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Laurie Boris
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Drawing Breath Kindle Edition

by Laurie Boris (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 172 ratings
Art teacher Daniel Benedetto has cystic fibrosis. At thirty-four, he’s already outlived his doctor’s “expiration date,” but that doesn’t stop him from giving all he can to his students and his work. When he takes on Caitlin, his landlady’s daughter, as a private student, the teen painter watches in torment as other people, especially women, treat Daniel like a freak because of his condition. To Caitlin, Daniel is not a disease, not someone to pity or take care of but someone to care for, a friend, and her first real crush. Convinced one of those women is about to hurt him, Caitlin makes one very bad decision.
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  1. Print length
    178 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    November 18, 2013
  5. File size
    2.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...well-drawn, dimensional characters. This empathetic novel covers local turf from the Poughkeepsie station to Albany Med, and deserves a far wider audience." -Chronogram Magazine, July 2012

"Compassion, pity, kindness, whatever term it takes, some people are drawn to it, no matter the consequences. Pushing the bonds of what is accepted, Drawing Breath is an intriguing story of disease, compassion, and taboo." - Midwest Book Review

"There is an inviting flow to this author's writing. Life-like and not too perfect. The story plays out in technicolor with three dimensional moving pictures. It is an easy story to get absorbed into. Pulls you right in, right away, without pretension or too much back story. Needless to say, I was intrigued and entertained from the start and my interest only increased as I turned the pages. Drawing Breath gives you a feel of real life with non-fictional type characters. They all come to life through what they say and what they don't. It is a slice of life that grabs hold and doesn't let go. This emotional journey pulls on your heartstrings at every turn. I was emotionally tied to this deep story and moved by the way the author wrote with such passion." -Brenda Perlin, author, Brooklyn & Bo Chronicles

From the Author

I didn't know much about cystic fibrosis until I met Bill Fiscaletti. He attended the same high school as my husband. The two were introduced through their art teacher and became friends. When I came on the scene a few years later, Bill was a pretty brilliant painter and actively involved with community theater. We'd come to his plays and meet afterward for dinner. When he talked about CF it was mainly to rage about medical funding and why AIDS got all the research money when there were more kids dying from CF. Otherwise, he treated it as a fact of his life. Sometimes he had to go for treatments, sometimes he got sick, and my husband visited him in the hospital. Sure, he coughed, but after a while you just got used to it, waited until he was done, and continued the conversation. Bill was just Bill, not a guy with a disease.
   Yet without having known Bill, I might have never written Drawing Breath. Heck, he's one of the reasons I finished my first book and kept going. He was one of my heroes, although I never told him. If I had, he probably would have laughed and changed the subject. He believed in doing art, not talking about art, and he didn't consider himself a hero. Despite having cystic fibrosis and being in pretty rough shape at times, he just went about his business, did his breathing therapy, took his medication, and poured his passion into the activities and people he loved, even though he was already way past his "expiration date."
   We silly humans can put blinders on when looking at people with horrible chronic diseases. As if they're saints or something. Bill was flawed, like all of us. Human, like all of us. He could have a temper, especially when he sensed he was being humored or pitied. He blew deadlines. He spaced on details, which led to sometimes sad and sometimes comical results. For reasons I could never fathom even though he explained it to me (patiently) dozens of times, he was a big fan of professional boxing and especially Muhammad Ali. He could be frustrating, but he could also be sweet and thoughtful and kind, often when you least expected it. As far as I knew, he never had a real girlfriend, and that made me horribly sad, because he had so much to give and was so infinitely lovable. Maybe that's also one of the reasons I wrote this book. But muses work in funny ways. As the character of Daniel became less Bill and more Daniel, the love I wanted to give him became more complicated, more demanding, more human.
   This book is dedicated to Bill, although he'd probably tell me to stop talking about him and get back to work. So I do. I put my head down and write another novel, and another, and another.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007XYOKV6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Laurie Boris
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 18, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 178 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 172 ratings

About the author

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Laurie Boris

Laurie Boris

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Laurie Boris has been writing fiction for thirty years and is the award-winning author of nine novels. When not playing with the universe of imaginary people in her head, she enjoys baseball, reading, and avoiding housework. She lives in New York's lovely Hudson Valley.

* Find Laurie on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/laurie.boris.author

* Keep up with Laurie's blog at http://laurieboris.com/blog/

* Follow Laurie on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/LaurieBoris

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
172 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fantastic read from beginning to end, with a poignant story of love that tugs at the heart. The writing style is detailed and written straight from the heart, while the characters are believable, with one review noting how their interactions revolve around art. The book successfully interweaves information about cystic fibrosis into the narrative, and customers appreciate its perfect pacing.

