Lottery
by Patricia Wood (Goodreads author!)
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| published
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January 3rd 2008
by William Heinemann Ltd
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| binding
| Hardcover |
| isbn
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0434017868
(isbn13: 9780434017867)
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| ebook |
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| pages
| 320 |
| date added
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01-09-08
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Read in May, 2007
Perry L. Crandall would like you to know that he is not retarded. Retarded would be 75 on an IQ test, and he is 76. Besides, Perry takes care not only of himself, but also of his Gran, a crusty, no-nonsense woman who loves him for who he is and lets him shine his light through his own accomplishments. (She tells him the L in his name stands for Lucky.)
Perry describes his life in simple and succinct sentences that manage to be full of wonder and surprise. As he speaks, we see all too clearly ...more
Perry L. Crandall would like you to know that he is not retarded. Retarded would be 75 on an IQ test, and he is 76. Besides, Perry takes care not only of himself, but also of his Gran, a crusty, no-nonsense woman who loves him for who he is and lets him shine his light through his own accomplishments. (She tells him the L in his name stands for Lucky.)
Perry describes his life in simple and succinct sentences that manage to be full of wonder and surprise. As he speaks, we see all too clearly the many ways in which his nuclear family has failed him, but Perry never sees it that way. His glass is always half full. Shoot, his glass is three-quarters full--it only looks half-full to those of us too blind to see things the Perry Crandall way. And it's this innocence and optimism that makes his family betrayals all the more heartbreaking to the reader. We want to crawl into the book and protect Perry from the vultures, especially when he faces the biggest tragedy of his life.
But Perry insists he doesn't need protecting, and he proceeds to prove it us and to the three remaining people who care the most about him: Gary, the owner of Holsted's Marine Supply who has employed Perry since he was sixteen years old; Keith, Perry's heavy, flatulent, potty-mouthed co-worker; and Cherry a young, tattooed and pierced cashier at the local Marina Handy Mart.
When Perry wins the Washington state lottery we learn just who his real friends (and real family) are. His mostly estranged cousin-brothers come knocking, strangers arrive on his doorstep...and we hope--oh how we hope--that Perry can learn to distinguish the friends from the leeches.
There is so much to love about this big-hearted first novel. The characters are rich and real and alive. Perry's voice is fresh, authentic, consistent, and homespun-philosopher-wise...and then, there's the ending. Oh, the ending! The ending is so unexpectedly perfect and poignant and satisfying. I keep trying not to write, "Keep a box of tissues handy," but, well, keep a box of tissues handy. You'll need them. But--to use another cliche--you'll be smiling through your tears....less
Read in July, 2008
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this review, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
So what do you think -- do you think it's okay for a book reviewer to occasionally recuse themselves from reviewing certain books for ethical reasons, kind of like how judges sometimes do it during certain trials? Because I have to admit, I originally wanted to pick up Patricia Wood's Lottery ...more
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this review, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
So what do you think -- do you think it's okay for a book reviewer to occasionally recuse themselves from reviewing certain books for ethical reasons, kind of like how judges sometimes do it during certain trials? Because I have to admit, I originally wanted to pick up Patricia Wood's Lottery because of it being a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 2007, but realize now that it would be almost impossible for me to give it a fair review; and that's because Lottery is one of those Forrest-Gump "Retard with a Heart of Gold Teaches All Us Smart Folk About What's Truly Important in Life" stories, and I have to plainly admit that I freaking despise "Retard with a Heart of Gold" stories, mostly for the secretly neocon, semi-fascist, anti-intellectual messages such projects espouse*. I'm not saying it's a badly-written book, although I'm not saying it's well-written either; I'm saying that the very premise offended and bored me so much, I could never get around to even checking out whether Wood's writing is any good or not, which is why it'd be ethically unfair to even give this book a score today. Which...er, is why I'm not.
