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丕賳丕 賲毓賰賲 丕賱賶 丕賱兀亘丿
賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 鬲乇噩賲丞 賱乇賵丕賷丞 ( 兀賳丕 賲毓賰賲 丕賱賶 丕賱兀亘丿 ) 賱賱兀丿賷亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 賮乇賷丿 鬲卮丕亘賱 賵賴賷 鬲賳鬲賲賷 丕賱賶 兀丿亘 丕賱噩賳賵亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 貙 賵鬲毓亘乇 賮賷 賲囟賲賵賳賴丕 毓賳 賲丕 賷孬丕乇 賲賳 氐乇丕毓丕鬲 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丨賷孬 鬲毓賰爻 胤亘賷毓丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞 丕賱賲鬲賵賴噩丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲乇賯丿 鬲丨鬲 爻胤丨 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賷賵賲賷丞 丕賱毓丕丿賷丞 .
賵賮賷 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賴匕賴 爻賷賱賲爻 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賴匕丕 丕賱氐乇丕毓 貙 賵爻賷噩丿賴 賷賱丨 毓賱賶 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丕賳 丕禺鬲賱賮 丕賱夭賲丕賳 賮丕賱賲賰丕賳 丕賱匕賷 鬲丿賵乇 賮賷賴 兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲夭乇毓丞 賵丕丿毓丞 亘賷賳 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賮賷 賵賱丕賷丞 賳賵乇孬 賰丕乇賵賱賷賳丕 丕賱噩賳賵亘賷丞 貙 鬲卮亘賴 賮賷 亘乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賵毓夭賱鬲賴丕 丕賱噩賳丞 貙 賱賰賳賴丕 乇睾賲 匕賱賰 賱賷爻鬲 丕賱噩賳丞 貙 賮賴賷 鬲鬲胤賱亘 毓賲賱丕賸 卮丕賯丕賸 .
賵賮賷 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賴匕賴 爻賷賱賲爻 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賴匕丕 丕賱氐乇丕毓 貙 賵爻賷噩丿賴 賷賱丨 毓賱賶 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丕賳 丕禺鬲賱賮 丕賱夭賲丕賳 賮丕賱賲賰丕賳 丕賱匕賷 鬲丿賵乇 賮賷賴 兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲夭乇毓丞 賵丕丿毓丞 亘賷賳 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賮賷 賵賱丕賷丞 賳賵乇孬 賰丕乇賵賱賷賳丕 丕賱噩賳賵亘賷丞 貙 鬲卮亘賴 賮賷 亘乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賵毓夭賱鬲賴丕 丕賱噩賳丞 貙 賱賰賳賴丕 乇睾賲 匕賱賰 賱賷爻鬲 丕賱噩賳丞 貙 賮賴賷 鬲鬲胤賱亘 毓賲賱丕賸 卮丕賯丕賸 .
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
74 people are currently reading
1,908 people want to read
About the author
Fred Chappell
134听books115听followersFred Davis Chappell retired after 40 years as an English professor at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was the Poet Laureate of North Carolina from 1997-2002. He attended Duke University.
His 1968 novel Dagon, which was named the Best Foreign Book of the Year by the Academie Fran莽aise, is a recasting of a Cthulhu Mythos horror story as a psychologically realistic Southern Gothic.
His literary awards include the Prix de Meilleur des Livres Etrangers, the Bollingen Prize, and the T. S. Eliot Prize.
His 1968 novel Dagon, which was named the Best Foreign Book of the Year by the Academie Fran莽aise, is a recasting of a Cthulhu Mythos horror story as a psychologically realistic Southern Gothic.
