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Porter Osborne Jr. #3
When All the World Was Young
The final installment in Sam's epic trilogy about coming of age in the South.
610 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 27, 2007
This trilogy is underrated. Porter Osbourne should go down as one of the classic characters not just in Southern Lit, but in literature in general.
The first book is as a good a rumination on adolescent male sexuality as Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint," and also examines race relations and generational distance in the agrarian early-20th century South. The second find Porter disillusioned with life and medical school, as well as losing his virginity to the unforgettable Vashti. The third sees him going off to war. Admittedly, the final chapter in this trilogy isn't up to par with the first two--it's a bit far-fetched and tries to make too many connections--but it's still damn good. Overall, this trilogy is story-telling at its best. It's funny, poignant, and action-packed.
These books consumed my life. For two whole weeks I could think of nothing else. Great stuff.
The first book is as a good a rumination on adolescent male sexuality as Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint," and also examines race relations and generational distance in the agrarian early-20th century South. The second find Porter disillusioned with life and medical school, as well as losing his virginity to the unforgettable Vashti. The third sees him going off to war. Admittedly, the final chapter in this trilogy isn't up to par with the first two--it's a bit far-fetched and tries to make too many connections--but it's still damn good. Overall, this trilogy is story-telling at its best. It's funny, poignant, and action-packed.
These books consumed my life. For two whole weeks I could think of nothing else. Great stuff.
April 11, 2008
When All the World Was Young opens with Porter Osborne, Jr. in Atlanta's Druid Hills. Before him stands Emory University's Gate and Glenn Memorial Methodist Church (a drawing of which is on the cover of the book).
It is June of 1942. Porter is starting at Emory's School of Medicine in pursuit of his life long ambition to be a physician in his hometown of Brewtonton, Georgia. But the war raging in Europe and the Pacific overwhelm his thoughts and emotions.
After a grueling first year of medical school and an introduction to Atlanta society, Porter rejects it all and finds himself an enlisted man in the U.S. Army. Throughout it all, Porter continues to wrestle with matters of faith, identity, family, honor and integrity.
What could have been a dark and daunting story is relieved by unrelenting humor. From medical school to war zone, Porter's pranks continue unabated. Hilarity -- laugh until you cry funny -- makes reading this book a wonderful experience.
The story is populated with remarkable characters. Porter's father and mother continue playing important roles. A few of Porter's college classmates appear during the war. And new individuals from medical school and the military round out a remarkable cast.
These characters drive Porter's personal journey. Sons of privilege and poverty; citizens of the U.S., Germany and France; a Catholic, a Jew, an Agnostic and an Atheist; and several powerful women open Porter's eyes to new worlds.
The heart of the story is Will Barton. An uncompromising individual with unlimited self confidence. Barton tells Porter:
"Osborne, get this straight. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who give to other people and those who spend all their lives taking. Or planning to take. Either by bulling around on one end of the economic spectrum or whining on the other. I'm not a taker, Osborne. I'm a giver. Some folks were born to serve and others to be looked after. I'm Will Barton. I was born to give and to serve, and the world had goddam well better know it and get ready."
One of the first things I noticed about this book (the third volume of Porter Osborne, Jr.'s odyssey) is the presence of poetry. It's everywhere. The book's prologue is Chesterton's Lepanto. Lines from Lepanto introduce each chapter. Porter quotes poetry throughout the narrative. It's central to one story line and frequently drives the narrative.
The use of poetry in When All the World Was Young is such an unprecedented device (from the preceding two volumes) that I did some independent research. What I learned was this. After publishing Run With the Horsemen and The Whisper of the River, Ferrol Sams experienced acute writer's block with Porter Osborne's story. So severe was the blockage that Sams wrote and published two other books (The Widow's Mite and Epiphany) before he was able to write When All the World Was Young.
The result is outstanding. This is a great book. I cannot type enough good things about it.
Reading it reminded me of two things. (1) There are few pleasures in life greater than reading a good book. (2) One of life's most bittersweet moments is the end of a good book. When All the World Was Young is proof of both.
It is June of 1942. Porter is starting at Emory's School of Medicine in pursuit of his life long ambition to be a physician in his hometown of Brewtonton, Georgia. But the war raging in Europe and the Pacific overwhelm his thoughts and emotions.
After a grueling first year of medical school and an introduction to Atlanta society, Porter rejects it all and finds himself an enlisted man in the U.S. Army. Throughout it all, Porter continues to wrestle with matters of faith, identity, family, honor and integrity.
