The Middle Place

By: Kelly Corrigan

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

In a coming-of-age memoir about a woman who loved being a girl and what made her finally grow up, Kelly Corrigan brilliantly explores the "middle place" between childhood and adulthood and how one woman made the leap to the other side.

"The thing you need to know about me," she begins, "is that I am George Corrigan's daughter, his only daughter." Intertwining her own story with that of her larger-than-life, Irish-American father, Corrigan illustrates an unbelievably powerful and healing father-daughter relationship that evolves as they both face a battle with cancer.

Uplifting yet realistic, her story examines what it means when the person who has been your source of strength is in need of some himself. It's that bittersweet "in between" moment when you're a devoted wife and mother, but you'll always be Daddy's girl.

Listen to a free interview with Kelly Corrigan.©2008 Kelly Corrigan (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A]n optimistic celebration of life, love, and family...Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)

good book, narration annoying

As a contemporary and a daddy's girl, I identified with the author a great deal and enjoyed the memoir very much. It has a nice tone and is neither self-congratulatory nor self-deprecating. However, I did not like the narrator's unnatural habit of enunciating and pronouncing each and every sound. For example, in each instance of "next to", both t's were pronounced! The stilted over-articulation was a constant reminder that the author was not the reader, and that the story was being read/recited and not told.

Very special story about the joy of a good family

This is a lovely little true story about a real life --and the narrator becomes the author as she reads Kelly's story. It is written in the first person -- with a bit too much profanity for those who object to the use of it (all in context -- not excessive by any means)-- but it's a heartfelt telling of a young Mom who deals with fighting her own cancer while fearing her father's cancer diagnosis. It's not about illness -- it's about living and enjoying life. It is not a spoiler alert to say that her Dad is still alive and well -- though she wrote the book fearing a different outcome for him. Be sure to listen to the extra interview with the author -- you'll hear Kelly's own voice and appreciate her enthusiasm for having lived a pretty nice life. See her interviewed on YouTube as well.

Very Close To Home For Me - A Good Book!

This was so real for me. Last year my fiance was diagnosed with throat cancer. It's such shock to hear the words that someone you love so much is sick and has to go through surgery hoping to hear it's non-invasive but to hear it is invasive and then going through treatments and even now a year later still going to regular check-ups and holding your breath each time. I can't imagine having cancer and having a loved one with cancer. I also grew up in Malvern, PA in the 1970's so I knew exactly the areas she was referring to and got a real chuckle when she mentioned the King of Prussia Mall and Guess Jeans! This book has a lot of emotion I thought it was very well done and hope to hear more from Kelly Corrigan in the future!

Sounded like a friend telling you about their life

Just so good. As a mostly non fiction reader, this felt both fiction and non fiction because of its honesty, humor and sometimes hard to believe stories. It made me miss my dad though

Great story! Well written

I had never heard of Kelly Corrigan and now I will read every book she writes! This story was so compelling and the writing was so good. I fell in love with Kelly's father and I enjoyed hearing about their lives...past and present. The transitions between past and present were very well done. Maybe because I am the same age as Kelly, I felt a lot of joy listening to her childhood memories as they reminded me of some of my own childhood memories. Excellent story. Very well read by the narrator.