Comments on: The story behind 'Incendiary' http://www.chriscleave.com Chris Cleave Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:34:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Chris Cleave http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-100395 Chris Cleave Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:15:08 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-100395 Hi Debbie - thank you very much for reading 'Incendiary' and for giving so much thought to it. I'm like you - I despair at the way we are led. I think all we can do, as you say, is to try to act well in our own lives and hope that our higher-ups will be influenced by our collective example. Hi Debbie – thank you very much for reading ‘Incendiary’ and for giving so much thought to it. I’m like you – I despair at the way we are led. I think all we can do, as you say, is to try to act well in our own lives and hope that our higher-ups will be influenced by our collective example.

]]> By: Debbie Jasper http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-99203 Debbie Jasper Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:51:03 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-99203 Me again I was looking for a book to read whilst commuting from Kent to Canary Wharf and a collegue of mine gave me "Incendairy" I was captured from the first page and could not put it down. I related to the heroine so much, as in her take on life, her humour, her courage and strength her compassion for others and how she dealt with their betrayal of her. No frills just tell it like it is. I too see the world in a similar way and despair at how "The Big Boys" carry on. I feel powerless to stop all the evil in this world so I go about my business daily trying to make a difference for my family and friends. To have a reason for my existence and make life worthwhile. It all starts with Religion and then the world goes crazy. Live and let live is my motto and if every one thought along those lines there would be no wars. They should let people believe in which ever God they want to and stop jumping up and down saying my Gods better than yours. You have shown me how terrorism devastates lives long after the initial blast. The shockwaves go on for ever. You have also shown me how, through the eyes of Terence Butcher and our heroines husband the responsibility of our safety can be felt and how our Security Forces view the world, their day at work can be a living hell in comparison to mine. My heart goes out to all those who have suffered and I applaude their courage for continuing to live in the face of such pain. I think of all the lost/damaged souls out there from all walks of life and wish I could make it all better. But I cant change things on my own we all need to have an input. Maybe one day they will all come to their senses and make friends or just leave well alone - theres room for all of us here - its not difficult to get on - its simple xxxxx Me again

I was looking for a book to read whilst commuting from Kent to Canary Wharf and a collegue of mine gave me “Incendairy” I was captured from the first page and could not put it down. I related to the heroine so much, as in her take on life, her humour, her courage and strength her compassion for others and how she dealt with their betrayal of her. No frills just tell it like it is.

I too see the world in a similar way and despair at how “The Big Boys” carry on. I feel powerless to stop all the evil in this world so I go about my business daily trying to make a difference for my family and friends. To have a reason for my existence and make life worthwhile. It all starts with Religion and then the world goes crazy. Live and let live is my motto and if every one thought along those lines there would be no wars. They should let people believe in which ever God they want to and stop jumping up and down saying my Gods better than yours.

You have shown me how terrorism devastates lives long after the initial blast. The shockwaves go on for ever. You have also shown me how, through the eyes of Terence Butcher and our heroines husband the responsibility of our safety can be felt and how our Security Forces view the world, their day at work can be a living hell in comparison to mine. My heart goes out to all those who have suffered and I applaude their courage for continuing to live in the face of such pain.

I think of all the lost/damaged souls out there from all walks of life and wish I could make it all better. But I cant change things on my own we all need to have an input. Maybe one day they will all come to their senses and make friends or just leave well alone – theres room for all of us here – its not difficult to get on – its simple xxxxx

]]> By: Chris Cleave http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-96042 Chris Cleave Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:45:49 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-96042 Hi Eden - I'm so glad you like my novels, & I'm honoured that you're going to use them to teach. Honestly, there's nothing that makes me happier as a writer than to hear that people find my stuff useful. Thanks & all good wishes - Chris Hi Eden – I’m so glad you like my novels, & I’m honoured that you’re going to use them to teach. Honestly, there’s nothing that makes me happier as a writer than to hear that people find my stuff useful. Thanks & all good wishes – Chris

]]> By: Eden http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-95829 Eden Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:39:04 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-95829 Hi Chris! I am from a small town in Alabama (I'm saying this so you may have some kind of understanding of my surroundings and as an American). I absolutely loved Indendiary and Little Bee. I am an English major with hopes of teaching modern literature one day. I plan to make your novels a huge part of my class. I call both of your novels "thinking books" because they really make the reader think and question and learn and submit themselves to the novel. Seeing the world from the point of view of a Londoner or widow or mother or refugee allows the reader to learn. I think your novels can definitely help the evils of the world (even if only by changing one readers opinion of a person/idea). I love how you have made London a character with a voice. I think you are a fabulous writer. You have truly inspired me to put my pen to paper. Thank you so much for sharing your mind with the world! Hi Chris! I am from a small town in Alabama (I’m saying this so you may have some kind of understanding of my surroundings and as an American). I absolutely loved Indendiary and Little Bee. I am an English major with hopes of teaching modern literature one day. I plan to make your novels a huge part of my class. I call both of your novels “thinking books” because they really make the reader think and question and learn and submit themselves to the novel. Seeing the world from the point of view of a Londoner or widow or mother or refugee allows the reader to learn. I think your novels can definitely help the evils of the world (even if only by changing one readers opinion of a person/idea). I love how you have made London a character with a voice. I think you are a fabulous writer. You have truly inspired me to put my pen to paper. Thank you so much for sharing your mind with the world!

