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Lottery
A funny, poignant, and wise novel about a very rich underdog who shows everyone just how little his IQ says about his smarts.
465 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2007
167 people are currently reading
7969 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wood
32 books158 followersPatricia Wood was born and raised in Seattle, Washington She has served in the U.S. Army, has worked as a Medical Technologist, horseback-riding instructor, and most recently as a marine science teacher working with high risk students in Honolulu. Patricia is an avid SCUBA diver, has assisted with shark research, won the Hawaii State Jumper Championship with her horse Airborne, crewed in a 39-foot sailboat across the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu to San Francisco, and is now an author. Her debut novel LOTTERY was published by Putnam August 2007, and was named a Book Sense notable for October of that year. LOTTERY has been included in the Washington Post's Best Fiction 2007 list and is short listed for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.
Currently a PhD student at the University of Hawaii, Patricia is focused on education and the study of disability and diversity. Patricia lives with her husband, Gordon aboard ORION, a 48-foot sailboat moored in Ko`Olina, Hawaii. She has one son, Andrew.
Currently a PhD student at the University of Hawaii, Patricia is focused on education and the study of disability and diversity. Patricia lives with her husband, Gordon aboard ORION, a 48-foot sailboat moored in Ko`Olina, Hawaii. She has one son, Andrew.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,578 reviews
July 19, 2007
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 clearly the many ways in which his nuclear family has failed him, but Perry never sees it that way. His glass is always half full. Shoot, his glass is three-quarters full--it only looks half-full to those of us too blind to see things the Perry Crandall way. And it's this innocence and optimism that makes his family betrayals all the more heartbreaking to the reader. We want to crawl into the book and protect Perry from the vultures, especially when he faces the biggest tragedy of his life.
But Perry insists he doesn't need protecting, and he proceeds to prove it us and to the three remaining people who care the most about him: Gary, the owner of Holsted's Marine Supply who has employed Perry since he was sixteen years old; Keith, Perry's heavy, flatulent, potty-mouthed co-worker; and Cherry a young, tattooed and pierced cashier at the local Marina Handy Mart.
When Perry wins the Washington state lottery we learn just who his real friends (and real family) are. His mostly estranged cousin-brothers come knocking, strangers arrive on his doorstep...and we hope--oh how we hope--that Perry can learn to distinguish the friends from the leeches.
There is so much to love about this big-hearted first novel. The characters are rich and real and alive. Perry's voice is fresh, authentic, consistent, and homespun-philosopher-wise...and then, there's the ending. Oh, the ending! The ending is so unexpectedly perfect and poignant and satisfying. I keep trying not to write, "Keep a box of tissues handy," but, well, keep a box of tissues handy. You'll need them. But--to use another cliche--you'll be smiling through your tears.
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 clearly the many ways in which his nuclear family has failed him, but Perry never sees it that way. His glass is always half full. Shoot, his glass is three-quarters full--it only looks half-full to those of us too blind to see things the Perry Crandall way. And it's this innocence and optimism that makes his family betrayals all the more heartbreaking to the reader. We want to crawl into the book and protect Perry from the vultures, especially when he faces the biggest tragedy of his life.
But Perry insists he doesn't need protecting, and he proceeds to prove it us and to the three remaining people who care the most about him: Gary, the owner of Holsted's Marine Supply who has employed Perry since he was sixteen years old; Keith, Perry's heavy, flatulent, potty-mouthed co-worker; and Cherry a young, tattooed and pierced cashier at the local Marina Handy Mart.
When Perry wins the Washington state lottery we learn just who his real friends (and real family) are. His mostly estranged cousin-brothers come knocking, strangers arrive on his doorstep...and we hope--oh how we hope--that Perry can learn to distinguish the friends from the leeches.
There is so much to love about this big-hearted first novel. The characters are rich and real and alive. Perry's voice is fresh, authentic, consistent, and homespun-philosopher-wise...and then, there's the ending. Oh, the ending! The ending is so unexpectedly perfect and poignant and satisfying. I keep trying not to write, "Keep a box of tissues handy," but, well, keep a box of tissues handy. You'll need them. But--to use another cliche--you'll be smiling through your tears.
December 25, 2007
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" parable. And in a sense it was. But it was also about whether or not someone with limited intelligence can, nonetheless, possess great wisdom.
Okay, enough with that crap. The point is, that once my ears stopped burning from the nearly constant swearing in the first few chapters and frequent swearing throughout, I fell in love. (The swearing did seem pointlessly overdone, IMHO.) I fell in love with Perry for his open heart and mind. I fell in love with his Gram for teaching him the things he REALLY needed to know to survive in a world that would not be kind to him. And I fell in love with Keith for being just like so many men I've known in my life who have made hard choices, sometimes wrong choices, who are almost never politically correct or even socially acceptable but who have the best hearts in the world.
I wavered between giving this book 3 or 4 stars because it is a bit lightweight and it is a bit simplistic. I gave it 4 because this month, with all the stress of the holidays and other things in my life, I really, really needed to meet Perry and his Gram and Keith and Gary and Cherry. I needed to read something where good just simply comes out on top. I needed an excuse to laugh and cry within minutes. I think there is probably a time in everyone's life when they need that.
I was worried that it would just be another "don't judge a book by it's cover" parable. And in a sense it was. But it was also about whether or not someone with limited intelligence can, nonetheless, possess great wisdom.
