Testimony!: Of God's Many Miracles in My Life

By Sonny O. Braide

Testimony, as the title suggests, is the documentation for posterity, of the numerous events in which God systematically and steadfastly intervened in the writers life. These interventions, coming miraculously at all times, include: saving him from imminent dangers; providing sustenance where no known means of livelihood existed; diverting his course to avert imminent harm or demise; and above all, giving him healthy life, spanning over seventy years.
God already has it all, and no one really has anything to offer Him, except thank you Lord. So, the book is Mr. Braides show of utter gratefulness to the Almighty for His grace, steadfast, and miraculous intercessions in his struggles through life.
It is the authors hope and prayer that this book will prepare peoples minds to experience Gods miracles as well, knowing that the Great One cares for all in just the same way He cared for Mr. Braide in similar circumstances.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499038286

Book preview

TESTIMONY!

Of God’s Many Miracles In My Life

Sonny O. Braide

Copyright © 2014 by Sonny O. Braide.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014912510

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4990-3829-3

                Softcover       978-1-4990-3830-9

                eBook             978-1-4990-3828-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Rev. date: 07/31/2014

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CONTENTS

Acclaim

Foreword by Professor Godwin Udo

Preface by Sonny Braide

Introduction

1. My Birth And Early Childhood Problems - Miracle No. 1

2. Falling Mango Tree And Dagogo House - Miracle No. 2

3. My Education - Miracle No. 3

4. Off To Lagos And A New Life - Miracle No. 4

5. Cinema Ticket Mistake - Miracle No. 5

6. Escaped The Horrors Of Biafra War - Miracle No. 6

(a)   One-Sided Coup D’état

(b)   Military Rule Begins

(c)   Reflections Of An Igbo Diplomat

(d)   Provocations

(e)   Incitements By Northern Politicians

(f)   The Last Straw

(g)   The North Fought Back

(h)   Secession On The Horizon

(i)   Creation Of States That Preempted Biafra Declaration

(j)   Bakana Dislodged Abruptly!

7. Rescued From Being Stranded & Starved - Miracle No. 7

8. Vaux Wagon Attack - Miracle No. 8

9. Extricated From Isaac’s Contract Extension Foul-Play - Miracle No. 9

10. Saved From Awolaja’s Disgrace - Miracle No. 10

11. Okoloba Court Miracles - Miracle No. 11 To 13

a) Miracle No.11—Escaped Electrocution

b) Miracle No. 12—Spared From The Ravages Of Fire

c) Miracle No. 13—Burglary In My Apartment At Night

12 Shielded From Self-Confessed Witches - Miracle No. 14

13. Saved From An Impersonator - Miracle No. 15

14. I Married A Queen - Miracle No. 16

15. Dangerous Neighbours Of Nathan Street - Miracle No. 17

16. Unharmed In Dimka’s Coup D’etat - Miracle No. 18

17. Shielded From Park & Ride Car Thieves - Miracle No. 19

18. The Miracles Of My Son, Okunta (‘Nta) - Miracle No. 20 To 22

a) Miracle No. 20—Okunta’s Birth

b) Miracle No. 21—Okunta’s School Problems

c) Miracle No. 22—Okunta’s Green Card Saga

19. Austria Recall - Miracle No. 23

20. Missed Sao-Tome Flight That Crashed - Miracle No. 24

21. Libreville Car Crash After Schedule Change - Miracle No. 25

22. Escaped Badagry Road Accident Series - Miracle No. 26

23. Abonnema Wharf Near-Tragedy - Miracle No. 27

24. Furubo’s Evil Plots Bounce-Back - Miracle No. 28

25. Migration To The U.S.A. - Miracle No. 29

26. United Nation’s Job And Miracles Therein - Miracle No. 30 To 32

a) Miracle No. 30—United Nations Job

b) Miracle No, 31—Monrovia Accommodation Wonders

c) Miracle No. 32—Escaped Liberian Crises—(Bullets Through My Bedroom Window)

27. Citizens Of The United States Of America - Miracle No. 33

28. Dagogo House Defined - Miracle No. 34 & 35

a) Miracle No. 34—Keeping Them Off

b) Miracle 35—Elizabeth (Baby) Gave Up

29. Building A House For My Mother - Miracle No. 36 To 38

a) Miracle No. 36—Erink Ibiada Dagogo House

b) Miracle No. 37—Grand-Cousin Dede Walked Into The Sea!

c) Miracle No. 38—Lolo Confessed!