His literary awards include the Prix de Meilleur des Livres Etrangers, the Bollingen Prize, and the T. S. Eliot Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
August 1, 2022
乇賵丕賷丞 噩賲賷賱丞 亘丿亍丕 賲賳 丕賱睾賱丕賮.. 賲夭賷噩 亘賷賳 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賵丕賱禺賷丕賱 賵亘賷賳 丕賱賮賰丕賴丞 賵丕賱丨夭賳
賷丨賰賷 氐亘賷 毓賳 丨賷丕鬲賴 賮賷 賲夭乇毓丞 亘賷賳 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賮賷 丕賱噩賳賵亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 賮賷 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞
賰賱 賮氐賱 丨賰丕賷丞 噩丿賷丿丞 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲 噩丿賷丿丞.. 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱卮丕賯 賮賷 丕賱賲夭乇毓丞, 丕賱夭賵丕乇 賵丕賱兀賯丕乇亘
丕賱賲卮丕賰爻丕鬲 賵丕賱賲毓丕亘孬丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯賵賲 亘賴丕 丕賱兀亘 賵丕賱兀禺 賲毓 兀賮乇丕丿 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞
鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賲賲賷夭丞 賵禺丕氐丞賸 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱兀亘, 兀爻賱賵亘 噩賲賷賱 賵爻乇丿 賲乇丨 賵賲賲鬲毓
賷丨賰賷 氐亘賷 毓賳 丨賷丕鬲賴 賮賷 賲夭乇毓丞 亘賷賳 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賮賷 丕賱噩賳賵亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 賮賷 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞
賰賱 賮氐賱 丨賰丕賷丞 噩丿賷丿丞 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲 噩丿賷丿丞.. 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱卮丕賯 賮賷 丕賱賲夭乇毓丞, 丕賱夭賵丕乇 賵丕賱兀賯丕乇亘
丕賱賲卮丕賰爻丕鬲 賵丕賱賲毓丕亘孬丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯賵賲 亘賴丕 丕賱兀亘 賵丕賱兀禺 賲毓 兀賮乇丕丿 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞
鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賲賲賷夭丞 賵禺丕氐丞賸 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱兀亘, 兀爻賱賵亘 噩賲賷賱 賵爻乇丿 賲乇丨 賵賲賲鬲毓
June 29, 2019
I was under the impression that this was a novel, but it's actually a book of short stories. Some of them are tall tales, there's an element of magical realism in a lot of them, but the same cast of characters are in each story, with a revolving cast of visiting aunts and uncles, each more eccentric than the last. The writing is spectacular, the dialogue is perfect, with lots of humor and a little bit of sadness.
August 16, 2015
To go fishing with your father: that is an ancient and elemental proposition, and it is not as overwhelming as sex or death or the secret lives of animals, still there are legendary shadows about it entrancing to a boy twelve years old.
This is a simple, lovely, elegiac novel of a young boy's life on a North Carolina farm during the forties. The story is woven as a series of events and anecdotes. Visiting relatives take on almost mythological proportions as tellers of tall tales, sprouters of mystical beards, and the butts of practical jokes. I really enjoyed the sibling-like relationship between the narrator and the family's hired farmhand.
Oh, and this line from the young man watching his parents say goodbye - They engaged in a kiss that wasn't brief enough to suit me as I stared at the wall. - made me chuckle with the way it quintessentially captures a childhood moment that is "all-boy."
There's definitely a bittersweet tone to this book, a constant reminder that life is brief, and memories need to be accumulated and savored.
This is a simple, lovely, elegiac novel of a young boy's life on a North Carolina farm during the forties. The story is woven as a series of events and anecdotes. Visiting relatives take on almost mythological proportions as tellers of tall tales, sprouters of mystical beards, and the butts of practical jokes. I really enjoyed the sibling-like relationship between the narrator and the family's hired farmhand.
Oh, and this line from the young man watching his parents say goodbye - They engaged in a kiss that wasn't brief enough to suit me as I stared at the wall. - made me chuckle with the way it quintessentially captures a childhood moment that is "all-boy."
There's definitely a bittersweet tone to this book, a constant reminder that life is brief, and memories need to be accumulated and savored.