Okay, enough with that crap. The point is, that once my ears stopped burning from the nearly constant swearing in the first few chapters and frequent swearing throughout, I fell in love. (The swearing did seem pointlessly overdone, IMHO.) I fell in love with Perry for his open heart and mind. I fell in love with his Gram for teaching him the things he REALLY needed to know to survive in a world that would not be kind to him. And I fell in love with Keith for being just like so many men I've known in my life who have made hard choices, sometimes wrong choices, who are almost never politically correct or even socially acceptable but who have the best hearts in the world.
I wavered between giving this book 3 or 4 stars because it is a bit lightweight and it is a bit simplistic. I gave it 4 because this month, with all the stress of the holidays and other things in my life, I really, really needed to meet Perry and his Gram and Keith and Gary and Cherry. I needed to read something where good just simply comes out on top. I needed an excuse to laugh and cry within minutes. I think there is probably a time in everyone's life when they need that.
July 13, 2008
(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 Lottery because of it being a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 2007, but realize now that it would be almost impossible for me to give it a fair review; and that's because Lottery is one of those Forrest-Gump "Retard with a Heart of Gold Teaches All Us Smart Folk About What's Truly Important in Life" stories, and I have to plainly admit that I freaking despise "Retard with a Heart of Gold" stories, mostly for the secretly neocon, semi-fascist, anti-intellectual messages such projects espouse*. I'm not saying it's a badly-written book, although I'm not saying it's well-written either; I'm saying that the very premise offended and bored me so much, I could never get around to even checking out whether Wood's writing is any good or not, which is why it'd be ethically unfair to even give this book a score today. Which...er, is why I'm not.
Out of 10: N/A
*"Don't think too much! Don't question things! Obey authority! Never dream for goals bigger than yourself! Never aspire to anything beyond petty daily survival! Dumb people are noble and happy! Smart people are manipulative and miserable! Smart people got that way by thinking too much! SO DON'T THINK TOO MUCH!"
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 Lottery because of it being a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 2007, but realize now that it would be almost impossible for me to give it a fair review; and that's because Lottery is one of those Forrest-Gump "Retard with a Heart of Gold Teaches All Us Smart Folk About What's Truly Important in Life" stories, and I have to plainly admit that I freaking despise "Retard with a Heart of Gold" stories, mostly for the secretly neocon, semi-fascist, anti-intellectual messages such projects espouse*. I'm not saying it's a badly-written book, although I'm not saying it's well-written either; I'm saying that the very premise offended and bored me so much, I could never get around to even checking out whether Wood's writing is any good or not, which is why it'd be ethically unfair to even give this book a score today. Which...er, is why I'm not.
Out of 10: N/A
*"Don't think too much! Don't question things! Obey authority! Never dream for goals bigger than yourself! Never aspire to anything beyond petty daily survival! Dumb people are noble and happy! Smart people are manipulative and miserable! Smart people got that way by thinking too much! SO DON'T THINK TOO MUCH!"
August 29, 2008
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 the book anyway and then proceeded to pan the book harshly. Generally speaking, for those who have strong feelings about the types of stories they don’t like to read, take this to heart…read the book jacket or the goodreads description or the review in the New York Times first. You should be able to gather enough information to gauge the likelihood it may be a book you definitely won’t like. If the likelihood is high, save yourself the agony and save the author from an unnecessary, meaningless beating.
So, yes, if you like heart wrenching, relatively uplifting stories…ones that illustrate that every person has both good and bad qualities, neither of which correlate with intelligence…those that you don’t mind knowing ahead of time how it’s probably going to end but look to a talented author to suck you into the plot with every page…give this book a try. It’s difficult and not for everyone, but if you can embrace the premise *before* you crack the cover, you just may buy into it. I even surprised myself that I did so deeply.
At least one reader said “I freaking despise ‘Retard with a heart of gold’ stories” but read the book anyway and then proceeded to pan the book harshly. Generally speaking, for those who have strong feelings about the types of stories they don’t like to read, take this to heart…read the book jacket or the goodreads description or the review in the New York Times first. You should be able to gather enough information to gauge the likelihood it may be a book you definitely won’t like. If the likelihood is high, save yourself the agony and save the author from an unnecessary, meaningless beating.
So, yes, if you like heart wrenching, relatively uplifting stories…ones that illustrate that every person has both good and bad qualities, neither of which correlate with intelligence…those that you don’t mind knowing ahead of time how it’s probably going to end but look to a talented author to suck you into the plot with every page…give this book a try. It’s difficult and not for everyone, but if you can embrace the premise *before* you crack the cover, you just may buy into it. I even surprised myself that I did so deeply.
May 18, 2013
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart disse: "Nem a inteligência superior nem a imaginação, nem ambas em conjunto, contribuem para a formação do génio. Amor, amor, amor, eis a alma do génio."
Esta é uma das frases que estão incutidas neste livro e digo incutidas porque para além de escritas, se sente isto ao longo de todo o desenrolar da história. É um dos livros mais ternurentos e cheios de vida que já li até hoje. Um livro que ensina ou relembra tudo o que a vida trás, tanto bom como mau e ensina/relembra principalmente que por mais que a vida dê voltas, continua sempre. . .
Conta a história de Perry, que é um homem com um QI de 76, que NÃO é atrasado. Para se ser atrasado tem de se ter um QI inferior a 75. Um homem que vive com a avó porque os pais não o quiseram e que mais tarde ganha a lotaria.
Um homem que aprendeu desde cedo a trabalhar nos barcos porque o avô era o que fazia, aprendeu desde cedo a trabalhar no duro, como ele diz.
Um homem que aprendeu a ver as palavras no dicionário todos os dias com a avó.
Um homem que aprendeu o que era o amor. . . mais tarde. . .