]]> By: Chris Cleave http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-89137 Chris Cleave Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:31:10 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-89137 Hi Giulia - I'm thrilled you enjoyed 'Incendiary' - thank you for your message. (Did you read it in English or Italian?) It's great that you like London - it is a wonderful city and I don't think I could ever leave it! Hi Giulia – I’m thrilled you enjoyed ‘Incendiary’ – thank you for your message. (Did you read it in English or Italian?) It’s great that you like London – it is a wonderful city and I don’t think I could ever leave it!

]]> By: Giulia Meloni http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-89016 Giulia Meloni Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:02:22 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-89016 Hello Chris, I'm a 16 years old girl who lives in Italy. I read your book in march and now I'm reading it again; I loved the story, everything was so catchy and I couldn't stop reading at night. Every day, I was with your book in my hand, and page after page I started thinking that even the city I love the most isn't perfect. I wake up every morning and think 'what is going to happen today?' Yes, what is going to happen today? You don't know, you just have to live every single second of your life, as a Latin author would say, 'carpe diem'. I'd been thinking 'what if I go to London and something happen?', but then I said to myself that everything can happen even if your doing nothing in a small town. I read the book because it's about the city I love and now, thanks to you I love it even more. As you can see, I think a lot but it's one of the best thing a person can do. Hello Chris, I’m a 16 years old girl who lives in Italy.
I read your book in march and now I’m reading it again; I loved the story, everything was so catchy and I couldn’t stop reading at night. Every day, I was with your book in my hand, and page after page I started thinking that even the city I love the most isn’t perfect.
I wake up every morning and think ‘what is going to happen today?’
Yes, what is going to happen today? You don’t know, you just have to live every single second of your life, as a Latin author would say, ‘carpe diem’.
I’d been thinking ‘what if I go to London and something happen?’, but then I said to myself that everything can happen even if your doing nothing in a small town.
I read the book because it’s about the city I love and now, thanks to you I love it even more.
As you can see, I think a lot but it’s one of the best thing a person can do.

]]> By: kate oram http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-56258 kate oram Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:05:13 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-56258 I've just read Incendiary for my book club, I've yet to hear what the others will say but I thought it was extremely powerful in many ways, shocking too. The heroine was extremely likeable and I found myself rooting for her all the way. Having witnessed the riots in London and Birmingham on tv it proves how quickly law and order disappears. I think that's what I found so disturbing about your novel and your view that the working classes are more expendable than the middle. We will certainly have plenty to talk about. I’ve just read Incendiary for my book club, I’ve yet to hear what the others will say but I thought it was extremely powerful in many ways, shocking too. The heroine was extremely likeable and I found myself rooting for her all the way. Having witnessed the riots in London and Birmingham on tv it proves how quickly law and order disappears. I think that’s what I found so disturbing about your novel and your view that the working classes are more expendable than the middle. We will certainly have plenty to talk about.

]]> By: Lavinia Moore http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-51947 Lavinia Moore Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:48:39 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-51947 As I sit here and watch the anarchy and riots in London, I think of Chris Cleave's book and the darkness and hopelessness it permeates and generates for its readers - 'They' say Osama is dead and this current aggression and hopelessness is from a young indigenous people with nothing to lose - one is fiction and one is reality - or is ti? As I sit here and watch the anarchy and riots in London, I think of Chris Cleave’s book and the darkness and hopelessness it permeates and generates for its readers –
‘They’ say Osama is dead and this current aggression and hopelessness is from a young indigenous people with nothing to lose – one is fiction and one is reality – or is ti?

]]> By: zoey http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-2/#comment-38094 zoey Tue, 17 May 2011 20:27:54 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-38094 This book is really wonderful.But ı wonder whether London is like you wrote.Generally, London is told as a wonderful place.I understood that the English is very good in advertising. Anyway, ı really wonder if this story is real or not.the incident was happened??:) This book is really wonderful.But ı wonder whether London is like you wrote.Generally, London is told as a wonderful place.I understood that the English is very good in advertising. Anyway, ı really wonder if this story is real or not.the incident was happened??:)

]]> By: Sue McDermott http://www.chriscleave.com/incendiary/the-story-behind-incendiary/comment-page-1/#comment-36369 Sue McDermott Wed, 04 May 2011 18:50:01 +0000 http://www.chriscleave.com/main/?p=28#comment-36369 I reed Incendiary a few weeks ago. It was chosen by a man in my book group. I read it as a book about a mother's grief. My son was 29 years, 11 months and 21 days when he died 9 years ago. I had a lot of proplems with the majority of the book but one or two passages about grief I did recognise. I am sure the other members of my group will love it. I hated it, but maybe that is bcause I approached it from a different angle. Did you ever contact The Compassionate Friends in your research? I just wondered as they do amazing work in helping us become functioning people who still experience great joy in life. I reed Incendiary a few weeks ago. It was chosen by a man in my book group. I read it as a book about a mother’s grief. My son was 29 years, 11 months and 21 days when he died 9 years ago. I had a lot of proplems with the majority of the book but one or two passages about grief I did recognise. I am sure the other members of my group will love it. I hated it, but maybe that is bcause I approached it from a different angle. Did you ever contact The Compassionate Friends in your research? I just wondered as they do amazing work in helping us become functioning people who still experience great joy in life.

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