Jake and the Kid

When Ma, the Kid, her twelve year old son, and Jake, the hired man, first appeared on the pages of Maclean’s and shortly after on CBC Radio, the lively boy and his cranky hero found their way into the hearts of thousands of readers.

Now, in this new edition of Jake and the Kid, Crocus, a prairie town in the forties and fifties, comes alive once again. In these lovingly rendered stories, we encounter the glorious minutia of small town life on the Canadian prairie. Jake and the Kid are surrounded by an entire community of richly eccentric characters: old Sam Gatenby, a rival to Jake and just as cantankerous; Miss Henchbaw, the stern and proper Rabbit Hill schoolteacher; and Mayor MacTaggart, the owner of the town’s General Store. In all, W.O. Mitchell created about eighty characters to populate the town, including Daddy Johnson, the oldest man in Canada; Repeat Golightly, the philosophizing barber; and Professor Noble Winesinger, a conman with a heart.

Touching and laugh-out-loud funny in equal measure, this classic Canadian story collection epitomizes the magic of W.O. Mitchell’s storytelling. Pitting tall tale against reality, Mitchell delivers a realm resplendent with a vibrant setting, a compelling cast of characters, and everyday events that speak directly to what it means to be human.

Reviews

When Ma, the Kid, her twelve year old son, and Jake, the hired man, first appeared on the pages of Maclean’s and shortly after on CBC Radio, the lively boy and his cranky hero found their way into the hearts of thousands of readers.

In this new edition of Jake and the Kid, we encounter the glorious minutia of small town life on the Canadian prairie. Jake and the Kid are surrounded by an entire community of richly eccentric characters: old Sam Gatenby, a rival to Jake and just as cantankerous; Miss Henchbaw, the stern, proper Rabbit Hill schoolteacher; and Repeat Golightly, the town’s philosophizing barber.

Touching and laugh-out-loud funny in equal measure, Mitchell delivers a vibrant setting, a compelling cast of characters, and everyday events that speak directly to what it means to be human.


“The stories are as fresh as ever as one is lead with warmth and compassion through tales that release knowing chuckles and outright laughter, offset by the poignancy of life.”
The Daily Gleaner

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When Ma, the Kid, her twelve year old son, and Jake, the hired man, first appeared on the pages of Maclean’s and shortly after on CBC Radio, the lively boy and his cranky hero found their way into the hearts of thousands of readers.

Now, in this new edition of Jake and the Kid, Crocus, a prairie town in the forties and fifties, comes alive once again. In these lovingly rendered stories, we encounter the glorious minutia of small town life on the Canadian prairie. Jake and the Kid are surrounded by an entire community of richly eccentric characters: old Sam Gatenby, a rival to Jake and just as cantankerous; Miss Henchbaw, the stern and proper Rabbit Hill schoolteacher; and Mayor MacTaggart, the owner of the town’s General Store. In all, W.O. Mitchell created about eighty characters to populate the town, including Daddy Johnson, the oldest man in Canada; Repeat Golightly, the philosophizing barber; and Professor Noble Winesinger, a conman with a heart.

Touching and laugh-out-loud funny in equal measure, this classic Canadian story collection epitomizes the magic of W.O. Mitchell’s storytelling. Pitting tall tale against reality, Mitchell delivers a realm resplendent with a vibrant setting, a compelling cast of characters, and everyday events that speak directly to what it means to be human.

Reader Reviews

Details

Dimensions:

192 Pages
8.5in * 5.5in * 0.48in
259gr

Published:

October 24, 2008

Publisher:

Goose Lane Editions

ISBN:

9780864925237

Book Subjects:

FICTION / Literary

Featured In:

All Books

Language:

eng

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