Customer Reviews

David Harum

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Edward Westcott (himself a banker in upstate New York in the latter part of the 19th century) wrote only one book, but he didn't live long enough to see it published in 1898. The book, "Daivd Harum," introduces a very interesting country banker with crackerbarrel philosophy which became a wonderful character for Will Rogers in the movie of the same name. There are some terrific vignettes in this book, the Christmas one alone would make a wonderful annual TV special. Conversations between the principals sparkle with good humor and much heart. The only problem I had with the book is the two unlikely coincidences at the end of the tale. It's like the author didn't know how to resolve the issue, so he created impossible chance meetings. Not one, but two of them. However, up until this point, the book is as good as any I have read. I would suggest that you try and find it and enjoy it for yourself.

David Harum is an old guy who loves to tell long, drawnout stories about nothing in particular. The author writes Harum's stories in dialect, a pet peeve of mine. It would be endurable if the stories had anything to do with anything, but most of the time they don't. There's even a long, drawn-out story of Harum telling a long, drawn-out story! I'm doubly damned. There's a secondary character of John Lennox. We get a brief glimpse of his story and the cold fish he ends up with, but his main purpose in the book is to be the audience for Harum's tall tales. I don't recommend this book at all.