to the stories of growing up on the bad streets of Mexico. However, the one story that motivates it all is the one of the bad times in the U.S. when the FBU could get you in trouble just for your political beliefs, even if the FBI had made a mistake! That is what I believe makes the book so valuable today. This book was a great read. I couldn't put it down.

great read and very interesting story

This memoir is a wonderful and heart-wrenching story about family, secrets and politics. O'Connor's family -- a tightnit Boston Irish-Catholic clan from Boston -- is a casualty of Hoover-era policies. O'Connor has a very good writing style, crafted during his many years as a foreign correspondent. The reasons for why his family ran should resonate for any families finding themselves mired in the policies of the War on Terror today. Anyone will enjoy this book, as it is a very good read. Highest recommendation!