Truck: A Love Story

by Michael Perry

Book Overview

"A touching and very funny account. . . . Thoroughly engaging."--New York Times

Hilarious and heartfelt, Truck: A Love Story is the tale of a man struggling to grow his own garden, fix his old pickup, and resurrect a love life permanently impaired by Neil Diamond. In the process, he sets his hair on fire, is attacked by wild turkeys, and proposes marriage to a woman in New Orleans. The result is a surprisingly tender testament to love.

"Part...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060571187
• ISBN13: 9780060571184
• Release Date: March 2016
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Perry proves he is a midwestern gem!

I first read perry's Population 485 and fell in love with his quirky style and incredibly descriptive writing. He truly proves his caliber in Truck. A great read that I couldn't put down. I was fortunate to meet Mike at a book signing in Northfield, MN. He is so humble, and great to visit with. You truly meet the man in his writing. An incredible read. Highly recommended.

Relatable, funny, romantic and left me thirsting to read everything else he's written

There is something romantic about old trucks and Michael Perry doesn't leave you wondering what that is. His thoughtful, poignant, ALIVE storytelling sets the stage, brings you to the scene (whether that be tinkering, book signing or kissing) then ultimately takes you for an exhilarating ride down the backroads of both countryside and life. The moment I got done reading this book--the first I've read with his byline--I purchased everything the man's written. Yes, there is something romantic about old trucks, storytellers and yes, even sneezing cows: Michael Perry.

parallel universes

I flat love this book, just as I did Perry's previous work, "Population 485." But I have to admit, we live in parallel universes: We both call a gas pedal a foot feed (I think we both learned to drive on farm tractors), both had our marriages sanctified by dear friends who happened to be pseudo-ministers of tax-dodge churches, both have second lives as EMS volunteers in rural towns, and both have written books about restoring old vehicles that are actually books about our inner secrets. Michael Perry's book is way better than mine, and I'm glad of that, because his is not really about rebuilding a 1951 International Harvester pickup but about falling in love with his wife Anneliese as a middle-aged loner worried by commitment. May their marriage last forever and may this book be read and appreciated just as long, for it's a work in which every word is carefully chosen, something so rare in an age of lazy writing. It's a book about the glory of true love, and I'm sure that Perry knows John Prine's words....

Love on many different levels is the theme unifying all

While TRUCK: A LOVE STORY is a follow-up to the author's best-seller POPULATION: 485, no prior familiarity with that memoir or Perry is required to fall in love with TRUCK. Here are three main themes: restoring a 1950s International Harvest truck, cultivating a garden, and discovering romance late in life - all of which blend beautifully in a story of colorful small-town characters and enchantment. Love on many different levels is the theme unifying all, creating a delicate, involving story which will appeal to general-interest audiences - even those with no prior connections to trucks or small towns! Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

If only it were an audio book too!

What a wonderful voice! He has a knack for choosing just the right words to bring the people to life. The story could be sentimental but it's not. It could be Lake Woebegon, but it's funnier. Michael Perry knows how to make you laugh, but even better than the words on the page is him telling the stories behind the stories. I listened to him read from his books, and this book zoomed right to the top of my Christmas list.