Um homem que viveu rodeado de amor e que sabia mais do que todas as pessoas que aparecem na história, um homem que foi tão bem retratado, que eu me senti tão pequenina e com uma vontade imensa de conhecê-lo. . . (é nestas alturas que eu refilo com os livros por as personagens serem fictícias e não estarem ali do meu lado).
Há ainda outra personagem que tenho de referir. Tenho mesmo, e é, o Keith. Claro que foi concebido mesmo para os leitores gostarem dele, mas. . . não sei. . . a mim tocou-me tanto, mas tanto. . .
Um homem grosseiro e fanfarrão. Um homem que acima de tudo protege o Per. A avó de Perry ralhava com ele e dizia ao Perry: Este homem é grosseiro e não deves dizer asneiras como ele. Algo assim, mas quando o dizia, sorria.
Há muito tempo que não me emocionava com um livro, este, teve esse poder, é daqueles livros que vão ser sempre acarinhados por mim e que, quando me perguntarem que leitura eu acho que devem ler, agora já posso acrescentar outro. É daqueles que atravessa gerações e atravessa géneros. Independentemente dos géneros favoritos de cada um, penso mesmo que ESTE livro deve ser lido.
Então eu vou responder: Há um livro que amei e amo. Chama-se "Lotaria" e é um grande livro sobre o amor em várias formas e sobre como a vida se deve aproveitar e em como devemos agradecer o que conseguimos alcançar, mesmo nos piores momentos. . . Por isto tudo, acho que o deves ler. Que deve ser a tua próxima leitura.
E sei isto, porque é: Echt. É VERDADEIRO, GENUÍNO.
ECHT - foi uma palavra que também aprendi neste livro. Uma das. . .
Só mais uma coisa, lê-se num folêgo, num sopro, é tão fluida a leitura que não damos mesmo por ela. . .
Ah e a palavra E-S-P-E-R-A-N-Ç-A também reina neste livro. . .
Esta é uma das frases que estão incutidas neste livro e digo incutidas porque para além de escritas, se sente isto ao longo de todo o desenrolar da história. É um dos livros mais ternurentos e cheios de vida que já li até hoje. Um livro que ensina ou relembra tudo o que a vida trás, tanto bom como mau e ensina/relembra principalmente que por mais que a vida dê voltas, continua sempre. . .
Conta a história de Perry, que é um homem com um QI de 76, que NÃO é atrasado. Para se ser atrasado tem de se ter um QI inferior a 75. Um homem que vive com a avó porque os pais não o quiseram e que mais tarde ganha a lotaria.
Um homem que aprendeu desde cedo a trabalhar nos barcos porque o avô era o que fazia, aprendeu desde cedo a trabalhar no duro, como ele diz.
Um homem que aprendeu a ver as palavras no dicionário todos os dias com a avó.
Um homem que aprendeu o que era o amor. . . mais tarde. . .
Um homem que viveu rodeado de amor e que sabia mais do que todas as pessoas que aparecem na história, um homem que foi tão bem retratado, que eu me senti tão pequenina e com uma vontade imensa de conhecê-lo. . . (é nestas alturas que eu refilo com os livros por as personagens serem fictícias e não estarem ali do meu lado).
Há ainda outra personagem que tenho de referir. Tenho mesmo, e é, o Keith. Claro que foi concebido mesmo para os leitores gostarem dele, mas. . . não sei. . . a mim tocou-me tanto, mas tanto. . .
Um homem grosseiro e fanfarrão. Um homem que acima de tudo protege o Per. A avó de Perry ralhava com ele e dizia ao Perry: Este homem é grosseiro e não deves dizer asneiras como ele. Algo assim, mas quando o dizia, sorria.
Há muito tempo que não me emocionava com um livro, este, teve esse poder, é daqueles livros que vão ser sempre acarinhados por mim e que, quando me perguntarem que leitura eu acho que devem ler, agora já posso acrescentar outro. É daqueles que atravessa gerações e atravessa géneros. Independentemente dos géneros favoritos de cada um, penso mesmo que ESTE livro deve ser lido.
Então eu vou responder: Há um livro que amei e amo. Chama-se "Lotaria" e é um grande livro sobre o amor em várias formas e sobre como a vida se deve aproveitar e em como devemos agradecer o que conseguimos alcançar, mesmo nos piores momentos. . . Por isto tudo, acho que o deves ler. Que deve ser a tua próxima leitura.
E sei isto, porque é: Echt. É VERDADEIRO, GENUÍNO.
ECHT - foi uma palavra que também aprendi neste livro. Uma das. . .
Só mais uma coisa, lê-se num folêgo, num sopro, é tão fluida a leitura que não damos mesmo por ela. . .
Ah e a palavra E-S-P-E-R-A-N-Ç-A também reina neste livro. . .
May 17, 2018
Perry is a developmentally disabled young man who lives with his grandmother. Despite the fact that his immediate family want nothing to do with him, Perry lives a happy, good life. He has his Gram, a good job, and a few friends. Then his whole life changes. Gram dies and Perry wins the lottery.
I can't say enough good things about this book! From the moment I started reading, it had that special feel - you know, the kind of book that makes you feel good and you don't ever want to put it down. It's full of humor and sadness and life; and you just can't wait to find out what will happen next.
It's not a literary stand-out or some deep meaning novel - unless you want to quantify "love" and "life goes on" as deep meaning. But it's one of the books that will forever be one of my favorites. I highly recommend it!
I can't say enough good things about this book! From the moment I started reading, it had that special feel - you know, the kind of book that makes you feel good and you don't ever want to put it down. It's full of humor and sadness and life; and you just can't wait to find out what will happen next.
