Be Specific About Books Toward I Am One of You Forever
| Original Title: | I Am One of You Forever: A Novel |
| ISBN: | 0807114103 (ISBN13: 9780807114100) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Fred Chappell
Paperback | Pages: 184 pages Rating: 4.1 | 1248 Users | 126 Reviews
Narration Concering Books I Am One of You Forever
Wonderfully funny and also deeply touching, I Am One of You Forever is the story of a young boy's coming of age. Set in the hills and hollows of western North Carolina in the years around World War II, it tells of ten-year-old Jess and his family -- father, mother, grandmother, foster brother, and an odd assortment of other relatives -- who usher Jess into the adult world, with all its attendant joys and sorrows, knowledge and mystery.Jess's father is feisty, restless, and fun-loving. His mother is straitlaced and serious but accepts with grace and good humor the antics of the men of the family, a trait she learned from her own mother. Johnson Gibbs is the orphaned teenager who comes to live with them on their mountain farm. Life on the laurel-covered mountain is isolated and at times difficult, but for Jess it is made rich and remarkable through his relationship with his father and, especially, Johnson Gibbs.
Visiting the farm from time to time is a gallery of eccentric relatives who are surely among the most memorable creations in recent fiction. Uncle Luden is a womanizer who left the mountains years ago for a job in California that "paid actual cash money." Uncle Gurton has a spooky way of appearing and disappearing without ever seeming to enter or exit, but it is his flowing beard, which he has apparently never trimmed and which he keeps tucked inside his overalls, that is of most fascination to Jess.
Uncle Zeno is a storyteller. With the words "That puts me in mind of..." everyone around knows that he is about to launch into another of his endless tales. Uncle Runkin, who always brings his handmade coffin to sleep in whenever he visits, spends his time carving intricate designs into the coffin and trying to find just the right epitaph for his tombstone. Aunt Samantha Barefoot stops by for a brief spell, too. A country singer and cousin to Jess's grandmother, she is a woman of uncensored speech (Jess learns a lot from her) and honest emotions. Chappell tells the story of all of these characters in a series of chapters that range from fantasy and near farce to pathos. As notable for its lyrical descriptions of the rural settings as for its finely honed vernacular dialogue, I Am One of You Forever shows us a world full of wit and wisdom and the sadness at the heart of things. As one would expect from a poet like Fred Chappell, every line offers its own pleasures and satisfactions.
List Of Books I Am One of You Forever
| Title | : | I Am One of You Forever |
| Author | : | Fred Chappell |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 184 pages |
| Published | : | July 1st 1987 by Louisiana State University Press (first published 1985) |
| Categories | : | Fiction. American. Southern. Magical Realism. Historical. Historical Fiction |
Rating Of Books I Am One of You Forever
Ratings: 4.1 From 1248 Users | 126 ReviewsJudgment Of Books I Am One of You Forever
This was enjoyable, albeit a bit self-conscious as a novel of the Storytelling in the American South. Still, Chappells often poetic language is enjoyable, and the occasional drifts into the supernatural are often quite effective.The story of Jess, a young boy growing up in North Carolina and all the bright, crazy, and unusual characters that make up his family! There's Uncle Luden, who glides into town and receives calls around the clock from "those loose women", and Uncle Gurton, who has never shaved his beard! He keeps it tucked into his bib overalls and Jess and his Dad tranquilize him so they can sneak up at night to see the actual length! Uncle Runkin brought his own self made coffin along with him to sleep in. A
Heh. This is on my top ten of alllll time. Fred's one of my favorite writers. He's from NC, so he's most certainly a southern writer. More specifically, he's from the mountians of Applachia, and entirely distinct and interesting culture if you've never ventured to that part of the country. This book is told through the POV of Jess Kirkman, a young boy growin gup on a farm in the NC mountains and a thinly veiled depiction of the author's early life. The writing is rich, evocative and poetic. A
I loved this book! It's a quick read with stories that you're sure did not happen but wish were true!
Read an Arabic translation by Nehad Selehaنهاد صليØØ© The book is not an ordinary adventure book. It is very funny but so touching too. The of integration of magical realism into the book is done very beautifully. There is a 4-page chapter called البرقية The Telegram ... it is one of the best things I've read EVER.
Jess, his mom, dad, grandmother and farmhand/adoptive brother, Johnson, live a quiet life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. They farm, visit with relatives, play some baseball, and get up to a whole lot of no good, as my grandmother would say. Jess's dad is a mischief-maker. He just can't help it. Johnson and Jess adore him and follow his lead in everything. Whether it's Halloween tricks or trying to find out exactly how long Uncle Gurton's beard really is, they are always up to
Sarah Addison Allen's named it as one of her favorite magical realism books.
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