T.R Whittier

Ballet. Lithe men and women flitting across the stage. Beautiful costumes and music. Everyone stick thin, especially the prima ballerina. There's a stigma that comes with professional ballet, and it's one that haunts our poor protagonist. See, Olga isn't exactly what you'd call thin. For that matter, she's the exact opposite. Olga's world revolves around the dreaded "F-word", and her shame over the way others view her. What do you do when you have a ton of passion and talent for ballet, but show more aren't given the body to match? According to T.R. Whittier's light-hearted story, you make your own way.

Fat Ballet is definitely best described as light-hearted. It deals with a lot of hot button topics, but it does it in a way that is adorable and funny. Olga is fat. Harold is weak. Fiona is wheel-chair bound. Yet none of these things defines who they are, or what they love. It was nice to see a story that took characters with characteristics that are normally considered taboo to discuss, and put them out there in a situation where they could shine. I loved watching Harold pull Olga out of her shell. Loved seeing her in the spotlight. The word "fat" is always used in such a negative way. I enjoyed the fact that Fat Ballet was trying to embrace that, and change it.

Overall, this story was a quick and rather fun read. I think where it fell short was simply the length. No pun intended. Truly, if there had been more time to dive into Olga's background, and her relationship with her new found friends, it would have been an even better experience. As it stands, this book flies by. This calls for a bit of insta-love, some very quick reconciliations, and a bit of suspended disbelief. Still, if you take it for the ride that it is, this book is a great way to spend an hour or so.

Are you looking for something outside of the norm? Something that embraces passion and talent, despite the outer wrappings of the people it deals with? This is a book for you. Happy reading! show less

Short stories that are linked by ownership (or temporary possession) of an object (book, house violin, car, hat, etc,) are among of my favorite kinds of collections, so I was happy to download this from NoiseTrade in return for a modest donation. It traces the possession of a dollar bill from one person to another, with a story for each.

It turns out that the bill is not the only link among this assortment of New Yorkers. Among the links is that the are all basically nice people in need of show more some sort of help. They are also connected by other factors and I like it that the author is not afraid to use coincidence.

The writing is a bit uneven. I'm not sure I like a kiss described as a "merging" of lips or mouth--the author does this on at least two different occasions (two different couples), but that is minor. Overall it was a fun read just when I was in the mood for something with interesting characters and a slightly familiar setting.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from T.R. Whittier.

Note: When I first downloaded this book, I forgot to check the donation box. I've gone back and fixed that. Fittingly, considering the title & subject, the suggested donation is one buck. The book is worth more and it's possible to up the amount when you donate. show less

My thanks to the author and LibraryThing for sharing a complimentary copy of this pastiche of character sketches, a glimpse into big city life. We sit on the observation platform and watch as stranger's lives become changed when they come to possess the "lucky buck." Is it random chance or magical selection that finds each one confronted with a solution to the demons that we all carry around with us? Instead of "pass the buck," I see this charming tale as a treatment of the currently show more fashionable "pass it on" social phenomenon. The next recipient is chosen with purpose. The mystery is unsolved. What do the symbols drawn on the dollar bill stand for? Perhaps we will find out in the next installment. It was fun, fast and worthy of your read time. show less

This is a fantastic story about what happens to the money you hand off. The author has turned around the phrase “Pass the buck” to present several heart-warming, wonderful stories about people in need of something (none know what exactly), who pick up the buck at random and find answers to their questions. The characters are seemingly not connected, but, in reality, they are connected by the place they come from and the place where they live. There is an heiress who has a vapid life show more going from one night stands to another, the husband and father of a rambunctious toddler who realizes what his life can and does hold, the taxi hating cab driver, and so on. I loved the way the author tied all these stories together so seamlessly and smoothly. In addition, he gave the reader a larger message of hop and love that we can and already do have if we only look for it. I really cannot decide which story r character I like more in the book. I loved them all! I also loved the doorman at the complex where everyone lived, a man full of the wisdom that only experience can bring and who generally is right on the mark. I think just about everyone who enjoys to read will love this book. It is not all that long and can be finished easily. The length brought home to me that the author really had a message and did not have to or want to hide it in a barrage of useless, filler words. This is just such a good book that I cannot stop praising it, though, in the interest of not repeating myself, I will. I will definitely be looking for other works by this author. I received this from Library Thing to read and review. show less