Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry (2006-10-17)

by Michael Perry

Hardcover, 1790

Status

Available

Call number

629.2232

Genres

Publication

Harper (1790)

Description

"A touching and very funny account. . . . Thoroughly engaging."--New York Times Hilarious and heartfelt, Truck: A Love Story is the tale of a man struggling to grow his own garden, fix his old pickup, and resurrect a love life permanently impaired by Neil Diamond. In the process, he sets his hair on fire, is attacked by wild turkeys, and proposes marriage to a woman in New Orleans. The result is a surprisingly tender testament to love. "Part Bill Bryson, part Anne Lamott, with a skim of Larry the Cable Guy and Walt Whitman creeping around the edges."--Lincoln Journal Star "Perry takes each moment, peeling it, seasoning it with rich language, and then serving it to us piping hot and fresh."--Chicago Tribune

User reviews

LibraryThing member helpfulsnowman

Great little book about a period in history in one man's life. Perry makes a change later in life from devoted bachelorhood to husband. Intersperced are little stories of other people around town, especially love stories and stories of the ways love can go bad. Short sections keep you clipping

along.

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LibraryThing member EmThomas

As a female fancier of antique automobiles, Truck: A Love Story caught my eye based on the title alone when I saw it on the shelf of my local big box store. I picked it up and skimmed the back cover, finally deciding that I would look up some reviews online to see if it would truly appeal to me. By

the time that I knew for sure that I wanted to read it, it was no longer on the shelves, and I stumbled across it about a year later at my local used book store. I snatched it up and brought it home and was truly shocked at how funny and poignant and delightful it is. I found myself laughing out loud every couple of paragraphs in certain parts, jotting down a quote here and there, as well as longing to get out into my garden. Not only was there talk of the truck restoration, and the afformentioned gardening projects, but farming, fire departments, nursing, book signings, the sweet, simple tale of finding love with a woman and her young daughter, and one of the best senses of humor I have seen in a book. This is a biography I will hang on to and read again!

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LibraryThing member strandbooks

This isn't a book I'd pick up on my own. I actually read it for a book club. I had some issues with it. First was the large amount of truck mechanical work portions, but since the book is named Truck I can't really hold that against it. However, I found it very disjointed. Perry jumps back and

forth throughout his life. It is difficult to follow and to figure out why some of the past passages are relevant to the story. Also, he is constantly making references to old pop culture, writers, musicians, tv shows etc that I've never heard of. I don't think it was written with a large audience in mind or to transcend his generation.

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LibraryThing member LindaStone

A delightfully reflective book by a writer smitten with an old International Harvester truck, long immobile, and a longing to meet the right woman whom he can love, one who tolerates his foibles and loves him back. Classed as 629 in the car repair area of Dewey, this will be lost without personal

recommendation. Michael Perry restores his truck over the year, meets the love of his life, grows a garden, carries out rescues as an EMT, reflects on cooking and recipes, and continues a most eccentric life style. A wonderful book which must be read carefully and closely.

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LibraryThing member jomajimi

Almost done. Thought it was fiction. Turns out its a memoir. Funny, in some ways overly detailed, almost stream of consciousness in parts, but then, as you become involved in the main character/author, more is better. Hmmm. I'm reading on a kindle so I don't know how far I am. About 3/4 of the way.

LibraryThing member bherner

Although the transition from topic to topic was a little jarring, I LOVED this book.

LibraryThing member jillstone

I own all of Michael Perry's books and they are all wonderful. Filled with tales of life in Wisconsin, his family, being a volunteer fireman, projects with his interesting brothers. Every one of these books is a great read!

LibraryThing member Sean191

29. [Truck: A Love Story] by Michael Perry. I first saw this book months ago at a bookstore when I was on a mini vacation. I already bought about a dozen books by that point, so I wasn't going to easily convince my wife that I NEEDED another...so even though it looked good, I filed it away for a

future purchase or library checkout. I just took it out from the library last week. I'm glad I didn't bother trying to add it to my collection. It wasn't good or bad at the very beginning. Then, the obsessive listing/minute details of descriptions started to grate on my nerves and I would have abandoned the book (probably only the second time I've ever done so) if I wasn't already about half way though. Luckily, Perry finishes strongly. He tones down the descriptions and gets into the story as a whole again. He went from a writer I would never read again, to one I MIGHT try again.

Perry offers a glimpse at small town life, something I usually enjoy reading. But he takes too much time describing in obsessive details things that don't move the story along and really are of no help to the reader in any other way. For example, do I need to read about the descriptions of 20 items and the locations around his brother-in-law's garage? Do I need to read about all the ingredients going into various recipes (without actual amounts or cooking times or real prep descriptions - even if I wanted to cook them, I couldn't)?

He also jumps around sporadically throughout the book seemingly without rhyme or reason, making it hard to hold the literary thread and settle comfortably into what he's trying to say. I had high hopes, but it just didn't measure up.

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LibraryThing member rhonna

I picked this book up because I like trucks, but it's really about so much more. Michael Perry talks about a year of his life in a small town in Wisconsin. He volunteers at the fire department, does some gardening, fixes up his truck, goes on some book tours, and meets a woman. He discusses the

basic day-to-day events of life with humor and poignancy. He shares his struggles, joys, and insecurities in a way that really touched me. I've been recommending this book everywhere because there's something in it for everyone.

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LibraryThing member RavenousReaders

A man, a neglected truck, a small town, a cautious love, a true story. What more could a reader ask for?

Reviewed by: Diana

LibraryThing member mnlohman

Continuation of Perry's tales of living, loving, and working in a small town in Wisconsin. Didn't like it as much as his first, maybe because he gets married.

LibraryThing member dogearedpage

I love this guy! Where was he when I was 39? But like he said his friend said..."He doesn't talk like that" or something to the point of that. I guess that is like the regular person. We are all eloquent given enough time to think about it. How rarely we get the chance to prove it. Thanks Michael.

It was lovely.

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LibraryThing member Thomas_Cannon

awesome. In a way, the book has two endings. both powerful

LibraryThing member Thomas_Cannon

awesome. In a way, the book has two endings. both powerful

LibraryThing member Thomas_Cannon

awesome. In a way, the book has two endings. both powerful

LibraryThing member BookConcierge

Perry is the rural poet laureate of Wisconsin (in my humble opinion). His essays on life in a small town are poetic, tender, touching, and hilarious. I laughed out loud at his descriptions of “squirrel wars,” read aloud to my husband his paean to seed catalogues, and found myself misty-eyed

when he waxes poetic about the love of his life (I’m talking about his wife, not the truck). Oh, and about the truck … he’s definitely in love with it, as well. It forms the frame for this work, which covers the span of a year, while he was working to refurbish and return to working order his beloved 1951 International Harvester L-120. It’s just a delightful read.

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LibraryThing member bherner

LOVE this book!

LibraryThing member ParadisePorch

Delightful, especially if you're a fan of old trucks, restorations, or International Harvester. I'm not. You might ask 'then why did you read it?', to which I answer that I am a fan of Michael Perry. He didn't let me down.

LibraryThing member Thomas.Cannon

awesome. In a way, the book has two endings. both powerful

LibraryThing member KatyBee

I just thoroughly enjoyed this - Michael Perry is a very engaging writer with a nice sense of humor and a great eye for all the quirky details of everyday life.

LibraryThing member jennybeast

I love this guy! He walks a beautiful line between redneck and poet with all the humor necessary to carry it off compellingly. A tad preachy at times in this particular volume, but mostly just heartwarming. Also, he's got so much in common with my brother I'm wondering if we're related. There is

romance, but it's a real one, and it shows.

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