The Twenty Dollar Bill [Paperback]

Elmore Hammes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 22, 2007

Follow the path of a twenty dollar bill as it is stolen, given, spent or otherwise passed from person to person, traveling from place to place. No bombastic explosions, steamy sex scenes, political intrigue or cosmic encounters. Just slices of life from the people you walk by every day - glimpses into how ordinary people interact, how they think, how they feel and how they love. A contemporary novel exploring every day interactions and relationships.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elmore Hammes has published several novels, including The Holmes & Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium: The Case of the Witch's Talisman (middle grade mystery/fantasy), The Twenty Dollar Bill (contemporary fiction) and The Cloud (science fiction). His short stories have recently appeared in The First Line and Espresso Fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Kanapolis Fog Publishing Emporium (November 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 061514716X
• ISBN-13: 978-0615147161
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,605,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elmore Hammes is a fiction writer and self-publishing consultant. His short stories have appeared in publications ranging from obscure e-zines to nationally distributed magazines. His writing is as eclectic as his reading habits, including from young adult fantasy, science fiction, contemporary literature, humor and superhero stories.

He participates in Mainstage Community Theatre in Anderson, Indiana. His favorite roles would include Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace, Professor Marvel in the Wizard of Oz and Uncle Barnaby in Babes in Toyland.

Twice a year, he goes on mission trips with St. Patrick's Church of Oxford, Indiana to help build homes in Mexico.

He shares his home with two cats, Chuck and Snuggles, although Snuggles does not acknowledge Chuck's existence. He has recently started volunteering for the Animal Protection League in central Indiana, but has thus far resisted adding to his feline collection.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!!, July 31, 2009

By 

Athenagwis - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Twenty Dollar Bill (Kindle Edition)

If you have not read this yet, you should!! It's so inventive and creative. I heard a slight complaint that someone wished they had had more of each person's story, but I think that's what makes this book so great, you get just a snippet of each person's life as they receive and pass on the twenty dollar bill and you have to imagine the ending for them. It's extremely well thought out and well written, I could not put it down. It was like having 20 or so stories all wrapped up in one, but it certainly had a conclusive beginning and end that brought it all together. Great writing!

It's a decent length at about 2500 Kindle locations, and the formatting looked great. The text was free of errors except for one missing comma somewhere. LOL Other than that it looked great on the Kindle.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Novel Idea, July 21, 2009

By 

Lynn ODell "Red Adept Reviews - A Blog" (Carolinas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Twenty Dollar Bill (Kindle Edition)

Plot/Storyline: 4.5 Stars

I loved the idea behind this book. The author takes us on a journey of a twenty bill while giving us brief glimpses of the lives it touches.

I liked the fact that the twenty didn't seem to have a whole lot of effect on anyone. It didn't save anyone's life and no one died over it. Often, it was just given as change for a larger bill. Instead of trying to inject mysticism, the author chose realism.

You would also get to see different events unfolding from different viewpoints. Truth is in the eye of the beholder.

Unfortunately, the book loses some of its cohesive feel towards the end. There were just a few too many 'stories'. However, this is only by maybe the last 3 or 5, not including the last necessary two.

Character Development: 3.5 Stars

I think the author would have been better served to have the twenty cross fewer hands and instead have given more in depth views of the lives it touched. We are given very brief glimpses into people's lives, so brief that good character development is almost not possible.

I will add that the author did develop as much as he could within the boudaries of his format.

Writing Style: 5 stars

Each segment was told with flair. The author did extremely well telling each part through the voices of different characters. His storytelling method is wonderfully condensed while still being informative.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

There were no editing or Kindle formatting problems.

Overall: A terrific book that I enjoyed immensely. I have already purchased another book by this author that I am looking forward to.

Rating: PG for some adult situations

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Snapshot of Many People's Lives, April 13, 2010

By 

kindle addict (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Twenty Dollar Bill (Kindle Edition)

The Twenty Dollar Bill was an interesting, cleverly written book about all the hands a certain twenty dollar bill passes through. We get a snapshot of each person's life and want to know more about their lives. Each person's story is short, but we are able to get a "feel" for the person, whether they are basically good or not so good, and then we can imagine where his or her life is headed. Actual character development was limited due to only a few pages devoted to each person, but for the most part we can see a glimpse of their lives and their moral character.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it has led me to want to read more by this author. The formatting and quality of writing was very good. It was a quick, uncomplicated read and held my interest throughout. I recommend it, and you can't go wrong with the inexpensive price.