Growing Up Snook (eBook)

David Snook
David Snook/Smashwords (2011)
ISBN 9780983689508
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (8/11)

 

Author David Snook explains his motivation for writing his book, “Growing Up Snook,” in the same simple, unaffected way he writes his book. “I have a life full of stories that need to be written down so that my children and grandchildren do not forget them.” And indeed, his ten siblings and adult family members provided him with a treasure trove of delightful and poignant stories of growing up. To be sure, a great many people have whimsically considered writing such a book for the same reason, but “Growing Up Snook” is a serious proposition. The author writes in a genuinely warm and friendly manner that graciously compels the reader to want to get to know more about Snook and his childhood. The timeless and universal themes of this collection of short stories provide a spontaneous connection to our own memories of being a child.

“Growing Up Snook” touches down at various points in the author’s life from age six to high school graduation. I was strongly attracted to the stories of his early years. A favorite for me is “The Wounded Soldier,” a wonderful childlike remembrance of finding a much wished for cherished gift under the tree on Christmas morning. It was a most amazing robot, in part, because its right arm fell off as soon as David removed it from its box. Snook’s recollection of how his young childlike thought process coped with the calamity is at once both humorous and touching.

Snook’s telling of the story of one especially memorable Halloween captures all of the richness of holidays and special occasions that touch children’s hearts and minds. “I got my Superman duds before all those pesky safety codes concerning Halloween costumes went into effect. My plastic mask must have been made from some type of industrial waste...the fumes caused my face to sweat and after some time, would give me headaches. It was either that, or the rubber band which held the toxic dump mask firmly to my face and thus shut off the flow of blood to my brain.”

In the category of “story of every family,” every reader who grew up in a large family will find humor in “The Winter of Our Discontent.” The situation is universal! “In my house, the ‘perfect storm’ hit in the winter of 1983...it was a collision of intestinal flu and eight family members living at home and only one bathroom.” The last two stories, “Old and Wise,” and “In Defiance” (of time) poignantly remind us that “time catches up, even when you are a teenager.”

“Growing Up Snook” is just that, told in a delightful, heart warming way. “They are events from my life life as best as I can remember them.” David Snook’s writing style is reminiscent of Jean Shepherd, the author of the collection of short stories on which the now classic movie “A Christmas Story” was based. If you like Ralphie, you’ll like David Snook and his stories!

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