Nineteen Minutes: a lot can happen in nineteen minutes

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is a grim and startling story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy. Think of what can happen in nineteen simple minutes. Could you mow the lawn? Bake cookies? Fold laundry? Maybe seek revenge? Sterling, New Hampshire is an ordinary town where nothing ever happens. In nineteen minutes, Peter Houghton will shatter the town’s quiet haven. As the residents seek the answers to their question, they must come to terms about their possible role in the tragedy and seek justice from those who would turn their world upside down. Jose Cormier is the daughter of a local judge and one of the students injured in the tragedy. She would be the best witness to figure out what exactly happened; unfortunately, she doesn’t remember any details...or does she? As the trial progresses, the bonds between friends and family begin to crack. Who is at fault? Will the town recover? 

Nineteen Minutes takes a hard look at bullying and how we, as a society, respond to it. Ms. Picoult is an amazing storyteller as she writes a raw and honest look at every parents’ and community’s nightmare. Told in the straightforward manner that I have some to expect from her, she asks the simplest questions with the most complex answers. How well do you truly know your children? What does it mean to be an outsider in the social world of high school and society at large? Is there anything that could have been done to prevent such tragedies?  Nineteen Minutes was a very difficult book to get through. Ms. Picoult does not shy away from the difficult subject and offers an in-depth look into the hows and whys that are often asked. Even though it was not an easy read, it is a topic that we need to think about and be prepared to respond.  I highly recommend Nineteen Minutes. 

Nineteen Minutes is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.