First off, if you have seen the film don't let that effect your judgement of the book, in fact try to wipe it from your memory completely. As usual the silver screen has masacred the writings of a great author.
This book comprises of five stories, the first of which being title 'Low men in Yellow Coats' is about the life of a ten year old boy named Bobby Garfield and the last great summer of his childhood, his best friends Sully John and Carol Gerber and the troubled relationship with his mother who has her own troubles and prejudeces which are evident when an old man moves into the empty flat upstairs with his possesions in paper bags.
The new arrival is a man named Ted, who is soon to become a special friend of Bobbies, and also a teacher of specialist subject such and literature , illegal gambling and life downtown.
Ted also becomes the father figure so obviously missing from Bobbies life since the death of his father.
Much of this story will be familar to readers of the Dark Tower saga but if you haven't heard of the Dark Tower please don't let that put you off reading this enchanting tale of first love, friendship and loss during that troubling and often confusing time between childhood and adulthood.
The second story in this epic book is the title story 'Hearts in Atlantis' a brutally honest yet heart warming tale of college life, to start it was a little confusing as up until now Bobby was the main character. Now you are lumbered with a guy named Pete Riley and his struggle to keep his collage scholarship, at a time when boys were being killed in foreign lands for dropping out.
Pete along with the rest of the young men on the fourth floor of Chamberlin House literally gamble with their lives with an ongoing 24 hours quest to 'chase the bitch' that has taken control of the young scholars.
The college life is emulated with great characters such a Nate the prissy and sensible friend, Skip the charasmatic and foul mouthed jock, and Ronnie Malenfant..... well as Pete says 'You can't get any lower than Mrs Malenfants boy'.
This is a heart warming tale of a battle against addictive stupidity and love, once again with Carol Gerber who is haunted by past events. The underlying story though is of the battle for the immortal soul between the asshole ROTC leader Dearie Dearborne and the Political Activist Stokley "Rip Rip" Jones III.
The next two stories seem to just be tacked on to fatten the book out and I found them a complete let down. Followed by the last story which brings the book to a full circle and you get to find out exactly what happened to that bright eyed young girl that you just can't help falling in love with, Carol Gerber.
Strangley the main character seems to be Carol Gerber but the book is never written from her point of view, she truley in the Femme Noir, the girl in the shadows whose life is hidden from all who knew her.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Stephen King's collection of five stories about '60s kids reads like a novel. The best is ... more
"Low Men in Yellow Coats," about Bobby Garfield of Harwich, Connecticut, who craves a Schwinn for his 11th birthday. But his widowed mum is impoverished and so ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Stephen King's collection of five stories about '60s kids reads like a novel. The best is ... more
"Low Men in Yellow Coats," about Bobby Garfield of Harwich, Connecticut, who craves a Schwinn for his 11th birthday. But his widowed mum is impoverished and so ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Stephen King's collection of five stories about '60s kids reads like a novel. The best is ... more
"Low Men in Yellow Coats," about Bobby Garfield of Harwich, Connecticut, who craves a Schwinn for his 11th birthday. But his widowed mum is impoverished and so ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Stephen King's collection of five stories about '60s kids reads like a novel. The best is ... more
"Low Men in Yellow Coats," about Bobby Garfield of Harwich, Connecticut, who craves a Schwinn for his 11th birthday. But his widowed mum is impoverished and so ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Jul 28th, 2004
very helpful by (38%):
helpful by (62%):
