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One Hundred Names
One Hundred Names
One Hundred Names
Audiobook10 hours

One Hundred Names

Written by Cecelia Ahern

Narrated by Amy Creighton

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

About this audiobook

The uplifting and thoughtful novel from the uniquely talented author. Everyone has a story to tell…

Journalist Kitty Logan’s career has been destroyed by scandal, and she now faces losing the woman who guided her and taught her everything she knew. At her mentor’s bedside, Kitty asks her – what is the one story she always wanted to write?

The answer lies in a file buried in Constance’s office: a list of one hundred names. There is no synopsis, no explanation, nothing else to explain what the story is or who these people are. The list is simply a mystery.

But before Kitty can talk to her friend, it is too late.

With everything to prove, Kitty is assigned the most important task of her life – to write the story her mentor never had the opportunity to. Kitty has to not only track down and meet the people on the list, but find out what connects them. And, in the process of hearing ordinary people’s stories, she uncovers Constance’s – and starts to understand her own…

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateOct 11, 2012
ISBN9780007488650
Author

Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. Her novels have been translated into thirty-five languages and have sold more than twenty-five million copies in over fifty countries. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series. She and her books have won numerous awards, including the Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction for The Year I Met You. She lives in Dublin with her family.

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Reviews for One Hundred Names

Rating: 3.6658162637755103 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

196 ratings32 reviews

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    After losing her friend and boss, a woman must write one last story based on her friends list of 100 names. There are no directions, explanations of connections between the names on her list.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Another wonderful book by Cecelia Ahern! I really enjoyed the variety of characters and how the story played out.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was the way I could relate to KItty. The way that she made mistakes, but that she was still human. This book was funny, dramtic , sad and exctiting and I loved it!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Total yawn.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The last book I read by Cecelia Ahern was a bit disappointing (I think it was written as a YA novel), but this one was excellent. Journalist's friend, mentor and editor dies, just as she is facing up to a giant journalistic and ethical mistake she has made. Her new (possibly last-chance) assignment is to write a story based on a list of 100 names her mentor has left behind. What happens during her research not only makes a great story, but brings her redemption and even romance. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Kitty Logan is a disgraced journalist. In her unbridled drive for success she's cut corners and libeled an innocent man. The tabloid television news show she worked for is being sued for a lot of money.

    The only one who still believes in Kitty is Constance, an editor and Kitty's mentor, but Constance is dying.

    When Kitty asks Constance what story she regrets not writing, Constance tells her to fetch a file folder from her office. In the file is a list of one hundred names and nothing else. Before Constance can explain the importance of these names or how they're related she dies.

    Partly because Kitty sees this as an opportunity to salvage her career and partly as a tribute to her late friend she decides to investigate these names and see if she can find and write the story that links them.

    She can't. Or at least she hadn't been able to forty percent into the novel.

    Rather than the unfolding of a promising plot premise the reader is presented with Kitty's very ordinary life, with the exception of excrement being smeared on her front door numerous times from irate readers and supporters of the man she libeled.

    After interviewing a half dozen or so people on Constance' list and getting nowhere Kitty's getting frustrated and so was I.

    At the beginning I had stretch my suspension of disbelieve to include the improbable plot point the the story hangs on - that a tabloid news show would allow a story to air that accuses a high school teacher of sexual misconduct with a student and fathering her child without solid evidence, like maybe DNA testing. I mean, do they have a death wish?

    Being a journalist myself I know this would never be allowed to happen. If the reporter was incompetent enough to submit such an incendiary story without irrefutable evidence it would have been killed by the news editor, and for sure never got past the producer.

    However, besides this grievous lack of research of the author's part I finally abandoned the novel because the story was boring and the writing mediocre.