It's not a literary stand-out or some deep meaning novel - unless you want to quantify "love" and "life goes on" as deep meaning. But it's one of the books that will forever be one of my favorites. I highly recommend it!
April 13, 2020
A great story about a very low IQ (but not stupid) 31 year-old, recently bereaved, Percy L Cradill, winning $12M in the weekly Washington State Lottery, and how it effects his life and the people around him. And I have to agree with the Goodreads blurb it "is a deeply satisfying, gorgeously rendered novel about trust, loyalty, and what distinguishes us as capable". Recommended read! 8 out of 12.
March 4, 2008
Sweet story about Perry, man with 76 IQ who wins the lottery. Too much tension for me--wondering if someone would take advantage of him. But cute book overall.
February 19, 2009
This book was great, makes you happy and sad and angry. But mostly makes you think about the good people in your life.
February 2, 2008
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 exception in the LOTTERY is probably David. And then I was thinking about the state of fiction in general and I was then thinking that a lot of Irving's and Proulx's characters have that same quality of good or evil with little gray area. I don't think the world is that way at all, but I think fiction should be that way. I think we need more fiction like Ms. Wood's fiction, not because it's uplifting--which it is--but because there is some kind of ringing truth in the words spoken by the characters and then you want to be like those people and know those kind of people. I'm not sure I know anyone like the character's in Ms. Wood's wonderful novel, not really, I think there is much more gray out there in the world, but I sure as hell would like to know people like hers. That is for certain.
May 6, 2015
Overall a disappointing read. If I hadn't seen the film Forrest Gump, I might have enjoyed the book more. The characters were stereotypical as were the scenes, the only originality came from the setting and the writing, which was very good. If books about intellectually-challenged people are what you are into, I would recommend Daniel Keyes wonderful Flowers for Algernon or Colleen McCullough's Tim - unusually a love story. Or just go and see Forrest Gump.
December 30, 2015
Perry L. Crandall is a warm, struggling character and, as a reader, you're drawn into his story. I really enjoyed this story of finding one's way through difficult circumstances. Throughout the book, I felt myself rooting for Perry, hoping that he wouldn't fall into his family's traps, rejoicing that his friends were true.
I really liked Gram. She was amazing. Perry truly was lucky to be raised by her and Gramps. What a difference that made to his life.
I found the ending unrealistic.....too sweet and perfect; everything just fell into place. I'm also not a fan of "rewarding" people for doing the wrong thing. I know it happens in real life. I understand Perry's reasoning and rejoice in the wisdom behind the decision but some middle-ground may have been more satisfying for me. I don't know....just that the ending didn't seem right. Too pat somehow.
I really liked Gram. She was amazing. Perry truly was lucky to be raised by her and Gramps. What a difference that made to his life.
I found the ending unrealistic.....too sweet and perfect; everything just fell into place. I'm also not a fan of "rewarding" people for doing the wrong thing. I know it happens in real life. I understand Perry's reasoning and rejoice in the wisdom behind the decision but some middle-ground may have been more satisfying for me. I don't know....just that the ending didn't seem right. Too pat somehow.
August 29, 2013
This book had me hooked at the first page. I laughed, I cried, and I really enjoyed this book. The main character was loveable from the beginning and I never got the impression he was "slow".... He seemed so logical and I was really rooting for him the whole time. I can't think of a more inspiring book that I have read this year than this one.
June 6, 2023
With all the “serious” reading I do, I realize that sometimes I just need a “feel-good” novel, where the good guys are good, the villains are bad, and it all works out in the end. Patricia Wood’s premier novel, “Lottery”, was shortlisted for the 2008 Orange Prize and while it wasn’t my favorite of the runners-up, I like it a lot better than the winner, Rose Tremain’s “The Road Home.”
The narrator, Perry Crandall, starts out by reminding us that he’s not retarded because you have to have an I.Q. below 75, or in some cases 70, for that and he has 76. He’s just slow – or as his Gram says, the rest of the world is just too fast, something I’m inclined to agree with at times! – but he’s as good-hearted a person as you can meet. (There’s a tendency here to compare Perry with Forrest Gump but the storylines are nowhere similar.) Perry was abandoned by his mother (boo, hiss!) and left with her in-laws. (The whereabouts of Perry’s father are unclear at first but his story gets filled in.) His grandparents are a model for raising a mentally-challenged child as they support him, never telling him he can’t do something, just telling him it takes more time, and Perry not only learns to be a crack sailor from his Gramps, but auto-sufficient thanks to his Gram who won’t stand for laziness or excuses. After the grandfather dies, Perry and his Gram live pinching pennies, without the support of his “cousin-brothers” (double boo, hiss!) who not only won’t give them a dime to help out but barely maintain any contact. The two live a life of weekly bingo nights and lottery tickets. Perry works in a boating supply store for Gary, along with his best friend, Keith, a flatulent Vietnam vet, visits Cherry, the slightly oversized clerk at the convenience store. These are our good guys. (Yea!)
Then come two dramatic changes. First, Gram dies and his siblings and Mother argue about who’s going to be stuck with Perry, as well as how to get him to sign over his share of the house, which they promptly sell out from under him and give him his “share” - $500. Since none of them want him, he is forced to live in a small apartment over the shop. The second thing that happens is that Perry wins $12 million dollars in the lottery and as can be imagined, everyone who’s ignored him before suddenly takes a great interest in his welfare, particularly his heretofore mostly absent brothers and mother. As expected, there is the sweet talk but as this really goes against their natures, this is quickly followed by more forceful actions, as they are desperate for the money. The younger of the two brothers is a milquetoast with his lawyer wife barking up his ass, the mother may be more accustomed to earning a living lying on her back, and the oldest is on his fifth wife with legal and illegal financial problems; the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree, as we find out. (No spoiler here as most of this is either on the book cover or easily predictable.)
