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The Middle Place (Voice)x$8.97
  (77 reviews)
Best Price: $8.97
"The Middle Place is about calling home. Instinctively. Even when all the paperwork -- a marriage license, a notarized deed, two birth certificates, and seven years of tax returns -- clearly indicates you're an adult, but all the same, there you are, clutching the phone and thanking God that you're still somebody's daughter." For Kelly Corrigan, family is everything. At thirty-six, she had a marriage that worked, a couple of funny, active kids, and a weekly newspaper column. But even as a thriving adult, Kelly still saw herself as George Corrigan's daughter. A garrulous Irish-American charmer from Baltimore, George was the center of the ebullient, raucous Corrigan clan. He greeted every day by opening his bedroom window and shouting, "Hello, World!" Suffice it to say, Kelly's was a colorful childhood, just the sort a girl could get attached to. Kelly lives deep within what she calls the Middle Place -- "that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap" -- comfortably wedged between her adult duties and her parents' care. But she's abruptly shoved into a coming-of-age when she finds a lump in her breast -- and gets the diagnosis no one wants to hear. And so Kelly's journey to full-blown adulthood begins. When George, too, learns he has late-stage cancer, it is Kelly's turn to take care of the man who had always taken care of her -- and show us a woman as she finally takes the leap and grows up. Kelly Corrigan is a natural-born storyteller, a gift you quickly recognize as her father's legacy, and her stories are rich with everyday details. She captures the beat of an ordinary life and the tender, sometimes fractious moments that bind families together. Rueful and honest, Kelly is the prized friend who will tell you her darkest, lowest, screwiest thoughts, and then later, dance on the coffee table at your party. Funny, yet heart-wrenching, The Middle Place is about being a parent and a child at the same time. It is about the special double-vision you get when you are standing with one foot in each place. It is about the family you make and the family you came from -- and locating, navigating, and finally celebrating the place where they meet. It is about reaching for life with both hands -- and finding it.
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Customer Reviews
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Poignant; couldn't put it down
By A217G3LCW1WGST on 2008-01-09
I read this book last month as an advanced reading copy and LOVED it. I really related to the "middle place" she refers to, being in between raising my young children and still being a daughter to my own parents. I shed more than a few tears reading this book, but I laughed out loud quite a bit too. I didn't want it to end. I have very high standards when it comes to books (I'm an Ivy League grad and I read a lot) so I don't rate books as 5 stars casually. I immediately emailed 10 friends to go read it. This book reminds me a little of "Eat, Pray, Love" -- totally different subjects, but the candid, well-written, razor-wit memoir style is similar. Just like I felt about Elizabeth Gilbert, I'd like to meet Kelly Corrigan one day. She has that down-to-earth, self-deprecating style that bonds a reader.
WOW!!!
By AWDPFT2EWXS5W on 2008-01-13
There is that special and floating time when child transitions to adult and Kelly Corrigan aptly takes us there. Corrigan captures the very essence of her family of origin and describes them so well that one begins to believe that just maybe we lived next door. The Middle Place is an uplifting story about life, about the tools needed for survival, an ordinary yet extraordinary true tale. The Middle Place defines the centers of our beings, what makes us tick, what helps us cope and hope, what is truly most important, indeed what makes us human - the bonds of family.
The Top Place for Outstanding Memoirs
By A1WUPRPQBV4FB8 on 2008-02-17
This memoir is filled with love, humility, honesty, compassion and a great sense of humor. Well-written and highly readable, the structure pulls you from cover to cover so quickly, it's readable in one sitting. My one sitting happened to be on a long plane ride, however, the time I spent getting to know Kelly Corrigan and her father, "Greenie," along with the rest of Kelly's family, made the plane not only bearable, but also enjoyable. She moved me from tears to laughter to a place of profound contentment. In the Prologue Kelly tells her readers that the one thing we need to know about her is that she's "George Corrigan's daughter." Ultimately, the one thing I believe this survival story is about is how love of family will see you through anything. Even cancer.
The Middle Place, according to Kelly, is the place between childhood and adulthood. This takes place for her between August, 2004 and August, 2005, which is the essential duration of the story. By alternating chapters between present and past, this young mother moves the reader from the middle place, a place where she learns she has breast cancer, to her past with stories of her life as her parents' child and her brothers' sister. Because Kelly, aka "Lovey," shares the cancer experience with her high-spirited and utterly lovable father, it makes the middle place that much more complicated and rich. She holds back little and seems keenly aware of her reader. Writing outside herself, she keeps readers in the loop in spite of very personal revelations. She is indeed her father's daughter.
A big fan of memoirs, this is one of the best I've read in a long time and I give it my highest recommendation.