What could have been a dark and daunting story is relieved by unrelenting humor. From medical school to war zone, Porter's pranks continue unabated. Hilarity -- laugh until you cry funny -- makes reading this book a wonderful experience.
The story is populated with remarkable characters. Porter's father and mother continue playing important roles. A few of Porter's college classmates appear during the war. And new individuals from medical school and the military round out a remarkable cast.
These characters drive Porter's personal journey. Sons of privilege and poverty; citizens of the U.S., Germany and France; a Catholic, a Jew, an Agnostic and an Atheist; and several powerful women open Porter's eyes to new worlds.
The heart of the story is Will Barton. An uncompromising individual with unlimited self confidence. Barton tells Porter:
"Osborne, get this straight. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who give to other people and those who spend all their lives taking. Or planning to take. Either by bulling around on one end of the economic spectrum or whining on the other. I'm not a taker, Osborne. I'm a giver. Some folks were born to serve and others to be looked after. I'm Will Barton. I was born to give and to serve, and the world had goddam well better know it and get ready."
One of the first things I noticed about this book (the third volume of Porter Osborne, Jr.'s odyssey) is the presence of poetry. It's everywhere. The book's prologue is Chesterton's Lepanto. Lines from Lepanto introduce each chapter. Porter quotes poetry throughout the narrative. It's central to one story line and frequently drives the narrative.
The use of poetry in When All the World Was Young is such an unprecedented device (from the preceding two volumes) that I did some independent research. What I learned was this. After publishing Run With the Horsemen and The Whisper of the River, Ferrol Sams experienced acute writer's block with Porter Osborne's story. So severe was the blockage that Sams wrote and published two other books (The Widow's Mite and Epiphany) before he was able to write When All the World Was Young.
The result is outstanding. This is a great book. I cannot type enough good things about it.
Reading it reminded me of two things. (1) There are few pleasures in life greater than reading a good book. (2) One of life's most bittersweet moments is the end of a good book. When All the World Was Young is proof of both.
July 26, 2011
This is one of those books you can’t put down. You know, one of those books you stay up late to read and get up early to read again. As a Southerner I can relate to some of the things he talks about and I’m familiar with many of the places he writes about in the parts of the book where he’s still in Georgia. Many things have changed since those times but I have heard stories that are so much like what he writes that I feel like I’m hearing stories from a beloved uncle or grandparent and not just reading a book.
I really loved this book and agree with Joey Poole’s comment that, “This trilogy is underrated. Porter Osbourne should go down as one of the classic characters not just in Southern Lit, but in literature in general. “
I really loved this book and agree with Joey Poole’s comment that, “This trilogy is underrated. Porter Osbourne should go down as one of the classic characters not just in Southern Lit, but in literature in general. “
May 24, 2022
This was a wonderful book for me. It was based in Georgia (where I'm from) and I knew so many of the places talked about. It continues the story of Porter Osborne, Jr. and is the third in a trilogy. The first was Run with the Horseman, the second was The Whisper of the River. The last volume covers Porter's med school years until he goes into the Army during World War II.
November 25, 2021
When All the World Was Young is the final novel in the trilogy about the young Porter Osbourne Jr., a boy from a small Georgia farming community. The character of Porter is loosely autobiographical of the author Ferrol Sams himself, a Georgia physician and novelist. The trilogy began with Run with the Horsemen, with Porter as a young boy, and continues with The Whisper of the River covering Porter’s college years. In the final novel of the trilogy, Porter Osborne, Jr. is now enrolled at Emory University Medical School, but World War II has started. While doing well in his classes, Porter increasingly feels the need to enlist and be part of the war effort. He deliberately fails a class so he can enlist in the Army. Training to become medical assistant in Illinois, he is frustrated by the inefficiency and delays he encounters in the Army. Finally, he is assigned as a surgical technician with a mobile hospital unit that ends up landing at Normandy more than three months after D-Day.
Ferrol Sams is a good storyteller in the Southern storytelling tradition, but I did not enjoy the third installment of this trilogy as much as the first two novels. I thought the first novel, Run with the Horsemen, was excellent; I highly recommend it. I would frequently laugh out loud as I read—not something I usually do. But there are several reasons I did not enjoy the third and final novel as much as I did the first two. The quality of the writing had not declined, but the subject matter had changed. There are just too many boyish high jinks and ribald humor to suit my tastes. Oddly enough, this third novel garners the highest ratings of the three. Perhaps I’m just getting too old.