Out of 10: N/A
*"Don't think too much! Don't question things! Obey authority! Never dream for goals bigger than yourself! Never aspire to anything beyond petty daily survival! Dumb people are noble and happy! Smart people are manipulative and miserable! Smart people got that way by thinking too much! SO DON'T THINK TOO MUCH!" ...less
Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone over about 14 due to explicit sex and LOTS of swearing
Throughout the first quarter or so of the book, I thought it was going to be just another lightweight, insipid story about the triumph of the underdog. Well, it is kind of about the triumph of the underdog. It is about the triumph of the human spirit. And it really is about what really constitutes intelligence. And how great a part does our intelligence play in making us the best humans we can be.
I was worried that it would just be another "don't judge a book by it's cover" par...more
Throughout the first quarter or so of the book, I thought it was going to be just another lightweight, insipid story about the triumph of the underdog. Well, it is kind of about the triumph of the underdog. It is about the triumph of the human spirit. And it really is about what really constitutes intelligence. And how great a part does our intelligence play in making us the best humans we can be.
I was worried that it would just be another "don't judge a book by it's cover" parable. And in a sense it was. But it was also about whether or not someone with limited intelligence can, nonetheless, possess great wisdom.
Okay, enough with that crap. The point is, that once my ears stopped burning from the nearly constant swearing in the first few chapters and frequent swearing throughout, I fell in love. (The swearing did seem pointlessly overdone, IMHO.) I fell in love with Perry for his open heart and mind. I fell in love with his Gram for teaching him the things he REALLY needed to know to survive in a world that would not be kind to him. And I fell in love with Keith for being just like so many men I've known in my life who have made hard choices, sometimes wrong choices, who are almost never politically correct or even socially acceptable but who have the best hearts in the world.
I wavered between giving this book 3 or 4 stars because it is a bit lightweight and it is a bit simplistic. I gave it 4 because this month, with all the stress of the holidays and other things in my life, I really, really needed to meet Perry and his Gram and Keith and Gary and Cherry. I needed to read something where good just simply comes out on top. I needed an excuse to laugh and cry within minutes. I think there is probably a time in everyone's life when they need that. ...less
bookshelves:
fiction
Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone interested in differently abled people, or anyone who likes a satisfying story
I really enjoyed this story of a developmentally disabled man (Perry) who lives in Everett, WA, working at a boating supply store and living with his "gram." His parents abandoned him as a baby and his grandparents raised him.
His beloved gram dies, and he's on his own. He has a small circle of friends and coworkers, but no support from his blood-sucking family members. Then he wins the lottery. Suddenly everyone comes out of the woodwork, wants to be his friend, and needs his help...more
I really enjoyed this story of a developmentally disabled man (Perry) who lives in Everett, WA, working at a boating supply store and living with his "gram." His parents abandoned him as a baby and his grandparents raised him.
His beloved gram dies, and he's on his own. He has a small circle of friends and coworkers, but no support from his blood-sucking family members. Then he wins the lottery. Suddenly everyone comes out of the woodwork, wants to be his friend, and needs his help.
The author, who lives on a sailboat off the coast of Oahu and is working toward her Ph.D. in disability studies, has some first-hand experience of lottery winners because her dad won the Washington lottery.
Perry hates it when people call him "retarded," because he beat the retarded level by 1 point. He prefers the term "slow."
When I was in high school, I knew a borderline mentally retarded boy named Hank. I couldn't get him out of my head while I was reading this book, and although I was never mean to kids who were different, I now regret that I wasn't nicer to Hank.
Sometimes being so close to "normal" is much more difficult for individuals to bear than being severely disabled...because they want so much to be like everyone else and clearly see their differences. This book humanely explored the world from Perry's perspective and beautifully displayed his humanity and intelligence.
Here is a quote from the book, which sums up this story:
"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."
— Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
...less
Read in August, 2008
This is part review and part commentary about the other reviews here. Many readers compare Lottery to Forest Gump. Besides the main characters having a low IQ in common, the stories are not similar at all. Forest Gump was purposely absurd and mocked Forest’s disability, while Lottery, in my opinion, tells a genuine and believable story in a way that is respectful to Perry’s shortcomings.