    Six names down, ninety-four to go? I don't think so.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Really enjoyed this book. Yes it was cliched and predictable. But it was interesting and heartwarming too. Thumbs up.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This has to be one of the "BEST" books I've read lately. One Hundred names is a story of hope, redemption, love and friendship. Like the sign above the blackboard of the daily specials at Brick Alley Cafe in Temple Bar ------ "Every table has a story to tell". Beautiful insightful book that will warm your heart and soul.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A thoughtful book by one of my favorite authors. I loved the concept of the book and the path Kitty Logan had to take to put her life back on track after being publicly disgraced as a journalist. The novel is one part figuring out what the 100 names have in common, and another part Kitty figuring out her life and where she wants to go with it. Its an introspective and unusual novel with well developed characters and plotlines.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another fun, easy read by Cecelia Ahern. I enjoyed this book about Kitty Logan and the list of 100 names she needs to write a story about. While predictable in many areas (particularly the romance related areas) I also found enough to intrigue me - how are the names linked? How will Kitty meet these people and write her story in time. Fun and heartwarming. #CeliaAhern
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kitty is a disgraced journalist who in pursuit of a story inadvertently ruined an innocent mans life. With her livelihood hanging on by a thread she is handed her next story by her mentor Constance who has terminal cancer. Kitty is tasked with writing the greatest story Constance never got to. All Kitty has to do his decipher how a hundred names are linked and then write the story. Before Kitty is able to get more insight on just how the names are related Constance passes away leaving Kitty on her own. What Kitty learns about the people on the list ends up changing her and their lives.

    I picked up this novel because I found the premise of a list of a hundred names and how these people could be related very intriguing. I had in my mind that each person on the list would lead to the next and provide a key to an interlocking story. I confess that I was a little disappointed when I realized that the story was not like that all. I almost threw in the towel midway through but I am glad I stuck it out. The book is more like a love letter to humanity. The message is we are all special and we all have a story to tell no matter how insignificant our lives may seem. As I read more the novel grew on me and I was won over by the lovely story. I also adored the Irish setting. This was my first Cecelia Ahern novel but it won't be my last.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Things are not going well for Kitty Logan. The story that was supposed to make her career has turned into a scandal and her beloved mentor is dying. When her friend passes away, she leaves Kitty with a mission: to write the story she always wanted to write. Unfortunately, all Kitty has to go on is a list of one hundred names. She’s on a tight deadline and isn’t sure she’ll even be able to find the right people, much less meet all of them and find out what connects them. Solving this puzzle for her mentor is a challenge, but one which might just help Kitty solve some problems of her own.

    Before reading One Hundred Names, I already knew I loved Cecelia Ahern, having had wonderful experiences with both The Book of Tomorrow and The Time of My Life. This book lived up to all the expectations those books had created. What gets me started reading each book by Ahern is the fascinating premise. It’s hard not to get excited about a book with a great hook! Although in this case the big reveal hinted at by the description was a bit predictable, I didn’t feel like that took away from the novelty and beauty of the idea. It was a great way to start a fun, madcap adventure I was swept away by. More importantly, it introduced the reason I keep reading each book by Ahern – the brilliant characters.

    In each book I’ve read, the main character grows as a person. This is something I really enjoy in a book. In fact, I think this is the reason a slightly predictable plot can be completely wonderful. Although I can relax, knowing the Ahern is going to leave me with warm fuzzy feelings, the main character still has to work for it. I also fell in love with the many secondary characters, learning just enough about their inner workings to be invested in their stories too. Aside from the starting point of each of Ahern’s books, much of what is portrayed within is simply ordinary life. This could be boring, but Ahern uses her exciting premises and touching writing to highlight the beauty and wonder that lurk in ordinary events. Her books could also easily be too predictable, too cliched, too orchestrated. However, the unique premise of each book saves them from cliche and the character growth allows the predictability to turn her books into comfort reads, without taking away from the plot. All of this makes Ahern’s books some of my favorite examples of a happy story done right.

    This review first published on Doing Dewey.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a wonderful book that reminds us all of a very important part of life. (If I discuss that here, I will give away too much of the book, so I won't.) Kitty is having a rough time - both personally and professionally. She has promised her friend/mentor (who is dying) that she will finish the friend's last writing/research project for her. However, the friend passes away before telling Kitty exactly what that project is. All Kitty has is a list of 100 names. She now has to find out what there is about these people that her friend wanted to write about. While doing this, she learns much about herself -- and life in general.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In the wake of a devastating professional mistake, Kitty Logan finds herself facing the harsh, vindictive public and struggles to cope with the consequences it has on her home, love life, and career. In attempts to salvage what is left of her reputation, she needs to pen a tribute story for Et Cetera magazine: the story her mentor, Constance, claimed she wanted Kitty to write.

