B Is for Beer - Hardcover

Robbins, Tom

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061687278 ISBN 13: 9780061687273

Publisher: Ecco, 2009

Synopsis

A Children's Book About Beer?

Yes, believe it or not—but B Is for Beer is also a book for adults, and bear in mind that it's the work of maverick bestselling novelist Tom Robbins, inter-nationally known for his ability to both seriously illuminate and comically entertain.

nce upon a time (right about now) there was a planet (how about this one?) whose inhabitants consumed thirty-six billion gallons of beer each year (it's a fact, you can Google it). Among those affected, each in his or her own way, by all the bubbles, burps, and foam, was a smart, wide-eyed, adventurous kindergartner named Gracie; her distracted mommy; her insensitive dad; her non-conformist uncle; and a magical, butt-kicking intruder from a world within our world.

Populated by the aforementioned characters—and as charming as it may be subversive—B Is for Beer involves readers, young and old, in a surprising, far-reaching investigation into the limits of reality, the transformative powers of children, and, of course, the ultimate meaning of a tall, cold brewski.

About this title

About the Author

Tom Robbins was born in North Carolina in 1932 and raised in Virginia. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, he moved to Seattle to do graduate work at the University of Washington. His internationally bestselling works include Still Life With Woodpecker, Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates, Jitterbug Perfume, Skinny Legs and All, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas, Villa Incognito, and B Is For Beer. Robbins lives with his wife, Alexa D'Avalon, and their dog, Blini Tomato Titanium, in Washington State.

From AudioFile

The cover of this audiobook reads "performed by Laura Silverman," as opposed to "read by Laura Silverman," for a reason: Her cotton-candy voice is full of almost-musical playfulness. It runs the danger of being cloying, but given the uniqueness of the literary device Robbins uses to tell the story, Silverman's tone is strangely appealing: This is a "children's book" seen from the eyes of a precocious kindergartener named Gracie that uses beer as the universal metaphor for life itself. Although this is shorter than much of Robbins's work, he hasn't lost his gift for astute, and somewhat mocking, cultural observations. For instance, this bon mot on the subject of golf: "Golf is like basketball for people who can't jump or chess for people who can't think." J.S.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Ecco
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0061687278
• ISBN 13: 9780061687273
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128