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Story qualityEmotional contentWriting styleCharacter developmentBeautyPacingPace
56 customers mention "Story quality"56 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this book, describing it as a fantastic read from beginning to end, with one customer noting how the plot keeps readers engaged.

"...For adults, this is a fantastic book from beginning to end. 4.5 out of 5 stars..." Read more

"...this book very highly to anyone who appreciates a well-wrought plot told in a literary style that nonetheless refuses to revel in its own..." Read more

"...of making art and of Daniel's disease adds depth and truth to the story without slowing it down...." Read more

"...Even though the book wasn't what I expected, it was a decently good read. For the most part, the book was well written...." Read more

43 customers mention "Emotional content"43 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, describing it as a poignant tale of love that tugs at the heart, with one customer noting how it makes readers feel the characters' pain and happiness through subtle gestures.

"...And the emotion is so raw and palpable I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to these character I grew to care deeply about...." Read more

"Drawing Breath is a book for grown ups. It is compassionate, non-judgmental, deftly and succinctly written, with nothing extraneous or ostentatious...." Read more

"...The balance of the characters, their relationships and circumstances is remarkable...." Read more

"...It was sad, yet hauntingly beautiful...." Read more

39 customers mention "Writing style"39 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as succinct, thoughtful, and written straight from the heart, with one customer noting how the author tackles difficult topics with sensitivity.

"...Drawing Breath by Laurie Boris does just that. With her delicate, thoughtful prose, Boris weaves a world of discovery, love and illness that is both..." Read more

"...It tells a relatively simple yet psychologically astute tale of how love can sometimes prove not quite enough. Or does it?..." Read more

"...Just the right amount of detail describing the process of making art and of Daniel's disease adds depth and truth to the story without slowing it..." Read more

"...For the most part, the book was well written. The author wrote it in such a way that the reader falls in love with Daniel, just like Caitlin does...." Read more

28 customers mention "Character development"28 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the believable characters in the book, with one noting how their interactions revolve around art, while another mentions falling in love with Daniel.

"...The characters feel like living and breathing people; there's not stereotype in sight...." Read more

"...The balance of the characters, their relationships and circumstances is remarkable...." Read more

"...The author wrote it in such a way that the reader falls in love with Daniel, just like Caitlin does...." Read more

"...wonderfully told story that is well written with her realistic characters in a real situations...." Read more

19 customers mention "Beauty"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful, describing it as a masterpiece with well-drawn characterizations. One customer particularly appreciates how the art serves as a unifying element in the story.

"...Drawing Breath by Laurie Boris does just that. With her delicate, thoughtful prose, Boris weaves a world of discovery, love and illness that is both..." Read more

"...It was sad, yet hauntingly beautiful...." Read more

"...Art is what draws them together and the most poignant interactions between the characters revolve around art...." Read more

"...Brilliantly done. I will definitely look for more by this author." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with several noting how it interweaves information about cystic fibrosis into the narrative.

"...This is a beautiful story about love, passion, need, and living life on your own terms." Read more

"...But this is also a story that brings understanding of cystic fibrosis, helping to dispel fear and aversion without hiding the difficult truth about..." Read more

"...The story offers an insight into a chronic disease and how it plays into the life of an art teacher...." Read more

"...I really liked the way the author wove information about CF into the story, combining it with the action to make a very gripping tale of love, loss,..." Read more

4 customers mention "Pace"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pace of the book, with one noting that the prose flows smoothly and another praising the superb plot pacing.

"...There are no wasted words here, the pace is perfect. This is one of those books that keeps you up late with just one more chapter syndrome...." Read more

"...The plot pacing was superb - I was drawn into the story and the characters' lives from the first paragraph. The character building was wonderful...." Read more

"...The prose flows along smoothly, and Boris's understanding of the subtlety of language shines through...." Read more

"...It moves along quickly. It is intriguing. It reminds us that the course our life takes is not always a result of the choices we ourselves make...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Katie French
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Coming of Age Story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Title: Drawing Breath

    Author: Laurie Boris

    Genre: Young Adult, Realistic

    Length: 137 pages

    THE RUNDOWN

    Not often do you find a coming-of-age story that takes you by surprise. Drawing Breath by Laurie Boris does just that. With her delicate, thoughtful prose, Boris weaves a world of discovery, love and illness that is both heartbreaking and full of depth.