    The only lead Kitty has is a list of one hundred names she doesn't recognize, with no summary, synopsis, or anything to explain who the people are or what the story is about. The names are intriguing, but wildly unrelated to each other, and as the stresses of a two-week deadline mount, Kitty tries to connect the names, only to discover the futile connection is the least important aspect of all.

    Fully illogical, deceiving, and fiercely interesting—just as Constance would have liked it—Kitty's uncertain story puts her in the paths of strangers she'd never take the chance to speak with otherwise. As her search for the perfect tribute continues, she learns a valuable lesson on the roots and heart of journalism, and meets the most diverse cast of everyday, unsung heroes along the way. It's not about uncovering secrets or lies or finding something earth-shattering that one hundred people are keeping from her; it's simply about listening to each of their truths because, as she discovers, everyone has a story.

    I'm a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern (author of P.S. I Love You) and was delighted by One Hundred Names. It's fresh, quirky, and has a charming Irish undertone; this is the kind of book that will not only amuse you, but also stick with you for a long time to come. The plot is original—I expected nothing less!—and the weight of the loss, scrambling investigation, and finally, victorious redemption that Kitty goes through makes you think long and hard. At the same time, Ahern's style is breezy and hilarious, yet still tender—wholly inspirational. She'll make you reflect on the indications of the bravery and belief of everyday men and women in this hope-filled world, as well as sympathize with one desperate woman as she battles to find her own voice as an act of redemption—but ends of finding others' in the process.

    To me, One Hundred Names is the ultimate rom com; it's a feel-good novel with refreshing, lovable secondary characters and satisfying, triumphant, fairy tale-like endings, but it puts the protagonist, Kitty, through hell before we get there. Oddly enough, Kitty was the one character I disliked. I felt bad for her often because of the pathetic situations she gets herself into, but she's quite annoying, and a huge ditz. I would not get along with, or remotely like, her in real life, and couldn't get myself to warm up to her in the book either.

    Overall, One Hundred Names is a glorious chick lit novel—a must-read that recognizes the power of company, prayer, and hope, as well as sheds light on the complicated, glittering humanness of every single person, no matter how "normal" we label them to be.

    Pros: Gorgeous, eclectic cast of unlikely characters // Entertainingly written // Meaningful // Quirkily Irish // Hard to put down—the story is full of literary action and drama // Amazing portrayal of how people are not what they seem on the surface

    Cons: Didn't like Kitty

    Verdict: Humans of New York meets Bridget Jones in this lively, but thoroughly moving Irish novel about the allure and wonder of not just the rich, famous, and world-renowned—but of the everyday individual. With Cecelia Ahern's signature warmth and humorous girly touch, One Hundred Names brings you a heart-warming, magical story that will immerse you completely; reading it was a complete transformative experience. I loved the adorable, entertaining style and the poignant wakeup call the book sends: that every single ordinary person has an extraordinary story.

    Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended.

    Source: Complimentary copy provided by tour publicist via publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, TLC and Harper Collins!).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the story of Irish journalist Kitty Logan and her quest to write a story in honor of her recently deceased mentor and friend. The idea is that Kitty will write and publish a piece that Constance had on the back burner and never had time to do. Kitty finds a file folder in Constance's home that contains a list of one hundred names. No explanation or story ideas, just the list of names. Kitty sets out to discover what the names mean and finds more than she had ever imagined. One Hundred Names is an inspirational story with a great plot and well-written characters. Cecelia Ahern continues to write readable, enjoyable stories.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Katie Couric anchored The CBS Evening News, one of my favorite segments was Steve Hartman's Everybody Has A Story. He would shoot a dart at a map of the United States, and wherever that dart landed, he would get a telephone book from that city and randomly choose a name. He would call that person and then ask to interview them.

    Each person he interviewed was astonished that someone who want to do a story about them, but inevitably there would be a fascinating something about them. Irish author Cecelia Ahern's newest novel, One Hundred Names, has an intriguing spin on that same thing- that everyone has an interesting story.

    Kitty Logan is a TV journalist whose last story was about a teacher accused of sexual misconduct. It is discovered that Kitty had been the unwitting collaborator of two high school girls who had a vendetta against the teacher. Kitty did not do her job properly, and ruined a man's entire career and life by broadcasting false accusations.

    Her career in shambles, Kitty goes to visit her mentor Constance, the editor of a serious magazine where Kitty got her start. Constance is dying in a hospital and she convinces Kitty to finish a story she had been working on. She believes that Kitty is a good journalist if she just gets back to her roots.

