| All American Boy | 
 enlarge | Author: William J. Mann
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: £10.99
Buy New: £4.98
You Save: £6.01 (55%)
New (28) Used (8) from £1.63
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 430396
Media: Paperback
Edition: New title
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9 x 5.8 x 1.1
ISBN: 0758203292
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780758203298
ASIN: 0758203292
Publication Date: June 8, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW - ***Delivery usually * 4 - 5 * working days - From Aphrohead of SOUTHPORT, Lancs, UK *** . Priority Airmail used Worldwide on International orders. Thanks from all at Aphrohead.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Stick with it to the end November 2, 2007
This book is worth reading through in its entirity, but it may take some effort. The characterisation is good and I did find myself wanting to know the outcome despite soem passages which I found hard going.
I have great things about the author and have seen very strong recommendations - on this evidence I am not sure what all the fuss is about but nevertheless a fairly good read.
 Self-indulgent nonsense September 25, 2007
What can I say?
I had high hopes for this book - the overview was exciting, setting the scene for a (potentially) great story and the other reviews gave high ratings.
In reality though, the book was confusing, poorly written, difficult to read (not due to content) and badly paced. The author states in his 'letter to fans' at the end of the book that it was 'a book he'd long wanted to write' - which explains the self-indulgence of the story, characters and content.
I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't actually finish the book - I was two-thirds of way though when I gave up. I didn't understand and couldn't be bothered trying to anymore. This also explains why I'm not talking specifics here with regard to the story (what story) - I just don't know what it was on about!!
Future readers - buy at your own peril.....
 The secret is in the apples... July 20, 2006
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is the first novel I have read by William J Mann, and it is a superb addition to my collection. As well as being intriguing on the most basic level (small town scandals, hidden family secrets) it is also highly accomplished (adeptly employing techniques such as fluid notions of time to both portray the characters' states of mind and to reveal incidents that created the people they have become).
Although Walter is ostensibly the primary focus of this novel, all the characters are well-developed and vividly portrayed - and moreover, are intensely human, with their own quirks and three-dimensional personalities. Walter's mother, for example, is a masterly creation in her own right. And that's really the point of this review - to stress that this is unquestionably not a `typical' coming of age novel; it reaches far beyond such simple categorisation. Similar in vein to the excellent works of Bart Yates and D Travers Scott, `All American Boy' is expertly crafted and multi-layered, incorporating far broader themes that apply to individuals of any sexuality: the point at which innocence is lost and it's significance; the role of family and extended families; the consequences for the future of closing one's eyes to the past.
One of the most appealing aspects of this work is that the author avoids the temptation to play god and pass moral judgment over his creations, but recognises that the subjectivity of morality mandates that the reader must be left to draw their own conclusions. This is, in part, achieved by the technique of allowing us only to view events through the eyes of the characters themselves; an admirably Nietzschian stance recognising that `reality' only exists from an individual perspective. Hence as there is no overseeing eye that reveals what `really' happened, many elements remain unanswered and ambiguous. This is heightened (as in Travers Scott's `One of These Things') by the occasional hint of mysticism. Those who desire fairy-tale simplicity may be frustrated; those seeking a thought-provoking read with which they can actively engage, and which may present previously unconsidered realms of introspection, will be in their absolute element.
This excellent work has a great deal to offer: powerfully authentic characters, page-turning plot lines, and - above all - a tantalising glimpse into human nature. Read this book; you will not be disappointed.
Gripping December 20, 2005
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
The book is absolutely gripping. I could not put it down and read it twice. William J Mann's style is so precise and so musical. The characters come alive and it seems as if the reader has known them forever. All the characters sound true to nature and all are, in their own way, very moving. I recommend the book very warmly indeed. I am sure that you will be tempted to read it again and again as I have.
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