30. Giving My Mother A Befitting Final Rites - Miracle No. 39 To 42

a) Miracle No. 39—Time Was Inauspicious, But Favorable

b) Miracle No. No 40—Cash Flowed From Everywhere

c) Miracle 41—My Mother Immortalized

d) Miracle No. 42—Idaerego’s Miraculous Escape

31. Flying Safe Round The Globe - Miracle No. 43

32. Immune From Escapade Reprisals - Miracle No. 44

33 My Pension And Gratuity Gridlocks - Miracle No. 45 & 46

a) Miracle Number 45—Pension Payment Problems

b) Miracle Number 46—Lack Of Funds To Facilitate My Travels

34. El-Paso Miracles - Miracle No. 47 To 52

a) Miracle Number 47—Saved From Boiling Water

b) Miracle No. 48—Survival In El Paso

c) Miracle No. 49—Salifu And Conspirators Kicked-Out

d) Miracle No. 50—Queenba Gets Her Cda Diploma

e) Miracle No. 51—Christian & Church Members’ Sabotage Backfires

f) Miracle No. 52—The Evil Plans Of Ginger, Flamingo & Geraldine Failed

35. Queen’s Second Job - Miracle No. 53

36. Accident That Wrote-Off Nisan-Sentra Debt - Miracle No. 54

37. The Ultimate Miracle

38. The Promise

Acknowledgements

Bibliography

ACCLAIM

==========

Eldrin Simon – El Paso, Texas

A miracle is an application of a higher law. We consider them miracles because they are out of the normal. If we come right down to it, life itself is a miracle, but we fail to recognize it because it is so common.

I am amazed how Sonny successfully managed to bridge the huge gap between Religion and Metaphysical interpretations of what and how miracles work in man; vividly pointing out that both philosophies are working together towards one absolute goal – GOD.

Please read this book which has everything in it to inspire any living person to forever put at the back of his/her mind that there is God who is ever present at one’s beck and call, if only we know how.

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Martin. A. ANYANWU – Bronx, New York

Mr. Braide’s Testimony of God’s Many Miracles In My Life, can fittingly be titled Invisible Hands of God In My Life; Numerous Coincidences In My Life, or Many Unexpected Happenings In My Life, in the language of whether one is a Christian; Muslim; Buddhist, Hindustani, or even a non-believer, to describe the events as they occurred in the life of the author. This book tells me right away that the author believes in the almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth. He believes in what the scriptures say about God’s relationship with man; that every living soul is a child of God who loves and takes care of his children as humans do to their children.

Some readers might be tempted to hesitate in calling some of these events miracles, because to them they were mere ordinary daily occurrences for every ordinary person. But such people would miss the point the writer is trying to make; that is, it is the ordinary daily events in our lives that we must thank God for, as these come and go without us knowing the many invisible hands of God protecting us. The case of a vehicle veering through traffic in an accident and crashing into a building to kill someone sleeping on his bed proves this point. It takes only a believer to understand a divine intervention in one’s life when it occurs. These miracles the author could recall in his life in greater number, happened without his conscious solicitation, but yet God intervened to fulfill His promise to all those who strive to live by the Almighty’s code-of-conduct.

Testimony reveals to me that the author is a religious mystic—in Christian parlance: a Diviner; who knows abundantly well, the relationship between man and his Creator; and that makes the book a must read between the lines, with the conviction that indeed the Creator takes care of His faithful children, and that whether we know it or not we are all attuned to God, having been infused in us with His Soul.

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John A. Enaye – New Rochelle, New York – Retired Diplomat

My good friend and brother Sonny Braide does us all a great service by encouraging us to cultivate gratefulness to God for each new day, and to know that the almighty’s miracles happen to us every minute of our lives. This is a MUST-READ book.

