What do you think?
Rate this book
Family and Other Accidents
Separated by a decade and 200 points on their SAT scores, Jack and Connor Reed have a life in the Cleveland suburbs held together by spit and Chinese takeout. With his self-absorbed, over-the-hill parents dead by his twenty-fifth birthday, Jack has abandoned his own plans and returned to his parents’ house where he works marathon hours at his late father’s law firm, beds young paralegals, and throws money and advice at his teenage brother. Connor meanwhile wants nothing more than to leave the Midwest, start a family early, and do everything the way his parents didn’t. But over the years, through the car crashes and bad breakups, the illnesses and illicit affairs, both realize that while circumstances are sometimes beyond control, there are always choices to be made.
Family and Other Accidents tells the story of these brothers from their viewpoints as well as from those of their girlfriends, wives, and children. It is a story of what it means to be a family, to love unconditionally in the face of confusion, anger, and regret. Shari Goldhagen’s debut is a finely nuanced, universally resonant portrait of the ties, however strange or awkward, that bind families together through the decades.
Family and Other Accidents tells the story of these brothers from their viewpoints as well as from those of their girlfriends, wives, and children. It is a story of what it means to be a family, to love unconditionally in the face of confusion, anger, and regret. Shari Goldhagen’s debut is a finely nuanced, universally resonant portrait of the ties, however strange or awkward, that bind families together through the decades.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
12 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Shari Goldhagen
5 books92 followersAfter serious pursuits of literature at Northwestern (BSJ) and Ohio State (MFA), Shari Goldhagen discovered she had a knack for sifting through celebrity trash and worked as a gossip writer for publications including The National Enquirer, Us Weekly, and Life & Style Weekly. And her articles on pop culture, travel and relationships have appeared everywhere from Cosmopolitan to Penthouse. She has received fellowships from Yaddo and MacDowell and currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 27, 2015
This book surprised me. It's not that anything THAT exciting happens to the lives of these two brothers and their families, but that's the loveliness and brilliance of this writing. It's beautiful in the mundane topics and every day occurances. Goldhagen has a keen eye for small details that show how life happens in ways we don't expect, and how unexpected things happen that bring us to a place we are now. At it's core it's about a relationship between brothers, but it ends up being a study in the people in our lives, whether family or chosen family, and how they shape and influence our lives- knowingly or not.
August 27, 2007
This is a great character driven novel about 2 brothers, Jack and Connor Reed whose parents die within a few years of one another leaving 25 year old Jack as 15 year old Connor's legal guardian.
The book starts with Connor at 17 and Jack at 27 and tells the story of their lives right up until Connor's 40th birthday party.
The characters are flawed, making them that much more human and that much more likable. It's an excellent look into the ties of family that bind us and how those binds sometimes drive us a bit crazy.
The book starts with Connor at 17 and Jack at 27 and tells the story of their lives right up until Connor's 40th birthday party.
The characters are flawed, making them that much more human and that much more likable. It's an excellent look into the ties of family that bind us and how those binds sometimes drive us a bit crazy.
June 2, 2008
The book's narrative is incredibly unique. It's all third-person, but the plot unfolds through the eyes of numerous characters. I loved Jack and Connor, the brothers at the center of the storm, and how the author shared with readers 25 years of their lives. A fast and absorbing read, even though nothing really happens - there is no clear story arc, no conflict-climax-resolution in this book. It's very character-driven. My only complaint is that the ending was sort of lame. Otherwise, though, a beautifully crafted story.
March 13, 2016
The characters are morally reprehensible, but I found myself rooting for them regardless. The book is very well written and paced. The only thing I didn't like is the transitions between chapters, they seemed more like short stories than a cohesive book, which is because that's how some of them started. But I would definitely recommend this one.
June 7, 2022
The lives of two brothers and how much they loved each other as they grow into adults. Their family relations carry over to their marriages.
It is a pretty quick read
It is a pretty quick read
April 18, 2021
Wow. Just noticed the average rating for this is less than 4. That would seem to mean that either the people who have read this are more discriminating than the readers of most books on GR of this is one of the least liked books on this website since the star rating usually means 5 stars is good, 4 stars means decent and 3 and below is nearly a "don't bother."
