Made in the U.S.A.
by Billie Letts
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From the Associated Press:
¶ "Made in the U.S.A." (Grand Central Publishing. 355 pages. $24.99), by Billie Letts: Billie Letts returns to Wal-Mart in the opening scenes of her fourth novel, which feature a shoplifting gymnastics star and her younger brother.
¶ Letts' first novel, "Where the Heart Is," became an American classic with its tale of an unwed, pregnant teen who finds refuge and eventually gives birth in a Wal-Mart store.
¶ In her latest novel, 15-year-o...more
¶ "Made in the U.S.A." (Grand Central Publishing. 355 pages. $24.99), by Billie Letts: Billie Letts returns to Wal-Mart in the opening scenes of her fourth novel, which feature a shoplifting gymnastics star and her younger brother.
¶ Letts' first novel, "Where the Heart Is," became an American classic with its tale of an unwed, pregnant teen who finds refuge and eventually gives birth in a Wal-Mart store.
¶ In her latest novel, 15-year-o...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
YA genre fans
I'd describe this book as two stories, clumsily grafted together to form a (sort of) whole. Without re-hashing much plot, or giving outright spoilers, here goes with an explanation of my impressions ...
Part One concerns the kids' experiences with their (common law) step-mother's death, and their subsequent road trip to Vegas. Part Two is the story of their far-from-idyllic time in that city, until a crisis hits. Part Three introduces a new character, becoming his story, with the Lutie a...more
Part One concerns the kids' experiences with their (common law) step-mother's death, and their subsequent road trip to Vegas. Part Two is the story of their far-from-idyllic time in that city, until a crisis hits. Part Three introduces a new character, becoming his story, with the Lutie a...more
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Read in July, 2008
This book was just "okay". I am still waiting for her to write another book as good as "The Honk and Holler Opening Soon" which I think was her best ever.
The first half of this book took place in Las Vegas and was pretty sleazy. Many of the things that happened there required a suspension of belief, something I do not readily do.
The book moved a little more easily once Letts returned to her familiar turf (Oklahoma). There was some interesting trivia about how a circu...more
The first half of this book took place in Las Vegas and was pretty sleazy. Many of the things that happened there required a suspension of belief, something I do not readily do.
The book moved a little more easily once Letts returned to her familiar turf (Oklahoma). There was some interesting trivia about how a circu...more
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Read in August, 2008
Billie Letts describes Lutie McFee as a teen with little guidance in her live. Resorting to shoplifting and lying to get the things she wants. At age fifteen some teens think they know everything and make bad decisions, as Lutie does.
I feel for Fate becaue he knows his sister loves him, but he doesn't know how deep that love runs. He is wiser from his books, and weird TV shows because he is mostly overlooked, except when he starts quoting facts from his books and then he is called a jerk. ...more
I feel for Fate becaue he knows his sister loves him, but he doesn't know how deep that love runs. He is wiser from his books, and weird TV shows because he is mostly overlooked, except when he starts quoting facts from his books and then he is called a jerk. ...more
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Read in June, 2008
This book was very well written. However, I did not like the main character, Luti, a 15 year old girl. In contrast, I identified and empathized more with her brother, Fate. Yes, "real life" was portrayed in this book, but I felt it was bit too gritty and depressing to the point it wasn't realistic to me. How many bad things could happen to these children? I was really not liking this book until the last few chapters, when Letts brought it full circle. I almost missed the connecti...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Lynne by:
NPR...heard the author speakrecommends it for: women
Oh what a fun book...and a quick quick read. I love anything Ms. Letts writes. A good old "Oklahoma" woman.
It's on of those two good to be true books...but endearing. IF you know nothing about Circus people (just their lives and life style) this will be enlightening. The end of the book takes place in Hugo, OK. In one scene they visit the cemetery there and there is one section for circus people. My uncle is buried in this section. He and my dad joined the circus when they w...more
It's on of those two good to be true books...but endearing. IF you know nothing about Circus people (just their lives and life style) this will be enlightening. The end of the book takes place in Hugo, OK. In one scene they visit the cemetery there and there is one section for circus people. My uncle is buried in this section. He and my dad joined the circus when they w...more
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Read in September, 2008
This was an adorable book filled with off-beat characters and situations that are fimiliar to all of Billie Letts' books. If you read Where the Heart Is or The Honk and Holler Opening Soon and enjoyed them, you'll love this book. It also vaguely reminded me of Water for Elephants. This was a fairly quick, but very interesting and adraoble read that made me cry in the end.