All of this plays out with tragedy and happiness with a good deal of humor packed in, especially as Perry may know right from wrong but is still a bit of an innocent and we’re with his friends, all screaming from the sidelines about what he should and shouldn’t do. The ending was not exactly as I expected but plausible, especially since in my reader’s heart, I knew it wouldn’t end badly; a few scraped knees but a happy ending nonetheless.
The narrator, Perry Crandall, starts out by reminding us that he’s not retarded because you have to have an I.Q. below 75, or in some cases 70, for that and he has 76. He’s just slow – or as his Gram says, the rest of the world is just too fast, something I’m inclined to agree with at times! – but he’s as good-hearted a person as you can meet. (There’s a tendency here to compare Perry with Forrest Gump but the storylines are nowhere similar.) Perry was abandoned by his mother (boo, hiss!) and left with her in-laws. (The whereabouts of Perry’s father are unclear at first but his story gets filled in.) His grandparents are a model for raising a mentally-challenged child as they support him, never telling him he can’t do something, just telling him it takes more time, and Perry not only learns to be a crack sailor from his Gramps, but auto-sufficient thanks to his Gram who won’t stand for laziness or excuses. After the grandfather dies, Perry and his Gram live pinching pennies, without the support of his “cousin-brothers” (double boo, hiss!) who not only won’t give them a dime to help out but barely maintain any contact. The two live a life of weekly bingo nights and lottery tickets. Perry works in a boating supply store for Gary, along with his best friend, Keith, a flatulent Vietnam vet, visits Cherry, the slightly oversized clerk at the convenience store. These are our good guys. (Yea!)
Then come two dramatic changes. First, Gram dies and his siblings and Mother argue about who’s going to be stuck with Perry, as well as how to get him to sign over his share of the house, which they promptly sell out from under him and give him his “share” - $500. Since none of them want him, he is forced to live in a small apartment over the shop. The second thing that happens is that Perry wins $12 million dollars in the lottery and as can be imagined, everyone who’s ignored him before suddenly takes a great interest in his welfare, particularly his heretofore mostly absent brothers and mother. As expected, there is the sweet talk but as this really goes against their natures, this is quickly followed by more forceful actions, as they are desperate for the money. The younger of the two brothers is a milquetoast with his lawyer wife barking up his ass, the mother may be more accustomed to earning a living lying on her back, and the oldest is on his fifth wife with legal and illegal financial problems; the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree, as we find out. (No spoiler here as most of this is either on the book cover or easily predictable.)
All of this plays out with tragedy and happiness with a good deal of humor packed in, especially as Perry may know right from wrong but is still a bit of an innocent and we’re with his friends, all screaming from the sidelines about what he should and shouldn’t do. The ending was not exactly as I expected but plausible, especially since in my reader’s heart, I knew it wouldn’t end badly; a few scraped knees but a happy ending nonetheless.
December 27, 2008
Vague-ish spoilers! This one's kind of between two and three stars for me. Three because it's set in Everett with mentions of Seattle and other local locales and stuff about the sea life, and also because it does pick up at the end and turn out feel-good. Two because oh my god did it take forever to get there, and BECAUSE it turns out feel-good.
As another reviewer so aptly wrote, this book is Forest Gump Wins the Lottery. I listened to it on CD, which was good because if I had been reading it would've driven me nuts. I KNOW the character's slow, but the repetition became overwhelming after a bit. I mean, the book's like 63 chapters long! Sheesh! And it's a bit too pat for me. AND it isn't till later you realize the HUGE age difference between a couple of the characters and you're like. Um. That's just a step before statuatory rape.
But it's a easy read (err, listen), and Perry L. Crandell's got a heart of gold. Not so sure I bought the ending with him and her (Wow. Seriously convenient) but at least our Perry got some.
As another reviewer so aptly wrote, this book is Forest Gump Wins the Lottery. I listened to it on CD, which was good because if I had been reading it would've driven me nuts. I KNOW the character's slow, but the repetition became overwhelming after a bit. I mean, the book's like 63 chapters long! Sheesh! And it's a bit too pat for me. AND it isn't till later you realize the HUGE age difference between a couple of the characters and you're like. Um. That's just a step before statuatory rape.
But it's a easy read (err, listen), and Perry L. Crandell's got a heart of gold. Not so sure I bought the ending with him and her (Wow. Seriously convenient) but at least our Perry got some.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2014
Not my typical read. I found this book pretty sad and got frustrated at parts with the main character. I think this is because the book was written from the perspective of a person with a developmental disability. I think the point was to put yourself in someone else's shoes and the author did a good job of portraying the character's point of view, but after a while the language irritated me(it was fairly simple and repetitive). The main character's disability makes him very honest and innocent and he doesn't get afflicted with greed or anger in situations where most people would. I kept on wanting to intervene with the character to make him act/react differently. The story itself also seemed a bit slow, however it was an easy read and things worked out in the end.
March 18, 2016
Perry L. Crandall will be the first to tell you that he is not "retarded" (just slow) because he has an IQ of 76, not 75. The grandmother who raised him instilled him with self-esteem and taught him honesty and survival skills that served him well after he won the Washington state lottery. It was gut wrenching to read about the many attempts to swindle him out of his lottery earnings. This is the story of man who not only survived, but triumped, with the support of his benevolent employer and two best friends. A heartwarming story of the power of common sense and integrity.