Ferrol Sams is a good storyteller in the Southern storytelling tradition, but I did not enjoy the third installment of this trilogy as much as the first two novels. I thought the first novel, Run with the Horsemen, was excellent; I highly recommend it. I would frequently laugh out loud as I read—not something I usually do. But there are several reasons I did not enjoy the third and final novel as much as I did the first two. The quality of the writing had not declined, but the subject matter had changed. There are just too many boyish high jinks and ribald humor to suit my tastes. Oddly enough, this third novel garners the highest ratings of the three. Perhaps I’m just getting too old.
April 16, 2023
Excellent
This is my third reading of this book and the first on the Kindle App. It is undoubtedly one of the best books that I have ever read. I would strongly recommend this book to all readers who enjoy an outstanding piece of literature .
This is my third reading of this book and the first on the Kindle App. It is undoubtedly one of the best books that I have ever read. I would strongly recommend this book to all readers who enjoy an outstanding piece of literature .
October 18, 2022
hilarious and fun
July 26, 2016
Porter Osborn grows up in this last volume of the trilogy. His initiation rites occur with his participation in World War II. This is a well written book, punctuated with poetry and profanity and profiles of characters who collectively represent the American Medical Corps in the European Theatre after D Day until the war's end. In the end he is a wiser individual who has decided to use his negative opinions of others to make himself a more positive person. Sams' writing style is excellent. His imagery is creative and abundant. The dialogue is believable though often harsh. While reading I laughed out loud, felt pity, and even anger at times, and found myself joining Porter in philosophical conundrums. My reactions are a credit to Ferrol Sams' writing.
October 18, 2019
Our story begins in 1942. Porter is struggling with his conscience. He is in med school while other young men his age are fighting in the war. This story is filled with pranks that will make you gasp and laugh out loud at the same time. If you are reading the after reading Run with the Horsemen and The Whisper of the River, you have watched Porter Osborn grow up. The Porter Osborne we see at the end of the trilogy is not the same person the entered college at 16. He is a young man who will find his own way, his own path.
January 15, 2020
Sams sends Porter Osborne, Jr. to medical school, but Porter has other things in mind. Set during the early 1940s, after Pearl Harbor, Sams gives readers a taste of what young men must have felt when their country went to war against Germany and Japan. Interestingly, Sams sends a little of the South with Porter as he goes to basic training in Illinois and to the European theater. The author gives a clear relevance to the Christmas song "I'll Be Home for Christmas," which has changed the way I hear that song, the way it was meant to be heard.
December 23, 2016
Gripping story. Could not put it down!
Well, I definitely will be reading more Ferrell Sams.
He is a brilliant story teller and wordsmith. I have even learned a little French. Loved this book and will pass it on to friends.
Well, I definitely will be reading more Ferrell Sams.
He is a brilliant story teller and wordsmith. I have even learned a little French. Loved this book and will pass it on to friends.
July 10, 2017
This last of the Porter Osborne, Jr. trilogy was immensely satisfying. It chronicled Porter's stint in medical school and in WW2, and was written with the same heartfelt sass and real life hokes and heartaches as the other ones. I loved this series and couldn't put it down!
October 7, 2008
I laughed so hard, out loud, that it brought tears to my eyes.
August 7, 2018
Sams is a wonderful story teller that will have you laughing one moment, thinking the next, and tearing up the next.
November 30, 2022
I FINALLY GET TO WRITE A REVIEW ON A BOOK.
My worst year in ages for reading. Happy to see 2022 finish up so I can return to my first love, books.
This is the final book in a trilogy of books by Ferrol Sams detailing the life of Porter Osborne, Jr. He's a young man from a fictional town in Central Georgia who grows up, goes to college, later medical school and finally into the medical corps during WW2. It's the kind of series that's a slow burn. Rarely does the action boil over but rarely does it drag. Osborne is a funny guy, and certainly a round character as his inquisitive nature settles into a rather jaded young man. College, med school and the army have done this to him, and I found the ending of this book to be the right tone for where he should be at this point in his life and after all that he had seen.
Read the books if you enjoy historical fiction, like antics of a precocious person, or you're a fan of Southern Lit. They're enjoyable, not too straining, and written with some delicious adjectives for the bookish among you.
My worst year in ages for reading. Happy to see 2022 finish up so I can return to my first love, books.
