Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Vince Vawter

This is on my list of  favorite books of all time with 5+ stars! It was one of those happy serendipity times when a friend recommended it because someone just raved, and raved, and raved but wouldn't give any details. He just said, "you just have to read it. That's all there is to it!" So I picked it up immediately.

1959, a hot Memphis summer...doesn't that alone just bring up so many images and wonder-ings? The narrator is an eleven year old boy. His family is well-off, and they have a housekeeper, whom he calls, Mam. His friend Rat has gone to a relative's farm for the summer and our narrator has to take over his paper route. He just happens to be the ace pitcher of the baseball team and knows that he'll be a good paperboy. But what will happen when he has to collect? Our narrator stutters...horribly. How is he going to ask his customers for payment every Friday night?

Our narrator encounters numerous characters while on his bike route that delight him, teach him, and put him in danger. I, too, am not going to tell you much more. There are so many surprises and twists and delights that I WILL NOT ruin them. All I'm going to say is read it! If you liked TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE HELP, and THE KING'S SPEECH, you will LOVE this book!

I listened to this one and I recommend that you do, too. I wondered how they were going to go about it. I mean, think about it...the main character stutters. The audio reader, Lincoln Hoppe is magnificent. The only thing that I don't like about audio, is that I'm usually listening in the car. So when I hear a quote, I can't stop and write it down. Heck, I can't even pause it, I'M DRIVING! So...of course this means that I have to own a copy of the book, too. Oh darn!