Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Uncle Will and the Fitzgerald Curse

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 28 ratings · 3 reviews

This is one in a series of Non-fiction that tells the tale of the Fitzgerald family from Adenville UT. The others in the series are Papa Married A Mormon and Mama's Boarding House

hardcover, 250 pages

Published 1961 by Bobbs Merrill

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 56)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 17, 2008 Ellie Leonard rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who loves the "Great Brain"

Shelves: the-best-books-i-know

This is the last in the trilogy by John D. Fitzgerald. It is the hardest to find, and I read it three times while attending UW just for that reason. It was hidden deep away in the back of their library reserves. This story is about Will Fitzgerald, the uncle of the author, and how (as a black sheep of his family) he shunned the Catholic church and became a lawman. He has to overcome disability, loss, and depression so as to keep order in his small town.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 01, 2011 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have always thought that, had I been born when the West was still wild, I would have ended up a plump but kindly Madam of a middle-of-the-road whorehouse after my own charms had faded. This book does nothing to help rid me of this pleasant romantic notion.

Uncle Will is almost mythological in his awesomeness. I know that Fitzgerald actually knew the man, grew up near him, and most likely idolized his larger-than-life self. I would have. I loved reading about him in the other two Fitzgerald fami...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 21, 2008 Robyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

A dissapointment from an author of books that I have enjoyed so much.

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Michelle Blanchard marked it as to-read

May 04, 2013 Jessica marked it as to-read

Apr 25, 2013 Gaby Seeley marked it as to-read

Jan 31, 2013 Robert Freeze marked it as to-read

Shelves: i-should-look-out-for-a-copy

Dec 25, 2012 Kimberly marked it as to-read

Dec 25, 2012 Joe marked it as to-read

Nov 30, 2012 Anne marked it as to-read

Oct 20, 2012 Alyce Chalmers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: western

Sep 18, 2012 Jen marked it as to-read

Sep 15, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jul 11, 2012 Wendy Darling marked it as to-read

Shelves: non-fiction, historical-fiction, male-ya-author

Jul 05, 2012 Cheri rated it 3 of 5 stars

May 21, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 30, 2012 Carmencomstockjacobi marked it as to-read

Feb 29, 2012 Sandra marked it as to-read

Feb 17, 2012 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Feb 04, 2012 Tom rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jan 15, 2012 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jan 03, 2012 Laura marked it as to-read

Shelves: wishlist

Dec 01, 2011 Catie marked it as to-read

Sep 17, 2011 Sonja marked it as to-read

Sep 01, 2011 Katie marked it as to-read

Jul 31, 2011 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, nonfiction

Feb 21, 2013 Rachel H rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 22, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 16, 2011 Rodney Haydon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jan 23, 2011 Ellie M. marked it as to-read

« previous 1 2 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

Genres

Historical Fiction

2 users

See top shelves...

About John D. Fitzgerald

OFFICIAL WEBSITE REFERENCED REPORTS:
John Dennis Fitzgerald was born in Price, Utah, on February 3, 1906, to Thomas and Minnie Melsen Fitzgerald. His father had a pharmacy degree but engaged in a number of business ventures and served on the Price Town Council for four years. John graduated from Carbon High School and at the age of eighteen and left Utah to pursue a career as a jazz drummer. He wo...more OFFICIAL WEBSITE REFERENCED REPORTS:
John Dennis Fitzgerald was born in Price, Utah, on February 3, 1906, to Thomas and Minnie Melsen Fitzgerald. His father had a pharmacy degree but engaged in a number of business ventures and served on the Price Town Council for four years. John graduated from Carbon High School and at the age of eighteen and left Utah to pursue a career as a jazz drummer. He worked in a variety of occupations during his life, including newspaper reporter for the World-Tribune in New York City, foreign correspondent for United Press, advertising and purchasing agent, and bank auditor. He also served on Wendell Willkie's staff when Willkie was running for president.

At the time his first book, Papa Married a Mormon (1955), was published, he was living in Los Angeles and working as a steel buyer. Fitzgerald had collaborated with his sister, Belle Fitzgerald Empey, to write this book. Her name was not included as coauthor of the book because it was written in the first person. Papa Married a Mormon was very popular and was reprinted in several foreign-language editions, including Chinese. Twice chosen as a Book-of-the-Month Club selection, it was also serialized in McCall's Magazine. A sequel, Mamma's Boarding House, appeared in 1958.

Fitzgerald moved to Denver in 1960 where he tried for a short time to make his living as a full-time writer. He later reported that "I quit my job and went to a mountain cabin to make my living writing. I had to sell my jack and a tire to get back to Denver. When I got there I sold my typewriter and swore I would never write again." His wife later bought him another typewriter and he eventually resumed writing.

He had a very successful writing career, publishing more than 500 magazine articles, as well as poetry and songs and two books on writing, The Professional Story Writer and His Art (1963) and Structuring Your Novel: From Basic Idea to Finished Manuscript (1972).

His most successful and widely read novels are the juvenile books in the Great Brain Series. They were loosely based on the adventures of his brother Thomas N. Fitzgerald. Books in this series include: The Great Brain (1967), More Adventures of the Great Brain (1969), Me and My Little Brain (1971), The Great Brain at the Academy (1972), The Great Brain Reforms (1973), The Return of the Great Brain (1974), and The Great Brain Does It Again (1976).

The Great Brain Series has led to one of the most asked questions in Utah literature: "Where is Adenville, Utah?" Adenville is a fictional town created by Fitzgerald, but most readers believe that the geographical setting loosely fits that of a small town in southern Utah.

Fitzgerald and his wife, Joan, moved to Titusville, Florida, in about 1972 where he continued his writing career. He died there May 20, 1988, at the age of 82.

(less)

More about John D. Fitzgerald...

Books by John D. Fitzgerald

More Adventures of the Great Brain (Great Brain #2)

The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain #4)

The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain #5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Uncle Will and th...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Uncle Will and the Fitzgerald Curse
avg rating	preview: Uncle Will and the Fitzgerald Curse Goodreads rating: 3.93 (28 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2582041-uncle-will-and-the-fitzgerald-curse?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312146503l/2582041.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2582041-uncle-will-and-the-fitzgerald-curse?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Uncle Will and the Fitzgerald Curse by John D. Fitzgerald[/url]