Shopping Cart

Your cart is empty.

Your cart is empty.

The Wapshot Chronicle

4.7 (10) Write Review
Free shipping on orders over $29.99

$17.84

$ 7 .99 $7.99

In Stock



MJ
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2024
I read John Cheever’s Wapshot books many years ago as an English major and loved them. I decided to read them again and purchased this book. I still like the book, but this edition is difficult to read. I have extremely dry eyes coupled with macular deterioration. I still read profusely but sometimes the combination of paper and the type font/clarity are difficult to read. If you have vision issues, this edition will probably be difficult to read.
burgess needle
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2022
I don't want to write anything more.
alix pitcher
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2021
Readers who associate John Cheever with his stories of suburbia will be surprised at this rollicking tale of a family whose lives seem to be touched by madness and enchantment. There are sentences in this astonishing novel that will take your breath away.
Frank Donnelly
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2018
This is a the first novel by John Cheever. It was published in 1957 and in 1958 was a "National Book Award" recipient, selected over "Atlas Shrugged". It is a very unusual novel, episodic and quirky. At first I did not really like it, but by the end I truly enjoyed the novel. It sort of grew on me. I read the book in paperback while listening to an audiobook read by Joe Barrett. I felt Joe Barrett was excellent.The novel is about a New England family. There is no main adventure, or dominant story line. In that context the novel sort of meanders. In the beginning I grew impatient for something to happen. I feel fortunate that I had previously read numerous John Cheever short stories. This novel certainly is reminiscent of his style of short stories. Some short stories that this novel reminded me of are "Goodbye My Brother" and "The Five Forty Eight".Very few authors cause me to constantly look up words and literary references. I found myself doing that several times while reading this novel. John Cheever evidences a level of sophistication that, apparently, is self taught. There is also an semi autobiographical aspect to this novel as Mister Cheever includes stories about bisexualality. In 1957, this may have been somewhat avant-garde for the time.In summary I ended up enjoying this novel and I am glad I read it. I am quite positive it will not suit the taste of every reader. If one reads this novel and enjoys it, one might consider "Run, River" by Joan Didion or "Housekeeping" or "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson. Thank You...
Deb H
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2017
This book tells about a very odd family over the years. It is not an action packed novel, but the writing is beautiful. I really came to appreciate the characters and their idiosyncrasies. I don’t think it would be a book everyone would enjoy, but I certainly did.
Razor Man
Reviewed in Canada on March 25, 2016
The cover advertised was not the same but overall it is as promised.
Miketang
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 16, 2016
Well worth a read.
Keith
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2013
Lots of fun side comments and the characters are a "hoot". Cheever has a great way of adding a light touch to criminal behavior.. definitely a good summer beach book.
carolyn sutcliffe
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2013
This book/story is very unusual and the first Cheever book, not a short story, that I have read. I liked it. Perhaps my coming from a town such as his made me enjoy it more. He wove several very interesting characters into the "epic" whom I felt I knew by the end of the story. It did go on a bit too long but that was a small flaw.I did have a difficult time at first remembering who was who but made myself a character list and that helped. I had to be very careful in reading that I did not jump into the future too quickly and had to read carefully.It will not be one of my A PLUS book, but a good one just the same.
David A. Moyer
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2010
While I love Cheever's prose, I expected more in this highly acclaimed novel. I just couldn't get into the characters or the story.