The Big Picture - Softcover

Kennedy, Douglas

3.92 out of 5 stars

4,369 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786894881 ISBN 13: 9780786894888

Publisher: Hyperion Books, 1998

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On the face of it, Ben and Beth Bradford and their two young children have all the comforts that Ben's six-figure lawyer's income can bring. But with the apparently glamorous lifestyle comes the sting: Ben hates it. When he realises that there may be something more sinister than baby-induced sleeplessness behind Beth's increasingly cool manner, a moment of madness provides Ben with the opportunity to redesign his life. But as the roller-coaster tragectory of his new existence takes hold, he begins to question the price of fulfilment. Because finding yourself means nothing when you're pretending to be someone else.

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Review

Oscar Wilde once said that the only real tragedy in life is getting what you want. Ben Bradford, the protagonist of Douglas Kennedy's new novel, The Big Picture, is living proof of that adage. At the start of Kennedy's novel, Ben Bradford would appear to have it all: a beautiful wife, a big suburban home, two kids and a partnership in a prestigious New York law firm. But Ben's heart lies neither with his family nor his career. Instead, he dreams of being a photographer, and when he discovers his wife is having an affair with the man next door--who happens to be a photographer--Ben snaps and commits an act that will commit him to a whole new way of life, forever.

Kennedy threads his tale of obsession, murder, and identity with themes that resonate strongly today: what compromises are worth making? What sacrifices require too much? The Big Picture is both a thriller and a cautionary tale concerning the complexities of modern life.

About the Author

Douglas Kennedy is the author of the acclaimed novel THE DEAD HEART as well as three travel books. He was born in New York City in 1955 and is married with two children.

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