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xeyra1's review against another edition
3.0
I absolutely adored this book. I found it refreshingly original; it's an entirely new way to tell a beautiful story of a great friendship. I laughed and I cried and I even cheered on occasion. Joey was simply outrageous. His first letters to Charlie and Charlie's replies made me laugh outloud and shake my head in amusement. The friendship that developed between the two was heart-warming and beautiful and you could see it through the letters they shared (with appropriate typos and spelling mistakes, which was a very nice and real touch).
This was an incredible read, so funny and beautiful and I loved all the incorporated details of the 40s. Granted, it is an American novel, with mentions of an American sport I know nothing about (you should see me blinking in confusion at all the baseball stats and references that appeared on the book) but that hardly detracted from the novel because it was not really about baseball but about Charlie and Joey, Stuke and Hazel and Craig and Aunt Carrie (the latter was simply priceless!).
This was an incredible read, so funny and beautiful and I loved all the incorporated details of the 40s. Granted, it is an American novel, with mentions of an American sport I know nothing about (you should see me blinking in confusion at all the baseball stats and references that appeared on the book) but that hardly detracted from the novel because it was not really about baseball but about Charlie and Joey, Stuke and Hazel and Craig and Aunt Carrie (the latter was simply priceless!).
noella_t's review
5.0
This epistolary novel about 12-year-old Joey from Brooklyn who is looking for a father-figure was a joy to read. Joey is open about his disdain and at the same time his admiration for third baseman Charlie Banks of the New York Giants.
Through a series of determined and hilariously annoying letters to the baseball player, Charlie at first responds in kind, then to his surprise softens and eventually befriends Joey. Throughout, the road to their friendship is examined by Joey's psychologist.
The book is a series of letters and notes to and from Joey and Charlie, Charlie's girlfriend, Charlie's baseball friends, Joey's teachers, his psychologist, and his best friend, etc. As Joey plans his angle of approach to Charlie, his persistence in the relationship is laugh-out-loud. He becomes even more lovable the harder he tries - even when he tries to join the Army at age 13 - just to be with Charlie.
Last Days of Summer will have you laughing, crying, and wishing for the glamorous and innocent age of the 1940s before the war.
Through a series of determined and hilariously annoying letters to the baseball player, Charlie at first responds in kind, then to his surprise softens and eventually befriends Joey. Throughout, the road to their friendship is examined by Joey's psychologist.
The book is a series of letters and notes to and from Joey and Charlie, Charlie's girlfriend, Charlie's baseball friends, Joey's teachers, his psychologist, and his best friend, etc. As Joey plans his angle of approach to Charlie, his persistence in the relationship is laugh-out-loud. He becomes even more lovable the harder he tries - even when he tries to join the Army at age 13 - just to be with Charlie.
Last Days of Summer will have you laughing, crying, and wishing for the glamorous and innocent age of the 1940s before the war.
lprnana6572's review
5.0
I love this book and have read it twice. It is funny and heart-warming. I highly recommend it.
kelsie_reads_books's review
5.0
Joyful, bittersweet at times, and beautifully hopeful. This book made me belly-laugh out loud multiple times.
carolann331's review
4.0
Even though most of the characters seemed to have the same witty humor -- cheeky and irreverent but usually with good intentions -- I found this to be an amusing, nostalgic, rollicking fun story that had me laughing out and loud and a couple of times it even brought tears to my eyes. I loved the informal, unconventional format. Highly recommended if you're looking for a fast, entertaining read.
km92592's review
5.0
Loved this book. Very different format - not told in the traditional narrative form, rather through a series of letters and newspaper clippings. Story about a young boy searching for a hero and father figure. He finds one in a 3rd baseman that plays for the NY Giants. Takes place in Brooklyn right before the beginning of WW II. Funny but poignant at the same time.
heyjudy's review
4.0
~4.5/5
[This review is also available on my blog.]
First of all, I love Steve Kluger. He only has, I believe, four novels out, and I’ve only read one other, but I love that one (even more than this one), and that’s enough for me. It took me forever to get to this book, but it was fantastic. I have another book of his, and I don’t doubt that it will also be very good.
I don’t think I want to spoil anything from this book, and my main message is: “Go read this. Right now. It’s amazing.” But I do want to talk about it a little, so…
This is set in the 1940’s, in America, during WWII, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was President. It’s told in letters and recorded dialogue and grades and all other formats of not straight-up narrative voice (aside from the prologue and epilogue). Kluger does this with all of his novels, I believe, and he does it amazingly well. He knows his characters, and so it’s easy to get a good sense of who they are.
This book is sweet and funny (very funny) and witty and sad. Joey, a kid growing up in Brooklyn, has a big mouth, never stops talking, can come up with stories at the drop of a hat (usually fake, but not always); he sends letters and gets responses from the President and his assistant, and then starts harassing Charlie Banks, a famous baseball player, via letters. Charlie, at first, tries to get the annoying kid to leave him alone, but quickly ends up being a stand-in father to him. They’re the main characters, but there’s also Charlie’s girlfriend Hazel, who is awesome, and Joey’s Japanese best friend Craig. Then there’s Joey’s mother and aunt and absentee father. Those are the main characters, but there’s also mention of Joey’s teachers, and Charlie’s friends. And they all have very distinct personalities and voices and you can’t help but love them all.
This book is simply amazing. The writing, the characters, the rapid and witty dialogue… Just go read this book, okay?
[This review is also available on my blog.]
First of all, I love Steve Kluger. He only has, I believe, four novels out, and I’ve only read one other, but I love that one (even more than this one), and that’s enough for me. It took me forever to get to this book, but it was fantastic. I have another book of his, and I don’t doubt that it will also be very good.
I don’t think I want to spoil anything from this book, and my main message is: “Go read this. Right now. It’s amazing.” But I do want to talk about it a little, so…
This is set in the 1940’s, in America, during WWII, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was President. It’s told in letters and recorded dialogue and grades and all other formats of not straight-up narrative voice (aside from the prologue and epilogue). Kluger does this with all of his novels, I believe, and he does it amazingly well. He knows his characters, and so it’s easy to get a good sense of who they are.
This book is sweet and funny (very funny) and witty and sad. Joey, a kid growing up in Brooklyn, has a big mouth, never stops talking, can come up with stories at the drop of a hat (usually fake, but not always); he sends letters and gets responses from the President and his assistant, and then starts harassing Charlie Banks, a famous baseball player, via letters. Charlie, at first, tries to get the annoying kid to leave him alone, but quickly ends up being a stand-in father to him. They’re the main characters, but there’s also Charlie’s girlfriend Hazel, who is awesome, and Joey’s Japanese best friend Craig. Then there’s Joey’s mother and aunt and absentee father. Those are the main characters, but there’s also mention of Joey’s teachers, and Charlie’s friends. And they all have very distinct personalities and voices and you can’t help but love them all.
This book is simply amazing. The writing, the characters, the rapid and witty dialogue… Just go read this book, okay?
kawarwick's review
5.0
This is a feel good, tear jerker of a story. Enjoy it but with tissues near by.