Although I did find some minor logistic mistakes in the book, I truly enjoyed the unpredictable but not unbelievable plot. Early on it seemed clear that these were short stories held together as a novel, and this worked for me. There was a small amount of repetition due to them each being somewhat standalone, but not it didn't annoy me.
Certainly one of the two good books I've read this year.
Although I did find some minor logistic mistakes in the book, I truly enjoyed the unpredictable but not unbelievable plot. Early on it seemed clear that these were short stories held together as a novel, and this worked for me. There was a small amount of repetition due to them each being somewhat standalone, but not it didn't annoy me.
Certainly one of the two good books I've read this year.
June 4, 2007
I was tempted to give this book five stars because I liked it that much, but I feel like I should save that high mark for literary masterpieces. This isn't a masterpiece, but it's such an interesting portrait of two brothers, with each chapter a snapshot of their lives from adolescence into adulthood. Maybe it's because they seem so real and so flawed. Apparently this book isn't very widely liked, so I don't know if I would recommend it to anybody, but I LOVED it!
September 11, 2007
A unique style of writing--some places where the author slows down and spends quality time with her characters (real people you will enjoy spending time with) and other places where she speeds through and skips entire years of their lives. I was intrigued by this in terms of craft.
July 27, 2010
I've recommended this one to others and they've found it weird...it probably is, but a classic coming-of-age story that I realize the older I get becomes more and more realistic. Plus told from many characters' perspectives, which I enjoy.
October 21, 2016
A new way of naming the circumstances of life is accidents...can be fatal or not. This was an exceptional novel, short and precise in making us see the lives of two brothers and their extended families live and unlive different aspects of their unions.
September 19, 2018
It's been years since I read this book (loaned it out and never got it back!) but I absolutely loved it. Fantastic coming-of-age story following two very different brothers. An interesting testament to how you can't pick your family but in the end, they'll have your back.
April 23, 2011
I liked this story of two brothers. My only gripe was that the pop culture references didn't make sense with the timeline. It was distracting.
March 3, 2017
This book made me so emotional! I did not think it was going to be so mature and expand on the characters as much as it did. Like it said it's goal was in the beginning, it for sure highlighted the struggles a family can have, whether that be with love and relationships, illness, or growing up and finding yourself. Love love love it.
February 3, 2013
Die Geschichte der beiden sehr unterschiedlichen Brüder Jack und Connor, deren Leben man über einen Zeitraum von ca. 25 Jahren begleitet. Dabei geht es um Familie, Liebe, Zusammenhalt, aber auch um Trauer, Verlust und Tränen.
Mich hat dieses Buch sehr berührt – die Entwicklung der beiden Brüder, erst ihr gemeinsamer Lebensweg nach dem Tod der Eltern, dann die unabhängige Entwicklung voneinander in ihren eigenen Liebesbeziehungen und mit unterschiedlichen Lebenszielen – bis sich am Ende der Kreis wieder schließt. Dabei ist mir insbesondere Connor sehr ans Herz gewachsen – er ist warm, verletzlich, lebensnah und vor allem „echt“ gezeichnet. Als Familienmensch und liebevoller Vater war er mir sehr sympathisch – Jack dagegen ist eher der kalte, erfolgreiche Anwalt, der versucht, alles über Geld zu regeln – dennoch hat auch er liebevolle und emotionale Seiten, die manchmal, leider viel zu selten, an die Oberfläche kommen.
Die Stimmung im Buch ist fast durchgängig melancholisch, der Schreibstil angenehm und flüssig. Die Kapitellänge fand ich sehr angenehm, die Zeitsprünge gut, dadurch verliert sich das Buch nicht in Kleinigkeiten. Mal wird das Leben von Jack, mal das von Connor beleuchtet, bis sich die Lebenswege beider Brüder durch gemeinsame Treffen wieder kreuzen. Eine emotionale Berg- und Talfahrt - ich bin sehr berührt von diesem Roman!
