Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Hamlyn (1983), 160 pages
Description
"Without Anne Tyler, American fiction would be an immeasurably bleaker place."NEWSDAYEvie Decker is a shy, slightly plump teenager, lonely and silent. But her quiet life isshattered when she hears the voice of Drumstrings Casey on the radio and becomes instantly attracted to him. She manages to meet him, bursting out of her lonely shell--and into the attentive gaze of the intangible man whobecomes all too real.... "From the Paperback edition."
User reviews
LibraryThing member verenka
This was quite an unexpected love story with unusual people and an unexpected outcome. Weird, but in a good way. Plus the ending is more to my liking than most of the love stories I read.
LibraryThing member AlekG
I wanted to like this book, as I've heard great things about Anne Tyler. But, I don't know...it had potential, but the main characters were just so...dull and mopey. And a tad dysfunctional (Evie Decker). Which was supposed to make the character quirky and interesting, but it didn't.
The book was
Maybe Ms. Tyler's later books are better?
The book was
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well written and all, but...like I said, I WANTED to like it, but just couldn't get into it. Maybe Ms. Tyler's later books are better?
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LibraryThing member moonshineandrosefire
Evie Decker is 17-years-old - a painfully shy, slightly plump teenager whose mother died in childbirth, and she lives with her father. All in all, Evie's life is terribly lonely - until she hears the voice of 'Drumstrings' Casey on the radio. She is completely captivated and is resolute in her
It is while she is attending Drumstrings' shows, that Evie truly bursts out of her lonely shell - once and for all - and comes under the intense scrutiny of the one man who at first seemed so intangible to her. In the space of time that it takes Evie to commit a single drastic act, her life is irrevocably changed. And she will never be the same again.
In my opinion, this book was really quite good, and I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. It was a fast read for me - and while the plot was certainly quirky - I still found that the characters were well-crafted and extremely likable. Overall, I give A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler a definite A!
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desire to eventually meet him. With her only friend, Violet, she discovers where Drumstrings is singing next and goes to see his show.It is while she is attending Drumstrings' shows, that Evie truly bursts out of her lonely shell - once and for all - and comes under the intense scrutiny of the one man who at first seemed so intangible to her. In the space of time that it takes Evie to commit a single drastic act, her life is irrevocably changed. And she will never be the same again.
In my opinion, this book was really quite good, and I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. It was a fast read for me - and while the plot was certainly quirky - I still found that the characters were well-crafted and extremely likable. Overall, I give A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler a definite A!
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LibraryThing member Carolee888
I read the reviews before I read this book, contrary to the general opinion, I found this earlier book quite enjoyable. To me, this is a song and Anne Tyler later wrote symphonies.
Evie Decker is an overweight seventeen-year-old. I identified with her shyness and awkwardness at that age. She only
Evie hears a hapless interview of Bertram Casey, aka Drumstrings, a rock singer without much talent, and goes with her friend, Violet to hear him sing. She is impressed and wants to be noticed by him. She doesn't feel it is possible to get him to be hers but something dramatic and off-putting happens and he slowly notices her.
I love the ending the most of all. Please read this book and see if you agree.
Evie Decker is an overweight seventeen-year-old. I identified with her shyness and awkwardness at that age. She only
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had one friend, Violet who outweighed her so much that she almost looked normal sitting beside her. She feels lonely and unnoticed, she lives with her father and they seem to keep to themselves but he cares for her. There is a hired cleaning lady, Clotelia who is quiet until Evie begins to change her life, then we know what Clotelia is thinking.Evie hears a hapless interview of Bertram Casey, aka Drumstrings, a rock singer without much talent, and goes with her friend, Violet to hear him sing. She is impressed and wants to be noticed by him. She doesn't feel it is possible to get him to be hers but something dramatic and off-putting happens and he slowly notices her.
I love the ending the most of all. Please read this book and see if you agree.
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1970)
Language
Original publication date
1970
Physical description
160 p.
ISBN
0600204685 / 9780600204688
Other editions
A Slipping Down Life by Anne Tyler (Paperback)