November 8, 2008
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.
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.
July 12, 2013
This week I read Lottery by Patricia Wood. I. Love. This. BOOK! But before I get to my review, here's a little blurb about the author:
Patricia Wood was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She has served in the US Army, worked as a Medical Technologist, been a horseback-riding instructor, and most recently taught marine science in a public high school working with high-risk students in Honolulu. Patricia is an avid SCUBA diver, has assisted with shark research, won the Hawaii State Jumper Championship with her horse Airborne and crewed in a 39-foot sailboat across the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu to San Francisco. Currently she is a PhD student at the University of Hawaii, focusing on education, disability and diversity. Lottery is inspired by her work, as well as by a number of events in her life, including her father winning the Washington State Lottery. She lives with her husband in Hawaii.
For those of you who know me because you've followed my blog for a long time, you can see right away that Patricia and I have a lot in common. Her work in education, especially with special needs students, influenced her writing of Lottery.
"My name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded. Gram always told me that the L stood for lucky."
Perry L. Crandall is one of the most intriguing and likable characters ever. Reared by his grandparents, Perry works very hard to make a 76 on his IQ test. As IDEA is passed, he's taken out of his contained classroom and away from his caring teacher, Miss Elk, and mainstreamed into a class with a reluctant teacher and little instructional support. The "pull outs" don't help much at all, and when his classroom teacher calls him an idiot, Gram pulls him out of school and homeschools him. She focuses on the importance of vocabulary, writing things down, and whom Perry can trust. They keep a running list of people who are trustworthy and who aren't because Perry is "very suggestible." I love how a nun's status is constantly changing. :D
Gram's lessons prove appropriate as Perry wins the lottery soon after her death. Perry moves to the apartment over Holsted's Marine Supply where he's worked for many years. Gary, his boss, is good to him, and he gives him increased responsibility in the shop. Keith, one of his co-workers, has always treated Perry like a human being. He has been a great friend to Perry, and they spend quite a bit of time together. Another important person in Perry's life is Cherry, a spunky, "beautiful" convenience store clerk Perry has been crushing on for a long time. Perry is going to need the support of the good people in his life because the vultures are circling. Perry's family, mostly composed of attorneys, plan to "invest" the twelve million dollars Perry won in the Washington State Lottery by putting it in a family trust.
One of the things I love about the book is how each chapter begins with Perry's vocabulary words for the day. He has been working through the entire dictionary for years, and the words are a motif reflecting the action in the chapters. Another aspect about the book I appreciate is the POV. Told entirely from Perry's point of view, it is refreshing to see the world through Perry's eyes and language, and suddenly it becomes clear that intelligence does not always equal wisdom: Perry makes wise decisions and understands what's truly important in life. Plus, he's a gentleman and doesn't curse.
Sweet, funny, passionate, heartbreaking, and moving, Lottery will stay with me forever. This is a fantastic first novel, and I'm anxiously awaiting more from Patricia Wood.
Patricia Wood was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She has served in the US Army, worked as a Medical Technologist, been a horseback-riding instructor, and most recently taught marine science in a public high school working with high-risk students in Honolulu. Patricia is an avid SCUBA diver, has assisted with shark research, won the Hawaii State Jumper Championship with her horse Airborne and crewed in a 39-foot sailboat across the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu to San Francisco. Currently she is a PhD student at the University of Hawaii, focusing on education, disability and diversity. Lottery is inspired by her work, as well as by a number of events in her life, including her father winning the Washington State Lottery. She lives with her husband in Hawaii.
For those of you who know me because you've followed my blog for a long time, you can see right away that Patricia and I have a lot in common. Her work in education, especially with special needs students, influenced her writing of Lottery.
"My name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded. Gram always told me that the L stood for lucky."
Perry L. Crandall is one of the most intriguing and likable characters ever. Reared by his grandparents, Perry works very hard to make a 76 on his IQ test. As IDEA is passed, he's taken out of his contained classroom and away from his caring teacher, Miss Elk, and mainstreamed into a class with a reluctant teacher and little instructional support. The "pull outs" don't help much at all, and when his classroom teacher calls him an idiot, Gram pulls him out of school and homeschools him. She focuses on the importance of vocabulary, writing things down, and whom Perry can trust. They keep a running list of people who are trustworthy and who aren't because Perry is "very suggestible." I love how a nun's status is constantly changing. :D
Gram's lessons prove appropriate as Perry wins the lottery soon after her death. Perry moves to the apartment over Holsted's Marine Supply where he's worked for many years. Gary, his boss, is good to him, and he gives him increased responsibility in the shop. Keith, one of his co-workers, has always treated Perry like a human being. He has been a great friend to Perry, and they spend quite a bit of time together. Another important person in Perry's life is Cherry, a spunky, "beautiful" convenience store clerk Perry has been crushing on for a long time. Perry is going to need the support of the good people in his life because the vultures are circling. Perry's family, mostly composed of attorneys, plan to "invest" the twelve million dollars Perry won in the Washington State Lottery by putting it in a family trust.
One of the things I love about the book is how each chapter begins with Perry's vocabulary words for the day. He has been working through the entire dictionary for years, and the words are a motif reflecting the action in the chapters. Another aspect about the book I appreciate is the POV. Told entirely from Perry's point of view, it is refreshing to see the world through Perry's eyes and language, and suddenly it becomes clear that intelligence does not always equal wisdom: Perry makes wise decisions and understands what's truly important in life. Plus, he's a gentleman and doesn't curse.
