What else is there to say about the creative and philosophical writer Douglas Kennedy? His writer’s resume and life experience are impressive and speaks for itself. One could be a little intimidated just trying to write a review about the author and his many accomplishments! Douglas Kennedy—a proud father, newly husband, and writer—is an American author who has a popular demand of novels that reaches worldwide. The international novelist has written eleven novels, which has been translated in 22 different countries including his latest novel, Five Days. Two of his novels, The Dead Heart and The Big Picture, were adapted for the movie films Welcome to Woop Woop and L’Homme Qui Voulait Vivre Sa Vie. Another one of his novels, The Woman in the Fifth, was also adapted for a film movie and theater. Finding a word that best describes Kennedy’s work is not nearly impossible, but right about now, it feels as if it is. Maybe some words like enthralling, with a theoretical and delineative style of storytelling will do for now.
Kennedy graced us with his presence at the Alliance Francaise in Midtown Atlanta on July 1st. Alliance Francaise is a non-profit organization that teaches and promotes the French language. Since 1912, the organization has been a proud supporter of the French culture. Kennedy got to witness the French experience in an open discussion with the audience where many questions were asked and answered in the language. He began speaking in French, humbly showing off his skills, not only as a writer, but also as a bilingual speaker. In addition to speaking French, he can also speak fluently in German as well. Thankfully, he reverted back to speaking English as he proceeded to tell the audience about his new novel!
Five Days is a compelling story that deals with regret, infidelity, family, and second chances. Kennedy tells a story that brilliantly and discreetly challenges readers to carefully evaluate their life experiences. He later tells his audience that he too, had to refocus his life by asking two simple questions: What do you want? What makes you happy? He goes on to say people generally want to be happy, but often times struggle with “embracing” true happiness. As it is already nicely written on his website douglaskennedynovelist.com, here is a brief synopsis of the story, Five Days:
Forty-two-year-old Laura spends her days looking at other people’s potential calamities. She works in the radiography unit of a small hospital on the Maine coast, scanning and x-raying frightened patients. In a job where finding nothing is always the best result, she is well versed in the random unfairness of life, a revelation that has started to affect her personally. Her husband Dan has become a stranger since losing his job eighteen months ago and she feels the distance is only growing between them. Her son, a promising artist, is in college, and her vivacious seventeen-year old daughter is set to leave home within the year. Laura begins to wonder if her impending empty nest will only deepen the disconnected state of her marriage. She gets an opportunity to spend the weekend at a radiography conference in Boston for three days where she meets Richard Copeland, a fifty-something insurance salesman who is also in the area for the weekend. It was not love at first sight. However, within the next few days of her having to work together for business, Laura discovers that they both share common interests that deeply entrance them on a personal and passionate level.
During his visit, Kennedy reveals how the narrator, Laura, deals with these two questions in her situation which eventually, determines the narrator and her lover’s end result. He assures readers that the ending is not what you expect saying, “It’s not a happy ending.” These are just a few of the many simple, yet still complicated questions a person could ask in their lives; but they are questions that will ultimately, guide a person to happiness.
Check out Douglas Kennedy website where you will also find more of his books: http://www.douglaskennedynovelist.com/.
Other Social Networks: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DouglasKennedyBooks
Twitter – https://twitter.com/DouglasLKennedy
Happy reading!!!
