In his timely YA debut, a best-selling novelist revisits a summer of tumult and truth for a young narrator and his war-torn family.
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reviews
Sep 19, 2011
Thomas
rated it: 
There is a moment when a child steps from a world of order, trust and ignorant bliss into an awareness that life is messy, confusing and occasionally chaotic. This awakening causes the world to tilt a bit, causing unsteadiness and a sense of fright at the sudden vertigo brought on by the intensity of the light in this new vantage point. For Eli Book, this moment occurred in 1976, the summer the nation turned 200 and Eli was 10.
Eli narrates this tale of family growing up in an era of tra More...
Eli narrates this tale of family growing up in an era of tra More...
Jul 05, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
The summer that I was ten--
Can it be there was only one
summer that I was ten? It must
have been a long long one then--
---May Swenson "The Centaur" (as qtd. in House's Eli The Good)
I loved this quotation from the get-go and have since re-read Swenson's poems with a new eye because of this book. Silas House gained famed through his book Clay's Quilt, a book I need to by God go back and read. But this book captured me on a deep More...
Can it be there was only one
summer that I was ten? It must
have been a long long one then--
---May Swenson "The Centaur" (as qtd. in House's Eli The Good)
I loved this quotation from the get-go and have since re-read Swenson's poems with a new eye because of this book. Silas House gained famed through his book Clay's Quilt, a book I need to by God go back and read. But this book captured me on a deep More...
May 27, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
Eli, a country boy in Kentucky, turns 10 over the summer of 1976, the summer of America’s bicentennial celebrations. Eli spends time riding bikes with his best friend Edie, reading The Diary of Ann Frank and writing in his journal. His aunt Nell (a war protester during the 1960s) has come to live with them bringing her large record collection and his 16-year-old sister Josie is always mad and fighting. Eli’s father is having nightmares about Vietnam and is a quiet shadow in the family when he
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Apr 02, 2011
Sue
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Eli Book is ten years old the year the United States turned 200; Bicentennial 1976. It was a time when most people were happy and proud to be in America. Vietnam had ended just over a year before, leaving Eli’s father in the trenches. His best friend, neighbor Edie, is a girl, (please don’t tell). They do most everything together, including sharing of secret hideaways, under porches and in large bushes. Then one day, showing off in front of the guys, Eli hurts Edie and their friendship disso
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Sep 21, 2010
Kate
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ELI THE GOOD is one of those stories where setting -- place and especially time -- takes center stage. The year is 1976 -- a year I remember for our town's bicentennial parade and because I spent most of it angry that I wasn't allowed to ride my bike to the park alone. Eli remembers it as the year things fell apart in his family -- with a wild-spirited aunt who shows up with a secret, a mouthy, strong-willed sister who comes to blows with their mother, and a father who is trapped in his memorie
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Jul 15, 2010
Michele
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Eli the Good was recommended by my friend, Tenille. I really connected with Eli in this book mainly because I was about Eli's age in 1976...the time period when the story takes place. I had an uncle that was a POW of the Vietnam War. I do not recall how this affected his life when he returned...I know I was sheltered from this by my mother. She would have never wanted my sister and I to deal with pain and mental damage my uncle suffered.
This book reminded me of the book, Darby...both More...
This book reminded me of the book, Darby...both More...
Jun 25, 2010
Tenille
rated it:
It’s been a while since I read a book that was so well written I had to pause and reread on almost every page. As I let the words and sentences sink deep inside my soul, I was magically transported back to the late 1970’s when the world was full of turmoil due to the Vietnam War. The family dynamics felt all too familiar, and I could see how the conflict was both internal and external.
I think Nell was probably my favorite character. Her role as the peacekeeper gave me hope, and it w More...
I think Nell was probably my favorite character. Her role as the peacekeeper gave me hope, and it w More...
