The Distance Between

By Eliza Osborne

Mattie Welsh has had a phone call from her sister: her parents have been in a serious automobile accident. She lives in Massachusetts, about a day's drive from the small Pennsylvania town where the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569471800
• ISBN13: 9781569471807
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Soho Press
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

One of my all-time favorites

For anyone who wants to better understand the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters, this is a must-read. It's probably more helpful than buying a self-help book on the subject!

very revealing journey

I could really identify with some of the things in this book, and other things made me stop and evaluate myself in light of my mother's possible perspective on my actions and attitudes. I highly recommend this book! The meandering nature of the prose is a very interesting exploration of how a person thinks while driving alone on a highway for hours. :) I can't say that I'm a huge fan of social realism (a.k.a. constant criticism and complaints/observations on everything), but it's good to live an examined life, and Mattie certainly does. Definitely a thought-provoking journey that is worth taking!

Lovin' This Book!

I'm still reading this book and it is right on the money! Have you ever felt things that you could never quite put into words? Well, Ms. Osborne, has articulated beautifully some unspoken feelings for me. So much so, that I've actually written down some quotes and read passages to friends. As a librarian, I read all kinds of literature on a regular basis, but there are few that touch you in ways that will stay with you long after the last page is read. This is one that I will definitely recommend to friends and patrons. I've always felt that everyone has at least one really good story to tell and I think that Ms. Osborne outdid herself right off the bat. I found myself smiling and nodding in agreement throughout every chapter. For a writer, I don't think that it could get any better than that when you put your work out there for all to see.

"A most meaningful road trip"

Mattie Welsh makes a solo car trip from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, but it is the emotional journey she makes that is at the heart of this outstanding novel. Every mother and every daughter who read this book will identify with the doubts and fears that assail Mattie as she struggles to understand and resolve her relationship with her mother.