Michele Cozzens is the author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club
A fun, easy yet thought provoking story
By AZGACQX7MHEB0 on 2008-01-10
I loved this book. It's a fun, easy read yet thought provoking. I find myself thinking about Kelly, her dad and all the various stories on a regular basis. I've actually gone back and re-read chapters which is a first for me.
A must read!
By A2AD0EMYUWAHFT on 2008-01-11
Kelly Corrigan's "The Middle Place" will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It is simply a must read. Ms. Corrigan's ability to reflect on her past as she deals with her sickness is both touching and revealing. I appreciated her frankness and humor. I feel many will be able to relate to being in "The Middle Place" in life and how important it is feel all that goes along with it. WAY TO GO Ms. Corrigan, thank you for sharing your story.
- The Perfect Middle Place
By A1EQF4CUC7IQO8 on 2008-01-16
The Middle Place shows how perfect it is to be "in the middle." Instead of smothering, Corrigan understands she's surrounded by love--and accepts this place in the world with humor and grace. This isn't a cancer book--it's a transforming book. I bought it in one day, I read it in one day.
I devoured her story and related in so many ways--as a caregiver, mother, daughter, and woman.
Corrigan's The Middle Place is well written, thoughtfully told, and is a fresh and honest read.
~Carol D. O'Dell
Author of Mothering-Mother: A Daughter's Humorous and Heartbreaking Memoir
- Wow, big let down
By A2TL8RSGH8IQVZ on 2008-03-20
OK, I hate reviews like the one I'm about to write. There's nothing worse than those few downers who bring down the score for fantastic books, but I was shocked at how bad this book was after the resoundingly positive reviews on Amazon, and feel compelled to protest the five star rating.
The reviews on Amazon are generally reliable, so I opened this book expecting something that would blow me away. I read the book, and I was sorely disappoinetd. Yes, Kelly Corrigan can write somewhat of a page turner with cute, but not all the funny or interesting, stories about her family. _The Middle Place_ is a sappy memoir in which she details her neverending complaints about her family and cancer troubles. She puts nothing new on the table and has nothing remotely interesting to say. This woman seeks self validation from everything...her husband, her cancer, her family, her daughters. I will give it some credit and say that if you have breast cancer, any upbeat memoir with cutesy stories and a positive ending is probably a good choice for reading. However, I expected another Glass Castle, and I got a self help book. If you are into good memoir, don't bother with this one. If you liked Eat Pray Love (which was dreadful) then you will adore this book.
- SPECATACULAR, LOVED IT, CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE
By A2P0Y9LZDGJBLC on 2008-01-12
I loved every part of this fabulous story. I couldn't put it down but when I had to, I found myself stealing moments to get back to it. I was eating up every word. What a fantastic read!! The way Kelly writes you feel like you have met every character and are better for knowing them. You will belly laugh and cry and just enjoy this FANTASTIC book. Family & Freinds can truly get you through the best & worst of times. I hope to see more from Kelly Corrigan
- Wished it would never end
By A1MTX7ZWNOBM7O on 2008-01-12
Loved every word of this memoir. Beautifully written and masterfully told. Kelly Corrigan is a natural born storyteller. I laughed, I cried, then I booked a ticket home to see my parents. Thanks Kel for sharing your story, thank you for being YOU!!
- Poignant story, writing just ok
By A7KQB3WGH6HT7 on 2008-01-29
I read this book because of the universally enthusiastic reviews here. Yes, the story of family life and dealing with cancer in two generations is poignant but, unlike other readers, I didn't find that the author or her family came alive for me. I also found the technique of cutting back and forth in time and place between the author's experiences and her father's life confusing and distancing. The writing itself was okay, but at the level of a good magazine piece.
- you'll feel richer after reading
By A36XSGZTEF7GXZ on 2008-01-13
Buy The Middle Place - and get one for your best friend, your mom, and your sister. Kelly is a truly gifted storyteller who is surprisingly candid and marvelously insightful. Her humor arrives just at the right time - when you're holding your breath, on the brink of tears, and wanting to scream about life's injustices. The bond that the Corrigan family has is remarkable and enviable. As Greenie would say, "look out, world." Here Kelly comes.
- I laughed . . . I cried
By A2TUZHIEQC5TTT on 2008-01-18
This book is for all of us in that place that has never been defined before. For those who are both a mother and a daughter. It is the story of a family but also the story of a battle. I consider this a must read for every woman who has friends and family battling breast cancer - and for every woman between 25 and 55 - because in so many ways it is all of our stories.
- Courageous
By A26K77A55ABEY4 on 2008-01-13
I found myself hiding from my family just so I could read The Middle Place. Corrigan is courageous to tell her whole story. She is a truly gifted storyteller. I want to meet this woman and her entire clan. Edward & Greenie sounds like two sensational cheerleaders. The world would be a better place filled with the unique characters in this book and certainly more books written by this special woman. The world is waiting...