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Kenneth Ibiene Anga – Rosharon, Texas

Using stimulating life experiences Sonny Braide welcomes us into an elegant fabric of God’s many wonders in our lives. I know you will find this book spiritually enriching.

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John Igbokwe, MSC, CMA – Author of A Broken Mission—Web: www.abrokenmission.com

Sonny Braide does us all a great service by encouraging us to know that challenges are to be faced with fortitude, bearing in mind that if God takes you there, He will bring you out of there stronger.

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Victor Abili – Houston, Texas

With the author we can celebrate the joys of imperfection, because God knows we are only humans trying to learn and improve on our journey through life. Many of the writer’s encounters with danger are really breath-taking, but the end-results assures us that as long as we live with the Lord’s promise in our hearts, no weapons fashioned against us shall prosper.

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D E D I C A T I O N

This book is dedicated to:

My mother who gave me life full of love;

My forever better-half – Queenba – who had been multi-tasking very efficiently and effectively as Mother, Sister, Friend, Lover, and Wife; without whom this book will not even be thought of, let alone be written and published;

All those few among our many children, who care so much about us, and have always and forever been there for us;

and

My ever-present Cousin and Father-figure, Ven. Ainsley N. C. Iyalla, an accomplished Godly man who has stood strongly in my support and guidance as I wade through life to encounter these many miracles.

FOREWORD

By Professor Godwin Udo

University of Texas, El Paso, TX

============

Merriam Webster dictionary defines miracle as an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God while Oxford dictionary defines it as a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. To the Christian, miracle is part of life because our God is often described as God of Miracle. Miracle is to be expected because it marks the beginning of a new relationship with God. The miracle of new birth (or being born again) marks the beginning of spirit-led relationship with our maker. Saul of Tarsus had his first miracle on his way to Damascus when he encountered Jesus and became Paul the Apostle. To accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord is certainly a miracle because it is not explicable by natural or scientific laws rather it is the work of God. Receiving Christ Jesus into one’s life is the beginning of miracle-loaded life.

As Mr. Sonny Braide has demonstrated in this book, every miracle can be traced back to one or more of God’s promises which are embedded in the Bible. Mr. Braide starts the narration of each of the 54 God’s miracles in his life with a unique God’s promise. Since miracles originate from God’s Word, it clearly means that God’s miracles are not rare phenomena in today’s time and age because His Word works and is always true to the core. It also implies that God’s miracles are guaranteed since God is making sure that every one of His word is fulfilled when the conditions are met. For example, God’s promise in Psalm 50:15 states Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. This is a miracle waiting to happen if we find ourselves in a serious trouble (health, finance, or whatever) that is humanly impossible to dissolve. Remembering this promise and calling on God can usher in a miracle each time. We can therefore conclude that everyone can have God’s miracles and that God made provision for miracles because, as the creator, He foreknew that we need them from time to time in order to make it through life.

Have you had a miracle in your life lately or do you mostly read about historic miracles from the Bible? I strongly believe that if you read Testimony! Of God’s Many Miracles in My Life you will begin to experience God’s miracles in areas of your life that you never thought possible. In this book, the author narrates 54 breath-taking, everyday-situation and hard-to-ignore miracles in his own life. By reading this life-changing book I personally have learned three fundamental lessons that will enrich my life forever: (1) that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is still in the miracle-making business; (2) that God’s miracles are not only possible but they are inexorable and guaranteed because God’s miracles originate from His promises which cover every situation, especially for the people who seek Him; and (3) that any person (including you and I) who seeks and expects God’s miracles can have them just like Mr. Braide. I am certain that these and even more lessons will be yours when you read this book. The stories are captivating and empowering. They remind you of life’s difficult challenges at every turn, human vulnerability, and God’s willingness and ability to come to your rescue.

