Herb 'n' Lorna: a Love Story

I like beginnings that come out of nowhere and give the reader a resounding slap. Picture this: it's the preface and our hero, Peter Leroy, gets a boner at his grandmother's funeral. It's worse than that because he's not hunkered down in a pew. While up in front of fellow mourners, delivering the eulogy, he has to find a way to shift his painfully positioned penis without anyone noticing. Talk about uncomfortable! Sounds like one of those dreams when you are standing in front of the class naked, trying to recite the Gettysburg address. If I were a boy I would be cringing to read all this in such detail; instead I'm a giggling girl.
Kraft is well...crafty when it comes to Herb 'n' Lorna. It's the cleverly told biography of the title's show more namesakes told from the point of view of their grandson, Peter. He fills in the gaps with an "interview" with an old friend of his grandmother's. Herb and Lorna were not your average grandparents and their life together was far from ordinary despite outward appearances to the contrary. Herb was a salesman with a passion for tinkering. He liked gadgets and he liked inventing. Lorna was an artist, skilled at carving. Independent of the other they both became involved in the creation of "course works", little trinkets depicting erotic sex acts disguised as charms or jewelry or buttons or pocket watches. For example, Lorna carved buttons which subsequently were secreted into Red Cross care packages; sent to "cheer" the troops during the war. Herb upon receiving one such button, took these course goods a step further and gave them movement through mechanical engineering. They both picked up the trade from an uncle. They both used this secret work as a means to make extra money. How they got away with living parallel lives without the other finding out seemed a little unbelievable at times.
What makes Herb 'n' Lorna such a joy to read is the characters themselves. They are complicated and endearing and their relationship sticks with you long after the last page is read. And I agree with the author, read the preface! show less

Presented as the biography of the grandparents of a fictional character, this lovely novel is a strangely engaging read. Though the book starts off slow and is a little difficult to really sink into, once the story takes off, it is difficult to put down. Well-written, sweet, funny, and a little naughty, this novel was an unexpectedly enjoyable offering. Herb and Lorna are wonderful characters that I found myself totally invested in- the grandparents any of us would love to have. This story of an ordinary family, its place in history, and its quirky secrets offers hours of enjoyment that you will want to share with your friends and family. 4 stars (would have been 5 if I hadn't started and stopped a couple of times before I finally got show more hooked). show less

Eric Kraft presents this story of Herb 'n' Lorna as a biography written by their grandson, Peter Leroy. I found that this made for a slow start, as there were various quotes from people who had known Herb and Lorna, and a description of the town Lorna grew up in that was a bit too detailed for my taste.

But things picked up quickly and this became a great read about a couple who, unknown to each other, both work in creating erotic jewellry. In fact, Lorna carves figures based on Herb's designs.

Funny, fast-paced, well-written. I recommend it.

Loved this book when I read it over 10 years ago but it does not pass my five star test: I have not been able to re-read it. So I really give it 4.5 stars.