At least one reader said “I freaking despise ‘Retard with a heart of gold’ stories” but rea...more
This is part review and part commentary about the other reviews here. Many readers compare Lottery to Forest Gump. Besides the main characters having a low IQ in common, the stories are not similar at all. Forest Gump was purposely absurd and mocked Forest’s disability, while Lottery, in my opinion, tells a genuine and believable story in a way that is respectful to Perry’s shortcomings.
At least one reader said “I freaking despise ‘Retard with a heart of gold’ stories” but read the book anyway and then proceeded to pan the book harshly. Generally speaking, for those who have strong feelings about the types of stories they don’t like to read, take this to heart…read the book jacket or the goodreads description or the review in the New York Times first. You should be able to gather enough information to gauge the likelihood it may be a book you definitely won’t like. If the likelihood is high, save yourself the agony and save the author from an unnecessary, meaningless beating.
So, yes, if you like heart wrenching, relatively uplifting stories…ones that illustrate that every person has both good and bad qualities, neither of which correlate with intelligence…those that you don’t mind knowing ahead of time how it’s probably going to end but look to a talented author to suck you into the plot with every page…give this book a try. It’s difficult and not for everyone, but if you can embrace the premise *before* you crack the cover, you just may buy into it. I even surprised myself that I did so deeply.
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bookshelves:
fiction,
seattle
Read in August, 2008
Perry L. Crandall is not retarded, he's just slow. You have to have an IQ of 70, or even 75, to be retarded, and Perry's IQ is 76. He was raised by his grandparents because his father was unavailable and his mother couldn't be bothered. He learns 5 words every morning at breakfast, and has no trouble remembering, but a very hard time not forgetting, so he keeps a list of the things that he must not forget. He lives in Everett Washington and works at the boat supply store that his grandfather use...more
Perry L. Crandall is not retarded, he's just slow. You have to have an IQ of 70, or even 75, to be retarded, and Perry's IQ is 76. He was raised by his grandparents because his father was unavailable and his mother couldn't be bothered. He learns 5 words every morning at breakfast, and has no trouble remembering, but a very hard time not forgetting, so he keeps a list of the things that he must not forget. He lives in Everett Washington and works at the boat supply store that his grandfather used to own. He has won a twelve million dollar lottery, and now his no-good brothers are anxious to help him 'manage' all that money.
Lottery is not the best, but is the most enjoyable novel I have read in a long time. The author, Patricia Woods, does an excellent job of creating a story that is suspenseful without being weighty. She also does a good job of getting inside Perry's mind, probing the boundary between what he understands and what he does not. Perry could have been an annoying character, but Woods keeps bringing us back to Perry's perspective, making us understand that his choices are driven as much by his values as by his limitations.
Lottery is a little rough around the edges. There is a sequence that takes place in Hawaii that seems out of balance. Woods currently lives in Hawaii, and she apparently could not resist the idea of setting part of her novel there. But that's just a small problem that doesn't detract in any significant way from the main storyline.
