Until They Bring the Streetcars Back [Paperback]

Stanley Gordon West (Author), Stanley G. West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1997

Until They Bring The Streetcars Back serves up a nostalgic journey through the streets of post-war 1949 Saint Paul, those wistful days of ten-cent sodas, big band music, and burning leaves. Stanley West weaves rollicking humor, riveting suspense and a bittersweet love story into the fabric of those optimistic times.

A harmless prank, a chance conversation and Cal Gant (in the friendly neighborhoods of his idyllic life) stumbles onto the naked face of cruelty, incest and murder. When he attempts to rescue a strange and haunting girl from the slaughterhouse her life has become, he finds himself in a heart-stopping struggle with her ruthless father, leading Cal to the brink of self-doubt, terror and death itself. Can he find within himself the backbone to stand against the horror, the daring to concoct some scheme to set Gretchen free? Until They Bring The Streetcars Back is the gripping story of what Cal does.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Stanley West's novel Amos (produced as a CBS Movie of the Week starring Kirk Douglas) stirred national controversy over abuse of the aged in America. When Kirk Douglas testified before congress and wrote in the New York Times on the issue, he pointed out that animals had been protected by law for one hundred years before children or the aged. West's Amos focused on the aged; his current novel exposes the other horn of that disgrace.

From the Author

Besides entertaining, I believe a work of fiction can remind us of who we want to be, set us back on course, arouse our goodness and courage and compassion. A novel can point to true north on our inner compass. I hope Until They Bring The Streetcars Back does exactly that.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Lexington-Marshall Publishing; 1st edition (January 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965624765
• ISBN-13: 978-0965624763
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memorable characters make this a great, moving read., July 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Until They Bring the Streetcars Back (Paperback)

I stumbled across this book while in a bookstore in Minnesota (the author is from Minnesota) and I like to look at local authors in hopes of discovering the odd gem of a book. "Until the Streetcars Come Back" fit the mold exactly. The setting--Calvin Gant is a high-school senior in St. Paul in 1949-50) is nicely off-beat, but what really makes the story go is the conflicting emotions of a young boy who has the usual high school desires (win the big game, get the girl of his dreams to notice him, impress his buddies) and yet realizes, upon meeting a girl who is both an outcast at school and being physically and emotionally abused at home, that he is probably the only one who can help her. It comes down to being the story of a boy who doesn't always know exactly WHAT to do, but recognizes a responsibility when it is thrust upon him and refuses to abandon it no matter how it affects his own life. One of the hallmarks of a good read is that you hate to say goodbye to the characters at book's end, and this was the case here for me. I even re-read parts of the book to "revisit" them. I haven't done that in a long time. A classic? Probably not, but it you want to relive some of the silliness of your high school years and meet a really memorable cast of characters, including a good old-fashioned hero, check this one out

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars St. Paulite, Mn, February 7, 2006

By 

Paul Gellerman "Bookfan" (St. Paul, Mn. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Until They Bring the Streetcars Back (Paperback)

This was such a dynamic read that I literally could not put it down. Having been raised in the setting of the story initially had me hooked, but the mystery of Gretch the wretch, and the solution to her unfamoble family horror had me turning the pages before I was done reading them. Cal is a hero in the same vein as Atticus Finch, someone who sticks up for rights of the unpopular and different. His selfless acts had me in tears. Not only did I grow up just 3 blocks from him, I also went to Central High, have a sister named Peggy, had a father who drove the streetcars, was born in 1949, and spent a short portion of my youth in the workhouse. I can't recomend this book highly enough!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing, March 22, 2005

By 

Jared Schmitz (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Until They Bring the Streetcars Back (Paperback)

Stanley Gordon West's Until They Bring the Streetcars Back is like nothing I have ever read before. From start to finish it keeps you guessing and inching to read more. Many novels focus on one hardship or conflict, but this one focuses more in depth towards problems existing beyond what is actually occurring. A young, responsible adult in Calvin Gant must find a light at the end of the tunnel for the help of a friend, Gretchen Lutterman. With his personal life to compensate for, Cal sets all that aside for what seems like a neverending nightmare, but after his deliberate attempts and confidence he helps Gretchen through the good and bad.

This book caught my attention and touched me like no other book has. There are so many lessons to learn from Cal and what is of real importance in life. If you have not read this book I recommend you do so because it will grab your heart and never let go.