The Wizard's Tide: A Story [Paperback]

Frederick Buechner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1993

An eleven-year-old boy describes the joys and sorrows of growing up in a dysfunctional family with a jobless alcoholic father during the hard times of the Depression.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The personal impact of the Depression years is seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy in this simple yet evocative story from the author of the critically praised Godric and The Alphabet of Grace. In 1936, Teddy Schroeder is the elder of two children in a middle-class New Jersey home. With his sister, Bean, he enjoys the cosseting of grandparents, trips to Manhattan with his pretty mother, and a richly imagined world peopled with characters from the land of Oz. Teddy's awareness of tension in his parents' marriage mounts as he overhears their arguments about money, as his father, who seems unable to find work, has a proclivity for get-rich-quick schemes. We share Teddy's loss--feelings not expressed until we hear his adult voice in bittersweet recollection--when his father's suicide abruptly marks an end to the secure tenor of their lives. Plainly told, gently nuanced, the story has appeal for those who believe in the healing power of memory.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- As 11-year-old Teddy Schroeder copes with the upheavals in his family's life during the Depression, he remembers what his father and grandmother taught him about the beach: choose the right moment to catch a wave and ride it home, and high tide always returns. These words, and a Christmas carol that brings tidings of peace, help Teddy understand and accept his father's death. The characters' fears and strengths in trying times are sensitively drawn in this gentle, lovely story. --Judy Sokoll, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Harpercollins (June 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060611480
• ISBN-13: 978-0060611484
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #423,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story of meeting the world for the first time., April 2, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Lake City, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wizard's Tide: A Story (Paperback)

Buechner does a masterful job of introducing us to the world that we live through the lives of children. In his usually fashion, Buechner takes the lives of people and shows how salvation and grace can flow through them, even though, at times, they are unaware. Treat yourself to a little taste of life, with all of its bitterness and sweetness in this wonderful read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FIND IT IF YOU CAN, May 9, 2000

By 

R. Penola (NYC, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wizard's Tide: A Story (Paperback)

This wonderful story is told with a clear-eyed voice, and a wonderful sense of humor. The book evokes the sadness and small, joyful moments from a childhood of long ago. I stumbled upon this book via a friend, and simply treasure it. Short, uncomplicated and yet filled with a resonant - and resilient - spirit. By the time you reach the last page, you may be moved to tears.