June 11, 2017
睾乇賷亘 賰賷賮 兀賳 亘毓囟 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賲賲賳 賷賰鬲亘賵賳 乇賵丕卅毓 賱丕 賷丨馗賵賳 亘卮賴乇丞 賰賲賳 賴賲 兀賯賱 賲賳賴賲 廿亘丿丕毓丕 賵賲賵賴亘丞!..賮乇賷丿 鬲卮丕亘賱 賲孬丕賱 毓賱賶 匕賱賰
賵乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賴匕賴 賲賲鬲毓丞 賵賱胤賷賮丞 賵丨賲賷賲賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 丕賱賮賳鬲丕夭賷丕 丿丕禺賱賴丕.. 賯乇丕亍丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 毓賱賶 兀賲賱 兀賳 鬲鬲乇噩賲 賱賴 兀毓賲丕賱 兀禺乇賶
賵乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賴匕賴 賲賲鬲毓丞 賵賱胤賷賮丞 賵丨賲賷賲賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 丕賱賮賳鬲丕夭賷丕 丿丕禺賱賴丕.. 賯乇丕亍丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 毓賱賶 兀賲賱 兀賳 鬲鬲乇噩賲 賱賴 兀毓賲丕賱 兀禺乇賶
September 30, 2012
Fred Chappell is one of my favorite Appalachian writers--maybe one of the most enjoyable writers I've read in general. This book (published in 1985) is the first of what some call the "Kirkman Tetralogy"--four books narrated by Jess Kirkman. Jess would seem to be a thinly veiled autobiographical representation of Chappell. In this book, we visit his memories of preteen years growing up in North Carolina in the 1940s. We come to know the Kirkman/Sorrels family, particularly Jess's father Joe Robert, with whom he shares a genuine friendship, and we meet a host of others (mostly Uncles and one Aunt) who drift in and out of his life. Chappell produces characters who talk and act in ways that seem entirely realistic and sincere and then just occasionally slips in something magical that catches both the characters and the reader a bit off guard.
You can pick up just about any chapter of this book and read it as a complete and satisfying short story mixing what seems like dead-on description of life in the rural south with what seems like a homespun folk tale. However, the common threads of Jess's coming of age, his relationship to his father, and a family tragedy that effects everyone ties it all together nicely.
You can pick up just about any chapter of this book and read it as a complete and satisfying short story mixing what seems like dead-on description of life in the rural south with what seems like a homespun folk tale. However, the common threads of Jess's coming of age, his relationship to his father, and a family tragedy that effects everyone ties it all together nicely.
August 10, 2009
The perfect rendering of a Southern childhood. I'm buying this book for people constantly
October 11, 2014
"The bright happy days darted past us like minnows."
Jess Kirkman, is a ten year old boy, growing up on a "scratch-ankle mountain farm", in western North Carolina. It is the early years of World War II. He lives with his parents, grandmother and an, older foster brother, he idolizes. Revolving through this wonderful coming of age novel, are a cast of visiting uncles and aunts, each more colorful and eccentric than the next, keeping Jess wide-eyed and awestruck.
The prose is gorgeous; poetic, touching and sometimes very funny. There are also bursts of magical realism, that take the simple rural tale to unexpected places. Also the dialogue, is deft and rich, like this passage, with the foster brother bragging to Jess about his baseball finesse:
"They never got good wood on me and only bad wood when I wanted to give my fielders something to do. I had them looking every place but where the ball was. I had them hypnotized, hornswoggled, and hooligated. They prayed rain on when I was going to pitch and I prayed it off again."
Simply beautiful.
Jess Kirkman, is a ten year old boy, growing up on a "scratch-ankle mountain farm", in western North Carolina. It is the early years of World War II. He lives with his parents, grandmother and an, older foster brother, he idolizes. Revolving through this wonderful coming of age novel, are a cast of visiting uncles and aunts, each more colorful and eccentric than the next, keeping Jess wide-eyed and awestruck.
The prose is gorgeous; poetic, touching and sometimes very funny. There are also bursts of magical realism, that take the simple rural tale to unexpected places. Also the dialogue, is deft and rich, like this passage, with the foster brother bragging to Jess about his baseball finesse:
"They never got good wood on me and only bad wood when I wanted to give my fielders something to do. I had them looking every place but where the ball was. I had them hypnotized, hornswoggled, and hooligated. They prayed rain on when I was going to pitch and I prayed it off again."
Simply beautiful.
May 20, 2019
For some reason, I've never been a big fan of short-story collections. It may be that they often do not give me time to identify with a character before the tale ends. This charming collection, however, centers around one family and their eccentric queue of relatives who come to stay with them.
The poet laureate of North Carolina wrote this book, and it amazed me that his wording and phrases were so reachable. A fairly shallow reader, poetry itself usually has meanings Im not deep enough to plumb. This felt like a long happy visit with family. After reading maybe six novels of well written grit-lit, I cracked this open, and it was like butterscotch and sunshine - sweet and lovely. Totally enjoyed it!
