What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir

( 30 )
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up in Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Paperback
$13.98
BN.com price
$15.00 List Price (Save 7%)
Marketplace (New and Used)
from
$0.01
$15.00 List Price (Save 100%)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
All (36)  
Used (23)  
New (13)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 4
Showing 1 – 10 of 36 (4 pages)
$0.01
(Save 100%)
Better World Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(50891)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Good
Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!

Ships from: Mishawaka, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$0.99
(Save 93%)
CBOBOOKS TN
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(1144)

Condition: Acceptable
PAPERBACK Fair 0143117653 New publishers overstocks which sustained minimal damage in shipping. Covers may be torn, etc. Damages do not affect book readabillity. Great customer ... service. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Murfreesboro, TN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$0.99
(Save 93%)
BookShop4U
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(478)

Condition: New
5/25/2010 Paperback 1 New 0143117653.

Ships from: Philadelphia, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$0.99
(Save 93%)
CBOBOOKS TN
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(1144)

Condition: New
PAPERBACK New 0143117653 Fast Shipping! New book. Publisher's overstock. Customer service is our #1 priority.

Ships from: Murfreesboro, TN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.91
(Save 87%)
BookHouse COM LLC
Seller since 2011

Feedback rating:

(317)

Condition: Like New
PAPERBACK Fine 0143117653 May have a remainder mark FROM A COMPANY YOU TRUST, HUGE SELECTION. RELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! ! HASSLE FREE RETURN POLICY, SATISFACTION GURANTEED****

Ships from: Philadelphia, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.91
(Save 87%)
Vitalbooks PA
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(104)

Condition: Like New
PAPERBACK Fine 0143117653 Ships Fast. All standard orders delivered within 5 to 12 business days. May have a remainder mark.

Ships from: Southampton, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Trinity City Books
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(963)

Condition: Very Good
Gently used. Possible light wear to cover & pages. No significant defects. We ship from the Dallas area within 1 business day and we LOVE our customers! No hassle satisfaction ... guarantee! Thank you for your business Read more Show Less

Ships from: Garland, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Trinity City Books
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(963)

Condition: New
New Book. Excellent condition. We ship from the Dallas area within 1 business day and we LOVE our customers! No hassle satisfaction guarantee. Thank you for your business.

Ships from: Garland, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Blue Cloud Books
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(2521)

Condition: Good
This book has a light amount of wear to the pages, cover and binding. Blue Cloud Books ??? Hot deals from the land of the sun.

Ships from: Phoenix, AZ

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Yankee Clipper Books
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(3924)

Condition: Good
Book shows a small amount of wear to cover and binding. Some pages show signs of use. Sail the Seas of Value

Ships from: Windsor, CT

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 4
Showing 1 – 10 of 36 (4 pages)
Close
Sort by
NOOK Book (eBook)
$12.99
BN.com price

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for iPad
  • NOOK for iPhone
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK for Android (Tablet)
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

More About This Book

Overview

"Darkly hilarious...an unexpected bundle of joy."
-O, The Oprah Magazine

Alice Cohen was happy for the first time in years. After a difficult divorce, she had a new love in her life, she was rais­ing a beloved adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Then she started experiencing mysterious symptoms. After months of tests, x-rays, and inconclusive diagnoses, Alice underwent a CAT scan that revealed the truth: she was six months pregnant.

At age forty-four, with no prenatal care and no insurance coverage for a high-risk pregnancy, Alice was besieged by opinions from doctors and friends about what was ethical, what was loving, what was right. With the intimacy of a diary and the suspense of a thriller, What I Thought I Knew is a ruefully funny, wickedly candid tale; a story of hope and renewal that turns all of the "knowns" upside down.

  • Alice Eve Cohen
    Alice Eve Cohen  

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
A blackly humorous, deeply personal story from a playwright and solo theater artist. In 1999, Cohen (Writing and Theatre/The New School) was a 44-year-old divorcee raising an adopted daughter and dating a 34-year-old fellow performer. Her gynecological history was bleak-a DES daughter with an abnormal uterus, she had been told she was infertile and believed herself to be on the brink of menopause. When a hard lump appeared in her abdomen, she feared it was cancer. After some absurd misdiagnoses, however, she learned that she was six-months pregnant. In three "Acts," Cohen reveals her reactions to this news and the ensuing complications of a high-risk pregnancy, possibly damaged fetus and lack of adequate medical insurance. "Unbridled Good Fortune" ends with the author considering an abortion. "What I Know" chronicles the three anguished and often indecisive months that culminated with the birth of her baby. In "An Unexpected Life," Cohen discusses three therapy-filled years and, finally, a malpractice suit against the doctors who misdiagnosed her. Periodically, the author inserts lists titled "What I Know," the items of which change as she learns new "facts" and as her thoughts and feelings about the situation change. At times her humor is harsh, particularly in her caricatures of her endocrinologist and of certain students in her storytelling class. The questions that Cohen deals with-whether or not to abort, to place her baby up for adoption or to sue for malpractice-are serious, even controversial, and her frankness in dealing with them can be disconcerting. A memoir of a life in crisis that may challenge female readers to face some of their darkest fears. Author events in New YorkCity

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780143117650
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 5/25/2010
  • Pages: 208
  • Sales rank: 374,245
  • Product dimensions: 5.00 (w) x 7.70 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Meet the Author

Alice Eve Cohen is a playwright, solo theater artist, and memoirist. She has written for Nickelodeon and PBS and received fellowships and grants from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. She teaches at The New School in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 30 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(11)

4 Star

(8)

3 Star

(6)

2 Star

(4)

1 Star

(1)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identiy on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

We're sorry, but penname is already taken.

