Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
158th out of 169 books
—
63 voters
The Man Who Ate the 747
by
Ben Sherwood
This is the story of the greatest love, ever....
J. J. Smith, Keeper of the Records for The Book of Records, is an ordinary man searching for the extraordinary. J.J. has clocked the world’s longest continuous kiss. He has verified the lengthiest single unbroken apple peel. He has tasted the world’s largest menu item. But J.J. has never witnessed great love.
That is, until h...more
J. J. Smith, Keeper of the Records for The Book of Records, is an ordinary man searching for the extraordinary. J.J. has clocked the world’s longest continuous kiss. He has verified the lengthiest single unbroken apple peel. He has tasted the world’s largest menu item. But J.J. has never witnessed great love.
That is, until h...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
January 29th 2002
by Bantam
(first published 2000)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,507)
_ i saw this b0ok at the BOOKSALE and i was immediateLy captured by the titLe .. at that time, i d0nt have en0ugh m0ney t0 buy the b0ok, s0 i hid the b0ok under a L0t 0f 0ther b0oks , s0 n0 0ne w0uLd see it .. :))
after a few days, i went back and im s0 happy because it's stiLL there and i b0ught it instantLy .. and i never regretted having b0ught and read this b0ok becuse it is s0o g0od .. the characters were great and the st0ry was n0t a c0mm0n 0ne .. i LOVE it <3
after a few days, i went back and im s0 happy because it's stiLL there and i b0ught it instantLy .. and i never regretted having b0ught and read this b0ok becuse it is s0o g0od .. the characters were great and the st0ry was n0t a c0mm0n 0ne .. i LOVE it <3
2 likes · like · see review
view 2 comments
This book is really good, i recommend it to all of the lovers out there and it really traps your feelings and you learn a little something about love or risks people take for whom they love! This is the story is the greatest love, ever. J.j Smith, Keeper of the Records for The Book of Records, is a man searching for things no one has ever seen or have ever done in the world. J.j. has clocked the world’s longest things and kiss just anything. He has tasted the world’s largest menu item which ther...more
The opening chapter hooked me and it's the rare writer who can do that just by describing a character's job duties. JJ Smith, the protagonist, 'authenticates greatness' by observing and recording Guinness World Records. Yet he feels ordinary and inadequate after his girlfriend Emily breaks up with him. A letter arrives on his desk telling about a man literally eating a 747 that recently crashed in the Midwest. Intrigued, JJ heads to Omaha, Nebraska, to authenticate this feat. There he meets Wall...more
This book brings out everything I love in Ben Sherwood. I looked it up after reading The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud which I loved! This book is an adorable love story that has some intense heart breaking truths which saves it from being too happy go lucky. JJ Smith is the face of any guy that looks for greatness but fails to see what is right in front of his own face, his dorkiness and tendency to quote world records makes him perfectly imperfect. Wally is probably one of the most roman...more
So you know how you aren’t supposed to judge a book by it’s cover? Well I imagine the same sentiment is probably applied to judging books by their titles. I have to admit that I do both. I have bought books because they were pretty, and very often I buy the most random books simply because they have a cool title. I further admit that they usually end up just sitting in my bookshelf, but as I have said before, I am finally doing something about that.