The poet laureate of North Carolina wrote this book, and it amazed me that his wording and phrases were so reachable. A fairly shallow reader, poetry itself usually has meanings Im not deep enough to plumb. This felt like a long happy visit with family. After reading maybe six novels of well written grit-lit, I cracked this open, and it was like butterscotch and sunshine - sweet and lovely. Totally enjoyed it!
June 24, 2015
Jess, his mom, dad, grandmother and farmhand/adoptive brother, Johnson, live a quiet life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. They farm, visit with relatives, play some baseball, and get up to a whole lot of no good, as my grandmother would say. Jess's dad is a mischief-maker. He just can't help it. Johnson and Jess adore him and follow his lead in everything. Whether it's Halloween tricks or trying to find out exactly how long Uncle Gurton's beard really is, they are always up to something.
I laughed so hard reading this! My poor husband might as well have read it with me; I read all the good parts out loud to him anyway, and they were all good parts. He's not much of a reader and it just blows his mind when I start guffawing out of the blue at something I've read, but even he let out a few chuckles as I read to him.
I read and enjoyed Brighten the Corner Where You Are by this author several years ago. It was funny and then all of a sudden it had this serious message. It was also written from a child's point of view, so the kid's missing what's going on but the older reader really sees it. Well played, Mr. Chappell. I waited for something to come out and hit me in this book too. It didn't really happen. There was a bit in there about the cost of war, and I guess you could even say something about what soldiers in WWII were fighting to protect, but mostly this felt like a bunch of good family stories of the sort that tend to take on a life of their own.
I feel like I write this every time I read a well-written book set in Appalachia, but these characters felt like my people. I call this part of the world home and always have. The word choice, the eccentric characters, the tight-knit families that tease each other mercilessly but always have each other's backs--that describes my extended family. I just love when someone records it and gets it right. Times are changing everywhere, even in these sleepy mountains, but at least our way of life is preserved for the future somewhere.
For a good laugh and a look at a simpler time and way of life, give this one a try.
I laughed so hard reading this! My poor husband might as well have read it with me; I read all the good parts out loud to him anyway, and they were all good parts. He's not much of a reader and it just blows his mind when I start guffawing out of the blue at something I've read, but even he let out a few chuckles as I read to him.
I read and enjoyed Brighten the Corner Where You Are by this author several years ago. It was funny and then all of a sudden it had this serious message. It was also written from a child's point of view, so the kid's missing what's going on but the older reader really sees it. Well played, Mr. Chappell. I waited for something to come out and hit me in this book too. It didn't really happen. There was a bit in there about the cost of war, and I guess you could even say something about what soldiers in WWII were fighting to protect, but mostly this felt like a bunch of good family stories of the sort that tend to take on a life of their own.
I feel like I write this every time I read a well-written book set in Appalachia, but these characters felt like my people. I call this part of the world home and always have. The word choice, the eccentric characters, the tight-knit families that tease each other mercilessly but always have each other's backs--that describes my extended family. I just love when someone records it and gets it right. Times are changing everywhere, even in these sleepy mountains, but at least our way of life is preserved for the future somewhere.
For a good laugh and a look at a simpler time and way of life, give this one a try.
March 12, 2008
How do I explain a book like, "I Am One of You Forever"? It was deeply satisfying - the luminous prose, the tying up of loose ends...just tight enough...the mix of strange and commonplace. There are few books that cause me to make audible sounds when I read them (unless I'm reading aloud of course). This book made me laugh outloud as well as gasp at the pure genius of how Chappell strings words together. His writing is filled with unique similes and metaphors, creating clear pictures for my mind's eye. These word pictures made his characters (cooky as many of them were) very nearly jump off the page and sit down next to me.
Yes. A deeply satisfying read for sure.
Yes. A deeply satisfying read for sure.
July 19, 2009
This has been in and out of my "to read" pile for close to 15 years. I am so glad it made it to the top of pile when I needed lots of laughs. Another title might be "Men (and the Boys Who Love Them) Behaving Badly in a Kinder, Gentler Time." Pick this one up when you need to be reminded of one universal truth--families, whether they have all the advantages or not, are only as strong as the love, patience, and acceptance they give each other.
