1 journaler for this copy...
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Journal Entry 1 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Wednesday, March 21, 2007
 I picked this up second-hand at the Oxfam shop in Hessle, near Hull (E Yorks, UK), and read it in Paris. So it's already well-travelled.
The book is a Penguin-70; it only contains two short stories. I rate it a 9 for story number 2, "Not a Star", which I loved so much I read it out loud to my husband (something I had pretty much given up trying because he usually just falls asleep). He roared with laughter and delight. I would love to pass this along and see what other people think of it.
Story number 1 ("Otherwise Pandemonium"), on the other hand, left me cold.
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Journal Entry 2 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Just noticed there are two reviews on amazon.uk for this book - here are some excerpts.
J.E.Davidson writes, I'm not sure that either short story is wholly successful (for example in Otherwise Pandemonium US setting never fully convinces and the rather self-conscious Catcher in the Rye but not Catcher in the Rye style labours) but Hornby clearly had great fun writing them and this sense of fun is infectious. Both stories are quick, light, easy reads providing much enjoyment and entertainment for the reader.
I totally agree that the "American" voice of the first character was implausible. And that the story evoked Catcher in the Rye in the most irritating way.
Karl Ruben Weseth writes, the all-new "Not a Star" is reason good enough to buy this volume. In fact, I recommend that you buy it, put it away, and save it for a day you're feeling really low. Reading "Not a Star" will make it all better.
Absolutely. The bold-face emphasis is my own.
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Otherwise Pandemonium
