Blurb from the back of the book:

"In his prime, Edward was an extraordinary man. There wasn't anything he couldn't do - and do well.

He could outrun anybody. he never missed a day of school, even in the worst blizzard. He saved lives. Animals loved him, people loved him, women loved him.

Or at least that's what he's told his son, William. Willian doesn't really know his father because, actually, Edward wasn't home all that much.

Now, watching his father die, William grows increasingly desperate to know him before it's too late. And in wonderful sleight of hand, he recreates his elusive father's life in a series of legends and myths inspired by the few facts he knows. Through these tales, William begins to understand Edward Bloom's great fears - and his great fallings.

In a series of wrenchingly funny, often poignant scenes, Big Fish teaches us about the transformative power of storytelling, and one way of moving from life to death."

This is a debut novel from Daniel Wallace.

I enjoyed Tim Burton's movied adaptation of this book, starring Ewan MacGregor, so look forward to reading the original novel.

Permanent Collection

I reread the book again after watching the movie and enjoyed it again. The movie has certainly embroidered on the story, but kept the true nature of what the story was about and the message intact. An enjoyable read!

This book in on quite a few bookrings, so I'm offering it up an International Bookring. I hope it is enjoyed by all.

What to do when you receive the book:

1. Add a journal on the BC site to let us know that you’ve received it
2. Send a private message (PM) the next person to get their mailing address so there won’t be any waiting once you finish the book. If they don’t respond within 10 days, PM the next reader and me too so I know they are no longer interested or will be moved down the line)
3. Read the book within 4 weeks (this one’s a short and quick read) and then add a journal with your thoughts on the book
4. Send the book to the next person and journal that you’ve sent it on it’s way.

What if you’re too other swamped with book commitments and it is almost my turn!? Send me a PM me and I’ll move you down the reading list, if it’s feasible.

Order of Reading is:

* rainwolfe (Maryland, USA) - US postage preferred, i'national possible - from wishlist
* elizardbreath (Oregon, USA) - US postage preferred, post anywhere possible
* KateKintail (Virginia, USA) - prefer US postage - from wishlist
* dietcokemama (Massachusetts, USA)- post anywhere
* Rrrcaron (New Hampshire, USA) - post anywhere
* rebel-padawan (Red Lake, USA) - post anywhere
* ajsmom (British Columbia, Canada)- post international
* RustyReader2 (Ontario, Canada) - post surface anywhere
* lauraloo (Edmonton, Cananda) - post anywhere
* janey-canuck (Ontario, Canada) (from wishlist)
* Kemppu (Pulu, Finland) - international (surface)
* eirini1 (Attiki, Greece) - post anywhere
* Xanthe-pup (Cardiff, Wales) - post anywhere
* toyjoy (Singapore) - post international (** THE BOOK IS ON THE WAY HERE **)
* le-ptit-prince (Thessaloniki, Greece) - can post internationally
* BellaMack (St Helens, Tas)
* livrecache (Caulfield North, Vic)
* flitterby (Maslin Beach, SA)
* Miss-Owl (Sydney, NSW)
* Pixette (Sydney, NSW)
* freelunch (Cairns, Qld) - towards the end
* Sugaryfun (Brisbane, Qld)
* luckaye (Brisbane, Qld)
* back to me

RELEASE NOTES:

Heading off over the seas to the first participant in this bookring in the USA - hope you enjoy the book!

I was completely charmed by the movie, and have really been looking forward to reading this. Plus, it arrived from Australia! How cool is that?!
Thanks aleonblue!

Greatly enjoyed this, and will be putting in my car to post today or tomorrow morning.

Received today...I've got 3 before it, but being holiday weekend...I should finish it fast!

What a ridiculously weird book! I loved it! My husband and I rented this movie a couple years ago but watched it really late and I fell asleep. I am going to go rent it today to watch again tonight! This book will go out to the next one on the list within the next couple days.

I received this in the mail today! Oh boy!

I'm in the middle of reading Trainspotting for a bookring (seems to be my month of reading books that were made into movies with nummy Ewan McGregor) but I already started Big Fish and look forward to the adventures. Yayness!

And, Rainwolfe, what a pretty bookmark! :-) I absolutely love when bookring books arrive with their own bookmarks in them- adds to the whole experience.

Thank you, aleonblue, for this bookring! I've never had a BookCrossing book in my hands that's come all the way from Australia.

I really enjoyed this book. I've seen the movie at least a dozen times, so I brought that with me as I read the book. I found them to be very similar in spirit, theme, and tone... and they were both amusing, touching, and charming but surprisingly in much different ways! I loved the storytelling techniques- in a book about telling stories, the form was certainly important. And I loved the characters as I thought I would, especially Edward.

As a writer, it's a dream of mine to one day turn into a story, myself. Not for the immortality, but for the ability to delight and entertain forever... just like this book does. A wonderful read. Thanks again for the bookring!

I'll be sending this out to dietcokemama either tomorrow or Thursday (depending how swamped the post office is when I get to it!)

This book arrived in the mail on Saturday the 23rd from KateKintail. I just started reading it today.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a crazy, fun story. It's in the mail on the way to NH to Rrrcaron.

Thanks to aleonblue for including me in this ring.

I received this book in the mail today. I have a book in progress, but I plan on reading this one asap.
Ruth

I so enjoyed reading this book! I will now have to find a copy of the movie you prevoiuos journalers talked about. It was a fun read- short and sweet. Thanks for sharing. Contacting the next in line and will get in the mail asap!
Ruth

Received this in the mail last Saturday (sorry for the journal delay) and took it to work with me, where it charmed me into being late late back from lunch break, luckily I work the grave shift and won't catch too much heck!

I am presently half way through the book, having taken a few days to get some sleep. :) I positively love the movie and am so far loving this book! Thank you for sharing, will be contacting the next person when I am done with this journal so I have the address handy when I am finished!

Thanks again for sharing!

P.S. Ewan McGreggor is "nummy" perfect word KateKintail!

I relate to this story a lot, as I lost one of my parents (my mom) at a young age, and when I think back about her now, I remember her stories, the ones she would tell of her earlier life, her adventures and misadventures. Like Edward Bloom, my mom was a big fish.

As it happened, this is my #6 in the 50 books challenge.

I am so glad I had the chance to read this book. It is completely different than I expected, and familiar in the way a broken in pair of pants is familiar after a washing. I had watched the movie (several times) and loved it, as I am a really big Ewan McGreggor fan, and was amazed to find out it was based on a book.
I love that Billy Crudup is in the movie too, as my friend Zane looks so much like him. Zane's song "Fall Again" reminds me a lot of the love scenes between Edward and Sandra.
Zane: Billy Crudup:
I finished this book early this evening (around 11pm) and promptly put on the movie, just to relive the magic a little bit longer.

Thank you for sharing!

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending on to ajsmom in the morning when I go to the post office.

Received today, thank you! I'm looking forward to this and may have to watch the movie again afterwards...just to get my Ewan McGregor fix!

I loved it! I also really enjoyed the CD rebel-padawan sent along of her friend Zane singing (and I don't have much love for Country music, so that's saying something). What a great book, filled with funny jokes and truths about family.

I PM'd RustyReader on Feb. 11 and again tonight. If I don't hear back in the next two days, I will check in with lauraloo. Thanks for the ring, aleonblue!

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to RustyReader via letter mail.

Arrived safe and sound this morning! Will be starting this either today or tomorrow.

Well this book definitely surprised me. I did not want to see the movie at all, but once I started reading the book I couldn't put it down. I wasn't interested in the movie because of the way it jumped around, but reading the book didn't have that same feeling.

Great read, thank you for sharing it! Sending it to lauraloo29 next week.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sorry it took me so long to send this off, but I have been VERY sick for the past 3 weeks. I have now sent it off to lauraloo29.

Arrived safe and sound today. Finally got caught up on all my rings. This will be read soon. Thank you!

This was a very quick read. Enjoyable though not one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing!

Received the other day - I have one ring before it but should be able to get to it soon.

What a delightful little book! I haven't seen the movie but I think I might have to rent it now. I really enjoyed the little stories and the way the book was written. I think my favourite part was the story about how Edward bought up a entire town and fell in love with Jenny. There was something incredibly charming about it.

The stories were so whimsical, so cute, and so preposterous that you couldn't help but smile through the whole thing!

I have Kemppu's address and will be mailing this out tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for sharing, aleonblue - I loved the bookplate!

The book just arrived, thank you! I begin to read it right away.

Hmmm, this was quite a strange little book. I was a bit surprised about the structure of it: all those short stories. This wasn't a bad book, but it's not my favourite kind either. This may be due to the fact that I saw the movie first and liked it. I'm also a fan of Ewan McGregor :) The book was not as fantasy-like as the movie, although the main story and the atmosphere were similar.
What disturbed me here was the fact that Edward Bloom didn't seem to be there for his wife and son very much. He just wanted to have his adventures and stories to tell. I felt sorry for William and especially Sandra: nobody ever asked if she was happy, if she wanted to go and see the world too. No, everything was always about Edward. Then again, at the time the book was about, I guess the stories were generally about men, and women just stayed at home. *sigh*
Anyway, in the movie the love story of Sandra and Edward was sweeter.
What I liked most about the book were the stories about the giant and the eye, and the ending. And the thing that often it's not important if the stories are true or not - a good story is a good story.

Sent to eirini1.

The book arrived today with a nice card from Finland! Thanks!!

I really liked the book!! The movie had wonderful images but the book make you imagine the most incredible things!!!

RELEASE NOTES:

I sent the book in Xanthe-pup and i hope to enjoy it as much as me!

Oh my word - I have had this book for ages! Sorry to all, I thought I had journalled and sent this on to the next participant (when in fact I haven't even PM'd them yet).

First of all, thanks to eirini1 for sending this on to me, and for the lovely little gifts - they live happily on my desk at work. Lovely thought!

Now, the book. I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to. I saw the film a few years ago, and it moved me deeply. But my husband and I had nursed his father through his last months on this earth and lost him only a couple of weeks before, so it was a very poignant story to us, as well as being painful to watch. I think I unreasonably expected to be moved in the same way four years later, and as I didn't have the same emotional connection I didn't really enjoy this at all.

Perhaps without the 'history' with the film I would have enjyed it much more.

I will PM toyjoy now to ask for an address.

Sorry again for holding up the ring.