The Man Who Ate the 747 is one of my weird titl...more
The Man Who Ate the 747 is one of my weird titl...more
J.J is the record keeper for the World's Book of Records, who has traveled far and wide to record and verify world records of all kinds being created and shattered by aspirants who wanted to immortalize themselves through a mention in the Book. JJ's life revolved around seeking such greatness - he'd witnessed men do the most grueling and incredulous things to achieve that greatness. Through every euphoria of a "record", J.J lived his dreams vicariously and chased his life in search of more great...more
Jan 07, 2011
Grace Hobbs
added it
“Richly romantic, whimsical, and uplifting, The Man Who Ate the 747 is a flight of fancy from start to finish.” So says the back flap of the little book I was unfortunate enough to choose to read, and would in fact very much like to incinerate, but I’ll have to settle for doing it with words rather than fire, as I’m not terribly good with matches but do fairly well using words to get my point across. And this is a point I’m eager to make: The Man Who Ate the 747 is an absolutely abominably bad...more
It is literally about a man who ate a 747 airplane to impress the woman he loved. The story is written from 3 different perspectives but mainly from the perspective of the man who comes out to record the airplane eating for the Guiness Book of World's Records. He too falls for the girl that the 747 guy is in love with and we weave a horrible web. It is of course not a true story but super cute. It is a mindless read and a darling story. Would I recommend it? Sure but it isn't super high on my li...more
I picked this up at a library booksale because I enjoyed Sherwood's The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud. It only took me a few days to read it--it's short and a quick, easy read. I would say I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first. I felt like Sherwood took a lot of time getting us to a point we all knew we'd end up at. The book is predictable but still cute. I liked the use of "greatness" and what it means throughout the book. One of my favorite quotes: "We chase chase wil...more
4.5 stars
adore this charming and original love story. It is full of small town warmth and spirit and it is sure to inspire you, at least a little. I wouldn’t want anyone to eat a 747 for me, but I had to admire Wally ingenuity. It’s amazing to find out what foods you can put ground up metal into. It should have included a few recipes in the back
The quirky characters and plot will bring a smile to your face. This was not at all what I expected, but I cannot recommend it enough. At only 250 pages...more
adore this charming and original love story. It is full of small town warmth and spirit and it is sure to inspire you, at least a little. I wouldn’t want anyone to eat a 747 for me, but I had to admire Wally ingenuity. It’s amazing to find out what foods you can put ground up metal into. It should have included a few recipes in the back
The quirky characters and plot will bring a smile to your face. This was not at all what I expected, but I cannot recommend it enough. At only 250 pages...more
Hmmm...I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I read Sherwood's second novel first, "The Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud" and had to remind myself NOT to compare this quirky novel to that one, as I can't say enough about the Charlie St. Cloud story!!
Anyway, Wally Chubb decides to prove his love to a woman (Willa) by eating a 747 airplane that crash landed on his farm several years ago. Why Wally decides that doing this will finally gain Willa's attention after some 20 odd y...more
Anyway, Wally Chubb decides to prove his love to a woman (Willa) by eating a 747 airplane that crash landed on his farm several years ago. Why Wally decides that doing this will finally gain Willa's attention after some 20 odd y...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Some men send candy and flowers. Some write love letters and ballads. And some will eat a Boeing 747 to prove their love for a woman. A man in Iowa vows to eat the airplane which has crashed onto his farm, in order to prove his love. His love is tested as the woman Wally loves, falls for a man from the Book Records who comes to the town to verify the eating of the plane. Ben Sherwood, a senior producer of NBC Nightly News, proves he can make news of his own in this wildly inventive book that may...more
Believe it or not, this is the first book I've bought for my Kindle app on my iPod Touch.
Sweet story. Wouldn't call it a beach read, but more like a before-you-go-to-sleep read, if that makes sense.
We've got J.J., a man who is The Keeper of the Records at The Book of Records, who has a reputation to be heartless or simply just a workaholic man whose got no time for personal life. And we have Wally, the man who actually ate the 747 to prove his love for a woman, Willa. And we have Willa, who is n...more
Sweet story. Wouldn't call it a beach read, but more like a before-you-go-to-sleep read, if that makes sense.
We've got J.J., a man who is The Keeper of the Records at The Book of Records, who has a reputation to be heartless or simply just a workaholic man whose got no time for personal life. And we have Wally, the man who actually ate the 747 to prove his love for a woman, Willa. And we have Willa, who is n...more
Por vezes necessitamos de leituras galopantes, com histórias fora do comum e com vocabulário que nos impede sequer de pensar que existem dicionários. Esta é uma dessas histórias!
