I may be a man, and not just a man, but a businessman, and the only times that I am not going over a spreadsheet or quarterly report are when I am on a plane, but that is when I like to prop a cheap airline pillow behind my neck, wrap myself in a thin airline blanket, and dive into the latest Anita Shreve novel.

I usually wrap another dust jacket over the book, something with "Success" or "Winning" in the title, but underneath the fake jacket I am unwrapping the lives, histories, and fates of complicated and compelling characters, and I often finish a Shreve novel in tears at the sheer power of her vivid and powerful descriptions of the turmoil within the human heart, at which point a flight attendant or a fellow passenger will ask if anything's wrong, and I usually reply, "These success/winning/business strategies are just so powerful (sniff)... I can bench 200 pounds."

"Body Surfing: A Novel" continues Shreve's chronicling of the relationships between people seemingly thrown together by chance but whose lives eventually become so intertwined that one feels Fate, or an omniscient author, has brought them together.

Sydney, a young woman escaping her own past, steps into the seemingly idyllic, New Hampshire seaside home of wealthy architect Mr. Edwards. The elegant, two-story, white clapboard house with the wraparound porch and mansard roof has become a recurring character in many of Shreve's novels, and here it serves as the repository of growing resentments, passions, and betrayals as Sydney becomes entangled in the Edwards family slow dissolution.

I fairly dissolved myself as I read of Sydney's growing attraction to one of the Edwards brothers and the bitter actions of the other, all leading to a climax that left me, dare I say it, body surfing--on a wave of overwhelming emotions and uncontrollable feelings.

I'm very surprised by all the reviews here---either you love this book or you don't. They're all over the spectrum. I thought everyone would feel the same way I did----really enjoyed reading it. When I dream about the characters and have to finish it at midnight, that to me is a great read. However,I didn't like the ending all that much. I hope she's going to write a sequel and tell us what happens to Sydney, Ben, Jeff and all the others in the story. It just leaves you hanging----which is perhaps her purpose in this ending. I can just imagine what happens after that last night of body surfing. But I'd rather read it in the next novel.
I love her style of writing, the way she enables you to visualize the house, hear the sound of the waves, smell the sea air, and feel like you know the characters---even if you don't like them or agree with their purpose.
I just hope she finishes this story-----and soon.

I'm not sure why this one got some poor reviews. I love how Anita Shreve combines a literary tone and eye for detail with soapy plots...a fun, plot-driven read that won't rot your brain.

The book is written in a spare, poetic style. Though some people complained about the present tense, I didn't even notice. Many novels are written in the present tense these days! The story is set, interestingly, in a New Hampshire house that has appeared in 3 other Shreve novels (Fortune's Rocks, The Pilot's Wife, and Sea Glass). I thought this was a fun detail that added a sense of history/continuity and made the novel feel more "real."

I thoroughly enjoyed the twisty (dare I say it--trashy! in a fun way) plot that focuses on a love triangle with one treacherous member.

Very typical Anita Shreve. Slow to start but I could not put down once I got into the story. It was an excellent read and I greatly look forward to her siguel to this continuing story of the "house on the beach".

I have been reading Shreve's books for many years now. The first was The Weight of Water, which I found spellbinding. I have not read all of her books, but find her work very interesting. I tried to read A Wedding in December and couldn't get past the first 50 pages...it left me bored to tears. I was about to give up on Shreve. However, after reading Body Surfing, I feel that Anita is back. The book was a great read and had some twists and turns that one could not expect (which is the Anita I love). This current book definitely has a different feel from past Shreve books, but still very good and did hold my interest the whole way through. The ending was nice and left your mind to finish the novel...well done!

Even after reading all of Shreve's novels...Bodysurfing did not disappoint! Usually at a certain point of reading an author's catalogue, things get mundane or the streak runs out for the author, but so far for Shreve she's managed to keep writing winning novels.

I really enjoyed the story, the characters and how the plot played out. A few surprises tossed in kept things interesting. Most of all, Shreve has a way with words, and being able to describe the human emotions with such finess. A++

Shreve is one of the few authors that I would recommend to a friend without a doubt. Bodysurfing is another winner!

If the reader likes Shreve, in general, this will not disappoint. Her ability to make you feel you have seen the very locations she describes and know people like her characters is outstanding. However, didn't find it to be one of her best.

I love Anita Shreve...I have read all but 2 of her books so far (The Last Time They Met is one of my top ten faves). Body Surfing was engaging, and I liked the shock with the wedding episode. I didn't love the ending, and I was sort disappointed with the main character blindly living in the hotel for a month. It seemed unrealistic and a little predictable...haven't I read this similar scene before? Overall, I did enjoy the book, and would recommend it to other Shreve fans.

I seem to fall two sides of Anita Shreve: I either love them - recommend them to everyone, or I can't finish them. Body Surfing was a treasure, from beginning to (surprising) end. Her language is so devoid of extras, as if she writes sentences, then crosses out all the superfluous words, leaving just the bare bones of eloquent, beautiful prose. Somehow this house, and its predecessors,makes an appearance in every book. This time around, you can almost smell the beach...and the rotteness that corrupts the house and family within.
A wonderful summer choice - or any other time. I read it in one day - sorry it didn't go on, and fervently hope to meet the characters again in a future novel.

Pilot's Wife was my first Shreve book. I loved them all that I have read but this one by far was the one I liked the best. I loved how it tied in with the other books...the characters and settings. If you are a Shreve fan, it is a must read. ENJOY!

This was a good book but not as good as other novels by Shreve that I have enjoyed. It is still a fairly quick read and good for passing some time.

The basic plot is straightforward - a family hires a tutor (Sydney) for their daughter, and there are two older brothers which sets up the some of the main portions of the book. Then there are are other issues such as the conflict between Sydney and the mother of the family.

Eventually the book does wind up being satisfying reading even if it is not the best work by the author.