Synopsis
The black sheep of her troubled family, Ruth struggles to keep the peace between her mother, her young son, and her slightly off-the-wall husband and to put the pieces back together when a heated situation boils over
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Review
Oprah Book Club® Selection, November 1996: The Book of Ruth is a virtuoso performance and that's precisely why it can be excruciating to read. Author Jane Hamilton leads us through the arid life of Ruth Grey, who extracts what small pleasures and graces she can from a tiny Illinois town and the broken people who inhabit it. Ruth's prime tormentor is her mother May, whose husband died in World War II and took her future with him. More poor familial luck has given Ruth a brother who is a math prodigy; Matt sucks up any stray attention like a black hole. Ruth is left to survive on her own resources, which are meager. She struggles along, subsisting on crumbs of affection meted out by her Aunt Sid and, later, her screwed-up husband Ruby. Hamilton has perfect pitch. So perfect that you wince with pain for confused but fundamentally good Ruth as she walks a dead-end path. The book ends with the prospect of redemption, thank goodness--but the tale is nevertheless much more bitter than sweet.
From the Publisher
"An extraordinary story of a family's disintegration... Will be compared to Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres. Astonishingly vivid and moving." -- People.
An enthralling tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying ways our lives" -- Entertainment Weekly.
Unforgettably, beat by beat, Hamilton maps the best and worst of the human heart and all the mysterious, uncharted country in between." -- Kirkus Reviews.
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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Search results for The Book of Ruth
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The Book of Ruth
Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_439129896
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The Book of Ruth
Published by
Orion Publishing Group, Limited, 1988
ISBN 10: 0899197442
ISBN 13: 9780899197449
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. 1st. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 8625704-6
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The Book of Ruth
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0899197442I3N00
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The Book of Ruth
Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0899197442I3N00
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The Book of Ruth
Seller: Books End Bookshop, Syracuse, NY, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition; First Printing. 8.40 X 5.30 X 1.30 inches. Seller Inventory # 49327
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The Book of Ruth
Published by
Ticknor & Fields, 1988
ISBN 10: 0899197442
ISBN 13: 9780899197449
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Dan A. Domike, Hoquiam, WA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Minor corner bumping. Light soiling to the top edge. Dust jacket now in a protective brodart wrapper. Publisher sticker to the front cover and a stamp to the bottom edge. Clean, unmarked copy that appears unread. Seller Inventory # ABE-1525035290295
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The Book of Ruth
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_462112284
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The Book of Ruth. A novel.
Published by
Ticknor & Fields, New York, 1988
ISBN 10: 0899197442
ISBN 13: 9780899197449
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Monkey House Books, Miller Place, NY, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket condition fine. Story of the struggles of a young woman from a poor, small-town family. 328 pages. Winner of the Hemingway Award for best first novel. Seller Inventory # 9922
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The Book of Ruth
Published by
Ticknor & Fields, U.S.A., 1988
ISBN 10: 0899197442
ISBN 13: 9780899197449
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: SkylarkerBooks, DAYTON, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good+. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good+. 1ST. A Nice Reading Copy - Book Is In Very Good + Condition. Boards Have A Tiny Bit Of Shelf Wear. Fore Edges Have A Small Amount Of Wear. Interior Is Clean And Legible. Not Remaindered. Dust Jacket Is In Very Good + Condition. Tiny Bit Of Shelf Wear/Rub. Tiniest Bit Of Wear Along The Edges. Not Price Clipped. Dust Jacket Is Covered By Mylar Wrapper. Thanks And Enjoy. Book. Seller Inventory # 026414
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The Book of Ruth
Published by
Ticknor & Fields, 1988
ISBN 10: 0899197442
ISBN 13: 9780899197449
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Glands of Destiny First Edition Books, Sedro Woolley, WA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Publisher: Ticknor & Fields, New York, 1988.First Edition, First Printing. VERY GOOD hardcover book in VERY GOOD dust-jacket. Adhesive residue on pastedowns, flaps and endpapers. Not as bad as it would seem. Not remainder marked. Not price-clipped. Not a book club edition. Not an ex-library copy. All of our books with dust-jackets are shipped in fresh, archival-safe mylar protective sleeves. Seller Inventory # 2107220028