Some of Tim's Stories (The Oklahoma Stories & Storytellers Series) [Paperback]

SE Hinton (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Oklahoma Stories & Storytellers Series | Publication Date: April 2, 2009

In some of S. E. Hinton's strongest writing ever comes a profound and wry compilation of fourteen short stories. Terry and Mike are cousins whose families are almost seamlessly intertwined. Raised as close as brothers and living happy childhoods, neither one thinks of what can go wrong. But the unexpected deaths of both their fathers catapult their lives in two very different directions. Terry finds trouble with the law, while Mike lives his life racked with guilt and sadness. In her first book in four years, The Outsiders author S. E. Hinton gives readers a gritty view of how one incident, one tragedy, affects two boys very differently, and changes their lives forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Author of the 1967 YA bestseller The Outsiders and its sequels, several children's books and the adult novel Hawkes Harbor (2004), Hinton offers a thin collection of 14 connected short-short stories that explore the divergent lives of two close cousins whose fathers are killed in car accident when the boys are adolescents. When the cousins are both 25, a drug deal goes wrong: Terry is imprisoned, while Mike gets away, living a fugitive life in Oklahoma as a bartender and bouncer. The tales move back and forth in time: "The Sweetest Sound" describes nine-year-old Mike's being awakened during the night when his father, a war vet, cries out in his sleep; while "Full Moon Birthday" finds the boys sharing Mike's first legal drink and a friendly older woman. Later stories delve into Mike's dead-end, often dangerous job at the bar, and his attempt at striking up a friendship with his pretty adult-ed instructor. Finally, Terry gets out of prison to a tense homecoming. Hinton is clearly aiming for terse, but what's here feels bare bones; interviews with the author take up more space than these plainspoken tales. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

This entry in the Oklahoma Stories and Storytellers series comprises two parts, the first a novella by Tulsa native Hinton, the second a collection of interviews with the reclusive author, who is best known for the seminal young-adult novel The Outsiders (1967). Although the appended discussions are the primary draw here, readers curious about a beloved writer's mature output won't want to skip the novella, aimed at an adult audience, where linked vignettes about male cousins form a smooth continuum with Hinton's gritty, guy-dominated YA novels. The interviews supply some insights about the intentions behind this work (including a convoluted explanation of the title), but the greatest attention is paid to Hinton's early oeuvre, including intriguing details about the adaptation of her novels into films ("Rob Lowe . . . called me 'Mom' half the time"). Hinton's fan base extends beyond regional and generational boundaries, warranting broader attention for this title than is suggested by the series' regional focus. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (April 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142411957
• ISBN-13: 978-0142411957
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > General
  • #83 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Boys & Men > Fiction

More About the Author

Susan Eloise Hinton's career as an author began while she was still a student at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Disturbed by the divisions among her schoolmates into two groups--the Greasers and the Socs--Hinton wrote The Outsiders, an honest, sometimes shocking novel told from the point of view of an orphaned 14-year-old Greaser named Ponyboy Curtis. Since her narrator was male, it was decided that Hinton use only her first initials so as not to put off boys who would not normally read books written by women. The Outsiders was published during Hinton's freshman year at the University of Tulsa, and was an immediate sensation.Today, with more than eight million copies in print, the book is the best-selling young adult novel of all time, and one of the most hauntingly powerful views into the thoughts and feelings of teenagers. The book was also made into a film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and featuring such future stars as Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, and Tom Cruise.Once published, The Outsiders gave her a lot of publicity and fame, and also a lot of pressure. S.E. Hinton was becoming known as "The Voice of the Youth" among other titles. This kind of pressure and publicity resulted in a three year long writer's block.Her boyfriend (and now, her husband), who had gotten sick of her being depressed all the time, eventually broke this block. He made her write two pages a day if she wanted to go anywhere. This eventually led to That Was Then, This Is Now.In the years since, Ms. Hinton has married and now has a teenaged son, Nick. She continues to write, with such smash successes as That Was Then, This Is Now, Rumble Fish and Tex, almost as well known as The Outsiders. She still lives in Tulsa with her husband and son, where she enjoys writing, riding horses, and taking courses at the university.In a wonderful tribute to Hinton's distinguished 30-year writing career, the American Library Association and School Library Journal bestowed upon her their first annual Margaret A. Edwards Award, which honors authors whose "book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young people as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have, August 15, 2007

By 

jensa - See all my reviews

This review is from: Some of Tim's Stories (Stories & Storytellers) (Hardcover)

S.E. Hinton has collected a powerful group of stories, all under one thousand words, revolving around cousins Mike and Terry, who are as close as brothers. When prison separates them, their lives take different turns, and they have to learn to live with what has changed them.

Her writing is taut and expressive in all of her fiction, but the tight confines of short story writing has really brought out some of Hinton's best work. The stories are filled with an emotional resonance that stays with the reader.

Longtime fans will appreciate the second half of the book, which contains interviews with Hinton regarding all of her fiction, as well as the movies they inspired.

This book is a must-have for fans of S.E. Hinton, and for those new to her writing this is a wonderful introduction to the types of characters and themes she excels in writing about.

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping!, June 9, 2011

By 

Shandy L. Kurth "SLK" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Some of Tim's Stories (The Oklahoma Stories & Storytellers Series) (Paperback)

Another great write from SE Hinton. I couldn't put it down! The writing reminded me a lot of her early book "Tex" but directed at an dult audience. The raw emotion pulls you in. You cannot help but feel for the Mike (the main character) and his struggles. Extraordinary writing. I was sad when I reached the end. I recommend!