Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story

by Wally Lamb

Book Overview

"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 description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006194100X
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.1" x 1.1" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

A quick and happy Christmas read

We need a Christmas book to read by the fire with cocoa and this is it. Good characters and good plot

A happy accident from my hospital gift shop (a "Buyer of Cover" event (different cover, however). GR

Other than being non-Catholics (but we still GOT IT: some of those Monster (to a kid) teachers just didn't Wear habits, but Owned Lots of bad ones!) language handicaps (Try reading this book out loud to your Loved One!) re. Canadian (or any other) French and (?) Russian phrases, this relatively quick read is a Privilege and a Pleasure, enjoyed by a couple well into their 2nd Childhood of life. We stopped often, recalling our own days of being at that confusing transitional age, wonderments re. whether Lonny would end up a career criminal or the next President, etc. Am ending this to buy the rest of Wally Lamb's works; grammatical criticisms welcomed (if not fully appreciated, as spell check apps have changed lots of stuff since the 50's.) DE & VBE

"Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb

A quick read of memories of being in the 5th grade in the 60's...with warmth and humor, Mr. Lamb has done it again! Having read and enjoyed his three other (and much longer) novels, I Iooked forward to reading this book. I even made it my first Kindle selection. Here Mr. Lamb has once again created a believable story in an unbelievable way. Reading this remarkable tale, you will immediately become involved in the life of Felix Funicello. You will laugh, smile, cry, and wonder at the pure joy this book brings to the reader.

Laugh out loud funny

Don't read this book at work. People will wonder why you are sitting there laughing all by yourself. It takes a lot for a movie or a book to make me laugh. So much humor these days is just mean spirited or stupid. However, with this book, you are laughing at yourself as much as the character's in the book. It reminds you of all the funny and not so funny moments in your youth.

Great Fun!

I borrowed this from the library, but now hope I receive it in my Christmas stocking. This is one of the funniest books I have read. I grew up in a Roman Catholic home and Sister Agrippina brought back some memories of my childhood experiences with Sister Louise. If you decide to read this,and I hope you will, have some tissue handy because you are going to laugh so hard you will cry!

I have paid for many dinners for Mr and Mrs Lamb

I read books a lot. Before I got the Kindle I had tons of books hanging around each room. I always read the reviews before I buy them, so thank you reviewers. This is my very first review, and only because there weren't any others on Wishin' and Hopin' There has never been a time,when I wasn't first in line to get the new Wally Lamb book, after I read "She's come Undone". In fact I have bought more of "She's come Undone" to give away, that he and Mrs. Lamb may have enjoyed more than one meal out. A Wishin' and Hopin' brought me back to 1965 when I lived in New London,CT. I waited at the Bus stop every afternoon to get a bus to see my new husband who was serving in the US Coast Guard in Groton. In "She's came undone", I was that little girl that grew up a fat girl. I had the same kind of father, only I lived in Brooklyn. In Wishin' and Hopin' I again visited my youth in a RC Catholic grammar school. I had the same classmates, only my father made my Angel wings for the Christmas play. This book was a clear departure from his much longer novels. This one made me laugh long into the night. When Felix became the star to Christmas Show, I could not stop seeing him and his feet. The Funicello family was as warm as any family should be. A welcome from the often dysfunctional families in his other books. Having a mom go on the TV with Art Linkletter, was great, but the trip to Hartford that Felix took the cake. His sister's were what every little boy didn't want, but needed. Buy this book for old teachers, priest, schoolmates and past friends. It will light up their faces for Christmas. And I was never a goody-two-shoes more feisty like the new Russian student

A real holiday treat for Boomers

Wally Lamb's earlier novels "She's Come Undone", "I Know This Much Is True" and "The Hour I First Believed" are long serious works that are among the best of the last decade. This Holiday reminiscence is a delightful departure. If you were a child in the 60's you will relive a flood of fond memories. In that sense the book reminds me of Jean Shepherd's writing that was made into the movie "A Christmas Story." You will be transported back to a simpler time and see the holiday season through the eyes of a 5th grader dealing with parochial school, awakening sexuality, friends, enemies and family. The story is told with great humor and warmth. Happy holidays!