Oct 08, 2009
Bobbi
rated it:
Silas House is the bestselling Kentucky author of CLAY'S QUILT, PARCHMENT OF LEAVES and THE COAL TATTOO - all centering around several generations of the same family growing up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. With this book, Silas tries his hand a writing for young adults and he has ended up with an endearing look at a slice of life from the summer of 1976.
Eli Book is a ten year old boy, living like most children of the 1970s - riding his bicycle all over town, splashing in the tow More...
Eli Book is a ten year old boy, living like most children of the 1970s - riding his bicycle all over town, splashing in the tow More...
Jul 10, 2011
Sheryl
rated it:
I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author, with his soft, slow Appalachian drawl. The book is flawless, it is descriptive without being effusive, and carries the reader along it's narrative stream like a floating leaf on a lazy summer afternoon.
The protagonist, ten year old Eli Book, has an old soul. He observes his family, friends, and nature with full awareness, and has understanding beyond his years. The story takes place during the summer of the bicentennial, when Eli's A More...
The protagonist, ten year old Eli Book, has an old soul. He observes his family, friends, and nature with full awareness, and has understanding beyond his years. The story takes place during the summer of the bicentennial, when Eli's A More...
Jun 14, 2010
Thomas
rated it: 
Eli the Good details the story of Eli, a ten-year-old boy living in the summer of 1976. He is observant, curious, and often times ponders his surroundings regardless of his young age. He notices that his family appears to be torn asunder by the consequences of the Vietnam war - his dad suffers from terrifying dreams and hallucinations, his sister discovers an unsettling fact about herself, and his estranged aunt suddenly returns to live with them. The story shows Eli overcome the obstacles he fa
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Jan 23, 2012
Diane
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I am reading this one because a local discussion group held at the public library is reading it for discussion on February 4, 2012.
This was a departure from my usual thriller, action fare. I liked it very much and am grateful to the local library and their book group for calling my attention to it. On the book's cover one of the critics describe this story as having a "slow burn." I'd say that was a good description. It moves slowly, the entire story covers just one summer a More...
This was a departure from my usual thriller, action fare. I liked it very much and am grateful to the local library and their book group for calling my attention to it. On the book's cover one of the critics describe this story as having a "slow burn." I'd say that was a good description. It moves slowly, the entire story covers just one summer a More...
Apr 14, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
A sweet nostalgic novel set in Kentucky (but pretty much could be anywhere in the Midwest/South where summers are steamy and humid).
Eli is 10 year old boy who spends a summer finding out what happened to father during the Vietnam War and how not be the best friend in the world to another kid. Characters are rich and real, I'm usually not a fan of nostalgic writing or "looking back" books...but Silas House has written this story so fine, I didn't mind the non-present day loo More...
Eli is 10 year old boy who spends a summer finding out what happened to father during the Vietnam War and how not be the best friend in the world to another kid. Characters are rich and real, I'm usually not a fan of nostalgic writing or "looking back" books...but Silas House has written this story so fine, I didn't mind the non-present day loo More...
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Nov 16, 2010
Beth
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jan 12, 2010
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
It's 1976 and 10-year-old Eli has a lot on his plate to deal with.
His father suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and frequently wakes up with nightmares, his sister's turning into a wild child, his Aunt Noel comes to live with them and is diagnosed with cancer, and his best friend, Edie, doesn't seem to want to be friends with him anymore.
When war hits close to home, Eli struggles against all hope to keep his life More...
It's 1976 and 10-year-old Eli has a lot on his plate to deal with.
His father suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and frequently wakes up with nightmares, his sister's turning into a wild child, his Aunt Noel comes to live with them and is diagnosed with cancer, and his best friend, Edie, doesn't seem to want to be friends with him anymore.
When war hits close to home, Eli struggles against all hope to keep his life More...