Mich hat dieses Buch sehr berührt – die Entwicklung der beiden Brüder, erst ihr gemeinsamer Lebensweg nach dem Tod der Eltern, dann die unabhängige Entwicklung voneinander in ihren eigenen Liebesbeziehungen und mit unterschiedlichen Lebenszielen – bis sich am Ende der Kreis wieder schließt. Dabei ist mir insbesondere Connor sehr ans Herz gewachsen – er ist warm, verletzlich, lebensnah und vor allem „echt“ gezeichnet. Als Familienmensch und liebevoller Vater war er mir sehr sympathisch – Jack dagegen ist eher der kalte, erfolgreiche Anwalt, der versucht, alles über Geld zu regeln – dennoch hat auch er liebevolle und emotionale Seiten, die manchmal, leider viel zu selten, an die Oberfläche kommen.
Die Stimmung im Buch ist fast durchgängig melancholisch, der Schreibstil angenehm und flüssig. Die Kapitellänge fand ich sehr angenehm, die Zeitsprünge gut, dadurch verliert sich das Buch nicht in Kleinigkeiten. Mal wird das Leben von Jack, mal das von Connor beleuchtet, bis sich die Lebenswege beider Brüder durch gemeinsame Treffen wieder kreuzen. Eine emotionale Berg- und Talfahrt - ich bin sehr berührt von diesem Roman!
November 7, 2016
Es ist schon eine Zeit her, dass ich dieses Buch gelesen habe. Ich kann mich jedoch noch genau daran erinnern, wie ich angefangen habe es zu lesen. Schon nach ein paar Kapiteln legte ich es weg, weil es mir ein wenig unsympathisch und seltsam erschien. Nach einigen Monaten griff ich dann erneut zu dem Buch und konnte mich überwinden es weiter zu lesen.
Und ich bin wirklich dankbar dass ich es getan habe!! Dieses Buch hat mir eine neue Welt der Literatur eröffnet. Es ist keine übliche Romanze, was ansonsten eher meinem Genre entspricht, sondern ein wirklich relistisches Buch mit alltäglichen Themen.
Das Buch beschreibt den Alltag zweier Brüder, die auf sich alleine gestellt sind und ihr Leben manchmal gemeinsam, und manchmal alleine meistern müssen. Es schildert die Probleme eines bürgerlichen Lebens und begleitet die beiden in ihrer Lebenslaufbahn. Man erlebt Höhen und Tiefen, fiebert mit und hofft bis zum Schluss auf ein Happy End.
Ob es dazu auch wirklich kommt, müsst ihr schon selbst herausfinden ;)
Ich kann dieses Buch nur sehr weiter empfehlen weil es eine Abwechslung zu typischen Romanen und Liebesgeschichten darstellt. Obwohl es schon so lange her ist, dass ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, ist es mir bis heute in Erinnerung geblieben, und das schaffen nur wenige Bücher.
Es ist also auf jeden Fall einen Blick wert ;)
Und ich bin wirklich dankbar dass ich es getan habe!! Dieses Buch hat mir eine neue Welt der Literatur eröffnet. Es ist keine übliche Romanze, was ansonsten eher meinem Genre entspricht, sondern ein wirklich relistisches Buch mit alltäglichen Themen.
Das Buch beschreibt den Alltag zweier Brüder, die auf sich alleine gestellt sind und ihr Leben manchmal gemeinsam, und manchmal alleine meistern müssen. Es schildert die Probleme eines bürgerlichen Lebens und begleitet die beiden in ihrer Lebenslaufbahn. Man erlebt Höhen und Tiefen, fiebert mit und hofft bis zum Schluss auf ein Happy End.
Ob es dazu auch wirklich kommt, müsst ihr schon selbst herausfinden ;)
Ich kann dieses Buch nur sehr weiter empfehlen weil es eine Abwechslung zu typischen Romanen und Liebesgeschichten darstellt. Obwohl es schon so lange her ist, dass ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, ist es mir bis heute in Erinnerung geblieben, und das schaffen nur wenige Bücher.
