Exit the Rainmaker

by Jonathan Coleman

Book Overview

From the author of the bestselling At Mother's Request comes the riveting story of college president Jay Carsey, who walked away from his wife, work, family and friends and committed an act that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689118775
• ISBN13: 9780689118777
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Length: 401 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic writing and very interesting true story

Loved the book. I can easily imagine the fate of this book could have been that of a dry and boring read. But, thanks to the writing style of the author the book is fantastic. It starts out slow and you wonder if all the intro info is really needed - but you later find out that it was all important background info. Once the book gets going it's hard to put it down.

a mystery of the soul

This is not quite a great book but it is a great story. It is the story of a man, Jay Carsey, who walked away from his life -- his job, his friends, his responsibilities, his wife. He didn't do it the way most people would, by quitting his job and getting a divorce. He just walked away, after months of planning, telling no one, and leaving no forwarding address. And he didn't do it for any of the obvious reasons you might first imagine. He and his wife had no children so he wasn't trying to avoid child support. He was the president of a local college but there was no embezzlement of funds, no crime he was running from. If that story appeals to you, or fascinates you, if you want to understand it, or if part of you thinks you already understand why someone would do this, then you will like this book. You learn early on (and so it's not giving anything away) that he was eventually found, and much of the book deals with where he went and the life he led. And, of course, why he left in the first place. The author, Jonathan Coleman, had almost complete access to the people involved in the story. Everyone had opinions and everyone talked. People who thought they'd been close to Carsey for years were shaken by the fact that he could leave so easily and so abruptly, and they struggled to make sense of it, giving one psychological piece of the puzzle after another. Coleman also interviewed a private detective who says that this sort of thing is more common than we like to believe. If that's the case, I think this would have been a stronger book if Coleman had taken a step back from this one story and devoted a chapter or so to other occurrences of people walking out on their lives. He could have interviewed experts who have some understanding of why a person might do this. Relying on just the people in Jay Carsey's life yielded little understanding, probably because Carsey himself didn't understand his own reasons and after a point this became exasperating. I found myself wishing the book had been written about someone with more insight into himself. But then again, in a way this is the truest kind of story: the guy is found but still there remains a mystery.

Mystery writing at it's best

"Exit The Rainmaker" is a mystery that unravels one page at a time. Even more exciting: it's a true story, full of twists and turns and unexpected events. The human mind is a complex and compelling puzzel -- we think we know ourselves, we think we know others close to us. This book explodes the myth that we truly know anything about human behavior and the cycle of life. The plot of "Exit the Rainmaker" is thought-provoking: could any of us seriously plan our own disappearance so thoroughly and so meticiously without guilt, without thoughts for those who love us, and with such abandon? The "Rainmaker" in this story did, and we are taken in by the journey he undertakes, the decisions he made, and ultimately the consequences to everyone he knew. I found this book to be the ultimate horror story, but also fascinating and riveting. We are somehow made to care about the characters, even the Rainmaker himself, thanks to the writing of Mr. Coleman, the investigative reporter who chooses to delve into this story and find out the how, and more importantly, the WHY of planned disappearance. This book is for everyone, but especially for those who have ever fantacized about just "taking off" and leaving it all behind. I've recommended this book to many, many people and each one has thanked me profusely. I had to buy another copy because the last person I loaned it too kept loaning it out to his friends!

Riveting and Disturbing

Exit The Rainmaker is an exceptional work. The narrative moves at a brisk pace and keeps you involved to the end. Jonathan Coleman does a masterful job of bringing us into the world of Jay Carsey, a college president, who disappears. The notion of simply walking away from your present life is an intriguing one, that compels us to examine our own relationships in new ways. The book is thought provoking and well written. I would highly recommend a visit to the Rainmaker.

Fantasies can become realities if you read this book.

Many people go through their lives wondering what if! This book enables the reader to travel with the author from start to finish. I have read the book five times and each time I take something different from the book. Many lessons can be learned from this book. Yes: you can escape from your problems and survive with a new identity. You do not need to remain in unbearable situations. The mind is a powerful tool and numerous things can be accomplished by the power of deep thought. This book provides the reader with an alternative to therapy. One can run away with the author and experience the life he led. I cherish this book. My spot to escape if ever is: Truth or Consequences in New Mexico. Where would yours be?