Swimming in the Starry River

By Paul C. Reid and P. Carey Reid

Book Overview

Swimming in the Starry River is a moving first novel with an astonishing emotional impact. It is the story of one man's love for his daughter, Stella, who suffers from a rare and life-threatening disease. When the novel opens, Jim is contentedly working for the government, while his wife, Marsha, stays home to care for Stella. But Marsha is growing restless at having to interrupt her career, and Jim agrees to keep his earlier promise to trade off with her and quit his job. During a chance visit to Stella's school, he witnesses a shocking scene that reminds him of his own troubled childhood. He determines to teach Stella himself, at home. Thus begins the daunting but also wonderful task of taking daily care of his daughter. Jim is increasingly amazed at how enriched his new life with Stella has become; her capacity to absorb ideas is equaled by courage far beyond her years. Often, to distract her from painful questions about the nature of her illness, Jim takes her for long nightly walks and discusses with Stella the various myths associated with the constellations; stories that include the genuine sadnesses of life rather than only its happily-ever-afters. Yet in the midst of increasingly rewarding progress both intellectual and physical, Jim and Marsha face frightening and heartbreaking choices about Stella's future. How these two people make the decisions that will alter their daughter's and their fates, and the enormity of their choices, makes this beautifully written and poignant novel one that readers will never forget.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786860057
• ISBN13: 9780786860050
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: Hyperion
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.6" x 1.3" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

CAPTURED BY THE FEELINGS

I was amazed and so drawn to the writing and the feelings the author was able to express. Never thought I was reading a fiction. I don't come to tears too often with a book, but this one I did. I read this book some time ago and I still recommend it and remember it as one of my favorites. I keep hoping P. Carey Reid would release another. Still waiting.

Starts off slow, but worth a read

While this is an ultimately satisfying novel, it does start off very slowly and you need to be patient with it. The story of a family dealing with their young daughter's disfiguring and fatal illness is touching and realistic. Told from the father's perspective we come to realize that all parents experience many of the same joys, heartaches, and frustrations, whether their children are healthy or terminally ill. A quiet, thoughtful book that I will remember fondly.

A moving and powerful novel

Swimming in the Starry River is a beautifully written and powerful book. Few novels have its depth of feeling and complexity of concerns. And Reid's writing renders this emotionally rich material with clarity and grace. A true pleasure to read.

thoughtful and compelling

Amazing, here is a book with no disfunctional personalities, noevil, manipulative people, no extraordinary violence or disasters;only everyday people who are dealing with a difficult life situation with honesty and hope and courage. Boring? Not a bit. Thoughtful and compelling, holds your interest? Absolutely. Jim Kaldy, the narrator of this story, is your not so average man with a wonderfully healthy perspective of his own childhood, and a courageous perspective towards his ailing daughter's childhood. Worthy of Oprah's book group. We loved it in ours.