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Dec 17, 2009

Mary rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (15 people liked it)

Feb 02, 2008

Gerry rated it:

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...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jul 13, 2008

Jason rated it:

(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 Lot More...

5 comments like (8 people liked it)

Dec 25, 2007

Natalie rated it:

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" More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Nov 08, 2008

Princess rated it:

Perry is not retarded. Perry is slow. Perry buys lotto tickets with his Gram each week and after she dies, he wins. And then his family comes out of the woodwork. But Perry is not retarded. Perry wants to be a businessman. Perry makes good decisions. Perry knows that love is important and money is just money.

I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I thought there was too much swearing and there are some explicit sex scenes. I loved the cast of characters.

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Nov 08, 2008

Lori rated it:

I just remembered I read this after one of my friends gave it a review. The only reason it's not getting higher marks is because I don't throw 4 or 5 stars away very easily, they're for books that stick with me for a long time. But this was a very enjoyable read, very sweet and easy - I spent a nice day on the couch with it, not putting it down except to go to the bathroom and eat. Oh, and probably walk the dog.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 26, 2008

Christina rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 28, 2008

Susan rated it:

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 th More...

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Mar 24, 2009

Bayshore rated it:

Our book club has a new favorite! We spent two hours discussing Lottery and picking out our favorite lines to read aloud. It was an evening filled with tears and laughter. The characters are so real that we could all relate to at least one of them. Having the story told from Perry’s point of view added depth and insight. I found myself envying his simplistic way of seeing the world. To not feel the anger and bitterness that I felt toward his family would be a blessing. As a first novel, t More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Patrick rated it:

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 t More...

3 comments like

Oct 09, 2008

Therese rated it:

This is definitely a heart-warming type of story. It is told entirely from the perspective of Perry L. Crandall. When asked what the L. stands for, Perry says, "Lucky." Perry's IQ is 76. He says he is "not retarded. Your IQ has to be 75 or less to be retarded so I am not." Perry is raised by his grandparents as his mother and siblings really want nothing to do with him. Until he wins the Washington Lottery and 12 million dollars. As it turns out Perry is smarter than More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 19, 2009

Rhonda rated it:

This book was great, makes you happy and sad and angry. But mostly makes you think about the good people in your life.

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Feb 16, 2012

Bluegirl rated it:

I admit it, when I initially read the description of Lottery I questioned whether or not to read the book. Of the few books I've read which feature a character with a low IQ, I often finished the book with a feeling that the author was patronising towards their character or failed to understand that a low IQ does not mean a person or character is somehow less human. My fears turned out to be unfounded once I started reading; Patricia Wood treats Perry with an immense level of respect and success More...

0 comments like

Apr 29, 2011

Kasha rated it:

I really enjoyed reading this book. There was a lot of profanity, and a lot of the profanity was diety and f-word, the main reason I give it a 3. Is it still worth reading, with all the profanity? That is a topic of discussion that is ongoing (as is evidenced by books like Catcher in the Rye) and I won't attempt to get into those issues here. Suffice it to say that I was amazed at the wisdom with which the main character Perry was able to approach life and how winning the lottery changed his More...

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Apr 01, 2011

Kathy rated it:

Reviewed at : Mama Kucing Meow : Lottery by Patricia Wood

The cover of the book was not that attractive. Looks like some sort of cheap novel. But after reading this book, I totally revised my opinion. I think it's fantastic. It is a MUST READ.

To me, it's like a motivational book. To know what is our personal goal and target instead of comparing it with others. Take one step at a time for each person will have their own pace. Be thankful for the thing you having now. Always kn More...

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Jan 17, 2011

Badly Drawn Girl rated it:

This is not the type of book I would normally read but due to it's Times Notable classification I thought maybe I was unfairly judging a book by it's cover. I'm still trying to figure out what was notable about it.

I would classify this as a "beach read" which means, to me, that it's an easy to read and lighthearted book that would leave you the way it found you. You won't learn anything new, you won't have your beliefs or values challenged, and you will probably forge More...

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Jan 07, 2011

Holly marked it as to-read

From Musings: Perry Crandall is a 31-year-old man with an IQ of 76, which is just above the level that defines mental retardation. Perry was raised by his grandmother and grandfather, his own parents having bailed on him for reasons that are never fully explained. Thanks to Gram’s affirming parenting style and deep love for Perry, he grew into an adult capable of living independently, although complex decisions are difficult for him to make on his own. Perry’s life changes permanently when Gr More...

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Jul 15, 2010

Dawn rated it:

Perry is such a likable character, right from the beginning. There is so much to like about him: the way he studies several words from the dictionary each day (one of his favorite words to use is "echt" - true, and it's fun to see how he uses what he's learning and how he inspires others in the story); how he remembers what his Gram has said and what she's taught him (it's neat how he knows her personality and can guess from past experiences how she might react or comment on something) More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 26, 2010

Lisa rated it:

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Perry Crandall has an IQ of 76, but is not retarded, as he'll have you know: his IQ would need to be less than 75 for that, and he knows the difference even if others may not. Perry, the 32-year-old narrator of Wood's warm-fuzzy debut, has worked at the same marine supply store for half his life and lives with his wisecracking grandmother Gram, whose gems of folk wisdom help him along. But when Gram dies, Perry's selfish, money-grubbing family members swoop i More...