December 9, 2009
Read an Arabic translation by Nehad Seleha
賳賴丕丿 氐賱賷丨丞
The book is not an ordinary adventure book. It is very funny but so touching too. The of integration of magical realism into the book is done very beautifully. There is a 4-page chapter called 丕賱亘乇賯賷丞 The Telegram ... it is one of the best things I've read EVER.
賳賴丕丿 氐賱賷丨丞
The book is not an ordinary adventure book. It is very funny but so touching too. The of integration of magical realism into the book is done very beautifully. There is a 4-page chapter called 丕賱亘乇賯賷丞 The Telegram ... it is one of the best things I've read EVER.
Shelved as 'to-buy'
June 14, 2019Sarah Addison Allen's named it as one of her favorite magical realism books.
May 10, 2022
"I felt that I understood him in a way I hadn't before. He was some necessary part of nature we hadn't recognized, seeing him only as a windy old man. But he was more than that, and different. What was he doing now that the story had ended in him? Why, he was sitting on the tree, giving audience to the history of its regal life and calamitous downfall, a story I couldn't hear."
A new personal classic. The world through the eyes of an observant, adoring, mischievous son gathering all he knows from his family. Funny, heartfelt, imaginative--at times preposterously so--all the magic of a child's mind and the grit of farm life in 1940's North Carolina. A treasure & a delight. Yes!!!! <3
A new personal classic. The world through the eyes of an observant, adoring, mischievous son gathering all he knows from his family. Funny, heartfelt, imaginative--at times preposterously so--all the magic of a child's mind and the grit of farm life in 1940's North Carolina. A treasure & a delight. Yes!!!! <3
July 26, 2024
Walking away from this book feels like leaving my grandparents鈥� house. There鈥檚 a sharp pang in my heart and stomach- like I鈥檓 leaving something behind that I should hold close, something precious. These characters became like family and in the cadence of the stories was a soft familiarity.
June 22, 2022
4.5 - there isn鈥檛 much of an overarching plot, but the writing is beautiful. the ending is absolutely incredible and really made this book meaningful (before, would be a 3-4 star)
November 8, 2018
賷氐丨亘賳丕 丕賱胤賮賱 丕賱乇丕賵賷 (噩賷爻) 廿賱賷 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 賱賱噩賳賵亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 , 丨賷孬 丕賱賲乇丕毓賷 賵丕賱賲夭丕乇毓 賵丕賱賲爻丕丨丕鬲 丕賱卮丕爻毓丞 賵爻丨乇 丕賱胤亘賷毓丞 丕賱禺賱丕亘 , 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱亘賯毓丞 丕賱賲賳毓夭賱丞 賳爻亘賷丕賸 毓賳 丕賱賲丿賳 鬲丿賵乇 兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 賮鬲乇丞 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 1939-1945.
賷夭賵乇 亘賷鬲 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 亘賷賳 丕賱丨賷賳 賵丕賱丌禺乇 亘毓囟 丕賱兀毓賲丕賲 賵丕賱毓賲丕鬲 賲賳 兀賯丕乇亘 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 , 鬲禺鬲賱賮 卮禺氐賷丕鬲賴賲 , 賮鬲噩丿 賴匕丕 睾乇賷亘 丕賱兀胤賵丕乇 賵賴匕丕 鬲氐乇賮丕鬲賴 賲乇賷亘丞 , 賳噩丿 兀賷囟丕賸 氐丿賷賯 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 (噩賵賳爻賵賳) 匕賱賰 丕賱賮鬲賷 丕賱匕賷 鬲賲賳賷 兀賳 賷毓賷卮 賮賷 爻賱丕賲 賵賱賰賳 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱賱毓賷賳丞 兀亘鬲 毓賱賷賴 匕賱賰.
爻鬲賯丕亘賱 丕賱禺丕賱 賱賵丿賳 亘賲睾丕賲乇丕鬲賴 丕賱賳爻丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲孬賷乇丞 , 賵丕賱毓賲 噩賷乇鬲賵賳 賵賱丨賷鬲賴 丕賱兀爻胤賵乇賷丞 , 賵丕賱毓賲 夭賷賳賵 賵丨賰丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱賱丕賳賴丕卅賷丞 , 賵丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賰噩乇賷賮賷 賵丨氐丕賳賴 丕賱賲鬲賰賱賲.
亘亘爻丕胤丞 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賷 鬲賵賱賷賮丞 噩賲賷賱丞 賲賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丕鬲 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲賲賱賰 廿賱丕 兀賳 鬲購毓噩亘 亘賴丕.
賲賱丨賵馗丞 : 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 乇丕卅毓丞 噩丿丕賸.
賷夭賵乇 亘賷鬲 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 亘賷賳 丕賱丨賷賳 賵丕賱丌禺乇 亘毓囟 丕賱兀毓賲丕賲 賵丕賱毓賲丕鬲 賲賳 兀賯丕乇亘 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 , 鬲禺鬲賱賮 卮禺氐賷丕鬲賴賲 , 賮鬲噩丿 賴匕丕 睾乇賷亘 丕賱兀胤賵丕乇 賵賴匕丕 鬲氐乇賮丕鬲賴 賲乇賷亘丞 , 賳噩丿 兀賷囟丕賸 氐丿賷賯 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 (噩賵賳爻賵賳) 匕賱賰 丕賱賮鬲賷 丕賱匕賷 鬲賲賳賷 兀賳 賷毓賷卮 賮賷 爻賱丕賲 賵賱賰賳 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱賱毓賷賳丞 兀亘鬲 毓賱賷賴 匕賱賰.
爻鬲賯丕亘賱 丕賱禺丕賱 賱賵丿賳 亘賲睾丕賲乇丕鬲賴 丕賱賳爻丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲孬賷乇丞 , 賵丕賱毓賲 噩賷乇鬲賵賳 賵賱丨賷鬲賴 丕賱兀爻胤賵乇賷丞 , 賵丕賱毓賲 夭賷賳賵 賵丨賰丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱賱丕賳賴丕卅賷丞 , 賵丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 賲丕賰噩乇賷賮賷 賵丨氐丕賳賴 丕賱賲鬲賰賱賲.
亘亘爻丕胤丞 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賷 鬲賵賱賷賮丞 噩賲賷賱丞 賲賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丕鬲 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲賲賱賰 廿賱丕 兀賳 鬲購毓噩亘 亘賴丕.
賲賱丨賵馗丞 : 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 乇丕卅毓丞 噩丿丕賸.
December 30, 2010
My all-time favorite book. It is a masterpiece of Appalachian story-telling, seamlessly blending the fantastic with harsher realities. I have never wanted so much to read a book aloud, as it needs a mountain twang to be heard properly. Amazing imagery, vivid characters (real people? who can say?). A book with great heart.
July 7, 2012
It has been a while since reading but remember just loving every part of this book.
December 4, 2014
I loved this book! It's a quick read with stories that you're sure did not happen but wish were true!
January 4, 2024
This is a charming look at life in the mountains of North Carolina in the middle of the Second World War, when world events were slowly piercing the barrier that separated the country folks from everyone else caught up in Hitler's aggressive war-making and FDR's resolve to secure the world for freedom. The narrator, Jess, is a young man growing up with his family and the hired hand, Johnson Gibbs, and much of the novel concerns Johnson and his big-brother relationship with Jess.
"I Am One of You Forever," by Fred Chapell, is a book that I can remember being on my mother's bookshelf when I was younger (the cover art is very distinctive), but I'd never read it until now. I think there's more than a hint of magical realism to the whole enterprise, which I liked. Overall, I would say this was a good read, though I might enthuse over it more upon re-reading. For this first time through, I enjoyed it pretty well.
"I Am One of You Forever," by Fred Chapell, is a book that I can remember being on my mother's bookshelf when I was younger (the cover art is very distinctive), but I'd never read it until now. I think there's more than a hint of magical realism to the whole enterprise, which I liked. Overall, I would say this was a good read, though I might enthuse over it more upon re-reading. For this first time through, I enjoyed it pretty well.
June 22, 2020
I Am One of You Forever, Fred Chappell. Rewarding surprises in tone, moving from comic, to fantastical, to tall-tale, to tragic. Set before and during World War II, the novel follows a son鈥攖he narrator鈥攈is father, and a young male orphan the grandmother connives to adopt, so he can help work the farm. Reading what I just wrote reminded me how much like Huckleberry Finn this novel is in its overall narration. Chappell鈥檚 language is divine: it too tumbles from the best and most primitive country metaphor to silken sophistication. There are moments when I had to stop and let my heart catch up. Highly recommended!
August 27, 2019
This is really more of a 3-1/2 star. But since I can't half it, I'll move it up rather than down. I think it deserves more than less.
"The bright happy days darted past us like minnows."
Jess, the son of a North Carolina farmer living in the mountains during World War II, tells the stories of a boy growing up in a rural setting. He uses short stories to tell about growing up with his father, grandmother, mother, Johnson Gibbs (an older boy who comes to live with them that Jess idolizes), and the interesting aunts and uncles whose visits range from fun to weird, fascinating to downright scary. The reader needs to remember that these recollections are from the mind of a young boy so some remembrances may seem like science fiction and be totally unbelievable to the adult mind. Don鈥檛 skim over the part about the word 鈥測ipes鈥�. This had me laughing out loud.
"The bright happy days darted past us like minnows."
Jess, the son of a North Carolina farmer living in the mountains during World War II, tells the stories of a boy growing up in a rural setting. He uses short stories to tell about growing up with his father, grandmother, mother, Johnson Gibbs (an older boy who comes to live with them that Jess idolizes), and the interesting aunts and uncles whose visits range from fun to weird, fascinating to downright scary. The reader needs to remember that these recollections are from the mind of a young boy so some remembrances may seem like science fiction and be totally unbelievable to the adult mind. Don鈥檛 skim over the part about the word 鈥測ipes鈥�. This had me laughing out loud.
May 18, 2017
A small book of mostly short stories involving members of a family living in western North Carolina. They're charming, funny, sad, fanciful, and weird. I enjoyed them, but am not a short story fan for the most part. I like to get really involved in my books and short stories don't do it for me. However, I liked the writing style and plan to read another book by this author - a novel this time.
August 30, 2018
As a devout lover of all Applachain writing, I knew I would love this book, but was so deeply disappointed. The entire novel was very choppy, often times leaving me to believe this would have faired better as a complilation of short stories. I even wanted to throw in the towel (which I have only done twice) and move on to another more interesting read, but I forced myself to finish it. The later chapters were scarely better than the beginning and the conclusion did tie in slightly, but ever so. Unfortunately, I was thoroughly disappointed and find much lack to compare it to many Applachain fiction writers who captivate, intrigue, and capture the essence that is Applachia.
March 1, 2021
爻兀賮鬲賯丿 賰賱 賲賳 賮賷 丕賱賲賳夭賱 噩賷爻 賵噩賵 乇賵亘乇鬲 丕賱丕亘 貙 賵噩賳爻賵賳 賵亘賯賷丞 丕賱毓丕卅賱丞 貙 賱賲 丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳 丕賱氐丿賮丞 丕賱亘丨鬲丞 賮賷 胤乇賯丕鬲 賵爻胤 丕賱亘賱丿 爻鬲賯賵丿賳賷 丕賱賶 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳 丕賮囟賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀鬲賴丕 貙 賴匕賴 丕賱卮丕毓乇賷丞 賵賴匕賴 丕賱亘爻丕胤丞 賱賲 丕乇丕賴丕 丕賱丕 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賰賴賮 賱爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 貙 賱賳 丕賱胤禺 賴匕丕 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 亘賳賯丿 丕賵 鬲毓賱賷賯 .
December 24, 2017
Wow, I got a real Christmas present with this book, which I recently bought at a thrift store for a quarter. Fred Chappell is a gift. I knew from page 1 that I was going to love it and I did, every single page. It's kind of a coming of age story on a North Carolina farm during World War II, but the characters are the genius of it, most of them eccentric relatives from the boy's mother's family who come to visit. I immediately ordered more books by Fred Chappell, who is also known as an award-winning poet. He is not so well known in these Michigan parts--I had to do interlibrary loan for future reads.
January 30, 2020
This was enjoyable, albeit a bit self-conscious as a novel of the Storytelling in the American South. Still, Chappell鈥檚 often poetic language is enjoyable, and the occasional drifts into the supernatural are often quite effective.
July 19, 2024
Not my cup of tea
August 23, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. Beautifully written!
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