Um triângulo amoroso em que cada vértice tem as suas falhas sociais gira em torno de um potencial recorde do Guiness que coloca uma aldeola do interior norte-americano nas luzes da ribalta mundiais. Dois homens enfeitiçados pela mesma mulher tentam mostrar-lhe atabalhoadamente os seus sentimentos: um comendo um 747, outr...more
Um triângulo amoroso em que cada vértice tem as suas falhas sociais gira em torno de um potencial recorde do Guiness que coloca uma aldeola do interior norte-americano nas luzes da ribalta mundiais. Dois homens enfeitiçados pela mesma mulher tentam mostrar-lhe atabalhoadamente os seus sentimentos: um comendo um 747, outr...more
May 06, 2008
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
jens-personal-read
How far would you go for someone you loved? We've all heard people state that they'd lie or die for a loved one, but would you eat a Boeing 747 jet plane?
Such is the case for Wally Chubb, a man on a mission to garner the attention of Willa Wyatt, the town's newspaper editor. Wally has been in love with her ever since she was the only schoolmate to attend his tenth birthday party--and now that he wants her attention, wants her to see just exactly how far he'd go to gain her approval and admirati...more
Such is the case for Wally Chubb, a man on a mission to garner the attention of Willa Wyatt, the town's newspaper editor. Wally has been in love with her ever since she was the only schoolmate to attend his tenth birthday party--and now that he wants her attention, wants her to see just exactly how far he'd go to gain her approval and admirati...more
[spoilers]
Attention authors, current and aspiring: putting your characters in a coma so they can miracously emerge at the story's climax is a wretched plot device.
The campy ending reflects one of the book's major flaws - it lacks originality. It's disappointing that a book about a man eating a 747 could be so boring, but if you fill the pages with bland characters and stock revelations, I suppose anything can happen. Will our leading man, John Smith, discover that love can't be summed up in sta...more
Attention authors, current and aspiring: putting your characters in a coma so they can miracously emerge at the story's climax is a wretched plot device.
The campy ending reflects one of the book's major flaws - it lacks originality. It's disappointing that a book about a man eating a 747 could be so boring, but if you fill the pages with bland characters and stock revelations, I suppose anything can happen. Will our leading man, John Smith, discover that love can't be summed up in sta...more
I read this book for two reasons:
1) I loved Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud
2) The title kind of grabs you, doesn't it?
But, alas, I didn't enjoy it that much. I found it quite boring actually. The main character (I can't even remember his name) is whiney, and nothing much actually happens until the very end of the book where the loose ends are tied together in a hasty, pretty bow.
I reckon Sherwood has talent, but this book doesn't do him justice.
1) I loved Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud
2) The title kind of grabs you, doesn't it?
But, alas, I didn't enjoy it that much. I found it quite boring actually. The main character (I can't even remember his name) is whiney, and nothing much actually happens until the very end of the book where the loose ends are tied together in a hasty, pretty bow.
I reckon Sherwood has talent, but this book doesn't do him justice.
Jun 03, 2010
Coralie
added it
Wally, a middle aged farmer, is grinding up a 747 and eating it piece by piece, hoping to catch the attention of a woman he has loved since he was ten years old. A man who works for a famous world record book catches wind of this, and puts Wally's small town into the international limelight.This was a sweet book. A little odd, a little slow moving. It was similar to a Fannie Flagg book, set in a rural town, quirky townspeople hang out at the local cafe, etc.
I love this book but I realize it isn't for everyone. My first experience was with the audiobook which is excellent. The reader makes one mistake which is that he speaks in a falsetto when he is reading a woman's dialogue. I really don't enjoy that. But other than that he was remarkable. After I recently read this in book form I realized that if you are someone who enjoys character driven books this may not be enjoyable. I love character driven stories and still found this quirky and delightful...more
I bought this book, the first of this author's, after I read his second work (The Death and Life Of Charlie St.Cloud). I just like his style.
This book is even less dramatic than the second. It's just a love story in which one man literally eats an airplane for the woman he loves, and one man finds a love in the least expected place.
The narrative is so flowing that I can read in one sitting. All in all, it's a warm-heart and pleasant read.