Es ist also auf jeden Fall einen Blick wert ;)
February 15, 2015
I recently read the author's latest book and I was so sad to let those characters go...so I was thrilled to find out she had a previous novel. I wasn't disappointed. Shari Goldhagen is great at giving depth to the stereotypical people we all know (and love) in life-- the overachieving wife, the man-boy who lost his parents too young, the guy who can't commit-- allowing you to understand not only the people in the story but also maybe the people you encounter every day. I also love her ability to show how messy and complicated life and relationships are. Nothing is clear cut. You don't fall out of love with the man you divorced or your first love even if you are now married. Just because you overcome a life-threatening illness doesn't mean it won't have consequences on your marriage. But still she finds a way to end on a positive note, even if the future of the characters is uncertain.
Another great read that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
Another great read that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
June 18, 2009
When their parents die within a few years of each other, Jack Reed is forced to take legal guardianship of his ten-year-junior brother Connor. The story traces these two brothers from their early years together, when Jack, 25, was the acting parent for his 15 year-old brother, through the moments that lead them both into their twilight years. Along with the women who become intertwined with their lives, Mona and Laine, the brothers work through hatred, betrayal, disappointment, anger, frustration, hurt, grief, misunderstanding, and love—every emotion another string to intensify the fragile yet formidable connection between the two brothers. Funny, fluid, and utterly real, Goldhagen paints a portrayal of brotherhood that cuts to the heart.
February 5, 2010
This a book that grew on me. Jack and Conner are brothers, 10 years apart. When Jack is 25 and Conner is 15 they are left to fend for themselves when their mother dies 8 years after their father has died. Jack has to take on the roll of caregiver/parent/brother to Conner. Jack is a workaholic, womanizer who really has no time or know-how to take on this role, which basically leaves Conner on his own. The story follows their lives over the next 25 years. The author has an interesting style which made this book better than it really was. She was able to let a situation unfold in real time, but then would add some details from the future that made you look at what just happened differently.
November 6, 2009
This book was truly incredible. I must admit that I had started this book several months ago, but was not in the right emotional mind frame. This is the kind of book that makes you question the relationships that you have in your life. It was nothing short of thought provoking. The journey with the characters almost felt therapeutic and I am saddened to realize that I will never know if Jack and Mona got back together or if Connor lived a long life. This was a very insightful recommendation from a dear friend.
October 3, 2010
A story of two brothers orphaned when one was 15, the other 25 or so, through 2 decades. Not quite the power of other family dramas I've praised, since one is emotionally stunted, unable to share love, but tender and powerful to the end. Brilliant writing, but almost so understated as to feel flat.
October 20, 2013
I immediately liked this book because of all the Cleveland references. I also liked and cared about the characters. However, what I didn't like what how years of time were skipped over with only a mere sentence to explain the passage of time. I really wanted to know what happened to the characters when I finished the book.
March 22, 2016
Didn't know what to expect from the book and the first 2 chapters reminded me of Catcher in the Rye. The book picked up pacing through the middle and finished ok. Made me think hard about dysfunctional families and why people cheat or have affairs. Interesting use of point of view from the different characters.
July 29, 2008
This book was very well written and I enjoyed getting to know the characters from through the chapters that they each narrated. I also liked that the author covered a long timeline - we could see the characters mature and develop.
August 19, 2009
excellent...read it in about 2 days. i was surprised this was written by a female author as it told the story of 2 brothers. i liked that it was a story of 25 years of their lives and not just a little snippet...made the read quicker and more interesting
August 15, 2010
A surprising little book! I could have done without some of the sexual references but I was very intrigued by the relationship of the brothers. That is a subject so seldom dealt with in shorter novels.
Good Read!
Good Read!
May 10, 2012
I loved this book. I found it easy to relate to even when the story was from the male perspective. Made me reflect on my own relationships with the people in my family and how they change over time. Poetic and real, worth reading.
May 6, 2007
Scotty Eck went to Sunday School with the author!!
October 31, 2007
True, Shari is my friend, but I'm being honest when I say that her quiet, beautiful writing amazes me. This was a lovely book -- nuanced and subtle and touching when you least expect it.
August 5, 2007
this book makes you want to go make out with someone.
August 12, 2007
I really enjoyed this book--it was well written without being overwritten, and the characters were as flawed as they come but still likeable and empathetic. A very good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews