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Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story Audiobook
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(3.00) - 5,544 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
“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
Wally Lamb, the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hour I First Believed, I Know This Much Is True, and She’s Come Undone, delivers a holiday treat with Wishin’ and Hopin’—an unforgettable novella that captures the warmth and joy of the holiday season.
It's 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and ten-year-old Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy. But there are several things young Felix can depend on: the birds and bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’s never going to forget.
Poignant and hilarious, in a vein similar to Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story and David Sedaris’s The Santaland Diaries, Lamb’s Christmas tale focuses on a feisty parochial school fifth grader named Felix Funicello—a distant cousin of the iconic Annette!
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"Solid 3.5 stars - great story. Nostalgia, humor, coming of age in the 60s - what's not to love. Nothing spectacular or too original, but the middle school Catholic school dynamics were delightful - particularly the Russian new girl. I wasn't a Wally Lamb fan but I really liked this book - touching good fun, humor, heartwarming, nice easy holiday read with a bit more depth and better writing than most of that genre other than Dickens. For 2.99 on Kindle a real steal."
— Jes (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A celebration of life—flawed, goofy, wonderful life…Felix makes a hilarious guide through a story that whirs right along.”
— Washington Post -
“In this short comic novel, the delights of a 1960s Connecticut Christmas come cutely wrapped in period cheer…A dose of well-crafted mayhem and tomfoolery.”
— Independent (London) -
“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 -
“A charmingly nostalgic tale for the holidays…Sweet and old-fashioned, Lamb’s Christmas yarn will appeal to readers wistful for more-innocent days.”
— Booklist -
“This is a heartwarming slice of life in 1964 as seen through the eyes of ten-year-old Felix Funicello, distant cousin of reigning teen queen Annette. Having the narrative filter through the pop culture of the day gives the story an authentic feel. The entertaining characters will bring back youthful memories.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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Selected for the December 2009 Indie Next List
Wishin' and Hopin' Listener Reviews
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" Ugh, Wally Lamb! I am so disappointed in you. You have been so esteemed in my mind with masterpieces such as "She's Come Undone" and "I know this much is true." And then you publish two books in less than a year, one about 9/11 and one with a Christmas-y theme. Although I can appreciate the fact that the writing skills are superior and the ability to delve into the human psyche is incredible, this books was a disappointment. "
— Ashley, 2/17/2014 -
" This is definitely Wally Lamb - light, not at all like his other novels. And personally I like his other writing much more. The story was slightly amusing -- reminiscent of Gene Shepherd's Christmas Story. If you you like that, you'll probably like Wishin' and Hopin' more than I did. "
— Beth, 1/31/2014 -
" Fast and fun Christmas read. "
— April, 1/26/2014 -
" Humorous adventures of a boy in parochial school. "
— Heidi, 1/23/2014 -
" Very cute coming of age story. If you are Catholic and went to parochial school, especially in the late 50's or 60's, you will especially identify with the story. "
— Nina, 1/23/2014 -
" Another interesting read by Wally Lamb. This was actually pretty humorous. "
— Kiswana, 1/20/2014 -
" I thought this book was hilarious. Vivid, quirky characters. I could relate with the Catholic school experiences. Fun read overall! "
— Kate, 1/16/2014 -
" A very quick and witty book. I read it in its entirety during a flight. Lamb is a great storyteller and this made me laugh out loud a lot. The story is told from the perspective of a fifth grade boy and his take on life is just really, really funny. "
— Ronya, 1/13/2014 -
" Definitely not my favorite Wally Lamb, I can't really say much more than that. "
— Catherine, 12/6/2013 -
" Funny story that included a lot of reminders from my childhood with some of the cultural stuff from that time period. I actually laughed out loud a few times! I love Wally Lamb's books. "
— Rosebud, 11/7/2013 -
" you must read this at Christmas time. And, it helps if you can relate! "
— Mary, 5/22/2013 -
" This was a cute book - an easy-to-read, fun book. As the other reviews state, it's very reminiscent of the movie "A Christmas Story" - a look back at a young boy's experience during 5th grade, 1964 in Catholic school. A good book if you're looking for something light. "
— Jaymie, 5/13/2013 -
" Cute. It reminded me "A Christmas Story", although really only the end took place at Christmas time. Overall I enjoyed it. A quick, fun read. "
— Eileen, 11/18/2012 -
" memoir type novel. very fun read. "
— Cindy, 11/3/2012 -
" I laughed out loud several times. "
— Kenna, 7/10/2012 -
" One of the better Christmas books out there. "
— Lauralee, 6/5/2012 -
" Wally Lamb cn write for me any day! "
— Vicki, 4/29/2012 -
" A really fun Christmasy book! I loved the format and the characters were so vivid - and fun! Definitely a great read, although I'm glad I went to public school - no pinching! "
— Vicki, 12/15/2011 -
" This is a good book that tells about the holidays from a ten year old Catholic School boy. He makes excellent observations about his classmates and he is a mischeivous young man. "
— Michele, 11/2/2011 -
" Fun read, especially for those of us who experienced adolescence in the 60s! "
— Salela, 9/4/2011 -
" loved it! love all his stuff.. just a great story with a great ending.. a really good feel good book. "
— Erin, 6/12/2011 -
" Was cute and funny. I love Wally Lamb's writing, but found this story kind of anti-climatic. A cute Christimas time read though...... "
— Jenny, 6/5/2011 -
" A really sweet book told from the point of view of a kid growing up in the 60's who attendsCatholic school. His innocence is so hilarious and endearing. Oh to be a kid again! "
— Marisa, 5/19/2011 -
" Funny, laughed so hard! Was in tears it was so funny, short read very good. <br/> "
— Gretchen, 4/23/2011 -
" Cute and sweet but not much substance. "
— Lisa, 4/22/2011 -
" this was a quick, enjoyable read - very heartwarming and made me laugh out loud! "
— Kristen, 3/29/2011 -
" I'm not a huge Wally Lamb fan, but this was funny and endearing...a few laugh-out-loud scenes. "
— Ineke, 3/26/2011 -
" This was cute. It was a reminder of my Catholic school days in the '60's. Wally Lamb doesn't usually write comedy but I found this to be an enjoyable little read. It's no great work of literature but it was fun and easy. Finished it in one day. "
— Diane, 3/17/2011 -
" Fun, nostalgic, easy read. I enjoyed it! "
— Cindy, 3/13/2011 -
" loved it! love all his stuff.. just a great story with a great ending.. a really good feel good book. "
— Erin, 3/11/2011 -
" This is a really quick read. It was precious! I laughed out loud (by myself) several times at this book and found it refreshing next to Wally Lamb's usual wrist-slitting sad books. Very sweet book. "
— Michelle, 3/7/2011 -
" This is an easy quick read. Probably my least favorite of this author. "
— Heather, 2/26/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this book set in the 60's. Lamb portrays middle class family life, pop culture and politics of the time period very well. Being a big fan of his I was expecting something else, but I was still happy and thinking he's a clever one! "
— Andrea, 2/26/2011 -
" Not one of my favorites ... very hard for me to get through the book. "
— Jacqui, 2/25/2011 -
" A lot of good laughs about Catholic schools and the 60's. No deep underlying meaning, just a cute book "
— Linda, 2/24/2011
About Wally Lamb
Wally Lamb is the author of six New York Times bestselling novels and three novels chosen for the Oprah Book Club. He also edited two volumes of essays from students in his writing workshop at York Correctional Institution, a women’s prison in Connecticut, where he was a volunteer facilitator for twenty years.