Sweet, funny, passionate, heartbreaking, and moving, Lottery will stay with me forever. This is a fantastic first novel, and I'm anxiously awaiting more from Patricia Wood.
October 11, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The important characters had depth..just common folk who understand what the important things are in life, especially love.. I also appreciated that the author is pursuing her Ph.D. In special education. She obviously has a passion for those who are cognitively challenged, and it shows in her beautiful and authentic portrayal of Perry.
July 22, 2015
I found Lottery and took it. On a table in the lobby, where you procrastinate books you don't want anymore. For free. And so it seemed.
Read during vacation trip in Bulgaria
The narrator is a young man Perry L. Crandall, which measured IQ 76, but according his own words IS NOT RETARDED, just slow. And that is the whole book.
Despite the fact that Perry IS NOT RETARDED, he's a man, and men are retarded. All of them. I apologize a few gentlemen here. And if not, what about drunkenness, abuse and inability to remember to use that damn deodorant? With this book, you may be able to study men. Yes, the author is a woman.
So we have constantly drunk Keith. John, nail eater. David with MBA degree - "must be arrogant". Tattooed and pierced Cherry. And Perry, who is not retarded.
Don't know if this is a book for adults or kids, but I'm neither. No, I'm not an alien! Hope so.
At one point, Wood teaches you what is a bank account, and then describes how is Perry's penis up.
I loved one thing about this book. Quickly read. That means less pain and more beneficial activities. And to be honest - short sentences are cool. But this --> "I like Cherry, really." on every second page? Meh.
After everything I wrote about Lottery I'm still recommending it to most of you guys! It's not a poor sci-fi with badass characters, but some books must be written from the perspective of those "nice" people. Even though they have the naive view on the world.
Read during vacation trip in Bulgaria
The narrator is a young man Perry L. Crandall, which measured IQ 76, but according his own words IS NOT RETARDED, just slow. And that is the whole book.
Despite the fact that Perry IS NOT RETARDED, he's a man, and men are retarded. All of them. I apologize a few gentlemen here. And if not, what about drunkenness, abuse and inability to remember to use that damn deodorant? With this book, you may be able to study men. Yes, the author is a woman.
So we have constantly drunk Keith. John, nail eater. David with MBA degree - "must be arrogant". Tattooed and pierced Cherry. And Perry, who is not retarded.
Don't know if this is a book for adults or kids, but I'm neither. No, I'm not an alien! Hope so.
At one point, Wood teaches you what is a bank account, and then describes how is Perry's penis up.
I loved one thing about this book. Quickly read. That means less pain and more beneficial activities. And to be honest - short sentences are cool. But this --> "I like Cherry, really." on every second page? Meh.
After everything I wrote about Lottery I'm still recommending it to most of you guys! It's not a poor sci-fi with badass characters, but some books must be written from the perspective of those "nice" people. Even though they have the naive view on the world.
August 31, 2015
This is the story of 31-year-old Perry Crandall who has an IQ of 76, but he's not stupid. As the title suggests he wins the lottery and it is the story of how his family and friends react. Because it is written from Perry's viewpoint it is told in very simple terms. I could only give this book 2.5 stars. While the story was very enjoyable and a quick read I felt that it was too simple, the bad guys (his family members) were totally unbelievable, over-the-top characters and the sentiment, that love is more important than money, so cliche. I can't believe this book was longlisted for the Bailey's prize. I know, I am really just a cynical old lady who does not appreciate the sweetness of this story!
April 8, 2019
Ah, this was a lovely read. I think it's all about the characters, as far as my reading tastes go. I want to like them. It's great if I love them. Those are the books I can't put down. The author does such a good job of nailing the voices of the cousin-brothers in this book. I don't know about you but my eye twitches when dialogue is not authentic (to my ears). It goes twitch. Twitch. Twitchtwitchtwitch and then mark "abandoned."
Happy reading out there,
Pam/Fishgirl
Happy reading out there,
Pam/Fishgirl
June 4, 2016
A book that makes you think about what is really important in life. Nicely done.
January 13, 2021
Thanks to the person who left this in my Little Free Library. I wish I could thank them since if it wasn't for them I would have never discovered this gem of a book.
Perry L. (Lucky) Crandall may be "slow" but he's a lot smarter than a lot of people in this book and in life. His gram taught him since he was always ridiculed at school for being "retarded." However, he never believed that and he was always slow because his IQ was higher than being "retarded." He had his friends Gary & Keith at the boat store where he worked at for over 16 years and they looked out for him just as much as his gram did before she died. I wish she was there when he won the lottery. He knew Cherry from the grocery store (where he went for his slushies and his favorite candy-- Hershey kisses) she worked at and he was in love with her but she ended up with Keith but Perry was okay with that.
His family all of a sudden come into the picture after to take advantage of him since he won the lottery. He wasn't so dumb after all as I found out. I loved how he did his words every day and he knew what every one of them meant and the different meanings too of each of them. I think he finally got to "U" by the end of the book. Speaking of which, I'm not going to spoil it but I cried so hard almost at the end of the book and during the epilogue.
Perry L. (Lucky) Crandall may be "slow" but he's a lot smarter than a lot of people in this book and in life. His gram taught him since he was always ridiculed at school for being "retarded." However, he never believed that and he was always slow because his IQ was higher than being "retarded." He had his friends Gary & Keith at the boat store where he worked at for over 16 years and they looked out for him just as much as his gram did before she died. I wish she was there when he won the lottery. He knew Cherry from the grocery store (where he went for his slushies and his favorite candy-- Hershey kisses) she worked at and he was in love with her but she ended up with Keith but Perry was okay with that.
