Lottery by Patricia Wood Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Lottery
Book Review: "That is SO Cool!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Meet Perry L. Crandle. He is 32 years old, and the L. stands for Lucky! Perry IS lucky, and he's smarter than most people you'll ever meet with a high IQ. Perry's family didn't want him to the point that their shame has always been on their sleeves. Brothers who insist on being called cousins and a mother who likes to pretend he doesn't exist. People don't look Perry in the eye and, if they do, they want to hurt him. His only friends are Gram and Gramp, Keith, his boss Gary, and Cherry. Then, shortly after his sharp Gram dies, Perry wins 12 million dollars in the lottery. Now he has regular brothers, and Louise wants to be called "mom." They won't leave him alone, and neither will people who never gave him the time of day before. One thing, however, is true: Perry L. Crandle IS lucky. Through all the madness he always has the people who love him and counted all along. This book is a definite keeper if you want a very touching story that will make you laugh and cry on a constant, steady basis. Sometimes the family you long for isn't your blood relation, but they are the best sort of luck and wealth you can have in the lottery of life. That is SO cool!Book Review: 'I am an auditor'
Summary: 5 Stars
Such a delightful novel! I suspect that many of us could learn a lot from Perry L. Crandall and his Gram.
Perry's world is an interesting blend of keen observation, acquired learning and intuitive feeling. He may not always know why something is happening but he is able to make a form of sense of it quicker than many others can. Perry, or Per to his best friends, is able to work out what is right for him even if some of his logic is foreign to others.
I enjoyed this novel: I like where it finished and the neat sense of hope for the future, despite some sad aspects to the journey.
Sentimental? Sure it is. That's what makes this novel come alive. Ms Wood has delivered an unlikely but likeable hero, some well-developed secondary characters and some despicable villains.
Perry may be an auditor, but he is also a contributor.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Book Review: A Lucky Man
Summary: 5 Stars
Perry L. Crandall's definition of mental retardation includes the requirement of an IQ level of 75 or below and, since Perry's IQ is 76, he is quick to point out that he is not retarded, just slow. Perry, who never knew his father, was doubly unfortunate to have a mother who wanted nothing to do with him and abandoned his upbringing to his Granp and Gran. But that's when Perry's luck changed for the better because his grandparents raised him to be a curious, happy and self-sufficient young man with a steady job and plenty of self-respect.
Gran always told Perry that the "L" in his name stood for lucky and, not too long after she died and left Perry pretty much on his own, he proved her correct by winning a $12 million state lottery jackpot. When all of Perry's money-grubbing relatives, his mother, his "cousin-brothers" and their wives, suddenly became concerned about his welfare, Perry's best friend and co-worker, Keith, decided to protect Perry from the attentions of his newly attentive family. Both Keith and Perry's boss, Gary, soon found out just how difficult that job was going to be.
All of this is told through the eyes and voice of Perry himself and, despite Perry's low IQ and his slowness, he is a diligent observer of what goes on around him. Perry considers himself to be an auditor, "someone who listens," and he is a damn fine auditor, at that. He might not always understand the motivations of others or the hidden meanings behind their actions, but very little gets by without him at least having observed and made note of it.
I am unable to judge the authenticity of Patricia Wood's Perry Crandall character because I have never really known anyone with a 76 IQ. I did note at least a couple of occasions where Perry seemed to express himself in words and manner that seemed to be likely beyond his capabilities. But someone like Perry who has studied the dictionary every day of his life since he was a boy could be expected to have an unusually large vocabulary. Whether or not he would be able to understand all the nuances of those words is a bit questionable, however.
But minor quibbles aside, Patricia Wood has created three characters in Lottery that I will remember for a long, long time. Perry's innocence and good will make him into the kind of person any of us would enjoy being around. Keith, despite all of his rough edges, that include passing gas in public and using Perry's dreaded "F-word" constantly, proves to be the perfect friend for Perry, someone whose loyalty is never in question. And then there's Perry's grandmother, a woman whose love for Perry is so fierce that it pushes him to levels of achievement that would have otherwise been impossible for him even to approach.
Paul Michael's masterful narration of this audio book particularly shines when he is speaking in the voices of these three main characters. His reading skill, and variation in voice and tone, help to create three characters that become very real to the listener. Lottery may be one of those books that are perfect for reading aloud because I somehow doubt that the characters would have seemed as alive on the written page as they do in this audio version. These eight discs, totaling almost nine hours, really fly by and at the book's end I found myself hating to lose touch with Perry and his new family.
Book Review: A delightful surprise!
Summary: 5 Stars
As an aspiring but lazy writer, I particularly enjoy reading first novels--often aware that I may be sadly disappointed. Patricia Wood's novel, LOTTERY, did not disappoint--instead, it was a true delight to read.
Ms. Wood's tender care of Perry L. Crandall was one that gave dignity to a character who symbolizes so many of the invisible people that populate our lives--the "imperfect ones" as defined by our shallow society. As a former nurse, it gave me joy to see so fully developed a character so fully engaged with life. The other characters that populated this fine story only sweetened the pot.
Many other reviewers have told the bones of Perry's story, so I'll not repeat them. Instead, I just want to say thank you to this author for writing a book that was full of truth and full of surprises. I have purchased several copies to give as gifts this Christmas, and I can hardly wait to hear from Ms. Woods again.
Well Done!
Book Review: A fun read
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fun book with a few plot twists that keep it interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have recommended it to several friends for their summer reading list.