I just read this book (I was out sick all weekend, nothing better to do).

HOLY SHIT

It's powerful. Really really REALLY dark, but not for dark's sake. The author really has something new to say about parenting, about our beliefs, about the entire concept of unconditional love--whether it's possible or even preferable, about our blind spots about ourselves and our children.

It's not a warm fuzzy read, but it's one of the few things i've read in the last little while that truly made me THINK.

Basic plot: Mom is a bohemian world traveler, dad is a Reganomics airhead, they're in love, they decide to have a kid. Mom is unsure of the concept of motherhood to begin with, but kid seems dark right from get go. Mom sees problems, dad thinks mom is overblowing, that mom isn't a good mom, blah blah. kid ends up shooting up his highschool and becoming a newsworthy mass murderer. The book is written in hindsight of that fact.

Not a warm fuzzy christmas eve read, but a good read. For anyone who wondered why parenthood didn't seem to follow what the books told you.

Sounds very interesting. I remember a movie, "The Good Son" that had a similar, dark theme, but I loved it! Ok, so I'm twisted.

Wow. I don't remember ever hearing about this movie. Must not have been a box office blockbuster. Those are the only ones we seem to hear much about these days. I'll have a look for it on demand. I love Tilda Swinton and it seems a role that would fit her. She was great as the white witch in Narnia.

It wasn't very heavily promoted, roseanne.

Ditto on Tilda. Here's a great article about her....

Tilda: A Dispatch from Planet Swinton

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 48,00.html

Thanks for the link Chaos. What an interesting person and interesting life.