The Boys of My Youth

Rating:
Summary: Touching, honest, brilliantly observed
Review: This book is so moving, so painfully touching. I read it over a weekend and could hardly put it down. As I read it, I kept on thinking of friends that I wanted to lend it to afterwards, but the more I read, the more I thought, This book's not leaving my sight; I'll tell my friends they have to buy their OWN copies. Jo Ann Beard is so poetic; she doesn't so much tell stories as offer brilliant vignettes of critical times in her life. She talks to the reader like he or she's a second self; she makes herself extremely vulnerable in this book. Her memories of childhood are so acute and observed so perfectly through a child's eyes--like being at an open-casket funeral and only being able to see the nose and glasses of the deceased from where she sits. I nearly caused a scene on the bus reading the "Dirty Barbies" story, because I was laughing so loud. Being a male, I have never been given so much insight into what it's like to grow up female as I was given in this book. It's a brilliant collection of stories--evocative, faithful in the tiniest but most telling of details. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I had finished it. It's a wonder.

Rating:
Summary: Editors, are you paying attention?
Review: Most comments about this book are 5 star because this is a 5-star book, especially compared to most of the junk that's actually being published. If you're into "chick lit," drop those books immediately because they pale to Jo Ann's writing, for once a writer here who has something to say. And a note to Jo Ann, your audience is indeed looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Rating:
Summary: excellent autobiographical short stories
Review: _The Boys of My Youth_ is a two day read (or one day, if the reader has nothing else going on) because of the way it captivates. This book, a collection of autobiographical short stories, weave together and create a beautiful and poetic novel about a woman that I could fully relate to. The vignettes involve her childhood, including pieces about her mother and aunt, her cousin, and her siblings; her teenage years with her best friend and various crushes; and her somewhat depressing adult life with a philandering husband and a tragic work occurence. I feel that my writing a short encapsulated review cannot do Beard's book justice, so I will end here with the recommendation to buy this book and prepare to be astonished.

Rating:
Summary: A Humorous Twist to Real Life Tragedies
Review: Jo Ann Beard's collection of autobiographical essays, The Boys of My Youth, is a look at real life events, some seemingly minor and others monumental, that teaches the reader to look back and remember the things that have shaped your life. She writes in a way that, no matter what the situation-tragic, silly, or otherwise-one can relate to what she's talking about. Whether the reader has been through the same thing or not, Beard brings the reader into the moment and makes him or her understand Beard's feelings. Her writing is honest and witty. I found myself laughing outloud and calling friends to read to them a specific section of an essay and end up reading the whole thing and sometimes others. Beard's essays range from devasting experiences to light-hearted memories of her youth, young adulthood, and beyond. Her voice and description bring not only humor and honesty to her essays, but also a vivid image of each scene that she is talking about. Beard's style of sectional writing and tying different scenes together at the end is so effective that as a reader, I never wanted to put the book down. Jo Ann Beard's book shows that every experience, no matter how small or large, can have an immense impact on the rest of your life.

Rating:
Summary: Jo Ann, Where Are You?
Review: I typed in Jo Ann Beard's name hoping to see her latest book. Alas, it doesn't seem that she's published another.
I read this a few years ago and gave it to all my friends. It is a truly wonderful book that deserves a wider audience.
Someone put it on a list as "nonfiction for people who love fiction"-that's a great way to describe it.

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary
Review: A sparklingly beautiful collection of essays describing the defining moments in Beard's life. Her writing is brutally honest and magically poetical as she takes the reader along beside her to relive these events. They range from the traumas of an office shooting at the University of Iowa, her dog's slow death, her aunt's stealing her favorite doll, and her divorce, to the everyday scenes of youth and youth adulthood. Her talent lies in taking ordinary pieces from her life and making them extraordinary. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Editors, are you paying attention?
Review: Most comments about this book are 5 star because this is a 5-star book, especially compared to most of the junk that's actually being published. If you're into "chick lit," drop those books immediately because they pale to Jo Ann's writing, for once a writer here who has something to say. And a note to Jo Ann, your audience is indeed looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Rating:
Summary: A moving description of the ordinary
Review: The Boys of My Youth makes it crystal clear that an ordinary life may be at times overflowing with extraordinary drama. Through Beard's fine writing and descriptive skilly, she shows that the typical days of her life are loaded with drama, humor, and pathos. The book is a loose collection of vignettes spanning the author's 60's childhood and flows into her early adulthood. The title, however (as well as the jacket cover), is misleading. One might expect sexual initiation and experimentation to play a large role. The Boys of My Youth, however, is more about the LACK of boys in her youth - and the importance of having a good friend. Wonderful, wonderful book. Buy it.

Rating:
Summary: loved it
Review: her stories are entertaining. She writes the narratives, weaving in and out, trapping the reader. wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Just finished this book and thought it was excellent. Really enjoyed the writing style which was new and refreshing. Made me belly laugh in several places and cry in others. Brought back so many memories from my own youth. Had to order it for my best friend and got another friend to order it as well. Will be keeping my own copy to give myself a laugh every now and then. Look forward to seeing more by Jo Ann Beard.