This book is even less dramatic than the second. It's just a love story in which one man literally eats an airplane for the woman he loves, and one man finds a love in the least expected place.
The narrative is so flowing that I can read in one sitting. All in all, it's a warm-heart and pleasant read.
I devoured this book. I don't know what it was about Ben Sherwood's writing but it drew me in and touched my heart. I literally cried as I reached the end - both because the book was ending but also because it reminded me of the miracle I have in my own life - love. I highly recommend this - especially to anyone who is mad at their husband over something silly. You'll be reminded that simply loving and being loved is a miracle.
The Man Who Ate The 747 initially overcame my early reluctance that it was going to involve suspending my disbelief too often, but unfortunately once the plot was left to develop it could only unravel.
The second half of the book was too predictable, too clumsy and ultimately dull. By all means start reading it, but stop around page 100 and you won't have to face the rising disappointment you face from the remaining story.
The second half of the book was too predictable, too clumsy and ultimately dull. By all means start reading it, but stop around page 100 and you won't have to face the rising disappointment you face from the remaining story.
An absolutely delightful love story with an impossible claim. Wally Chubb is eating a 747 airplane to prove his love for the girl he fell for on his 10th birthday. This is quirky, humorous, and heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The following quote from the book sums it all up: "We chase wild dreams and long for all that eludes us, when the greatest joys are within our grasp, if we can only recognize them."
A pretty simple plot, but a nice story. Definitely not a literary masterpiece, however a nice light read between heavier books. For me, Sherwood's writing style is similar to Dan Brown. The main character, J.J. Smith, actually reminded me of Robert Langdon from the Da Vinci Code. I found myself empathizing more with Wally, as will anyone who has experienced that awful feeling of unrequited love...
อ่านนานมากแล้ว เก๋อ่ะ พระเอกประกาศจะกินเครื่องบินจัมโบ้ 747 เพื่อสาวนางหนึ่ง ฮาๆๆ จำได้พล็อตมันเก๋ดี สมัยนี้ออกจะดูโบราณไปหน่อย แต่ก็สนุกนะ
I really enjoyed this book. The story was simple: a man decides to eat a 747 plane that landed in his field to prove his love for a woman. The main character is the recorder for the Book of Records. Not only does he fall for the same woman, but he discovers the power of love in the small town community. My only complaint was that the book was too short and wrapped up things a little too nicely. It could have been stretched out and developed a little bit more.
So far I'm not too sure about this one...I added this to my "to read" list a few years ago, and my tastes have changed since then. I'm only a few chapters into it, so I'll give it a few more pages.
So far, it seems to be written from a formula.
Step 1 - describe character that is sloppy, has no success in his job, and has no "joy."
Step 2 - show character as having no success with love, etc....
Step 3 - set him in a situation where love will "find him."
I swear, I've read so many books already like...more
So far, it seems to be written from a formula.
Step 1 - describe character that is sloppy, has no success in his job, and has no "joy."
Step 2 - show character as having no success with love, etc....
Step 3 - set him in a situation where love will "find him."
I swear, I've read so many books already like...more
This was a wonderful, heart-warming book. I gave it four stars not because it was an earth-shattering book that will provoke thoughtful philosophical discussions across the world, but because it was a simple, beautiful story with endearing characters that was a breath of fresh air. I recommend it for anyone who wants to feel good and has an afternoon to spare.
The book should really get 3 stars but I'm so disappointed in it that I can't give it more that 2. It's got such a great title and there's so much that Sherwood could have done with it, but in the end it's just a romance novel. I expected a great love story, something like 'The Time Traveller's Wife'.
All in all an enjoyable read, nothing more.
All in all an enjoyable read, nothing more.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ben Sherwood is a bestselling author, award-winning journalist and founder of TheSurvivorsClub.org. From 2004 to 2006, he worked as executive producer of ABC’s Good Morning America during the two most successful seasons in the program’s history. Sherwood guided prize-winning coverage of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the devastation of hurricane Katrina, and the presidential election of 2004
From 1...more
More about Ben Sherwood...
From 1...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