    The story follows Caitlin, a down-on-her-luck teenager and her art teacher, Daniel. Daniel lives upstairs from Caitlin and her mother and is the talented, thoughtful artist that Caitlin longs to be. Not only does Caitlin enjoy Daniel's artistic talent, she imagines them in a romantic relationship. However, Daniel is eighteen years her senior and thinks of Caitlin as a pupil and friend. Together, the two of them explore art, but in the end learn more about life and love along the way.

    Daniel has cystic fibrosis, a lung disease that keeps him from truly trusting any adult relationship. Though this book is not just about a patient with cystic fibrosis, it does an excellent job of showing this disease and its impact on those that suffer from it. It is heartbreaking when Daniel finally confesses to the woman he's involved with about his disease. When she leaves him, it just confirms what he's suspected: he's unlovable. It's even more heartbreaking when you think of the thousands of people who actually suffer from cystic fibrosis. Boris does a fantastic job of highlighting Daniel's plight without making a spectacle of him, something not easily done.

    The thing that really elevates this book is Boris' fantastic prose. The novel reads like a seasoned veteran's work. Her descriptions and comparisons are worth the price of the ebook alone. The characters feel like living and breathing people; there's not stereotype in sight. And the emotion is so raw and palpable I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to these character I grew to care deeply about. I was genuinely impressed, especially considering this was Boris' second novel. The one drawback is the cover, which needs an overhaul in my opinion. But for those readers who know not to judge a book by its cover, they will find a hidden gem in Drawing Breath. I see only great things for Boris' future.

    THE RECOMMENDATION

    I highly recommend this read. I do think that it appeals more to adults than teenagers, however. Though sixteen-year-old Caitlin is one of the main characters, the whole book reads like an adult novel. Don't let that dissuade you, however. For adults, this is a fantastic book from beginning to end.

    4.5 out of 5 stars

    If you liked this review, you can find others like it at [...]
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  • David Antrobus
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sublime
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Drawing Breath is a book for grown ups. It is compassionate, non-judgmental, deftly and succinctly written, with nothing extraneous or ostentatious. It tells a relatively simple yet psychologically astute tale of how love can sometimes prove not quite enough. Or does it? In the world of Laurie Boris's novel, unkindness and mean-spiritedness can sometimes blossom into generosity, illuminating a grey-area world with sudden stark flashes of brightness, empathy and tenderness.

    Saving the pivot on which the novel turns--the morally complex act of an infatuated teenage girl unmindful of more serious consequences--for a full two-thirds of the way in is a stroke of genius. We are treated to the slow buildup of characters as if they've been painted by the main protagonists themselves, revealing new facets as the light changes and layers are added. A gentle creative art teacher with a serious illness. A teenage girl struggling with the intensity of shiny new emotions. Her tired mother. A lonely trophy wife. A woman whose every action is informed by her pain and anxiety over her brother's condition. There is no hurry to get where we're going; time feels oddly suspended, almost irrelevant between the actions and emotions of the players on this quiet stage. And yet, as becomes clear, time is everything. Time, or its march onward, will thwart and torment. Will defeat love, even. For some. For most?

    Cryptic as all this sounds, my aim is not to spoil the gentle spell of this courageous novel by over describing plot details. At heart, this is a love story. There are elements of an eternal love triangle, aspects of betrayal, dalliances with something darker, but the overall sense left with this reader was of something incredibly emotional and generous in spirit. I recommend this book very highly to anyone who appreciates a well-wrought plot told in a literary style that nonetheless refuses to revel in its own considerable artistry.

    Four and a half stars (as close to five as anything I've read in years).
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Karen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Truth in Fiction
    Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    In Drawing Breath, Laurie Boris has written a novel that feels true at every turn. The balance of the characters, their relationships and circumstances is remarkable. Just the right amount of detail describing the process of making art and of Daniel's disease adds depth and truth to the story without slowing it down. Each character is given just the right amount of space to be meaningful. The relationships between the art teacher and the young girl who falls for him, brother and sister, mother and daughter and the reality of living with a life threatening medical condition are so well written you feel you know these people and care about them as friends. There are no wasted words here, the pace is perfect. This is one of those books that keeps you up late with just one more chapter syndrome. For me, a book that makes me believe in the characters and their circumstances is a rare gift. Saying it rings true from beginning to end is the best thing I can say about a book and I found that here. I wasn't surprised to find nothing but five star reviews. This is a wonderful story and one I will no doubt come back to again.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Janet Stewart
    2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on April 21, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very little dialogue, a lot of narrative which fails to hold my attention. Quit and moved on.
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  • Vickie Johnstone
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I read `Drawing Breath' last week on a long train ride home. It is immediately captivating and enjoyable; a real pleasure to read. Time whizzed along. I liked all of the three main characters with all their little quirks and flaws. Realistically drawn, it is easy to identify with their needs, emotions and mistakes. All three develop and grow in different ways. Caitlin also reminded me of how I was at her age with all that clumsy, idealistic, hopeful dreaming, and that eagerness to become an adult.