I encourage you to get motivated to anticipate and usher in your miracles by reading this great book. Everyone, regardless of age, can certainly benefit from this book, but I believe that young people can benefit much more. The author has cataloged how God’s hand and divine arrangements guided him from his early childhood through to adulthood; from rural African village; away from his parents’ care to metropolitan city where he lived on his own; from bloody civil war where thousands died around him, to exulted offices where he represented his government overseas; and from one important decision to another including life partner, career, family, etc. Young people can identify with the author in many of the situations described in this book and hence will be encouraged, knowing that God cares for them in just the same way He cared for Mr. Braide in similar circumstances.

I personally believe in miracles having also experienced many of them, so I strongly recommend this book to you. I pray also that your life will change for better as this book prepares your mind for and as you begin to experience God’s miracles.

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PREFACE

By Sonny O. Braide

========

When the message for me, a local naïve boy of 18, to go to Lagos arrived, my mother of blessed memory, panicked. Although she welcomed the idea that I was going to start a new life through paid employment, she worried how a boy of my age, raw from a small town life, would be able to cope with life in a city all by myself. Fuelled by this fear but full of great expectations, she took me to our church Minister, the late Archdeacon L. T. Olali, to place me in the mighty hands of our God. This was a few days before I embarked on a passenger ship called Ajasa in one of its last journeys before winding up business in Nigeria, as road transportation began to reduce its profitability.

As we knelt before the Archdeacon, the man of God placed his hands upon my head and called God in supplication and intercession on my behalf saying so many things, as usual, but what caught my attention and remained till date were these words:

Lord I call upon you to lead the way of this little fellow who is leaving the security of his family and community into an uncharted territory of a big city. We know none of your creations, especially in form of towns and cities is evil, but you know, an environment such as big cities are settling ground for evil-minded people with their numerous ungodly activities. I pray that you protect this young man from any such group and activities. Guide his childhood actions and involvements; protect him from danger, and direct him to profitable and Godly deeds. You have a purpose for this lad; hence he is undergoing the journey. I commend him to your mighty care, believing that you will always be with him wherever he should go, be, or do. I make this plea in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

At the end of the prayer he made a sign of the Cross on my forehead and wished me well and a safe journey. Needless to say, my mother was visibly enliven, satisfied that all would be well with me. What she could not envision then was that my journey would extend beyond Lagos into the wider world which is more complicated and with greater avenues for evils. But the Lord sees beyond all of us, so he did not restrict my blessings only to Lagos, but extended it beyond to cover the whole wide world as I travelled through and around it.

Thank You Lord.

INTRODUCTION

If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped.

-Evelyn Underhill

By my training and understanding of natural law, I do not believe in miracles as told in many religious literatures. Many things men call miracles over the centuries were mere phenomenal occurrences that could not be explained at the time. But again, to me this general statement relates purely to events involving both natural occurrences, which over time have been explained by science, or the real cause discovered by proper investigation. However, when it applies to events happening to one in manners that cannot be explained, one can certainly say that God really intercedes in that person’s affairs miraculously. I do not know what other name to call situations where one would come out of a ghastly accident unscathed, or a very bad situation suddenly turning to result in propitious outcome without any understandable reason. That to me is real Miracle.

Man has generally been equating miracles to incidences like the parting of the seas, and the moving of mountains. We forget that our creation and the very existence of ours on earth is itself a miracle. This is what Henry Miller had in mind when he said Don’t look for miracles. You yourself are the miracle. Whether you believe or not in the Biblical version of the world having been created in six days, the fact remains that the world was created out of nothing, and we as humans happen to find ourselves here without knowing how and why. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He has no beginning and no end. The more I try to figure Him out the more I get confused. I have always wondered how I come to realize myself. How do I know that I am me, and not someone else? How on earth does the smallest creature like the ant get its identity, and ability to fend for itself?

This reminds me of the Darwinian joke, in which a group of Darwinian scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one of them to go and tell the great one that they were done with Him. The Darwinian walked up to God and said:

"God, we’ve decided that we no

Reviews for Testimony!

[shsb_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the first book I've ready by Anita Shreve. I'll start off by saying that I couldn't put it down, and read the entire book in less than 24 hours.I enjoyed the narrative style used by the author. Anita Shreve told the story from the viewpoints of many different characters, some who I never would have thought of including, and I enjoyed hearing those voices immensely.After finishing the book, it left me thinking, pondering how the events of one night truly changed the lives of so many--even those who had no direct participation in the events. The best part of this novel is that it illustrates so clearly that the choices we make and the actions we take every day can have a vast impact on many people.

[l4mo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was very excited to read this book after reading comments about the author's other novels. I was quite disappointed. The story was told by too many characters, and the end was incredibly predictable. I wasted my time with this novel and I will never read anything by this author again.

[karensaville · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of how a sex act that takes place in a boarding school can have such a devastating effect to so many people. Each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character. It tells of the events that happened and of the effects on their lives afterwards. This is really well written and a gripping read.

[maryc22_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't prepared for the emotional impact this book had on me. Shreve created characters that are flawed, but likeable. Her style of each chapter in a different voice is effective and broadens the readers understanding of the events as they unfold.

[lkbside · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An OK book by Anita Shreve whose books are inconsistent; some I like, some I don't. This one, revolving around a scandal at a prep school, basically examines the plot line of how one event or action can dramatically change the lives of many people. Each chapter is narrated by or about people who are affected by the scandal - the 3 boys, the 14 year old girl who sets it all in motion, the parents, the headmaster, etc.

[mustreet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book sucks you in right from the start, in a "can't put it down until I'm done" kind of way. Interesting story of a sexual indiscretion at a boarding school and the consequences the characters involved face in the wake of the incident.

[stephaniechase_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I keep reading Anita Shreve's books, and I am never quite sure why when I am done. Testimony is told from the point of view of so, so many characters, we never get to the heart of the matter, of what people really think about the incident that forms the core of the book.

[lynnes8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Told in many voices, the story of a sex scandal at a private high school. Moves fast. Satisfying.

[sharlene_w · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Testimony is an incident told from the perspective of the various people that were affected. I especially enjoyed listening to the audio version as each character had a voice. It was well crafted with a powerful message. The choices one person makes can have a rippling effect on the people and community around them.

[moonshineandrosefire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At Avery Academy - an expensive private school whose students have the brightest possible futures ahead of them - the students are carefully screened and selected to attend. These privileged and rich teenagers who enjoy the best education money can buy, can also indulge in any secret teenage vices they fancy. When a sex scandal threatens to break wide open - one that includes a video tape of seemingly consensual sex acts between a fourteen-year-old freshman and two seniors - the girl cries rape and in the resulting scandal no one comes out unscathed. Not the students involved, not the parents who send their children to the Academy. not the headmaster himself; not even the community that ignores what goes on behind the gates of the prestigious Avery Academy.I enjoyed this story very much. The writing style was slightly different from anything from Anita Shreve that I'd read before. I give it an A+!

[detailmuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written, Testimony is a cautionary tale that examines the precipitating factors and aftermath of a student sex scandal at a private Vermont high school. Told through the alternating personal testimonies of 21 people involved or impacted -- the victim/perpetrators; their parents and friends; the headmaster, school staff and students; police; the media -- its creative structure is an all-out exploration of viewpoint: first-, third-, and even second-person, in past and present tenses.The explosive premise brought to mind the Duke University lacrosse-team scandal and the local and national reaction to it. Short chapters drew me in, and the close-up points of view revealed character in a way that led to understanding and, in almost every case, sympathy. It was tricky at first to keep the characters straight while so many were being introduced. But when the story took hold and progressed, it became riveting. Perhaps my favorite novel by the author to date.

[dara85 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shreve does an excellent job of capturing the mother's anguish over her son's choices. I also thought the scene's talking of the relationship between Silas and Noelle were very well done. I would recommend this book.

[mumineurope · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rape of 14 yo at vermont boarding school seen from lots of people's point of view

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an easy book to keep reading, but it was disturbing on several levels, so I won't reread. I guess the opening bothered me the most; I don't like reading graphic representations of young teenagers having sex. I realize it's necessary to the story, but did it have to be so detailed? I didn't care for the ending particularly either, but I could see where the plot was headed early on, so it wasn't a surprise. The most profound portion was when Mike, the former headmaster of the school, reflects on how one action can destroy so many people. He is right about that, and I hope that anyone who reads this book gets that message loud and clear.

[debnance_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three young men at a private school ruin their lives when they get drunk and are videotaped in compromising situation with an underage girl. This book is the story of the young men and their families and their teachers and the young girl. I found the strength of the book to be in the way it was told. I liked the way the author told the story in chapters using various points of view. It felt very real. I thought the tale was a bit too Oprah-ish, the social problem of the week. None of the characters was terribly likable, except for Silas who seemed to have been caught up in the drinking amid family difficulties and was a victim of circumstances. All in all, a ho-hum Shreve.

[busyreadin · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very strangely written book. Chapters are a persons name. You're reading along trying to follow the story and suddenly a character that you've never met before or will ever hear from again pops up. Made it very hard to keep track of whose voice I was "listening" to. This was an interesting premise, and could have been a very good story. But I made no connection to any of the characters, and I kept having to go back to the 1st page of the chapter to see who was talking.

[alanna1122 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fast and compelling read. Shreve does a really good job of detailing the complexities of a sexual incident that happens on the grounds of a new england prep school. As an alum of one such school - i felt she wrote with authenticity about the culture and the people that you can find at such schools... it made the story feel believable to me. I think so many of these type of stories that we read about in the newspaper or see in the news have so many complicated angles that are not given any thought and are just distilled down to bare bones for public consumption. I think the story of Testimony is good to think about and remember that there is a story and a viewpoint for each and every person touched by such scandal and it can't always be just distilled easily into the good versus bad. I read it in 3 days. It feels a little salacious to read but I was really gripped by the story.

[indygo88 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was really a pleasant surprise. I've read several of Anita Shreve's, and I've generally thought her subject matter was fairly interesting, but was never really blown away by any of them. This has easily been my favorite thus far. Basic plot summary: teenage sex scandal at a private school...A videotape is released & repurcussions follow. This was told from a variety of character perspectives, both major and minor. It brought to the surface a lot of varied emotions and allows the reader to see a situation from a not-so-narrow-minded point of view. I earread this on audio, and thought it was read very well by a cast of readers. The only complaint I have is that it did jump back & forth in time which was mildly confusing, as well as the variation of 1st person/3rd person/omniscient narrator. I think I may have enjoyed it even more had it been all in 1st person narration. But regardless, a very good novel.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Shreve has always been hit or miss for me and this one just didn’t work. The book felt like it was controversial just for the sake of being controversial. I thought the overall plot was interesting, but the characters didn’t feel real, they felt like pawns in her big game of What If. It felt like the author had had a debate with someone about the Duke sex scandal and she had played the Devil’s Advocate, putting the blame on anyone one but the boys involved… then decided to write a book about it. The result felt forced and unrealistic.I liked the fact that she shows the drama from so many different points of view. I think that’s the greatest strength of the book. I just didn’t love how the girl/boys are portrayed or how the interactions between the characters felt like a bad movie. It’s a good idea in concept, but it lost something in the translation to the page.  

[dalzan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first paragraph foreshadows a tragedy in which three marriages are destroyed, the lives of three students at a private school in Vermont are ruined, and death claims an innocent victim. The precipitating event is a sex tape involving three members of the boys' basketball team and a freshman girl. Beginning with an account of the debacle by the Avery School's then headmaster, and segueing to the voices of the participants in the orgy, plus their parents and others touched by the scandal, the narrative explores the widening consequences of a single event. Shreve's character delineation is astute, and the novel's moral questions—ranging from the boys' behavior to the headmaster's breach of legal ethics to the guilt of those involved in the death—are salient if heavy-handed, while the female characters are wicked in the way women have always been stereotypically portrayed.Very graphic sex scene at the start involving a 14 year old girl and three older students

[c5ibarra · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had difficulty getting into this book. The plot moved slowly and the switching of point of views annoyed and frustrated me. I usually enjoy Anita Shreve’s books but this one wasn’t for me.