Nov 14, 2011
Kaya
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It’s June, 1976, and Eli’s whole town is already starting to prepare for the bicentennial 4th of July celebration. It’s a time for joy, a break from the lull of everyday routine. But for the Books, it’s a time when secrets come out. Eli’s enchanting, beautiful mother attempts to make peace between her husband – a Vietnam war veteran – and his sister – a war protester. Eli’s wonderful, but wild, 16-year-old sister is growing up and discovering some things that change her life… and her relationsh
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Feb 24, 2011
Wendy
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The summer of 1976 was memorable for Eli Book. Not only was it the country's bicentennial, but it was also the summer that his world exploded with secrets. Eli's dad is a Vietnam veteran and suffers from nightmares, hallucinations, and lack of respect from his fellow countrymen. To make matters worse, his sister is a famous anti-war protester, although she says she did it for him. Now she's come to live with them. Eli's sister, Josie is on the verge of rebellion against her family. Long adored b
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Oct 17, 2009
Laura
rated it:
Eli the Good is a simple story about a 10 year-old boy's summer. It is also a treatise on friendship, family, war & peace, eavesdropping, and love. Eli is surrounded by people who are also good, in their ways, and not always so good, as we humans can be. Scenes of war and weather fairly crackle with intensity, then we are released into the exuberance of dancing with abandon to the music of the 1970s. And sometimes, we get to just sit on the porch in the gloaming, listening to the sweet sounds
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May 30, 2010
The Reading Countess
rated it:
Silas House is now one of only a select few authors whom I want to read ALL of his books. After finishing his first foray into YA lit, I am sold. A fellow Southerner, House captures perfectly what it is to grow up in the South in the 70's as a child of a Vietnam vet. I should know, I was a child just like his main character, Eli.
Eli is a bright, observant, and sensitive boy surrounded by women the summer of 1976. His older sister (six years his senior) is close to him, but Josie's More...
Eli is a bright, observant, and sensitive boy surrounded by women the summer of 1976. His older sister (six years his senior) is close to him, but Josie's More...
Oct 18, 2009
Linda
rated it:
Knowing this book was a YA title, I was comletely taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed it. Silas House has written this story in such a way that anyone - young and old alike - will become absorbed and fall in love with all the characters. With his usual southern charm, he puts you there beside Eli and lets you live his life with him, gently and lovingly carrying you through an innocent yet somewhat troubled summer ~ weaving in family issues we most likely can all relate to. I found it to be a
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Jan 04, 2012
Karen
rated it:
I love Silas House and I love this book. Though it is supposedly a YA book, I agree with other readers that it is full of complex and hard issues that are more appropriate for older young adults (perhaps high school) than grades 5-8. I cried last night when I read the ending. Silas House is one of my all time favorite authors. Such beautiful writing. I especially love how his characters have strong relationships with the natural world and with each other, without either being forced. I realized
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Mar 07, 2010
Annie
rated it:
This was a lovely book. The writing is superb and it was no effort to fall into the pages. I predict we will be seeing a lot more historical fiction from the Vietnam War as we gain more distance and perspective on that time.
The great thing about this book is how the author allows us to see everyone's perspective on the war and the defensiveness and the miscommunication that occurs with an event so controversial and personal. Despite this one big elephant in the room, this is a family t More...
The great thing about this book is how the author allows us to see everyone's perspective on the war and the defensiveness and the miscommunication that occurs with an event so controversial and personal. Despite this one big elephant in the room, this is a family t More...
Jul 07, 2009
Kari
rated it:
Generally, it seems pretty easy to determine if a book fits into the YA genre, but Silas House's new novel, Eli the Good, threw me for a loop. His writing is carefully crafted to set the tone of any given scene, and the main character, Eli, seems to think in prose. I had no idea that this novel was, in fact, House's YA debut until I did a bit of research about the author.
The year is 1976, and Eli Book is ten years old. With the book told entirely from his perspective, the reader lear More...
The year is 1976, and Eli Book is ten years old. With the book told entirely from his perspective, the reader lear More...