    I liked the rich description in the story and the way it is used. For the three characters, I picked up on the descriptions of Daniel's hands (the sensitive artist), Bess' copper hair (the voluptuous temptation) and Caitlin's short skirts, long hair and protective afghan (the unconfident girl-woman). Here's an example: `She watches the confident sweep of his odd, beautiful hands. His fingers are long, bulbous at their tips like a giant, human tree frog.'

    Art is a really important theme in the book. I love art and studied it, so I loved the story for this reason too. There's the contrast between art and reality; the beautiful, tranquil non-craziness of still life where you can keep difficult things at a distance and simply observe, compared to the illogical, emotional mess of real life where you can't always keep things at bay. Life launches in with all its beautiful, baffling energy, yet what is difficult can offer the utmost joy. I was also reminded of how fragile everything is, how fleeting a look or sentence, and yet we try to make it as permanent as art.

    Patterns are also observed in art and behaviour; what is random and what is deliberate; what is meant and what is said; what do we want versus what we need, or what we think is good for us or others. Can we change? Do we dare? Life is there to be seized, but will the characters in the book try to seize it... I'm not saying!

    One of my favourite quotes is: `Daniel said you should know the rules before you break them.'

    The depiction of Daniel and his illness is handled really sensitively and delicately. He is my favourite character. Yep, I think I was half in love with the guy by the middle of this book, and by the end of it, I wanted to read another story about him. I have never known anyone with his particular illness, and learning about it was fascinating and moving. I really felt for him. Here is one quote that I underlined: `It's nothing personal. He just wants to feel normal. You wouldn't want to feel like an invalid, would you, if you were sick like that? You'd just want to go about your business.'

    I loved it. I will be reading more of the author's books.
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  • V. Brummer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Well written and entertaining
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This isn't my usual type of book, but it was free and I love free books. And I'm pleased to say that I actually enjoyed it. A far cry from your typical romance novel, this book tells the tale of a teenage girl, Caitlyn, who falls in love with her ill art teacher. Despite this starting premise, at no point does this novel descend into anything sordid, but I did feel undertones of Lolita in this book. But in a much less sexual way, Caitlyn seems less interested in anything sexual. In many ways her love is innocent in the way a schoolgirl crush should be. Although with a little more obsession .

    It was well written and Caitlyns character was well developed, I did think maybe other characters needed better development and consistency but overall I really enjoyed it and while not exciting like most of the books I read, I definitely wasn't bored while reading it.
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  • Ciclochick
    5.0 out of 5 stars Staggeringly beautiful novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Oh. My. Goodness. Drawing Breath (such a brilliant title) certainly drew mine--it left me breathless and quite speechless. Without any doubt at all, this is my book of the year. If I'm honest, after reading Laurie's first novel, The Joke's On Me, I don't think I expected anything other than near perfection, but this was simply outstanding.

    Daniel Benedetto is a 34-year-old art teacher suffering from cystic fibrosis, and Caitlin is his landlady's daughter and his private pupil. She is 16 and hopelessly in love with him. She aches for him as only a 16-year-old can. But buried in this adolescent love is a certain maturity: she cares for him like she thinks no other woman can and loves him unconditionally; she worries about him when he is unwell, she understands his needs, she understands he doesn't need to be pitied, she understands when he needs help. She just understands. Everything she does for him is for him.

    Every word of this novel is like it has been carefully and precisely selected: a myriad of emotions bursts out of it along with courage, pathos, tragedy, heartache, tenderness, and true, true love: that of a teenager, of a sister, and of a lover. You ache for Daniel every time he coughs and splutters, you ache for Caitlin who wants to envelop Daniel in her love, not out of pity, but for the genuine admiration and passion she has for his courage, his skill, and his very being. You ache for Daniel's sister who has cared and nurtured her sick brother for years. You just ache.

    This novel is as heart-warming as it is heart-wrenching. It burrows into every fibre of your body and soul and stays there.

    Oh hell, I just can't think of enough of the right words to describe this superb novel. Congratulations, Laurie, a superlative novel.
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