    After Constance dies, Kitty goes to Constance's home office and finds the file; it's just a list of one hundred names and nothing else. Kitty is devastated by Constance's death, but she wants to make Constance proud of her and so she sets out to find the connection among these names and what the story is.

    Kitty manages to find six of the people on the list to interview, but none of them seem to have a connection to anyone else on the list. There is Archie, a lonely man whose daughter was murdered sixteen years ago. Archie killed the man he suspected of the crime and went to prison. Now he claims to hear other people's prayers.

    She meets Ambrose, a woman who has a disfigured face and lives her life secluded from society next to a butterfly museum. Eva Wu is a woman who built a successful business as a personal gift shopper. She meets with a person, finds out whom the gift is for, and does extensive research to choose the perfect gift. There are the two immigrants who are trying to set a Guinness Book of World Records feat, and a young woman whose best friend 'fake proposes' to her in bars to get free drinks and good wishes from strangers.

    The most interesting person on the list is a woman who lives in a nursing home. Birdie was a sickly child, and when she was a teen, she placed a bet with her hometown bookie that she would live to be 85 years old. The bookie took the bet, sure Birdie wouldn't live long.

    Birdie is turning 85, and wants to collect her money. Somehow Kitty manages to collect all six of the people on the list, as well as assorted friends and family, for the trip to collect on Birdie's bet, hoping to discover what they all have in common and why they are on Constance's list.

    Ahern takes what could have been a trite story and creates something beautiful. We don't like Kitty very much at first, she did a horrible thing to the teacher. But her project is sincere and whereas she initially takes it on to rebuilt her career, she eventually becomes the person Constance knew her to be.

    The people on the list all have fascinating stories, and one thing this book will reinforce is that everyone truly has a unique, interesting story. After reading it, you won't look at people on the street in the same way, wondering what their interesting story is.

    rating 4 of 5
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So far I have never been let down by Ahern. She tells a good story with well developed characters you love to love - and hate.

    The only "formulaic" aspect I've noticed are the similarities in the personalities of the main female protagonists, but because their stories are unique and well told, it's a feeling that gets tossed aside pretty quick.

    All I've read so far, including ONE HUNDRED NAMES are nearly one-shot wonders - meaning I've pretty much read them in one sitting. So be warned. This is not a book to start right before going to bed. Just saying. :-)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The truly special element of One Hundred Names is not the story or the characters but its message. It is a simple message but oh-so powerful. In fact, its power lies directly alongside its simplicity, as it also serves as a proverbial slap in the face because of its humbleness. It is the type of message that is so obvious that we forget about it in the general hustle and bustle of everyday life, but Kitty’s discovery is the necessary reminder.

    That is not to say the story itself or the characters are not enjoyable. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Kitty is not only dealing with the scandal of her life but also with the loss of her friend and mentor. While her metamorphosis is impressive to watch, it is the people on her list that add spice to the story. Similarly, the story gets its punch from Kitty’s detective work into this last story. Figuring out the connections between all one hundred and attempting to write this last article in honor of her friend’s death captures a reader’s interest. Some readers may figure out the connections early on but doing so ruins the surprise and its impact.

    Ms. Ahern always writes well, focusing on her characters rather than using elaborate figurative language to paint the setting. She keeps her stories basic to let the characters shine. One Hundred Names is no different except for the added bonus that there are 100 characters to make things even more exciting for Kitty.

    One Hundred Names is the type of story that deceives with its simple plot and eclectic cast. One does not expect the lasting impression and stunning message it contains. Kitty’s journey from scandal to redemption is fun and heartfelt, but it is her self-discoveries and her understanding of her mentor’s final lessons that move this beautiful novel from good to outstanding.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Disgraced journalist Kitty Logan has been fired from her television show, but is still writing for her mentor, magazine editor Constance McDonald. Constance is seriously ill, but she tries to help Kitty and sends her to retrieve a file, which turns out to be a list of one hundred names that Constance has compiled. But before Kitty can discuss the list with her, Constance dies and Kitty’s story is now to be published as a tribute piece. Although Kitty has the support of Constance’s husband, others on the “Etcetera” staff are less certain that Kitty is the one who should do the piece for the magazine.

