Synopses & Reviews
With his latest story, WISHIN′ AND HOPIN′, Wally Lamb takes a turn toward the lighthearted and laugh-provoking. In a vein similar to Jean Shepherd′s A Christmas Story and David Sedaris′s The Santaland Diaries, Lamb′s holiday tale focuses on a feisty parochial school fifth grader named Felix Funicello--a distant cousin of the iconic Annette! Both poignant and hilarious, WISHIN′ AND HOPIN′ transports us back to October, November, and December of 1964, when LBJ and Lady Bird were in the White House, Meet the Beatles was on everyone′s turntables, and Christmas meant mistletoe, mangers, and midnight mass. Then it propels us from the past to the present so that we might measure what we′ve gained and what we′ve lost.
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“Humorous and heartwarming…clever and well-written…A fun trip down memory lane from a skilled writer. The stocking stuffer might just become a cherished possession.” Columbus Dispatch
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“Both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny…a cast of characters that are both uproarious and unforgettable…a poignant reminder that family and friends are the greatest gift of all.” Hartford Books Examiner
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“Charming…. Full of pop-culture references of the day…this will have broad appeal.” Library Journal
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“Lamb...proves he can be short, sweet and funny” USA Today
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“Lamb is a very good writer, and Wishin and Hopin is a charming read with a genuinely funny ending.” Houston Chronicle
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“In the hands of Wally Lamb, what emerges isnt an apology but a celebration of life...Felix makes a hilarious guide through a story that whirs right along.” Washington Post
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“Lambs vividly detailed portrait of the 1960s and the inner workings of a Catholic schoolboys mind puts his first Christmas book on par with his previous three novels.” Miami Herald
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“Wishin and Hopin from Wally Lamb reminds us of what innocence was like.” Body and Soul
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We might as well call Wally Lamb the man with the golden pen...[Wishin and Hopin] will leave you laughing and thinking nostalgically about your own school days and holidays past” BookPage
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“Warmly, sweetly retro” Kansas City Star
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“Lamb gets Felixs voice just right, and he does a spot-on job of evoking the special joys and trials of parochial school in the ‘60s” St. Petersburg Times
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“Lambs rich panoply of details...render this novel first-rate escapism just begging for a comforter and a cup of tea.” Minneapolis Star Tribune
Synopsis
Wally Lamb, the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hour I First Believed, I Know This Much Is True, and Shes Come Undone, delivers a holiday treat with Wishin and Hopin—an unforgettable novella that captures the warmth and joy of the holiday season. Poignant and hilarious, in a vein similar to Jean Shepherds A Christmas Story and David Sedariss The Santaland Diaries, Lambs Christmas tale focuses on a feisty parochial school fifth grader named Felix Funicello—a distant cousin of the iconic Annette!
About the Author
Wally Lamb is the author of four previous novels, including the New York Times and national bestseller The Hour I First Believed and Wishin' and Hopin', a bestselling novella. His first two works of fiction, She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, were both number-one New York Times bestsellers and Oprah's Book Club selections. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Christine. The Lambs are the parents of three sons.