This is the final book in a trilogy of books by Ferrol Sams detailing the life of Porter Osborne, Jr. He's a young man from a fictional town in Central Georgia who grows up, goes to college, later medical school and finally into the medical corps during WW2. It's the kind of series that's a slow burn. Rarely does the action boil over but rarely does it drag. Osborne is a funny guy, and certainly a round character as his inquisitive nature settles into a rather jaded young man. College, med school and the army have done this to him, and I found the ending of this book to be the right tone for where he should be at this point in his life and after all that he had seen.
Read the books if you enjoy historical fiction, like antics of a precocious person, or you're a fan of Southern Lit. They're enjoyable, not too straining, and written with some delicious adjectives for the bookish among you.
December 19, 2024
Ferrol Sams’ When All the World Was Young is a heartfelt and powerful story that perfectly wraps up the journey of Porter Osborne Jr. It’s a moving look at the loss of innocence and the harsh realities of World War II, told with the same humor, warmth, and deep humanity that make Sams’ writing so special. The way he brings Porter’s world to life is so vivid you can almost feel the Southern heat and hear the drawl of the characters’ voices.
That said, you really need to read The Whisper of the River first to fully understand Porter’s journey and connect with the relationships and experiences that shape him. Without that background, you’d miss so much of the richness and emotional impact. If you’ve already read it, you’ll love how Sams ties everything together in this bittersweet and deeply satisfying conclusion. It’s one of those books that lingers long after the final page.
That said, you really need to read The Whisper of the River first to fully understand Porter’s journey and connect with the relationships and experiences that shape him. Without that background, you’d miss so much of the richness and emotional impact. If you’ve already read it, you’ll love how Sams ties everything together in this bittersweet and deeply satisfying conclusion. It’s one of those books that lingers long after the final page.
January 6, 2024
This is the second time I have read this novel, the third book in a series (I have read all 3 in the 1990’s when I moved to TN) and found it captivated me just as much as I remember back then for the first time.
The characters are excellently developed, the timing sequence is complete and cohesive - the whole WWII era and years were different for the northern and the southern United States, in relationship to the population, it seems according to this novel. And I believe it - the southern charm shines brightly in the character of “Porter”, a gentleman to the core and very sure of the culture of the south as a better way to live his life, even in a war situation.
A good 4.5 stars, and a favorite author to boot.
The characters are excellently developed, the timing sequence is complete and cohesive - the whole WWII era and years were different for the northern and the southern United States, in relationship to the population, it seems according to this novel. And I believe it - the southern charm shines brightly in the character of “Porter”, a gentleman to the core and very sure of the culture of the south as a better way to live his life, even in a war situation.
A good 4.5 stars, and a favorite author to boot.
June 4, 2024
This was my least favorite book of the trilogy, but don’t let the three stars fools you, it was very good. If I was rating the series as a whole, it would probably be 4.5.
Each book covers a portion of the protagonist’s life, and is written in a way that makes you feel like you are growing with him. From a coming of age perspective, the trilogy does it better than maybe any other.
Nevertheless, I am not sure if I will recommend the trilogy to anyone else. I would be heartbroken if someone was to read it and not connect on the level I did. In many ways, my experience with the trilogy was a personal one, and I may keep it that way forever.
Each book covers a portion of the protagonist’s life, and is written in a way that makes you feel like you are growing with him. From a coming of age perspective, the trilogy does it better than maybe any other.
Nevertheless, I am not sure if I will recommend the trilogy to anyone else. I would be heartbroken if someone was to read it and not connect on the level I did. In many ways, my experience with the trilogy was a personal one, and I may keep it that way forever.
October 5, 2019
This final book of the trilogy is all about Porter Osborne's experience in medical school and the medical/surgical units in Europe in the last couple of years of WWII. Porter breaks a number of the ten commandments during this time and does a lot of soul searching. He meets very few doctors worth emulating and questions his own career choice to continue in medicine. He also questions his religious convictions as he grows to have a deeper understanding of what drives those around him and who is deserving of respect.
January 11, 2024
The third entry in Ferrol Sams' saga of Porter Osborne, Jr. finds him in the Army during World War II. While this third book in the series sometimes dips into the fantastic or melodramatic, and the characters sometimes sound like they're speaking on stage and aware of an audience, overall it's still a wonderfully entertaining story. And that's essentially the charm of Mr. Sams; he's a good story teller. "When All the World Was Young" is a book in which to get lost for many pleasurable reading hours. Thoroughly enjoyable and recommended.
January 18, 2023
I love the author’s style, and I adore Porter Osborne, Jr., who is undoubtedly his alter ego or even just himself. The wisdom and hilarious pranks in the story are equally delightful. The development of Porter’s character and maturity are inspiring. I wish Mr. Sams were still alive for me to send him a fan letter. This third book in the series is a masterpiece.