When their suito-stepmother drops dead in Wal-mart, a teenager and her younger brother take off in t...more
When their suito-stepmother drops dead in Wal-mart, a teenager and her younger brother take off in t...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
Karen, Alison
You may know this author from her novel Where the Heart Is, which was turned into a movie. Letts is actually a really good author and tells engaging stories. The novel begins with two young orphans traveling to Las Vegas on their own, trying to find their father. Tons of terrible things happen there, and I was worried that the novel would spiral downwards. It actually picked up with a cast of memorable characters. Good story; I didn't want to put it down. If you're in the mood for some dr...more
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Read in July, 2008
Lutie and Fate McFee have been living, for the past year, with their dad's last girlfriend. He ran away to Las Vegas, and they haven't heard from him in monthes. Then the girl friend drops dead in Walmart and Lutie and Fate grab her car and all the cash they can find in her trailer and head to Las Vegas to find their dad.
They find a lot of heartache and ugliness in the city of lights, but they also find enough goodness to get them to a place that's safe and where they belong.
They find a lot of heartache and ugliness in the city of lights, but they also find enough goodness to get them to a place that's safe and where they belong.
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Mary by:
a close friend.recommends it for: Young Adults, Adults
Two young frighten teenagers/children pretend to have all the answers. From driving a car, managing their money and trusting people. Lett's characters will get tangled up in your heart. You will want to help these kids at every bad decision they make and then when you least expect someone to reach out a hand the most unlikely person steps up. You will never look at the less fortunate the same. Everyone has a reason why they get to where they are.. You'll love this story.
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Read in July, 2008
A good, quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the personalities of Lutie and Fate. I did find a few of the events in Las Vegas to have happened too quickly. I didn't find them unbelievable, just happened too fast (much the way CSI is--we all know those DNA results don't come back in hours, but that they take weeks). I enjoyed learning about the circus and thought Billie Letts made a good case for Lutie to take her place there. An enjoyable way to spend a day or so.
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Read in August, 2008
I really don't "enjoy" reading books that contain too much heartbreak, there is plenty in real life, don't need more. However, Ms. Letts tells a good story. I found myself really disliking the protagonist, Lutie, with little sympathy for her, or her plight, even though I could see why she behaved the way she did. But it rounded it up nicely, and you could see her potential by the end. I did find myself rooting for Fate however, from the git-go. Good, not great.
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Read in July, 2008
I knew from reading some of Billie Letts other books that this was going to be an emotional roller coaster, and it was. This story focuses on 15 year old Lutie and her 11 year old brother Fate who take off in search of their father after their guardian dies in Wal-Mart. (What is it with Letts and Wal-Mart?!). I found myself just really rooting for them through the entire novel... and in the end it's about them figuring out was family really means.
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Read in June, 2008
A gut-wrenching tale of two orphaned children who struggle to find a place in the world. A very moving look at the struggles and pitfalls of living on the streets. The tale is peppered with hope even at the bleakest of hours. The writing style is very engaging and makes it a quick read. There's a rough spot of couple of chapters near the end, but all in it's a wonderful book.
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Read in January, 2007
recommended to Pumpkin by:
originally a book club pick and i read all in the seriesrecommends it for: lovers of brit lit and historical fiction
This was a good but very sad book. It was hard to read about some of the choices the girl made as well as the danger she and her brother put themselves into. I am glad I read this book because it was well written about a difficult subject.
It reminds me of an older, more dangerous version of From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwalter by E.L. Konigsberg .
It reminds me of an older, more dangerous version of From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwalter by E.L. Konigsberg .
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Read in August, 2008
The beginning of this book made me feel like I was reading Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Just when you thought Lutie and Fate were going to be okay some new disaster struck. I enjoyed the ending and the narrator was pretty good. Wasn't sure what was going on with the Southern accents at the very beginning when they were supposed to be in South Dakota though.
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Read in July, 2008
This was my least favorite book from Letts. She has a delightful stle and prose, which held true in this book, but the main character was not likable. She had no endearing qualities, which isn't the case of her characters in her previous novels. It's worth reading this book, but I would just expect a little less wow factor than in her previous novels.
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I love how the author Billie Letts writes. This book was enjoyable but there were too many graphic, sexual discussions in the first part of the book. The idea of a sister and a brother being left 'on their own' and surviving in the Las Vegas atmosphere was grim but I guess realistic. The end of the book redeemed the beginning.
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This book was a little different from her other books. It had a sort of dark side to it with everything that happened to these 2 kids. And the ending really surprised me, I had no idea the book was going to go in that direction, with the kids going off with there anonymous savior. It is another great one by Billie Letts.
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Read in July, 2008
I really liked Where the Heart Is, but this book is definitely not as good. In fact I found it to be pretty depressing. The two main characters run away to Las Vegas and a lot of bad things happen to them there. It was hard for me to read without feeling depressed and the characters are really not that likable.
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