Please select one of the following:
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

penname is available!

By visiting the BN.com website or marking a purchase on BN.com, a User is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.

Continue Anonymously

Welcome, penname

You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 30 Customer Reviews

  • Posted May 21, 2012

    I Also Recommend:

    9781440140747 9780595407323 9780307957276

    Finally at a forgiving age of 44, life is good, a divorce behind

    Finally at a forgiving age of 44, life is good, a divorce behind her and ready to be married to a wonderful guy. Alice’s adopted daughter is thriving quite well, and her career is satisfying. A large lump in her stomach is giving her concern, fearing cancer, she visits her GYN and low and behold….she is pregnant. What?! She wasn’t supposed to be able to be pregnant, thought to be impossible, infertile, they said….and so starts this story.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted December 9, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Candid and Honest..

    My Synopsis: <p> In this startlingly candid memoir, Alice Even Cohen shares her personal journey as a 44 year old "infertile" pregnant woman. From the medical professionals who couldn't figure out what was wrong with her (she was SIX MONTHS into her pregnancy before it was finally discovered that she was pregnant!), to her emotional struggle of whether or not she wanted to have the baby, Ms. Cohen's memoir is deeply touching and fast-paced. <p> My Thoughts: <p> I loved this memoir. I am completely shocked and downright appalled at the medical professionals who failed Ms. Cohen. To read her journey and all the doctors she saw and the tests she went through and no one figured out she was pregnant - it's absolutely unbelievable to me! The circumstances she had to endure and the conversations she had to have during her "medical mystery" and after her diagnosis will make you cringe and cry. <p> I can relate to Alice in many ways, being an infertile woman myself. I can't imagine being set in your life and accepting of your situation, in your mid forties and BAM, suddenly you are pregnant. What a shocking situation it must have been for her! I don't want to examine her thoughts and feelings about the situation because none of us know how we will react when faced with the same circumstances. All I will say is that Ms. Cohen is a brave woman who fought through a very difficult time the best way she knew how and I commend her for that. <p> This memoir is very well-written and short at less than 200 pages so I blew through it in two sittings. Ms. Cohen has a way of capturing the reader's attention at every turn of the page until you know the outcome of her story. I couldn't put the book down.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 6, 2012

    Self-centered and self-serving

    I have read hundreds of memoirs and I undertand that what makes for a good read is an author who bares their soul but she took it too far. There are somethings that are better left unsaid. A good portion of this book revolves around her contemplating whether or not to end her pregnancy. Her husband had to basically coerce her into not doing so. By putting these thoughts down on paper it was probably cathartic for her but it was potentially at the expense of her childs future mental health. I cant imagine what her daughter is going to go through when she is old enough to read and undertand this book.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 28, 2011

    So REAL. Loved it!

    I read this book almost in one sitting. Her style of writing is so fluid and easy to read, transporting you directly into her head. This book was so real, she doesn't hold back on any emotions from her readers. It was really refreshing.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 11, 2010

    Honest, compelling read

    This is a book that springs from a woman's honest feelings regarding an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 44. It's well-written and compelling. I finished it in one sitting. It's refreshing to read something by an author who is willing to share all of her true feelings with the reader without sugarcoating them or pretending to feel something that she doesn't. I highly recommend the book...

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted January 11, 2010

    Don't miss this if you ever thought for one moment that you knew how your life would unfold!

    I revelled in the unbridled frankness and authenticity of the roller coaster emotions revealed in this memoir. Alice Eve Cohen is a gifted story teller who keeps us on the edge of our seats with her indomitable wit and heartwarming humor. I recommend this book for everyone who ever wanted to be or did not want to be...pregnant.... and for their partners

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 3, 2010

    I truly HATED this book.

    I completed this book in an afternoon. It was a simple read. Normally I like memoirs, as they show history through one individual's eyes. But to be written by a talentless, self-centered, self-pitying author was too much. Her continual discussion of the 'cost' of this child sickened my stomach.

    With only 20 pages left I complained to my husband about the book. He asked "why finish it?" and I can say the ONLY reason was I was interested in Ms. Cohen's youngest daughter. I can only hope she has a good therapist with a mother like this.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 7, 2009

    Couldn't put it down

    Loved the book, couldn't put it down. Read the whole thing in 3 days time. Look forward to reading more books written by this author.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 2, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    The book is worth reading especially when you are a DES daughter or son.

    Des was a drug that was supposed to stop miscarriages and other things. It causes numerous health issues and deformaties. Be prepared to be shocked at what the pharmaceutical companies didnot tell the mothers that took this drug about the side effects that they knew of.It is like the Thalidomide scare but not alwways as visible and alot of us were considered just crazy because no one really wanted to believe something was wrong when some of us have no specific diagnosis.It is a chiller to live with and read about.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 29, 2009

    interesting story

    Quick Read! Certainly a unique story. The writing left something to be desired and it should have been edited more but that's not why anyone would purchase this type of book. I do recommend it as a different take on a very surprising and life altering event.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 30, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 1, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 30, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 8, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 28, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 15, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 2, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 27, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 13, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 30 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit