Michael O'Halloran (Library of Indiana Classics)

Rating:
Summary: A charming fable of life in the 'teens
Review: Because of my name, many have asked me over the years if I was familiar with Gene Stratton-Porter's book, "Michael O'Halloran". As a boy, I was given a copy containing photo stills from the movie and have treasured it since. Re-reading it as an adult, I am still charmed by this tale of a young newspaper seller who asks the world to "be square". It is easy to overlook major holes in the plot (for example, we never do know what is wrong with Peaches other than she is sick and can't walk) when we are presented with such a vivid description of American life in 1914 - even if some of the city scenes don't quite ring true. Through many hardships, the tone is so upbeat that it's easy to see why this book outsold "Pollyanna" in 1916. Stratton-Porter's skill as a naturalist make the country scenes especially vibrant. Her ear for dialog is unsurpassed showing the reader that, if life in America wasn't like this, it should have been. Having read this book, I am ready to believe that children and adults did speak this nicely to each other once upon a time. You, too, will wonder if the world wouldn't be a lot better off if everyone could just "be square".

Rating:
Summary: A charming fable of American life in the 'teens
Review: Because of my name, many have asked me over the years if I was familiar with Gene Stratton-Porter's book, "Michael O'Halloran". As a boy, I was given a copy containing the pen and ink drawings and stills from the "photoplay" and have treasured it since (I do not know if modern editions contain either set of illustrations). Re-reading it as an adult, I am still charmed by this tale of an orphaned newspaper seller who asks nothing of the world except to "be square". It is easy to overlook major holes in the plot (for example, we never do know what is wrong with Peaches other than she is sick and can't walk), when we are presented with such a vivid description of American life in 1914 - even if some of the city scenes don't quite ring true. Though the characters suffer many hardships, the overall tone is so upbeat that it's easy to see why this book outsold "Pollyanna" in 1916. Stratton-Porter's skill as a naturalist make the country scenes especially vibrant. Her ear for dialog is unsurpassed showing the reader that, if life in America wasn't like this, it should have been. Having read this book, I am ready to believe that children and adults did speak this nicely to each other once upon a time. You, too, will wonder if the world wouldn't be a lot better off if everyone could just "be square".

Rating:
Summary: Today's youth should be like Michael!
Review: I loved this story! I read it first when I was 17 or so and had already read many of the author's works. Michael has such an appreciation for life, and his "squareness" and determination to keep his family together in the face of poverty, illness, and wellmeaning interference really brings home how important family is. This story contrasts city life and country life--and makes you long for the country! The fresh, homegrown food, the clean breezes, the room to stretch and grow, the creeks with gravelly bottoms and nibbling minnows! This book will appeal to anyone who yearns for the simple life.