...less
I just finished reading LOTTERY! I was thinking of three writers as I was reading it: Charles Dickens and Annie Proulx and John Irving. I was thinking of Annie Proulx and John Irving, because the language of the characters is so real and honest, and yet there is something unreal about them as well--not in a bad way, of course! And that's where Dickens comes in, I think. Ms. Wood's characters seem to be completely evil or completely good as are Dicken's characters, for the most part. The only exc...more
I just finished reading LOTTERY! I was thinking of three writers as I was reading it: Charles Dickens and Annie Proulx and John Irving. I was thinking of Annie Proulx and John Irving, because the language of the characters is so real and honest, and yet there is something unreal about them as well--not in a bad way, of course! And that's where Dickens comes in, I think. Ms. Wood's characters seem to be completely evil or completely good as are Dicken's characters, for the most part. The only exception in the LOTTERY is probably David. And then I was thinking about the state of fiction in general and I was then thinking that a lot of Irving's and Proulx's characters have that same quality of good or evil with little gray area. I don't think the world is that way at all, but I think fiction should be that way. I think we need more fiction like Ms. Wood's fiction, not because it's uplifting--which it is--but because there is some kind of ringing truth in the words spoken by the characters and then you want to be like those people and know those kind of people. I'm not sure I know anyone like the character's in Ms. Wood's wonderful novel, not really, I think there is much more gray out there in the world, but I sure as hell would like to know people like hers. That is for certain....less
Read in March, 2008
Perry L. Crandall (L. stands for lucky) would like you to know that he is not retarded he is just slow. Retarded would be 75 on an IQ test, and he is 76. Besides, Perry takes care not only of himself, but also of his Gram who is always giving him words of advice and encouragement. His mother abandons him and his brothers want nothing to do with him because he is retarded.
After Gram dies three strangers prove to be more valuable than family. Gary, the owner of Holsted's Marine Supply who ha...more
Perry L. Crandall (L. stands for lucky) would like you to know that he is not retarded he is just slow. Retarded would be 75 on an IQ test, and he is 76. Besides, Perry takes care not only of himself, but also of his Gram who is always giving him words of advice and encouragement. His mother abandons him and his brothers want nothing to do with him because he is retarded.
After Gram dies three strangers prove to be more valuable than family. Gary, the owner of Holsted's Marine Supply who has employed Perry since he was sixteen years old; Keith, Perry's co-worker; and Cherry a young, tattooed and pierced cashier at the local Marina Handy Mart.
When Perry wins the Washington state lottery we learn just who his real friends (and real family) are. His mostly estranged cousin-brothers come knocking, strangers arrive on his doorstep... I was sitting on the edge of my seat hoping that Perry would be able to distinguish the friends from the leeches (his family).
There is so much to love about Patricia Wood's first novel. She was inspired by her father winning 6 million dollars in the Washington lottery and her brother-in-law who has downs syndrome. The characters are rich and real and alive. You will be cheering for Perry through out the book. The ending is so unexpected and perfect. Typical Perry response.... A great feel good book!...less
Read in July, 2008
I looooved this book. It is the story of Perry L. Crandall (his Gram tells him the L stands for "lucky"), who is NOT retarded. His IQ is 76 and in order to be classified as retarded, it must be 75 or below. For some reason, I really enjoy books from an autistic / mentally challenged perspective. This was a super quick read - I finished it within 24 hours.
Perry's Gram taught him everything. One of those things was to play the lottery. After Gram dies, Perry wins $12 million. All of ...more
I looooved this book. It is the story of Perry L. Crandall (his Gram tells him the L stands for "lucky"), who is NOT retarded. His IQ is 76 and in order to be classified as retarded, it must be 75 or below. For some reason, I really enjoy books from an autistic / mentally challenged perspective. This was a super quick read - I finished it within 24 hours.
Perry's Gram taught him everything. One of those things was to play the lottery. After Gram dies, Perry wins $12 million. All of his unscrupulous and uncaring family members begin coming out of the woodwork and try to take advantage of him. I laughed out loud when his "cousin-brother" left him at his house (while trying to get him to sign Power of Attorney) and Perry is trying to hide dog poop under his couch.