    The difficulty of the assignment is compounded by the fact that no one has any idea who these people are or why they are included on the list. No one has a clue as to how they are connected but the magazine's tribute piece is to be about Constance's one hundred names. Determined to write the story, Kitty sets out to find these people and to discover what is so special about them. Then she is certain she will understand exactly why they are on Constance’s list.

    From the beginning, “One Hundred Names” d-r-a-g-s along interminably. Kitty is self-absorbed and not at all likeable; the reader is hard-pressed to empathize with the character or her situation. As the story unfolds, Kitty’s whining quickly becomes as annoying as nails scraping across a chalkboard. Compounding the disappointment, the novel’s less-than-satisfying ending leaves the reader feeling cheated out of what should have been one of the most important scenes in the story.

    I found myself continually putting this book aside after slogging through only a few pages, reluctant to pick it up again. But if you can plod through the endlessly tedious pages, the last dozen will finally make the story begin to come alive.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Thanks for the Memories was a fantastic audiobook experience for me, both for the narration, and for Ahern’s writing. Because of that, I was really excited to read One Thousand Names, especially after learning the idea behind the list of names. Unfortunately, this book took a really long time to come together for me. Part of my problem was the character of Kitty; I found her completely unlikable for at least half of the book. I didn’t understand why she couldn’t comprehend the damage she had caused by writing a false article about someone. Some of her romantic choices had me simply shaking my head, as well as the way she handled certain obstacles in her life.

    Then you have the list of names. Because she is trying to find one hundred people and discover their stories, the plot was quite scattered. It took a long time for it all to come together, and I found myself losing patience, wondering when things were finally going to fall into place. The last quarter of the book did keep me from completely disliking it, but wasn’t enough to make me give it a high recommendation.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kitty Logan is a journalist, up-and-coming in the world of television, when she makes a mistake with a story and her world comes crashing down. Her friend Constance is the founder of a magazine that Kitty also works for on occasion, and is the only person to still believe in her after the scandal of her disastrous mistake. Unfortunately, as the book opens, Constance is dying and doesn't have the opportunity to explain her final assignment to Kitty. Kitty is left with just a list of 100 names with no idea what connects those listed. Her attempt to meet these people and write the story, or their stories, rather, is a heartwarming, eye-opening and inspiring journey of discovery, both for herself and for the reader.
    Kitty is a genuine, flawed, and dynamic character. Those on the list, as well as the supporting characters of Kitty's friends and co-workers are fascinating and realistically drawn. The mystery of what unites the list members is something that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The ending; however, is a little abrupt, although long-time Ahern readers will not be surprised by this, as it is common to come to the end of one of her novels and be left wanting more.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Katherine (Kitty) Logan is an ambitious journalist who has hit it big working for the television show Thirty Minutes and as a reporter for Etcetera Magazine, which is run by her mentor and friend Constance Mac Donald. Just as she makes it closer to the top of her profession she makes a huge mistake that stops her career cold; and it happens when Constance is dying of cancer. Her life falls apart: the media is out to get her, she is threatened, harassed and her bosses distance themselves from her, along with her family and friends. The only thing that keeps her going is something Constance tells her about a story she’s always wanted to write before she dies. The notes for the story are in a file at the home Constance shares with her husband Bob, who is co-owner of the magazine. Kitty gets the file, but before she can talk to her about it; Constance dies. The file contains a puzzling list of 100 names. Kitty wants to help fulfill her friends dying wish, but can’t find the key to unlock the puzzle.

    So sweet I found myself smiling through the last few chapters and hoping there would be a sequel. Current day set in Ireland, with great characters, and a fun (although at times uncomfortable) story: it is going on my favorites list. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, must read another. A little bit of sexual content, and some swearing. 5 stars.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    When a story goes wrong, as in goes-to-court wrong, Kitty Logan finds both her professional and personal life in a shambles. On top of this, her mentor Constance is dying and Kitty's job at her magazine may be in jeopardy as well. When Constance mentions the story she never got to write, Kitty takes it on as a memorial piece after her death. Kitty isn't the most likable heroine. I felt as though her friend Steve had some valid points about the evolution of her person to this point. However, in trying to begin the piece and track down the 100 names, Kitty grows. While Kitty only finds a few, Ahern assembles a wonderful group to help Kitty see the good in herself again.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If the whole novel was of the caliber of the last few chapters this would have been a wonderful read. I found I literally skimmed the first 3/4 of the story as it was tiresome. I wanted to like it because the premise was original and inventive. I just finished and have to add THE END IS FANTASTIC...........
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The basic premise of this story is good: Kitty is a reporter whose protégé dies of cancer, leaving remnants of an unwritten story. These remnants consist only of a seemingly random list of 100 names. Kitty, rebounding from a libel lawsuit, sees this list as a second chance for herself, if only she can figure out the connection between the 100 names. Thus, the meat of the story is her attempt to piece together what these 100 people have in common.

