Customer Reviews

The Sandy Bottom Orchestra

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first read this book about four or five years ago, when I was around eleven, and it's become one of those books that I can just go back to and re-read as many times as I want and never get tired of. OK, so it's not one of the deepest books ever written, but the style is easy, the plot simple and entertaining, and yet somehow it manages not to slip into cliche or become overly shallow.

The books follows exclusively the character of Rachel Green, an early teen whose one solace from life and parents is classical music. Perhaps the reason that I found this book so enjoyable is that I am a big fan of this type of music myself (as you can see from my name!). The girl displays all the characteristics typical in an early teenager - paranoia about her appearance, desire for acceptance, the feeling that her parents are unbearable, etc. However, in the last case, she might well have a point.

Her mother is a crusader for better education and artistic facilities in the town of Sandy Bottom, and forbids a TV in the house; instead there is a grand piano. Her father meanwhile conducts imaginary symphony orchestras in the den, and cries over recordings of classical music.

As you can see, the characters in this book are, shall we say, unique, and even those characters which could be called "transitory" are invested with larger-than-life personality traits. (The foremost among these being Drew and his mother.)

Mainly due to these characters there is a good deal of humour in the book. However, there are a lot of wry observations made by the authors on some aspects of life and love. Speaking of which, there is a touching romance between Rachel and a cellist thrown into the book, further making the character of Rachel even more real and vivid.

The book's overlying theme is obviously music, which makes it a joy to read for someone who is interested in this, but you definitely do not have to be a music-lover to get a great deal of enjoyment out of this book.

All in all, for something which appears on the face of it to be merely a "children's book" it is a very enjoyable and easy read for people of pretty nearly every age.

I really liked The Sandy Bottom Orchestra by Garrison Keillor and Jenny Lind Nilsson. I enjoyed this book for many reasons. The characters are well developed and very realistic. They are just like ordinary people you might find in a small town. I also liked this book because it is about one of my favorite things- music. Anyone who plays an instrument-strings especially- will love this book. I liked this book because, for the most part, I would love to have a summer like Rachel's. I think it would be really fun to play in a professional orchestra.

The best part of The Sandy Bottom Orchestra is when Rachel is at the orchestra rehearsals. She meets a lot of new people, and most of them are very wierd and funny. There is a man with hair like a birdcage, and Rachel's stand partner comes to the first rehearsal wearing a sweatshirt that says NEVER MESS WITH MOMMA and carrying a pink and turquoise striped purse. The rehearsals are the best part because it's there that the plot develops the most.

The setting and the characters were the most vivid elements of The Sandy Bottom Orchestra. The authors describe the setting so well that you can almost imagine a sleepy little town like Sandy Bottom. What makes this a really good book is the characters. They are vivid and strong and really draw you into the story. Rachel's mother is civil-minded and demanding, while her father is shy, yet successful, and loves classical music. Each is rather quirky and poor Rachel is afraid she will grow up to be like them.

I can't believe I almost missed this book. I was just leaving the bookstore and I saw the word "orchestra" on the bottom shelf of new releases. I picked it up and read the first page, to see if it was a good book or a bad book. Good book. I could see that easily. So the very next chance I had, I called it from the library in the next town (I can't understand why they didn't have it at our own library) and read it. Then I read it again. Then, because I thoght it was so good, I had to order it from Amazon. Here's why I like it: It's real. Rachel and all the people surrounding her life are very believable and also insanely funny. It's not predictable, yet it's an extremely comfortable read, like everything turns out how it should. The musical aspect of it is very funny too, and if you play an instrument (school band does NOT count) you can sympathize with this book. Yes, there's romance in this book too. A great drive-in movie scene with Rachel and her special guy . . . If that's not enough to convince you, you need psychological help. :) Get to this book before it's too late!!!

This is a histerical book! I loved it. I have read it many times but each time I read it I laugh some more. Its about a girl named Rachel who has a fear of turning out like her parents. Her dad loves classical music and is always sitting in the den listening to it and waving around his pencil baton. Her mom is always blasting out writing letters to the newspaper about different causes. Rachel herself is a 14 year old who lives in a small town called Sandy Bottom and plays the violin. Rachel is worried because ehr best friend Carol isn't paying very much attention to her. This is a GREAT book!

It is the story of Rachel Green, a very good violinist. She feels she does not fit in at all and her parents are odd balls. Her father listens to classical CDs and pretneds to conduct, waving his arms in front of the speekers. Her mother alsways writes letters to the newspaper complaining of all of the school board problems. I haven't even read all of the book, but I still think it is wonderful!

Rachel Green is a girl who, like most kids, is afraid she'll inherit her parents characteristics. Her mother is famous for her many letters to the newspaper criticizing the school board and the mayor. Her father conducts imaginary orchestras in the den and gets teary-eyed over Bach. To make matters worse, her best and only friend Carol seems as if she is avoiding her. The only time Rachel feels nrmal is in Mr. Amidore's School of Music. But Mr. Amidore's school is closing for the summer. And Rachel is doomed to a lonely summer in sleepy little Sandy Bottom, Wisconsin, literally watching paint dry. But when she is hired to play in an orchestra, is accepted to Interlochen and is asked on a date by a boy from music school, things look up. Maybe it won't be such a boring summer after all

Rachel is a young girl who is talented at playing the violin. Her best friend is now playing softball and spends most of her time with her team. Rachel, an only child, thinks she is in a weird family. Besides having no school, she isn't looking forward to summer. Then, to her surprise, she is accepted to play in a professional orchestra. Despite her excitement, she feels major things could go wrong, especially when the conductor quit.
I recommend this book to anyone, especially those interested in music. It shows that things can turn around and prevail, even if you don't think it will.

Simply could not resist trying the book after seeing the video. The reviewers are right---the book is even better than the excellent film.

Some things are different --- the book has a Methodist church not Lutheran, and the book has a date with the two string players at a drive-in.

What a wholesome book for youth and adults.

This is a wonderful book! It is warm and funny, and hearfelt. It has characters who are believable and interesting. It asserts that young people's feelings are every bit as important as those of grownups.

The Sandy Bottom Orchestra is, as far as I know, the only book to result from the collaboration of Jenny Nilson and her husband Garrison Keillor. There is a lot in this book of the writer's diffident voice that America has come to love on "The Prairie Home Companion" on National Public Radio. But the boisterous, sometimes salty humor of Keillor is admirably moderated here. So, the work is inoffensive, suitable for the young, but it is a treat for their parents as well.

I have now read this book twice. It was wonderful both times.

I loved this book. I love to read. And I have read a lot of books. But I have to say, this is the best book I ever read. I've read it at least ten times. Whenever I can't sleep, I pick it up where I left off. I relate so much to her gentle character and to the story in general. You can't help but love the characters. And it's a very neat little package. An easy read. My grandmother gave me this book, so I was a little skeptical when I first read it. But I had finished it within a week of receiving it. I couldn't put it down. I think it's required reading.