- An easy read for readers and non-readers alike!
By A2YZTAOQBRDEOH on 2008-01-13
I don't read much, mainly because I don't have the time and rarely find a book I can stick with, but I read 98 pages of this book in my first attempt. I laughed out loud, and got many a lump in my throat while reading The Middle Place. I appreciate Kelly's incredible insight, candor, and humor as she looks back at her youth and her honesty and bravery as she takes on Cancer, not only hers but her dads' too. By sharing her story of life with Greenie, Kelly reminds us of the responsibility we have as parents to empower our children and to always make them feel special. Thank you for writing your story and sharing Greenie with the world.
- Fun, inspirational read
By A288K60JECQWC6 on 2008-01-14
Ms. Corrigan clearly has a love for life and a love for people...Her words are candid, funny and emotionally honest. This book is not only about overcoming obstacles but more importantly about love and the lessons learned while on life's journey. A must read...
- Buy it NOW!
By A2LEC79K5O33LE on 2008-01-14
Absolutely fantastic! Buy it and start reading it today. I read all the time and this is one of my all-time favorites.
- Simply Real and Wonderful
By A2FW1UZBEA5JD4 on 2008-01-14
Kelly is a naturally gifted storyteller. Life takes so many different turns and many of us can relate to this story, even if it is just a little piece. This story is sincere, the humor is contagious, the characters manifest themselves literally out of the pages. This book will not let you down. It is real.
- I LOVED it!!
By A3UKN3FVN2Z9RL on 2008-01-15
From beginning to end, I loved this book. It touched me in a way few do, bringing back memories of my childhood and conjuring hopes for the parent I want to be. I've begun giving it to friends. A great read.
- Couldn't put it down
By APF22ZL2TCF99 on 2008-01-15
After a friend told me that this book reminded her of me, I had to read it. I could not put it down once I started it. I loved the way Kelly Corrigan related her life issues with how she was raised and by whom. I laughed and I cried. After meeting Kelly at a book signing, I bought a copy for each of my three sisters!
- A spectacular memoir for Gen Xers touched by cancer
By A2JZPGOW6VYZOK on 2008-04-03
I practically devoured this well written memoir by fellow cancer survivor Kelly Corrigan. If I could stay up past 10 these days, I'd have finished it sooner. Corrigan offers up a poignant, funny and touching look into life with cancer -- both as a patient and as a caregiver. If your family has been touched (okay, slammed) by cancer, read this outstanding memoir -- no matter how late you can stay up these days.
- not much original here
By ASXW7UQXGMNJL on 2008-06-18
Do you love books about lovable Irish-American clans with larger-than-life father figures?
Would you enjoy reading about a larger-than-life lovable Irishman who calls himself "The Green Man" and refers to himself in the third person?
Are you interested in yet another account of battling breast cancer with chemo, radiation, hair loss etc etc?
If you answered yes to any of the above, this book is for you.
If not, don't bother.
I don't mean to minimize the author's experience but it didn't seem that much different from the other breast cancer experiences I've read about. As for the family, I have no doubt about the love the author feels for her father. I just don't see what makes it interesting for anyone else.
- Laughter through tears - my favorite emotion!
By A3JWH2DHA798XE on 2008-01-13
This is one of those rare and special books that has you thinking about it long after you've read the last page. I laughed until I cried, and then cried until I laughed, all the while wishing there were more chapters to read. Corrigan possesses a special talent - the ability to take "normal every day life" and make it an extraordinary story. Furthermore, in her clever and witty style, she forces you to look inward and examine your journey from "The Middle Place" to adulthood; you're left cherishing your own stories of growing up as someone's daughter. Thank you Kelly Corrigan, for writing such an inspiring and heartwarming novel.
- Inspirational on so many levels
By A2Y3H6EINLZ9T2 on 2008-01-19
The Middle Place is a gift to us from Kelly Corrigan. Kelly is a witty, imaginative, and inspirational writer, who draws us into her experience as a young mother and daughter who discovers that she has breast cancer. As she journeys through the middle place, she leans on the experiences from her childhood, the love and faith of her family, and the strength of her dad Greenie who is battling cancer himself.
The book is about so much more than cancer. It is about growing up, realizing you are not in control, and finding a way to make sense of it all. You will truly be inspired by Kelly's writing and touched by her story.
- Inspirational
By ACCCFR62K683U on 2008-01-22
I read this book in two days, which is no small feat in a household with three young children. Kelly pulls you in from the very beginning; reading as if I were talking to my best friend. Kelly's story of her courageous battle with breast cancer and her relationships with her family, especially her father, were truly inspirational. And her account of "the middle place", that place where you transition from a child to an adult, is so relateable. Kelly proves to all women that you can fight any battle as long as you stay strong, have faith, laugh and love!
