All That Remains (Hardcover)

by Bruce Brooks (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Brooks (What Hearts; The Moves Make the Man) takes an original approach to a traditionally macabre motif in this trilogy of stories. In all three selections, teens contend with the "remains" of a recently deceased loved one. The author opens with a black comedy: Aunt Judith has died of AIDS (the result of a one-night stand with a man), and her lesbian lover plus cousins Marie and Jonny, the narrator, must decide what to do with her body. The state wants her buried in a "special graveyard for the `unclean.' " However, determined to grant Judith's request for cremation, the three take matters into their own hands and, simultaneously, trick the authorities. In the final selection, also told with a light touch, Isabel isn't quite ready to part with her late father. She carries his ashes in a backpack until she meets three young men on a golf course who help her find the right time and place to let go of the past. In the most serious of the three, and perhaps the most well crafted, Hank has an altogether different problem to solve. He struggles to fulfill the promise he made to his dying uncle to look after his nerdy cousin (who Hank suspects is gay). The boys seem to have nothing in common at first, but Hank's perspective changes as Bobby's hidden talents begin to emerge. Although all of the tales center around a death, they are surprisingly life-affirming as they reveal the many faces of grief. The author's three distinct mood pieces join to create a unified requiem. Ages 12-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-In three stories, Brooks forays into new and challenging territory with what he calls "a more dicey aspect of my humor" and with "more peculiar subjects and shadows." Death, and the reaction to it, is at the heart of each narrative. In the title story, two cousins react to the death of their ostracized aunt by plotting with her partner, a ceramic artist, to have her cremated in defiance of state AIDS statutes. Her body, to be collected by state health workers, is substituted with the remains of a deer encased in a clay sarcophagus, while she is cremated in the artist's kiln. In "Playing the Creeps," Hank's uncle, on his deathbed, asks the teen to look after his son, Bobby, and to direct him toward more manly interests. In the process, Hank, ironically, begins to appreciate Bobby's talents, and in the end they blend their musical interests into an inspiring partnership. The final story, "Teeing Up," focuses on a girl trying to hold on to the memory of her father. Carrying his cremated remains in her backpack, she joins some boys in a round of golf. Their interactions, antagonistic at first, develop into a friendship as they convince her to leave his ashes in the sand traps. All three stories feature witty and interesting dialogue. The characters are well drawn and the stories are powerful, albeit a bit macabre and disturbing. Brooks challenges readers with an assortment of themes including loyalty, acceptance, friendship, and defiance of stereotypes.-Tim Rausch, Crescent View Middle School, Sandy, UT

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1st edition (April 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833512
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833519
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,574,570 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Nate Funk Loves Mrs.Lindeboom, March 17, 2009

By	Rhonda V. - See all my reviews

This review is from: All That Remains : 3 Stories (Paperback)

"All That Remains" is a wonderful book for young, teenage readers. Readers who have been through family deaths and are going through one. This book contains three different stories that all have one thing in common, every character is dealing with death. In each story, the characters are trying to get there mind off the mourning of the deceased. They accomplish this by doing a number of things, from making clay bowls, killing deer and eating ice cream. I think that this book has great ideas and examples of how to deal with death. I would recommend it to anyone who is young and needs help getting over death.

-Notorious N.T.F.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very intense book , November 26, 2006

By	Rachel (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All That Remains : 3 Stories (Paperback)

All That Remains
Bruce Brooks
Short Stories


All That Remains is a trio of short stories. The stories don't have the same characters, but they all have to do with dealing with grief. Each story tells the story of people who lost someone close to their heart. The book also talks about getting discriminated because of sexual orientation, disabilities, "coolness," and gender.

In the first story the two cousins, Marie and Johnny. They have a homosexual aunt, Judith died of AIDS. The two kids go back to Judith's very red-neck town. The town has a lot of people that were very against gay and lesbian relationships. The kids and Judith's lover have to deal with Judith's wishes and the regulations with barring someone with AIDS. The two Cousins go through many adventures trying to fallow their aunt's wishes, and not getting caught. Can the three of them pull it off?

The second story is about a boy names Hank, and his cousin Bobby. Bobby's father just died, and now he is living on his own. Before Bobby's father died he told Hank that he wanted Bobby to learn how to do some of the "cool" things that Hank does. Hank being the cool kid on the block helps Bobby become more popular. Even though Hank is popular and "cool," he risks his reputation to help out his cousin. Hank tries his best to make Bobby cooler. He follow is dead uncle's wishes and teaches him to skateboard, play ice hokey and play the guitar. Bobby carries on some of these hobbies, finding him self hurt every time. Can Hank help Bobby and keep his good reputation? Is Bobby just doing Hank's hobbies because his father wanted him to?

The last story is about at group of three golfer boys who take in another golfer, who is a girl. The girl, Isobel has a great drive; despite the fact that she won't take off her backpack. The boys are in shock when they find out what Isobel carries in her backpack; for what sits in her pack is the story of her past. Can the boys treat her the same after knowing what she caries around? Can Isobel become part of the group even with her differences?

I would give this book three stars out of 5. I would rate is so low because I thought the book wasn't very interesting, and it rambled on about topic that had no part in the plot. Some of the characters I thought weren't very believable, and were had to relate to. I think that this book has a great plot that would be very interesting if the writing and more compelling. I think that the writer, Bruce Brook's style of writing is mediocre; it's nothing that makes you want to read on. Some of Bruce Brook's writing makes no sense at all, making the book hard to read, and even more boring. The book is a light read, but takes awhile to read because of the writing style. One of the stories was very good, and it made sense and it wasn't that hard to read. I would recommend this book to people that like really intense books. If you also like novellas, this is the book for you.