[onemorepage · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A thought-provoking tale of a group of older teenage boys whose tape of them having consentual sex with a 14-year-old girl is given to their private school's headmaster.Although not a unique story line, Shreve takes a unique approach. She tells the story through the eyes of several people involved, either directly or indirectly, in the incident, giving the reader different ideas to think about as the story unfolds.In the end, the reader is left with many thought-provoking questions. Are the boys guilty of sexual assult, even though the girl was obviously very williing? Should the Headmaster have tried to keep the incident from going public? Was it fair that the lives of all three boys are forever ruined by this one consentual incident?Excellent read.

[livelylady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not her best in my opinion. This is the testimony involved in one way or another a sex scandal among students at a private school in Vermont. Interesting way of presenting a story!

[marlene9nl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Quick read, read it in 2 days.

3.5 stars. Finished it this morning November 13. At first I thought the book a bit weird and was on the verge of picking something else to read (very tempting cause the books I had ordered had arrived) but I am glad I decided to keep on reading. The subject was interesting but especially at the beginning the writing was a bit weird. You get to hear 1 story from various people and some stories of people appear like they just say any thought that pops up in there brains. (not many brains)
Anyway, I did like it though. It is interesting to see how a small mistake, yes I consider this a small mistake and I can understand how this could happen, can spoil so many lifes.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The most interesting aspect of this tale is the path that an act of indiscretion sets in motion. Told in the various voices of several characters, this technique makes the telling a bit disjointed. The characters did not always seem true to their personalities. Sometimes they seemed wiser than they actually were and then later, more foolish. None were particularly likable. Indeed, the author doesn't seem to know where blame should be placed and who, if any, is more guilty than the others. Maybe that was her point: there certainly is more than two sides to this story! The end is predictable; though the author seems to want to build some suspense, it just isn't there.

[foreigncircus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderful, tragic, and unforgettable book about actions and consequences, about sinning and redemption, about life and death, about guilt and blame. At first I found the shifting perpectives a little difficult, but once I sank into the story, I ceased to even notice. It is hard to talk about the plot without spoiling the narrative- the central element for each person's story is one bad decision that ties into the bad decisions of others eventually escalating into a terrible act. Even though it became clear fairly quickly where the story was moving, I was still gripped by the hope that I was wrong. As events unfolded as I knew they must, I couldn't stop myself from crying even though I knew the whole time exactly where we were going to end. Shreve is a gifted writer, and this is an excellent book that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. 5 strong stars- highly recommended!

[sanga71_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I really didn't think much to this book. I found it hard to follow in some places as the story is written in chapter form going from one character to another. I also didn't like many of the characters. Hopefully someone else will enjoy this more than I did.

[bobbieharv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The opening scene, of a school headmaster watching a video of a young girl and three boys having sex, was quite riveting and set the stage for the rest of the book. So the plot was good, as was the device of telling the story from multiple points of view (the boys, the girl, the parents, the administrators, etc.). But Shreve took on too much when she tried to write in the voice of all those many many characters - even the very very best novelist wouldn't be able to do this, and it was distracting. If she had kept the same structure, but told each point of view in the third person, I probably would have rated this book a 4 or a 5.

[pdebolt_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There is one important life lesson to be learned from this novel, and that is that there are consequences to every action - consequences that may involve many people in numrous ways. I liked the way this book shifted perspectives until it built to the life-defining moments. It is tragedy compounded by technology. Anita Shreve has done a good job of describing an incident through the eyes of the participants and its far-reaching conclusion.

[crazy4reading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Testimony started out a little slow for me. After about 3 chapters I started to enjoy the story. Testimony is about private school in Vermont. The school is Avery Academy. There is an incident among a 14 year old girl and 3 boys ranging in the ages of 18 and 19.When light of the incident becomes the knowledge of the headmaster, Mr. Bordwin, he tries to keep everything in house. He questions the involved students one by one. After he speaks to the girl the girl decides to call her parents and cry about what happened. Her father tells her to call the police because she was raped.I did not care for the girl in this story because I felt that she was a manipulator and instigator of the whole incident, even though she was only 14. Just by the way her character was written gave me that impression.I would give this book a rating of 4 stars.