false 607051 0743257774 9780743257770 100 22 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176246477m/607051.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/607051.The_Book_of_Ralph_A_Novel 22475 John McNally 329 80 5 0 false Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2004 Wed Jun 20 15:03:48 -0700 2007 Wed Jun 27 08:43:37 -0700 2007 Good Enough to Read Twice

This is a fantastic read--a real page-turner. Congratulations to John McNally for being a gifted storyteller and for putting this collection together in an interesting and creative manner. He has presented a true time capsule complete with scenery, music, language and costume.

Ralph is the boy we all knew--an attention hound dressed in a flannel shirt, who spent a lot of time in the school hallways on his way to the dean's office. Hank, however, who tells his stories from the gray, "who am I" world of suburban Chicago in the 70s, is the boy who faded into the woodwork. He's the boy who was up for anything to make his world a little more exciting and often didn't have a choice when it came to dealing with his eccentric father and, of course, Ralph. Each character, including Hank's sister Kelly and even the lady next door, Mrs. Rybecki, who suffers from Tourette's syndrome, are keenly developed and highly entertaining.

When we meet Hank in the future, he's like the guy at your 25th class reunion who everyone wants to know. Even though he's down on his luck and must resort to a life in Ralph's domain, he?s interesting, good looking sensitive and . . . funny. Somehow you just know that everything is A-OK with Hank.

I loved this book. ]]>