July 26, 2023
This is a thoroughly enjoyable account of Porter Osborne, Jr.'s entry and escapades first into Emory Medical School, and then into the United States Army during World War II. He was so innocent, yet so smart, and so conscientious, yet so recalcitrant. Characters and events, through his eyes, are vivid. It's hilarious; he keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what he's into next
March 11, 2025
Read for a literature in medicine course and didn't disappoint. I think most of my appreciation comes from the main character being a med student at Emory--so many truths still hold and Sams' use of humor around a grueling first year of medical school is certainly cathartic--but I think I'll read the first two books of the triology. Porter is such an all-time character
June 30, 2023
I enjoyed this series. Ferrol Sams is a good writer. This final was a little rougher, but so is war. There are definitely outdated ideas, but those ideas are part of history, I’m glad we’re outgrowing them.
Good characters and the main character grows a lot.
Good characters and the main character grows a lot.
May 12, 2020
My second favorite book ever.
January 20, 2022
The third in a trilogy. This time Porter Osbourne Jr goes to medical school and joins the Army to get shipped out for WW2. This character just grows on you. I really enjoyed it.
May 26, 2023
I was expecting a lot more humor and way less language.
June 12, 2010
Where to start? The third book about Porter Osborne, I believe was written with a gap between it and the first two. Its tone is quite different, dealing with Porter's experiences in med. school and during WWII. My daughter-in-law hated the first book but really enjoyed this one (I think she missed the second entirely); I enjoyed the portayal of rural life in Georgia in the first, enjoyed the character developing during the second book and still need to digest a lot of this one, as it is big book and took me longer to read than most, but still a lot to absorb.
It is an interesting slant on the war to me, and more down-to-earth than the crop of Amercan WWII movies I saw whilst growing up, but still a very different slant to the UK one.
There are a lot of characters who feature in its pages, as Porter meets a lot of new people in a variety of situations during the course of the book. This is true to life and the situations, but can be a little difficult to follow, when people reappear in different contexts.
It has a satisfactory beginning middle and end, something which many books seem to lack in the pursuit of realism, and yet it also contains the broken relationships and interrupted possibilities that reflect life.
It was a very worthwhile read, and I identified with the main character far more than in the first two books.
It is an interesting slant on the war to me, and more down-to-earth than the crop of Amercan WWII movies I saw whilst growing up, but still a very different slant to the UK one.
There are a lot of characters who feature in its pages, as Porter meets a lot of new people in a variety of situations during the course of the book. This is true to life and the situations, but can be a little difficult to follow, when people reappear in different contexts.
It has a satisfactory beginning middle and end, something which many books seem to lack in the pursuit of realism, and yet it also contains the broken relationships and interrupted possibilities that reflect life.
It was a very worthwhile read, and I identified with the main character far more than in the first two books.
July 25, 2009
This was my least favorite book of the trilogy (dealing, as it did, with more weighty topics than farm life, sex and education) but it still merited at least four stars. It took me quite a bit longer to get through this one--I put it down for a few months before picking it back up again in fact. In this book, Sambo goes to war and truly grows up. There are even more characters to try to track in this one, and in my opinion some loose ends that don't get resolved (c'est la guerre, right?)
The humor has a sharper edge in this tome than in the previous two, with Sambo learning that all is indeed, not fair in love and war. He takes definite advantage of the situation he finds himself in and sprinkles a little bit of the red dirt of Georgia across Europe.
All in all, a very satisyfing trilogy. Wish there were more....
The humor has a sharper edge in this tome than in the previous two, with Sambo learning that all is indeed, not fair in love and war. He takes definite advantage of the situation he finds himself in and sprinkles a little bit of the red dirt of Georgia across Europe.
All in all, a very satisyfing trilogy. Wish there were more....
February 5, 2008
This is for sure one of the most underrated books.It's a halarious and emotional journey of Porter Osbourne and his search for personal identity through a very tulmultious time in America. It is the beginning of WW11 and Porter has to decide between pleasing his dad, who is his hero, by staying in medical school, or pleasing himself and joining the army. The social presures of the times where joining the armed forces was the way to go and rejecting that was un-American weighed in on Porter as well.This is an incredible coming of age story that captures it all; humor, sensitivity, action, strong narrative voice, and best of all, characters that become like personal friends of yours that you feel sad leaving at the end of the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews