One Odd Day--One GREAT Story
344358
One Odd Day, a picture book by Doris Fisher (illustrated by Karen Lee) is a delightful, yet informative read for preschoolers and young grade-schoolers alike.  Fisher cleverly teaches children odd numbers from one through eleven by posing zany scenarios, in

which the main character only experiences things in odd numbers.  At school, the calendar only has odd numbers. His mother tells him to grab seven bananas before catching bus number nine, and his alarm clock doesn't have any even numbers!

One Odd Day is cleverly crafted in rhyme, making the scenarios all the more comical. It's a perfect read-aloud book or book for emerging readers to take a gander at.  If your child is just learning his numbers, is struggling with his numbers, or is studying odd vs. even, One Odd Day is a wonderful learning tool.  Kids learn best while being informed and entertained simultaneously, and this book does just that.

The illustrations are just adorable and will catch any child's attention while reading the book. My favorite has to be the page where the mother is cooking, "burnt toast and eggs" for her son. On the page, she's wearing a red jogging outfit, a pink tutu, suspenders, and a fireman's hat, while cooking breakfast on a round, charcoal grill--in the house.

A great read!!
4851383
This was a very unique book -- I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it.  The main character is odd, and not particularly likeable initially, but I found that I slowly became completely captivated by her and by her story -- to the point where I could hardly put the book down.  We get to accompany Eleanor on her journey toward self awareness and personal growth, and you'll soon find yourself rooting for her.  The book is also a good reminder of the potential impact of basic kindness, and of friendship.  Maybe that odd person in the office just needs a friend...
965068
It's been a long time since I read Robert Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land," a science fiction novel, published in 1961, about Valentine Michael Smith, orphaned son of an astronaut who returns to earth in early adulthood after being raised by Martians. Didier van Cauwelaert's tidy little novel "One-Way" is not only fascinating (and beautifully translated from the original French by Mark Polizzotti), but its allegorical messages about the human condition -- no matter where we come from or where we live --speak volumes to readers as did Heinlein's novel.

This humorous, insightful novelette is about racism, immigration, emigration, aloneness, expatriation, alienation and love. Life is in fact a one-way ticket, and in the end we're all just visitors. Here, Aziz Kemal, the primary character and voice of the novel, is a 20 year old orphan in Marseilles who was raised as an Arab. He had perfect fake papers, identifying him as a Moroccan (which he was not), and so when snared by French authorities for a crime he did not commit, he was deported (accompanied by a French government attache) to - where else - Morocco, his "homeland." Hence, the story line.

"One-Way" is very funny, touchingly sad and greatly fanciful. I liked the episodes in France much better than those in Morocco, where our tolerance for the author's flights of fancy stretch our willingness to stay with his story. Aziz is a master at invention (and falsehood). His mastery of manipulation by untruth and creativity remains undiluted right through to the last page. After all, he grew up in the slums of Marseilles stealing car radios --- and survived to become a writer.

The structure of the story is unique and creative. Aziz eventually writes in first person the very story you are reading.

It's clever, fun and entertaining. Occasionally it is wise, and at all times it makes you think, such as when Aziz speaks to us on page 129, "I was no longer sure I wanted what I had chosen, but it was too late to turn back."  Now isn't that just the awful truth more often than we would admit?

It's a solid 4.
2914607
The most wonderful, unique story I've read in a long time...and how it all comes together - amazing.
1771942
I loved this book.  "Echo of an Odd Boy" is funny, touching, and beautifully written.  It's a story of a complex man and his relationships - romantic, business, family, and his own past.  Tom Kern, investment banker, comes across some outrageous, hilarious situations and experiences, with a great and richly diverse cast of characters.  McDonald is a great story teller, delivering in this book, a piece of literature both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.  "Echo" is a rapid-fire story set in Manhattan, Paris, and beyond, with not a single yawn. It's a great read that draws you in and leaves you satisfied.
2692149
I agree with a previous reviewer who said this is a sad book, but worth reading for it's happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed THE REVISED FUNDAMENTALS OF CAREGIVING!  It's a rather strange story of a man hit hard by life and down on his luck and through circumstances is put into the position of caregiver for a 19 year old wheelchair-bound young man. The banter between the two, especially their rather demeaning phrases concerning women and what they'd like to do to them, may be off-putting to some, but pass over these phrases quickly and you'll find a gem of a story. The twists and turns of life has brought Benjamin, the older main character, to a place in his life he never expected. But by the end of the story you know, despite additional twists and turns and his interaction with Trev, who seems to at first want nothing more from life than to adhere to a tight schedule of watching the Weather Channel and eating waffles, that Benjamin and life in general have once again come to terms.