I didn't really love the ending and I thought it was sadder than it really had to be, but that may be what the author wanted. I was upset that his family got any money but I guess that is what makes the story even more heartwarming, since Perry didn't actually need the money to be happy. 4 and 1/2 stars...less
bookshelves:
feelgood
Read in October, 2007
Thirty-two year old Perry L. Crandall is not retarded, to be retarded your IQ must be 75 or lower and Perry’s IQ is 76. Perry’s grandmother always tells him that the L stands for lucky. His grandmother, who has raised him since he was a baby, is always teaching him things. She instructs him on bettering himself by making him work through the dictionary, learning to cook, and explaining to him the types of people he can’t trust. Perry is very happy with his life and his routines: learn...more
Thirty-two year old Perry L. Crandall is not retarded, to be retarded your IQ must be 75 or lower and Perry’s IQ is 76. Perry’s grandmother always tells him that the L stands for lucky. His grandmother, who has raised him since he was a baby, is always teaching him things. She instructs him on bettering himself by making him work through the dictionary, learning to cook, and explaining to him the types of people he can’t trust. Perry is very happy with his life and his routines: learning from his grandmother, working at the marine supply store, and hanging out with his friends Keith and Cherry. When the moment that his grandmother has prepared him for his whole life finally happens, Perry knows that his life has changed forever. Thanks to the familiar routines with his grandmother, Perry’s life changes even more dramatically when he wins twelve million dollars in the lottery. Told in first person from Perry’s point of view, this is a touching and uplifting story. ...less
Read in June, 2008
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Made me laugh out loud as well as stew with anger. The main character is so likable and the supporting cast of characters are so real. Perry, a very likable Forest Gump type character, wins the Washington State lottery and this book tells the story of how his life changes after he wins. The words of advice from his grandmother, who raised him, are absolutely hilarious but so totally right on. She has got to be my favorite voice in the story. This book will mak...more
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Made me laugh out loud as well as stew with anger. The main character is so likable and the supporting cast of characters are so real. Perry, a very likable Forest Gump type character, wins the Washington State lottery and this book tells the story of how his life changes after he wins. The words of advice from his grandmother, who raised him, are absolutely hilarious but so totally right on. She has got to be my favorite voice in the story. This book will make you see that slow folks are really a lot smarter than what most will give them credit for; that reputable, successful people can be some of the dirtiest, no good users; and that some of common, everday people that struggle to satisfy their own material needs in life may, in fact, be the most giving, selfless people. Great read. Easy read. Fast read. Would recommend it to anyone that wants an uplifting, feel good story....less
I picked this book up on my flight to Alaska, and I read it from cover to cover! I hadn’t done that in a long time, so I guess I should say that I didn’t hate it enough to not continue. It was lighthearted, endearing and sweet. I loved how easy it was to read, and you fell in love with the main character right away. Since he was borderline “mentally retarded”, you really felt like his honest opinions were so funny yet true. For example, he calls cynism “honesty told in a mean way”...more
I picked this book up on my flight to Alaska, and I read it from cover to cover! I hadn’t done that in a long time, so I guess I should say that I didn’t hate it enough to not continue. It was lighthearted, endearing and sweet. I loved how easy it was to read, and you fell in love with the main character right away. Since he was borderline “mentally retarded”, you really felt like his honest opinions were so funny yet true. For example, he calls cynism “honesty told in a mean way” or something like that. (I can’t rememer the exact words)
The ending wasn’t cheesy like I expected and I loved how he was able to be a regular human and not a super hero with a stupidly successful end. Everything that happened wasn’t predictable (except that duh, he won the lottery). It had this childish innocence that I enjoyed... Although it didn’t make me sob or strike me to the bone like other books have....less
Read in August, 2008
recommended to Marva by:
The author
recommends it for:
Anybody
I interviewed Pat just before Lottery was released. She's a neat lady and also as lucky as her main character. Perry is not retarded; he's just slow. He's also very lucky in that he wins the lottery.
Then, again, just how lucky can you be to suddenly have a backstabbing, greedy bunch of relatives who never acknowledged your existence all of the sudden want to be your best friend.
Perry is lucky in that he finds out who is real friends are and ends up being a most happy fella.
A sweet...more
I interviewed Pat just before Lottery was released. She's a neat lady and also as lucky as her main character. Perry is not retarded; he's just slow. He's also very lucky in that he wins the lottery.
Then, again, just how lucky can you be to suddenly have a backstabbing, greedy bunch of relatives who never acknowledged your existence all of the sudden want to be your best friend.
