Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - The Ghost at the Table

The Ghost at the Table
The Ghost at the Table
Author: Suzanne Berne
Thanksgiving, homecoming, reunion—family ideals shared across generations and geography. But does reality ever live up to expectations? The Fiske family is gathered at the exquisitely restored New England home of the second of three sisters. Family apologist Frances has gone to great lengths to bring about a reunion with the sisters’...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9781565123342
ISBN-10: 1565123344
Publication Date: 9/22/2006
Pages: 304
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 22

3.4 stars, based on 22 ratings
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

IntrepidOne avatar reviewed The Ghost at the Table on + 157 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
The story starts out harmless enough, younger sister begrudgingly travels to olders sister's house for Thanksgiving. Written from the younger sister's view point, you at first empathize with her and her plight. Her older sister seems so out of touch with reality. As the story unfolds though, something dawns on you: what is percieved by a person IS reality for THEM. Truth is elusive, and often times subjective.
kdurham2813 avatar reviewed The Ghost at the Table on + 753 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Rarely, do I read reviews for books before reading them - no need to spoil the fun, but for some reason I did on this one. Depressing was the overall theme for the reviews, so I went in a skeptic and hoping that this book wasn't the downer it was potrayed to be.

A story that centers around the two remaining sisters of a family that started with three. With a less than wonderful childhood, these girls lost their mom early on and with that they lost their father to another woman. A sister passing away and distance made this reconnection over Thanksgiving awkward and dramatic. Add in random guests and one of the sister's two daughters, this book was even awkward in the reading.

A connection between the book that sister Cynthia is writing about Mark Twain's three daughters and their childhood is interesting as she continues to give details about this book she is writing about the Twain family. It was great to read this book in the week leading up to Thanksgiving, but I am not sure I would have enjoyed it if I had read it at another time of the year.
Read All 3 Book Reviews of "The Ghost at the Table"


Genres: