Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story
Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story
Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story
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Description
Description
It's 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget...
The year is 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntables, and Felix Funicello is doing his best to navigate fifth grade - easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares.
Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School, where Mother Filomina's word is law. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Québec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing and cultural misunderstanding, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.
From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground, Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty tale that celebrates where we've been, and how far we've come.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"In the hands of Wally Lamb, what emerges isn't an apology but a celebration of life...Felix makes a hilarious guide through a story that whirs right along." -- Washington Post
"Lamb's rich panoply of details...render this novel first-rate escapism just begging for a comforter and a cup of tea." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune
"This book is a bonbon for any baby boomer...Lamb gets Felix's voice just right, and he does a spot-on job of evoking the special joys and trials of parochial school in the '60's...Put a bow on this book and warm somebody's heart." -- St. Petersburg Times
"Warmly, sweetly retro." -- Kansas City Star
"Lamb's vividly detailed portrait of the 1960's and the inner workings of a Catholic schoolboy's mind puts his first Christmas book on par with his previous three novels." -- Miami Herald
"Lamb...proves he can be short, sweet and funny" -- USA Today
"Wishin' and Hopin' from Wally Lamb reminds us of what innocence was like." -- Body and Soul
"Both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny...a cast of characters that are both uproarious and unforgettable...a poignant reminder that family and friends are the greatest gift of all." -- Hartford Books Examiner
"We might as well call Wally Lamb the man with the golden pen...[Wishin' and Hopin'] will leave you laughing and thinking nostalgically about your own school days and holidays past." -- BookPage
"Lamb is a very good writer, and Wishin' and Hopin' is a charming read with a genuinely funny ending." -- Houston Chronicle
"Humorous and heartwarming...clever and well-written...A fun trip down memory lane from a skilled writer. The stocking stuffer might just become a cherished possession." -- Columbus Dispatch
"Charming.... Full of pop-culture references of the day...this will have broad appeal." -- Library Journal
"A heartwarming slice of life....The entertaining characters will bring back youthful memories." -- Romantic Times (4 Stars)
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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