Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters

Hilarious, sometimes painfully so. A should read for anyone over 18. Some of the best and worse times growing up.

Back in the late 1960s when the title story, Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories, came out in Playboy I read it there - yes I did actually read things in Playboy! But I'd never read the other Shepherd stories collected in this book. I have now and they're all wonderful. Shepherd was a brilliant writer - able to paint a word picture like few writers I know. His stories tell of growing up in a working class town in the mid-west around the late 1930s. Shepherd's real talent here is making experiences that, objectively, sound really awful come across as fun and funny. He makes a grueling car trip at the start of the annual family vacation sound like a delightful, funny, adventure when, in reality, it would have been torture for anyone experiencing it at the time. So the stories are mostly humorous - usually very much so. But he can be poignant as well. The most affecting story is The Return of the Smiling Wimpy Doll in which he writes as an adult who has just received a big box of his old toys from his mom who was cleaning out the basement of the hold home. As he goes through these, one by one, each brings back a particular story or event from his childhood. I laughed out loud several times. But I teared up several times too.

I didn't discover Jean Shepherd's nostalgic writing until my northern Indiana high school 50th reunion was just around the corner; for me his nostalgia is painfully funny. The stories discuss middle- and high-school male students learning about life, charting their paths by following other's examples and by trying to meet other's expectations; the results usually are humorously embarrassing. Perhaps Jean Shepherd's nostalgia is best viewed from the finish line (and hopefully the winner's circle): you remember and you laugh about the stupid stuff you formerly did, and as a mature adult you are happy that you no longer slavishly cater to other's expectations. Yet this story collection also includes one short story (The Star-Crossed Romance Of Josephine Cosnowski) that all younger men need to know.

About 60 years ago I used to read Jean's stories in a very popular, at the time, men's magazine. Came across the "Wanda Hickey" story and was hooked. One of my favorite authors, Jean brings back to me memories of my much younger days. Not so much about things I had done, but things I had thought about doing. Love the book. Lots of stories I missed out on before. Incidentally, I bought the book from one of the "used" book dealers and it's like new.

This book is a compilation of stories by Jean Shepherd (Ralphie and his BB gun) and is a laugh-out-loud funny read. It’s better than the movie “A Christmas Story” which cuts out a lot of his original details. Give to your favorite Baby-boomer, or anyone who loves to laugh.

These stories primarily focus on the awkward high school dating years, and are just as hilarious and telling as his other works. Just as classic today as wehn first penned.A great book by Indiana's best author.

Quite possibly the funniest book that I have read. The Wanda Hickey story I can relate to. This book was purchased for my neighbor to keep his spirits up while going through a difficult time in the hospital. A good laff will help in the healing process.

I don't know how many times I've read this book - and many of of Mr. Shepherd's and they never fail to make me laugh out loud. " A Christmas Story" is probably the Jean Shepherd story most folks know about, but all of his stories are at least as funny, if not funnier. Better still to get an audiobook and have Jean narrate the story himself. He is my 'go to' author when I need a good laugh.Written about an era long gone by, the stories are never old, the characters are like old friends, and family is probably a lot like your own.If you haven't been introduced to Jean Shepherd's writing, then you are missing out.

Jean Shepherd's amazing stories deserve better print quality

You need to be of a certain age to appreciate these stories, but if you are, you will cry with laughter.

Just as good as the first time I read it. Laughed just as hard.

Great stories!