His family all of a sudden come into the picture after to take advantage of him since he won the lottery. He wasn't so dumb after all as I found out. I loved how he did his words every day and he knew what every one of them meant and the different meanings too of each of them. I think he finally got to "U" by the end of the book. Speaking of which, I'm not going to spoil it but I cried so hard almost at the end of the book and during the epilogue.
September 9, 2014
Lottery was a book I bought light years ago with my previously reviewed book, The Tenderness Of Wolves. Did I buy it for the reviews? Was it on sale? Could I have been hoping that the secrets of winning the lottery were deep within?
I’m not sure, but I did feel like I won with this book. Not the big jackpot, but a satisfying amount that allows you to brag a little.
This book will be like spending 340 pages with Forest Gump. Their IQ is about the same and both share that charming innocence that we love about Forest. (They said it was a million dollar shot, but the army must keep that money because I never did see a nickel from it). Lottery’s main character Perry L Crandall says ridiculously funny things throughout the book. Often I found myself explaining to the beau why I was snort laughing in the other room. “Oh, Perry. He says the funniest things.”
Much like Forest, Randall’s character is taken advantage of frequently during the book. People make fun of him and you are never sure what will make you cry more… when he realizes that they are poking fun at him or when he doesn’t. He such a sweet soul and you’ll find jerks walking all over him throughout the story, especially when the lottery winnings start coming in. His sleazy family can’t wait to get their grubby hands on the goods. His friends try to protect him, including Keith who reminds me a bit of angry, drunk Lieutenant Dan.
Even though the book is entertaining, at times it can be like watching a train wreck. Many reviewers commented on the repetition throughout the book. It didn’t bother me, but I can see where it could get annoying. (Nowhere as much as 50 Shades of Grey’s thousands of murmurings.)
Lottery is an easy read when you need something to make you giggle. It’s also a nice time to reflect on how some people can be jerks to the sweetest souls. I’ve seen several people say it is a book club read, but I think this is more of one to enjoy on your own.
melaniejomoore.com
I’m not sure, but I did feel like I won with this book. Not the big jackpot, but a satisfying amount that allows you to brag a little.
This book will be like spending 340 pages with Forest Gump. Their IQ is about the same and both share that charming innocence that we love about Forest. (They said it was a million dollar shot, but the army must keep that money because I never did see a nickel from it). Lottery’s main character Perry L Crandall says ridiculously funny things throughout the book. Often I found myself explaining to the beau why I was snort laughing in the other room. “Oh, Perry. He says the funniest things.”
Much like Forest, Randall’s character is taken advantage of frequently during the book. People make fun of him and you are never sure what will make you cry more… when he realizes that they are poking fun at him or when he doesn’t. He such a sweet soul and you’ll find jerks walking all over him throughout the story, especially when the lottery winnings start coming in. His sleazy family can’t wait to get their grubby hands on the goods. His friends try to protect him, including Keith who reminds me a bit of angry, drunk Lieutenant Dan.
Even though the book is entertaining, at times it can be like watching a train wreck. Many reviewers commented on the repetition throughout the book. It didn’t bother me, but I can see where it could get annoying. (Nowhere as much as 50 Shades of Grey’s thousands of murmurings.)
Lottery is an easy read when you need something to make you giggle. It’s also a nice time to reflect on how some people can be jerks to the sweetest souls. I’ve seen several people say it is a book club read, but I think this is more of one to enjoy on your own.
melaniejomoore.com
July 18, 2013
This is a beautiful, heart-warming book about a guileless young man and the relationships between him and his family & friends. He was raised by his Gram, who instilled within him common sense, confidence and a healthy dose of questioning others. He was blessed to also have several close friends, who look after him. Perry is "slow" but he is quick to point out that he is not retarded because his IQ is 76. The author's writing puts the reader into the mind of Perry and makes him a very real person, who experiences joy, sadness, love as everyone does. But he displays bits of wisdom that all of us can take heed of. You will alternately worry about him, become angry at those who take advantage of him. I loved the ending. I hope that Patricia Wood writes more books, as this one was so good.
July 6, 2009
For a first time author, Patricia Wood is pretty kick-ass. No joke. I won't sum the story up for you, since you are capable of looking that up for yourself, but I will tell you that I've never been as emotionally attached to a character as I have been with Perry. This book had be laugh-out-loud multiple times, and had me this close (--) to bawling just as much. Really, really, really fine work here. It would've gotten five stars if not for the sappy, hollywood ending that I really did not enjoy, but all in all? It's one of the best books I've ever read. Hah, and I thought I was gonna hate it.
This is one of those "Don't judge a book by it's cover".
This is one of those "Don't judge a book by it's cover".
June 17, 2019
This is a rather sweet novel, about a “slow” person but doesn't sound authentic to me. The protagonist (Perry L. Crandall – the L is for Lucky) was very likable, and his friends were loyal. His relatives except Gram were not nice people, and Perry's Gram told him what is right and what is wrong. Although Perry was sometimes called simple, the book itself was too simplistic. Still, it was a feel-good, light story, and I learned one thing about lottery tickets that had never occurred to me before and made me laugh: Perry and Gram's strategy in buying lottery tickets was to get the ones with more numbers because you get more numbers for your money that way.
January 1, 2013
Perry is about as likable a character as they make them. What a fun book. A range of emotions, and a vivid cast. Enjoyed this one very much. And hey, don't be smart. A triumph of the human spirit, and a reminder that good trumps all.
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