Growing Up

Rating:
Summary: Sheer Craftmanship!
Review: "Buddy" writes an interesting story about his life and his family, but I was most intrigued by how and why he decided to become a writer. I think that this book would make a great gift for aspiring young (or old) writers. It also illustrates some of the techniques writers can use to make their own stories vivid. For example, his use of repetition in Chapter Fifteen was particularily effective. Russell Baker clearly knows his craft and this book was a delight to read!

Rating:
Summary: Shines the light of reality on one's life and one's parents!
Review: As I read this book, I was struck by the common threads that bind one generation to the next, and how significantly different the same event can effect a parent versus a child. This book heightens one's awareness of life's details, large and small, and explores how different points of view, life's experiences, and expectations come together to shape personalities and opinions.

Rating:
Summary: Zack's Review
Review: Growing Up by Russell Baker is a funny account of his childhood told mostly in an interesting and captivating way. I like the way he used humor to make some horrible things seem funny and some everyday things seem horrible. Growing Up was a fairly interesting book. It made some insignificant events hold my attention. For example when Russell was describing his paper route as a child he made it seem interesting and exciting. It gives a child's personal account of how life was like during the depression and World War II. One thing about the book that I really didn't like was how repetitive it was. I thought that the story went on and on about certain details. There was one part when it went on for 10-15 pages about letters sent back and forth that all sounded the same. One thing that can make a book really good or really bad is its flow. I thought that this book flowed very well most of the time. At times it skipped around a lot but eventually it all tied together and made sense. I enjoyed Growing Up, even though it was repetitive and at some times uninteresting I thought that it made it up with its humor and plot.

Rating:
Summary: Critizing Someone's Life
Review: Growing Up by Russell Baker is the story of a boy's account of childhood in the early 1900's. Although realistic this story was tedious, repetitive, random, and a fine example of what I call, well, boring. Like most memoirs I've read, Growing Up starts dull and only gets worse. Sure it had a fitting title (I mean that's what the book is about, growing up), but the early childhood stage seemed to go on forever, and then it seemed like ages five through fifteen never happened. The whole story was basically ages five through ten, and fifteen through twenty-five, other than that his life didn't exist. Also since he flips back and forth, the pieces don't fit; he tells you he sold newspapers at age eight, and when he finally gets to age eight the whole newspaper thing is never mentioned. Although repetitive and dull (alright your mom wants you to make something of yourself, we get the point.), I must admit he was pleasantly articulate, and he did provide with humorous drops of wisdom along the way like how his mom had a saying for everything, but that's about as close as I got to liking it. Aside from being tedious and random, the beginning was kind of weak, and didn't hold my interest for too long; and a little suspense and mystery wouldn't kill him, I mean wasn't he ever scared silly as a kid? Even though I have basically just bashed this book, it took a lot of guts to write some of that stuff down and publish it, so I'll give Baker some credit for guts, but next time he feels like writing a biography, he needs to get some over opinionated readers to critique it first, that or lean some writing skills. All in all I give this book a two in interest and a seven for cute motherly wisdom.

Rating:
Summary: From hard times to the "New York Times"
Review: Growing Up, is Russel Baker's autobiography that describes his atypical life. Starting from humble beginnings in the mountains of West Virginia, Baker weathered a childhood that spanned the entire Depression, and later found success as a big city newspaperman. What was most enjoyable about this book was its genuine authenticity. Baker rattles off no frightening or boring statistics about the Depression. Rather, he writes about life as he saw it, progressively maturing as the book flows along. This, one would argue, is this book's most appealing quality. Baker never comes out to draw attention to himself at any time during the book. He lets the reader know if there was any particular activity that he was adept at, and surprisingly, those passages were surprisingly rare throughout the book. An enthralling read, no, a good, solid read, yes. Go ahead, check it out.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Book
Review: I had to read this book for a college history course. Therefore, I was not looking forward to picking it up at all. Generally books that you are required to read are terrible. This book was a pleasant suprise. It was a very quick read and very interesting. Baker gives a first hand look at life during the Great Depression and a smattering of what went on during WWI. I would encourage anyone interested in American life during the early to mid 19th century to pick up Growing up.

Rating:
Summary: Unoriginal & Boring
Review: I read a lot of books, and I seldom find one as tedious and boring to read as this one. Nothing happens! As a family memoir (if I were in Baker's family), I'd appreciate this work, but as it is, I could not find anything to take with me. The character development is minimal at best; because of this, I felt nothing for the Depression-era struggles this family faced. Mr. Baker's descriptions are simplistic at best and he uses far too much foreshadowing to make you want to even continue to the next page because you know exactly what will happen. Don't waste your time with this one.

Rating:
Summary: A good, quick read
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book in the space of a day -- I just couldn't put it down. Baker's straight forward, no-nonsense prose is delightful and candid; his story, a yarn spun of the golden years we like to call childhood. This is a real autobiographical tour de force.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for all ages
Review: It is a great book for all ages to read.

I am doing a book discussion on this book. Carries you thru generations of his life.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Let the majority rule when reading reviews of this book. It's simply fantastic. Baker describes his past in a manner which is honest, funny, sad, and meaningful. There's something for (almost, apparently) everyone here.