Perry is lucky in that he finds out who is real friends are and ends up being a most happy fella.
A sweet book, told from Perry's POV, so the language is easy for lower level readers. Yeah, the book has a bit of profanity here and there, but I still think this should be on teen must-read lists. It'll tell them a lot about the condition of the heart.
Adults will certainly enjoy Perry's story. Sad, wistful, touching, and funny. What more could you want?
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Read in August, 2007
Forrest Gump wins the lottery. A pleasant feel-good book that made for a nice diversion among more serious books. Fast read, not very deep. Will probably be a nice Christmas time movie release in a couple of years.
I found an advance manuscript copy at a local library sale that included eight pages of author interviews at the end of the book...hopefully these aren't in the edition that will be sold in bookstores, as it really goes out of the way to beat the author's themes into the reade...more
Forrest Gump wins the lottery. A pleasant feel-good book that made for a nice diversion among more serious books. Fast read, not very deep. Will probably be a nice Christmas time movie release in a couple of years.
I found an advance manuscript copy at a local library sale that included eight pages of author interviews at the end of the book...hopefully these aren't in the edition that will be sold in bookstores, as it really goes out of the way to beat the author's themes into the reader's head, and as such is unnecessary. Between that, the three pages of overdone acknowledgments, and the author description, one is led to the conclusion that this first time author is really impressed with herself and this book. Hopefully publisher Putnam tones this down before releasing this into the real world....less
Read in November, 2007
I found the characters, particularly Perry L. Crandall to be quite endearing. I wanted to see him succeed against the greatest odds of his scheming, money-grubbing family who wanted nothing to do with him until he won the Washington State lottery and his best friend, a PTSD Vietnam vet who keeps a lid on the horrors he's seen by drinking and Cherry, the girl he has a crush on who works at the Quick Mart where he buys sandwiches just so he can talk to her and of course, his grandmother who taught...more
I found the characters, particularly Perry L. Crandall to be quite endearing. I wanted to see him succeed against the greatest odds of his scheming, money-grubbing family who wanted nothing to do with him until he won the Washington State lottery and his best friend, a PTSD Vietnam vet who keeps a lid on the horrors he's seen by drinking and Cherry, the girl he has a crush on who works at the Quick Mart where he buys sandwiches just so he can talk to her and of course, his grandmother who taught him to look out for himself and whose voice comes back to him at crucial times. This is a feel good story that makes for a satisfying read. Would I necessarily think that teens would be interested in reading about Perry? I'm not so sure...but it was a quick, heart-warming read....less
Read in July, 2008
This novel discusses a somewhat unusual topic: rights of the mentally disabled. Having a good amount of personal experience in this area, the disabled main character is very believable. I know people like Perry. I like that the author discusses some of the difficulties that generally surround mentally disabled adults, but it is not done in a preachy way. I think people with little experience in this area would be surprised by what someone with a mental disability wants out of life. This book is ...more
This novel discusses a somewhat unusual topic: rights of the mentally disabled. Having a good amount of personal experience in this area, the disabled main character is very believable. I know people like Perry. I like that the author discusses some of the difficulties that generally surround mentally disabled adults, but it is not done in a preachy way. I think people with little experience in this area would be surprised by what someone with a mental disability wants out of life. This book is eye opening to the dilemma that most people don't even know exists: how do you let someone with a mental disability live to the fullest of their ability with out marginalizing them and/or taking away their rights? I hope this novel will increase awareness of disability rights....less
Read in July, 2008
I enjoyed this book, except for the language and crude parts. Those things ruined it for me, unfortunately. Otherwise it is a charming book about a mentally handcapped man who wins the lottery. What I really enjoyed about the book is that it is in HIS point of view. So you get to see the world through his eyes. Such as:
" I am thirty-two years old and I am not retarded. You have to have an IQ number less than 75 to be retarded. I read that in Reader's Digest. I am not. Mine is 76...more
I enjoyed this book, except for the language and crude parts. Those things ruined it for me, unfortunately. Otherwise it is a charming book about a mentally handcapped man who wins the lottery. What I really enjoyed about the book is that it is in HIS point of view. So you get to see the world through his eyes. Such as:
" I am thirty-two years old and I am not retarded. You have to have an IQ number less than 75 to be retarded. I read that in Reader's Digest. I am not. Mine is 76."
