Larry's Party by Carol Shields

To those of you who gave this book simply mediocre marks; WHA????????????????????????????????????????????

I loved it. Read it in 2 sittings. One in bed last night and then this afternoon.
Larry's Party is about Larry. Larry at 30, Larry's Love, Larry's Folks, Larry's Work, Larry's Words, Larry's Friends, Larry's Penis, Larry Inc, Larry So Far, Larry's Kid, Larry's Search for the Wonderful and the Good, 1992, Larry's Threads, 1993-4, Men Called Larry, Larry's Living Tissues, 1996, and lastly Larry's Party. So it is all about Larry and the different highlights and lowlights of Larry's life.
I found it fascinating reading. I think anyone who loves words would.
Larry is just a guy; basically this book could be about any man out there. Larry becomes fascinated with mazes and it changes his life. Every major point in Larry's life changes it. The women in Larry's life are fascinatingly different and when you put them together, Larry's life gets more interesting momentarily.
I don't know how I have missed Carol Shields but know I will read more books by her. I really loved Larry's Party and it will probably be on my Orange January list again next year. I highly recommend this one and rated it 4 1/2 stars.

Larry's Party is still sitting on my bookshelves awaiting my attention so I was most happy to see your rave review Belva!

Me too!

I went on a Carol Shields jag a few years back, I really like her work. I was pleasantly surprised by Larry's Party because I'd seen such mixed reviews. I agree with you Belva!

There was a play-actually I think that it was a musical -that was adapted from the book years ago in Toronto at Canadian Stage Theatre company. Brent Carver played Larry.

Wow, I would have *loved* to have seen Brent Carver as Larry. ::pouts::

I really liked Larry's Party but my favorite book by her is Unless, followed by The Stone Diaries. I plan reading ALL of her works!!

I have read quite a few and I haven't found a stinker yet. I actually meet Shields once. I was working at Toronto airport in the bookstore and she was flying out somewhere. She came in, realised that we had no copies of Stone Diaries on the shelf (it had just won an award and practically flew off the shelf) so she called the publisher from a pay phone in the lobby and the NEXT morning, two cartons showed up. Talk about getting stuff done! I had never read her stuff before that but she impressed me so I tried one and was hooked.

>8 Yells: Thx for telling that story -- I sooooooo wish we could have had more from Carol Shields!!

That's a great story. I love a woman who gets things done!

No kidding! Who knows how many excellent stories died with her.

I got to meet all kinds of interesting people at that bookstore. I will never forget the day I finished a sale, turned and there standing besides my cash desk looking at her own books was Margaret Atwood! I am almost sorry that we had her stuff in stock because I would have LOVED to have seen what she would have done. :)