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Oct 05, 2010
Becky
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Silas House again impresses me with his writing, both beautiful and powerful! I love emotional realism, and his are among the best! All his characters are memorable and the emotions that run through this book touch and stay with the reader. I loved this book! That being said, is this book appropriate for 5th graders, even distinguished readers? I don't think so. Themes deal with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (Daddy--VietNam Vet), anti-war protests (Josie), suicide and attempts at suicide, a chi
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Mar 06, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
Wonderful! A coming of age story about Eli who is in his teens in the 1970s. His father fought in Vietnam and is coping with flashbacks. His father's sister moves in with the family and she protested against Vietnam. As if that were not enough tension, she is battling cancer. Eli's sister is also navigating dating and the teenage years. And mom is holding it all together. Eli's best friend is a girl who is coping with divorce at her house. So we have a rich story. But best of all is the setting.
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Feb 01, 2012
Carolyn
rated it:
This was an excellent book, I did not know until later that it was a book for children. Silas House is my second favorite author. I read his book Parchment of Leaves several years ago and was astounded by his voice. He is an author from Kentucky and has only published a few books, that is what makes them great he doesn't fill the market with just anything but waits until there is something worth saying.
Eli the good is about a ten year old boy growing up with sisters that get all the More...
Eli the good is about a ten year old boy growing up with sisters that get all the More...
Mar 02, 2010
Erin
rated it:
The book was pretty well-written, but I couldn't get over the fact that it did not sound like the voice of a ten-year old. At all. Which maybe could be explained by the epilogue in which the boy is all grown up, but still. Yes, the boy is curious, but he is all too thoughtful, observant, precocious, and reflective. Set around 1976, Eli seems to be the only one that pulls his family together--between his rebellious 16-year-old sister (who still loves him), his dad the Vietnam vet who is experienc
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Mar 10, 2011
Nicole
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I can honestly say that I don't really know what this book was about (and I guess I don't understand the high reviews). Maybe I just didn't get it. It was, at once, both too much and not enough. Lots of poetic writing (that bordered too much on the flowery-while-not-saying-very-much kind of style), while not putting forth much in the way of an actual story - more like an outline (with various storylines introduced but not going anywhere). I just didn't really love it - didn't have a feel for the
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Sep 01, 2011
Not much about Eli the Good qualifies it as a Young Adult book. Eli, the narrator, is remembering the summer when he was ten, when his best friend is Edie and he likes hanging out with his sixteen-year-old sister's boyfriend, wearing an Uncle Sam hat he made in school, riding his bicycle, and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. As in many children's books, the main problems facing him are family ones: Vietnam veteran father, rebellious sister, aunt with cancer. And unlike the famous Harri
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Jul 18, 2011
Lisa
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This book tells a bittersweet tale of a family trying desperately to hold on to their beliefs and one another. Set in 1976, it’s absolutely relatable for me. Eli Book is looking back remembering the summer everything changed for him.
We all reach a point in life when we realize our parents are people too. They are fragile and scarred from life’s tribulations. Oftentimes we don’t reach these conclusions until near or well into adulthood. This particular summer Eli discovered the adults More...
We all reach a point in life when we realize our parents are people too. They are fragile and scarred from life’s tribulations. Oftentimes we don’t reach these conclusions until near or well into adulthood. This particular summer Eli discovered the adults More...
Dec 04, 2011
Cassi aka Snow White
rated it:
Somewhere around 4/5 stars (I'll explain)
I feel a little guilty for the way I treated this book. I've wanted to read it for ages. But I keep putting it off, all while hearing great things from people about it. Then I read it when I'm really in the mood to read something else, distracted and stressed from work. I'm sorry Eli the Good. I did not give you the attention you deserved. It took me about halfway through before I pushed through my distractions and really into the story. But I More...
I feel a little guilty for the way I treated this book. I've wanted to read it for ages. But I keep putting it off, all while hearing great things from people about it. Then I read it when I'm really in the mood to read something else, distracted and stressed from work. I'm sorry Eli the Good. I did not give you the attention you deserved. It took me about halfway through before I pushed through my distractions and really into the story. But I More...
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