    This is basically a feel-good story, with a predictable happy ending. The problem I had was that it was too much so. I found the writing lukewarm, and while the story brought a lot of interesting characters together, I never really found myself totally pulled in. I kept reading more to finish the book rather than to find out how it all ended. If you like fairy tale endings, you'll like this book. It was decent. But not particularly deep.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a beautiful story, though it has a lot of ugly along the way. Kitty is a disgraced reporter, having made a huge error on a story that is threatening to cost her her career and most of the few friendships she has left. In the midst of this personal crisis, her editor and mentor dies from cancer and Kitty is left with a list of one hundred names as her chance to memorialize her friend and redeem her own name as a reporter. The problem is, no one knows how the names are related.

    The journey the book takes has its moments of predictability, but there were also some wonderful surprises. The characters take on flesh and feeling. There is growth and redemption and not always for whom you think. Tending toward a more female audience, this book is one I would recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming story that doesn't take long to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What is it that makes us each unique? For Kitty Logan, it's her missteps, particularly the huge one she made which has effectively ended her career as a television journalist. While licking her wounds, she finds herself at the bedside of her terminally ill friend, mentor, and editor of the magazine that launched her journalistic career. There the question is launched: what was the one story you would write that you haven't yet written? The answer Kitty receives lies in a folder tucked in folder -- a legacy from her mentor: a list of 100 names. But can she fulfill the legacy? Can she find what links these people on this particular list; find what makes them the final story?

    At first, for me, bogged down in Kitty's selfishness and the mess she created for herself by not having true journalistic integrity, slowed the story down. But as she begins to seek out the people on the list to interview them, as she begins to see the world from a different perspective, not an ego-centric one, my interest quickened. The characters I met through Ahern, the view of Ireland, the backgrounds of the individuals, were all intriguing. I've often thought that even the person who may on first glance be boring or uninteresting has a story to tell. It just may take special eyes to see it. Luckily, for the reader, Kitty learns to see the world with new eyes, and Ahern has the skill to tell the tale.

    Many thanks to the kind folks at LibraryThing, and to the publisher, for sending this copy of the book for me to read as my first book of 2014. (Rounded up to 4 stars)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Everyone has a story to tell,' she said. 'That is what links us all, that is what links the names on the list." This encapsulates the essence of this novel by Cecelia Ahern. I have so enjoyed all of her books and though this one deviates from the style of her past books I was drawn into the story none the less. As others have stated I had a hard time with the central character Kitty in the beginning. She was very self absorbed and self pitying - this was slow to change as she investigated the folks on her list, developing her (Constance's) story. In the end this seem added realism to the novel as a whole. I will add no spoilers but recommend this book highly! (PS I would love to read Birdie's story, this would make a great stand alone story!) :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kitty broke a story on the TV program Thirty Minutes.... a story that turned out to be false. The consequences were huge, and seemingly never-ending. The man she accused in the story lost his family, his home, his job, his reputation. Kitty lost her job at Thirty Minutes, respect from everyone, and she also lost herself in the process. Kitty turns to her mentor... and is given an assignment that not only changes her life for the better, but many others as well. This is a book that you will not want to put down until you find out how the story ends..... and then you will wish that the story could keep going.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sicherlich kein "Meisterwerk", aber eine nett zu lesende Geschichte. Liebevoll betrachtet hat das Buch beinahe eine esoterische Komponente, welche, das einzelne Leben als hohes und einzigartiges Gut beschreibt, welches immer eine Geschichte zu erzählen vermag. Wer eine angenehme und auch hie und da skurile Geschichte sucht ist hier richtig... Wer hohen Anspruch finden will, wohl eher nicht... Aber ich bereue die Zeit mit diesem Buch keinesfalls!