- A Different Type of Memoir
By AL4SB31UAZLXL on 2008-03-25
Memoir has been a new discovery for me over the last year or two. It's just about my favorite genre at this point. The Middle Place is a different type of memoir--it's more a journey to adulthood, yes with the typical memoir-esque obstacle (in this case, cancer--both hers and her father's). Most memoirists show you the pit of despair from which they came and bring you along the journey as they crawl out of it. I like those stories of hope as well, but Kelly Corrigan simply offers perspective, hope, wisdom, and a few laughs as she shares her journey.
I dare you to watch the video on the product information page and NOT buy this book.
- Well-written memoir
By A3O14YPDXQGJ03 on 2008-05-06
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (5/08)
While giving her two young girls a bath one night Kelly Corrigan discovers a lump in one of her breasts. Immediately a flash of panic sweeps over her and her suspicions are confirmed at the doctor's appointments that follow her discovery. It is cancer. As if this isn't bad enough news she discovers that her father, whom she calls Greenie, also has cancer. In fact he also had cancer in the past which Kelly just found out now.
"The Middle Place" follows both of their battles with cancer and alternates the present day events with flashbacks to growing up in the Corrigan household. Kelly has a very close relationship with her father and at times it seems that she focuses more on getting him the best treatment rather than focusing on her own malady. This book explores their tight-knit relationship in depth, back from when Kelly was young, all of the way up until today.
Kelly defines "The Middle Place" as "that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap." It is that time of your life when you are still someone's daughter but you are also a mother to your own children. Close in age to Kelly and having young children that are in the same general age group as hers, I can completely relate to being in "The Middle Place" as this is the phase of life that I am in as well.
Kelly's story is a wonderful, touching memoir that is very hard to put down. The book is a fast read and although about illness is also about celebrating and living life to the fullest. Kelly is a very real person and she puts it all out there for us to read which makes for a very honest and compelling book. I enjoyed the alternating between current events and chapters about what it was like to grow up as a Corrigan. This format provided a lot of insight into how Kelly became the person that she is today. I recommend "The Middle Place" to anyone who is at that phase in their life, to anyone battling a disease, or to anyone who loves a well-written memoir.
- Did you get the email? Kelly has cancer.
By A34B1GM9CVYF8O on 2008-05-17
Kelly Corrigan seemed to have been living in her own little bubble her entire life and the moment adversity comes her way, she wants the ENTIRE PLANET to revolve around her. It was just silly to me that she would send an email to over a hundred people announcing she has cancer. It's like, let the pity fest begin. Before she even finds out she has cancer, she's hoping she has it just for the attention. That to me is incredible. Also, her husband must be a very patient man for him to put up with a lot of her silliness and selfishness. The most annoying point in the book for me was when she bumps into someone she hasn't seen in a while and this person is commenting on how short Kelly's hair is and that she could never cut her hair b/c her husband loves long hair. After their quick chat, Kelly mentions how stupid this lady will feel later on when she finds out through someone else that she had cancer. She makes it sound like it's a crime to not be informed about Kelly Corrigans cancer. Give me a break.
There are far more honorable people that go through far more adversity and actually learn something from it and don't need to announce it to the world through a book. Read the news lady. In the end, the book ends and she doesn't seem to have learned anything. She goes back to her selfish ways living in that bubble again.
Her dad "Greenie" sounds like a very likable guy and personally, I would have preferred she write a biography on him since he is much more interesting.
I'm giving it two stars because her writing did keep me enticed to the story and it made me feel some sort of emotion (even though it wasn't positive).
- Honest, warm and engaging
By A3UMUWC6RZBGRQ on 2008-01-18
What an incredible story. I finished the book in a day. What an incredible journey. The author is very open and honest about her journey through tough times and how the foundation of her family and friends pulls her through it. Her mom and dad are model parents. We should all strive to be as good.
- Laugh, cry, remember....
By AP4329YLNHMN9 on 2008-01-20
I finished this book in one day (and that never happens!)Kelly grabs you from the beginning and you take the ride through marriage, kids, crisis, and a family history that will bring you back to the late 70's, 80's...
Even if you are not from an Irish catholic backround (but especially if you are) you will identify with this story. I was sad to see it end...I hope she writes again!
- The Middle Place
By A3VEVQXAMQSN75 on 2008-01-20
I want to thank Kelly for inviting me into her family...I've woken up the past two days asking myself "I wonder how Kelly's Dad is today?" I want to be an honorary Corrigan. I appreciate that she admits her anger with her own diagnosis. This is not a sad cancer book (but certainly ½ of a tissue box worthy). Her relationship with her daughters, husband, parents, siblings and friends are truthful, you can just tell. It's a beautifully honest family story.
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