It's a difficult book to describe, as it's not your run-of-the-mill work. But it's  unique story line is what makes it a stand out piece of fiction. I highly recommend.
1759452
I have always appreciated Mitch Albom's books since I first picked up The 5 People you Meet in Heaven.  He is a remarkable storyteller and presents his stories in such clever ways that I am reminded how creative some people can be.  In this offering we learn what happens to a small town when 7 people receive phone calls from deceased loved ones (and one unloved one).  We learn about the people who receive the calls, the reactions of those who beleive and those who don't. You experience the grief of those who have longed to say one final thing to a loved one and those who envy them this opportunity.  The story moves back and forth through time as the characters reminisce about life before loss, both the joyful times and tragic circumstances.  The author cleverly writes a parallel story about Alexander Graham Bell's claim to the discovery of the telephone and the first communication from a distance.  Within this story you learn about the controversy surrounding this claim.  Sounds odd but juxtaposed to a story about the first communication from heaven and the controversy about who actually received the first call, it made a strange kind of sense.  I was disappointed by the ending, not because the ending was not perfect (it was) but because I was longing for a different kind of miracle.  The book is beautifully written and in my opinion best appreciated with the audio-book which is narrated by the author.
221362
A great story with a few surprises. I had to take a day off from work to finish it off
729134
I am tempted to proclaim that Jenny Twist has 'done it again' but, although this is true, after the short stories I enjoyed so much, in this book we are treated to a whole story in one fascinating read.
Tilly, a nurse, orphaned by WWII, is taken up by Johnny and his larger-than-life family. At first Jenny fears that Johnny's parents will wish she is is a debutante rather than somebody of humbler origins but, with much laughter, this thought is soon dispelled. She later discovers that Johnny's experience with debutantes was prolific but bleak: his mother chasing off the latest in his repertoire by telling her that the family had lost all its money; the girl was off for the next train before they could blink. And the story makes them laugh afresh each time it is remembered.
Although green with envy at Tilly's good fortune, in impressing this large-hearted family, it is impossible not to like her; both clever and warm-hearted, she captivates everyone she comes across, including this reader.
The story takes a more unusual turn when Tilly develops Alzheimer's, and the strain of this causes her beloved husband to suffer a stroke. However, the indomitable pair, helped by a delightful bevy of doctors, overcome their setbacks; also aided by a charming young Asian, Kim, who puts himself out greatly to help them. When Kim's father is dying, his brother coerces him into travelling home in accordance with Indian culture. Not only is this section a fascinating insight into Hindu culture, it is also an exciting story line: will Kim be forced into an unwanted marriage before his father dies? I was about to answer this question but have decided to let readers find out for themselves.
I love Jenny's emphasis on love and happiness, and will just add that I found the ending perfect, having been transfixed by every word along the way.
And all splendidly washed down by 'gallons of tea'.
Highly recommended.
4214889
Describing exactly what it was that drew me into this story is going to be difficult, but in this instance, that is a good thing. I haven't read anything that was truly this imaginative and well crafted in quite some time. The story centers around the life of Ed, a thirty something with an overactive imagination, but cuts away to characters of Ed's creation who have developed lives of their own. Each character and reality has its own unique voice and tone, and there are enough cultural references to give even the biggest pop culture geeks  an aha moment or two. The style and absurdity are very reminiscent of the works of Douglas Adams.
I do hope that the author plans to continue with Ed and company's adventures. One book is definitely not enough!
3929279
Great story--inspiring, touching, and very well told. Also makes for a very interesting insight into the cultures and landscapes of Afghanistan and Pakistan. the story is narrated against a lofty backdrop of himalayan peaks and exotic locales, unfamiliar and exciting landscapes to this reader. The heart of the story, a mission to build girls' schools in the remotest areas on earth, is as expected, a very touching one and told with humour and humility. Some discrepancies in details with the previous book, Three Cups of Tea, but can be overlooked considering the author's crazy schedule and achievements.
1942871
A great and most interesting story,  an insightful and fun read. BUY IT
1274058
This is the story of 83-year-old "Eddie Maintenance", his tragic death, and the events that follow right afterwards.  Before his death, which happens at the beginning of the story, you get a brief glimpse of his life and personality.  After his death, Eddie is taken to heaven where he meets five people.  From each of these three people he learns what type of impact he had on their lives, and visa versa, and a lesson is learned to help him to more understand his life and find meaning "in it all".  In most of these lives, he finds he has had an impact more than he had imagined.

This type of story can easily become preachy... but I never thought that it had.  While I didn't really find much insight (there was a little) from this story, I would imagine that there are people out there that could learn something of their own lives from this story.  I can imagine why many people would feel touched reading a story such as this.  However, to cover all the bases, more than five people would need to be met and then this book would become rather repetitive, long, boring, and preachy.  Five people was a good way to hit many of the bases and keep the story interesting.

Despite the search for some self-realization, this is actually an excellent story.  I love character stories, and you find a fantastic character while exploring the life of Eddie.  He is easy to identify with and like.  The depiction of Heaven is imaginative and interesting.

Recommended, sure!!  You might find things in here that I didn't, and plus, it is a great story.
4851127
A boy turns eleven on 9/11. I was interested but a bit reluctant. There are some things you don't want to be reminded of. But in Tom Roger's skilled hands, I was able to see this day differently. Through Alex's eyes. And I was beguiled. This is a wonderful story about a horrible day. A great book for kids and adults, alike. 5 out of 5 stars.
2985909
This is an interesting and enjoyable story about a very thin man named Bartholomew Fortuno, who has worked for many years in a place called the Museum, with other "Curiosities" (meaning other performers - Matina, a fat woman, Alley, the strong man, Emma, a giantess, Ricardo, the rubber man, and many others). The story is not action-packed, nor does anything really earth-shattering happen, but neither is the story dull or simple ... overall, it's a story of discovery - of what happened to Bartholomew when he was a little boy, how it affected his path in life, and how he awakens to the truth and his choices from there. It's a story that examines what it means to have a gift (Bartholomew views the Curiosities' differences from everyone else as gifts), versus being a "Gaff" (a fake) and why people sometimes confuse the two, in our search for meaning (sometimes we fool ourselves to protect ourselves from our pasts) and freedom to be ourselves. It's a story of how someone content in a life set apart and separate discovers maybe he's not so content after all, and that he wants to be free from that life and from the Barnums, who own the Museum and who tried to own him, too.

The story is written from Bartholomew's point of view, and I found every bit of his storytelling interesting - from what, and how, he ate his green beans (12, no more and no less, cut into thirds with a bit of horseradish) to his history and story, as it gradually unfolds throughout the book - from his fleeting memories of his parents and how later, his uncle sold him to the circus, to a description of what his shows at Barnums' Museum are like, to his relationships with the other Curiosities as well as both Mr. and Mrs. Barnum, to his fascination with the new act, Iell (I discovered many reasons why he was so drawn to her - for one, she reminds him of his mother, and through his interaction with Iell, he unearths forgotten memories about what happened to him, and his father, when he was a young boy), and the way he is at first forced, and then reluctantly but ever more courageously, faces and deals with his fears of the "outside world." Further details that play a clever part in the story are Bartholomew's caring for Mr. Barnum's birds,and the Chinaman and the root he makes Bartholomew take with him ... despite his disgust, he follows the Chinaman's advice about the root and things begin to change for him.

Although there are other stories being told (Alley, the strong man, has some run-ins with the police and is suspected of setting fires at the Museum; Iell is hiding something from Bartholomew; President Lincoln has just been assassinated), there is no rapid-fire happenings in the story, but I didn't feel the story needed that. The pacing really works for the story that is told - it didn't feel rushed, but things unfolded at just the right time and in the right way - the author did a good job of keeping things rich and layered without making it muddy with unnecessary rambling. I finished the book feeling both satisfied and wanting to know more about what happened to the characters after the story ends. Well worth reading.
3477697
One could be fooled that this is a cute tale of "the odd one out" - but anyone reading the well structured tale will quickly be asking themselves questions about their own society.
How is it that the concept of a vegetarian vulture seems so odd? Why would a good companion apparently abandon their friend in their most public hour of need? Why do the humans in this tale seem worthy and open when, if it were not set in this story, I would imagine that 95% of readers would view them as outsiders and weirdos?
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to see if the authors can maintain the pace and challenges to the reader that they have achieved in this book.
This doesn't book doesn't take the effort and stamina of "Animal Farm" and it is certainly not directed by Wells' overtly political style. This is far more about the subtleties of our modern society and the ability of individuals to lead their own lives, based on their own ethical and moral standards.

And, of course, if you don't want to think too deeply, it is a wonderfully scripted summer afternoon read.
432851
Without giving anything in the story away, I'd like to recommend this book due to its unexpected twists and turns. With some novels and stories, you know what will probably come next. This one isn't in that category and examines unusual relationships as well as containing carefully thought-out narrative to keep the reader hooked. Try reading it and see for yourself.