So Perry, the main character is truly charming and gives the rest of us a wonderful oportunity to see how aware and capable someone with learning dissabilities is.
Just watch out for the language (F bombs like crazy) and some crude jokes from the people in Perry's life....less
Read in August, 2007
Perry has an IQ of 76. Abandoned by his parents shortly after birth, he is raised by his grandmother who teaches him everything she can. She is a wise woman and he learns well under her tutelage. Although he has 3 brothers, none want anything to do with him or his grandmother until he wins $10 million in the lottery. Then, they won't leave him alone. The book is a little like "Forrest Gump", in that this young man who thinks and speaks slowly and doesn't always understand what peop...more
Perry has an IQ of 76. Abandoned by his parents shortly after birth, he is raised by his grandmother who teaches him everything she can. She is a wise woman and he learns well under her tutelage. Although he has 3 brothers, none want anything to do with him or his grandmother until he wins $10 million in the lottery. Then, they won't leave him alone. The book is a little like "Forrest Gump", in that this young man who thinks and speaks slowly and doesn't always understand what people are talking about has great wisdom and a good sense for business. Although his brothers (and their wives) are two-dimentional and completely predictable in their behavior, the story is a good one that I very much enjoyed....less
Read in February, 2008
I grabbed this book knowing nothing about it and checked it out from my library after reading the book jacket. It was a delightful, moving story told from the point of view of a mentally slow man named Perry. He's not retarded, as his IQ is one point above the demarcation line.
He lives with his Gram who educates him and he works at the local boating supply store. He wins $12 million in the Washington State Lottery.
His descriptions of things and thoughts on life are sad and funny and will hav...more
I grabbed this book knowing nothing about it and checked it out from my library after reading the book jacket. It was a delightful, moving story told from the point of view of a mentally slow man named Perry. He's not retarded, as his IQ is one point above the demarcation line.
He lives with his Gram who educates him and he works at the local boating supply store. He wins $12 million in the Washington State Lottery.
His descriptions of things and thoughts on life are sad and funny and will have you shaking your head in agreement. Parts of the book made me cry and some of those tears were from joy. It made me all warm and fuzzy and you know what? Sometimes it is nice to feel that way.
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bookshelves:
bookclub
Wonderfully charming book... beautiful in its simplicity and poignancy. It is a quick read and the prose is (appropriately) simple as it is told through the viewpoint of a man with an IQ of 76. If you want a book that tugs at your heart and you can read in a couple of hours, then this is a great one. There are also many laugh-out-loud funny moments. I instantly fell in love with Perry, Gram, Keith, Cherry, and Gary.
My only hesitation is whether I like the way it ended... Part of me does, and...more
Wonderfully charming book... beautiful in its simplicity and poignancy. It is a quick read and the prose is (appropriately) simple as it is told through the viewpoint of a man with an IQ of 76. If you want a book that tugs at your heart and you can read in a couple of hours, then this is a great one. There are also many laugh-out-loud funny moments. I instantly fell in love with Perry, Gram, Keith, Cherry, and Gary.
My only hesitation is whether I like the way it ended... Part of me does, and part of me does not. But hey, the author had me thinking about the ending and the characters long after I put the book down and that's a VERY good thing. (I was weepy at the end, too)....less
book data (includes all editions)
avg rating
(all editions):
3.99 (498 ratings)
avg rating
(this edition): 5.00
(3 ratings)
number of reviews: 210
other editions
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Lottery (Hardcover)
isbn: 0399154493
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Lottery (Audio CD)
isbn: 014314264X
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Lottery (Paperback)
isbn: 0434017876
