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5.0 out of 5 stars
Forgetful hero tells unforgettably brilliant tale!, June 7, 2001
Diminished Capacity is one of my alltime favorite summer cottage reads.Wacky but loveable characters abound in a story that has laughs and wit in every paragraph.Although our hero believes he suffers from diminished capacities, his sweet nature and clever means of coping provides a strong,funny and moral guide to any helpless souls trying to navigate lifes quirky roadblocks. I recomend reading this by the water on hot hazy day and letting your mind drift with our forgetful hero. But a warning; guard your copy because when your friends hear the quantity of your laughter they will all want to borrow it.My copy is long gone and I still here from friends who have just read or received it. In true great book fashion it is being passed along like a chain-letter and has a life of its own. ENJOY!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Between the Covers: Book Review Blog at blogspot.com, February 15, 2009
This review is from: Diminished Capacity (Paperback)
I have a book review blog at blogspot.com called "Between the Covers" that reviewed this on February 16, 2009:
This book is a nice quick read that I finished in a two-day hardcore reading session. It is an easy read, but one of the most fun books I have read in a while. The characters alone would be enough to entertain you, but the things they have to go through together make it that much better. This is a fully enjoyable book.
When Cooper Zerbs has to deal with his Uncle Rollie, who has Alzheimer's, going back to the small Missouri town where he grew up and moved out of makes the start of an interesting weekend. The pair joins up with Cooper's recently divorced high school girlfriend and her son to travel to Chicago to sell an extremely rare baseball card. The only thing is, an uncle with Alzheimer's and a main character with a recent head injury are not the best pair to try and transport and sell a baseball card. Half the time they can't even remember where they last hid it to keep it safe. This card is a very valuable secret, which means that Uncle Rollie is constantly whipping it out to tell everyone, which leads to trouble with other card collectors in desperate times who hear about it, know its value and will do anything to try and get it away from the forgetful pair.
Like I said, the characters make this book. I don't know how anyone could not be a fan of someone who sets up a typewriter on a dock with strings leading into the water so fish can write their poetry. A woman who agrees to drive with her son to Chicago because she is interested in selling a painting to a new chain of organic vegetable restaurants makes a perfect mate for the main character who is just as forgetful as the uncle he is trying to help. The desperate baseball memorabilia collectors at the convention show you how far one will go for your passion, no matter how odd. And when the silent boy ends up saving the day, you can't help but feel proud. The characters are only one reason why this book is a must read. The plot is not very complicated, but as a reader you will still find yourself glued to the book until it is complete.
I would recommend this book to any reader looking for a quick fun read over a weekend or vacation or whatever, but I would especially recommend it to baseball lovers, any collector, and possibly to those who know or are related to someone affected by Alzheimer's disease. You will leave this book smiling and possibly with sore sides from all that laughing.
"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read."
- Mark Twain
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Diminished Capacity, May 18, 2007
This is one of the funniest books I have ever read.
Diminished Capacity. If you want a "laugh out loud" fun time, take an afternoon off to read this book. While the plot is intriguing, it is not the best thing about this book. Sherwood Kiraly writes with some of the most hilarious little zingers that can catch you off guard. You have to read this book slowly, or you might miss some of the subtle humor that will just send you guffawing when you take the time to enjoy the playful writing. I save this book to read again and again, when I need a "pick-me-up" as it always leaves me chuckling for days when I think of some of the wonderful "way with words" that Mr. Kiraly shares with us.
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