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Dec 30, 2009

Jeanene rated it:

Ok....here i go...
This is author Patricia Wood's foray into the world of writing novels. A VERY simple read (think plane flight or beach)with predictable characters. The intrigue for me - i could not put this book down - was probably the money. Or maybe it was my love for principle character, Perry, who is NOT retarded since he scored 76 on the school-mandated IQ test and retarded is a score of 75. My preoccupation with anything financial and my cheerleader desire for Perry helped me t More...

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Nov 15, 2009

Nolan rated it:

As this book opens, you meet Perry, a 30-something guy with an IQ of 76. But that means he's slow, not retarded, and he'll tel you that if you ever ask. He lives with his tough-taling profane grandma who teaches him how to survive in a world of so-called intelligent people. They create lists of people he can trust and things he can do. When Gram dies, Perry is better equipped to take on the world--until he wins a 12 million dollar lottery.

There's probably more profanity in this b More...

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Nov 11, 2009

Jen rated it:

I picked up Lottery on the cheap from the Green Valley Book Fair a few months ago. It's about Perry, a man who is NOT retarded, he is just slow. Perry lives with his grandmother, who has raised him and homeschooled him. They love each other and they understand each other. Perry works a job he really enjoys at the fishing shop down the street from his house with his boss, Gary, who appreciates his hard-working attitude, and his best friend, Keith, who has never treated Perry any differently than More...

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Apr 25, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

A Basic Overview
This book tells the story of Perry L. Crandall. (His grandmother tells him the L stands for "Lucky.") Perry has an IQ of 76 -- but he'll be the first to tell you that he "is not retarded." However, much of the world treats his as such. Most of his family has abandoned him except for his grandparents, who raise him. After the death of his grandfather, Perry lives with his grandmother, who does her best to teach him ways to protect himself--spend half, save More...

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Jan 21, 2011

Pauline rated it:

Lottery was a very pleasant easy book to read.
It is the story of Perry who with an IQ of 76 was brought up by his Grandparents. That love can change the world is evident in the way Gram teaches Perry to cope with life.The family association with Keith knits this little group into a tough fighting unit. Each are social misfits in their way but together they take on the world of prejudice and greed.
The battle reaches it,s climax when Perry wins $12million in a lottery. The shady elemen More...

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Oct 18, 2010

Blakelyn rated it:

I picked up the audio book version of this book at the library to listen to while on a business trip. What a great choice!

Perry L. Crandall (the L stands for Lucky) has an IQ of 76, but he is not retarted - he's just slow. His Gram taught him some important things when she raised him: learn 5 new words from the dictionary every day (he's somewhere in the P's), don't say bad words, and most importantly, always play the lottery. Perry continues to take his Gram's advice after she passes More...

0 comments like

May 17, 2010

Sherri aka SDMomChef rated it:

I really struggled on whether to rate this book a 3.5 and finally decided that it deserved 4 stars. This book would make a great book for a book club. The main character, Percy, is 1 point above retarded on the IQ charts. However, what he lacks in book smarts, he has an above average knack for following his Gram's common sense advice and being kind.

His parents have no interest in raising him, and so he is taken in by his Gramps and Gram. After both of his grandparents di More...

0 comments like

Dec 17, 2008

Vicki rated it:

This is a book worth reading. Perry Crandall, IQ 76, is an interesting narrator. Except for his Gram, who raises him, his family shuns him. His only friend is a shell-shocked Viet Nam vet, Keith. Keith ignores the fact that Perry is slow. Then Perry wins the 12 million dollar lottery. Now his family wants to know him. Everyone suddenly respects him. People keep asking for money. Perry is an innocent with enough wisdom to keep himself moving forward. He has friends to protect him when he needs it More...

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Feb 01, 2011

Barb rated it:

I really liked this book a lot.Perry is not retarded. His I.Q. is 76 and to be officially retarded it has to be less than 75. He was raised by his grandparents who did a good job. He works at a marine supply store and lives with his Gram. He wins 12 million dollars in the lottery. His family descends: 2 brothers and a mother who have never had any time for him and try to gain control of his money. He has a friend, Keith-brass, irreverent Vietnam vet. Keith and Perry's boss Gary try to protect Pe More...

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Jan 05, 2009

Kathleen added it

Lottery, by Patricia Wood, narrated by Paul Michael, produced by Penguin Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

This is a “feel-good book” where in the end, the person who people assume is “retarded” actually is the smartest about how to live life.

Publisher’s note:
Perry's IQ is only 76, but he's not stupid. His grandmother taught him everything he needs to know to survive: she taught him to write things down so he
won't forget them. She taught him to play the lotte More...

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Apr 18, 2008

Debbie rated it:

Fast read. The story line is a little bit predictable, but it's full of misfit characters you will cheer for. Interesting that the author combined everything she knows about, sailing, winning the lottery and working with the disabled, into one story. She left out her experiences as a hunter rider, though!
Good first effort.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)