4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazingly true to life, June 6, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: A family party (Hardcover)
This charming short story is the "stenographic report" of a banquet speech for a small-town doctor in honor of his forty years of service to the community. In this informal address his best friend tells the story of the doctor's life.
The text is amazingly true to life, it is as it were "the mother of all improvised banquet speeches" given on such occasions.
Unlike his "Great Short Stories", this thin book has depth and warmth. Here, O'Hara is not the slightly cynical, detached observer of human behaviour, possibly because he was the son of a doctor himself.
To quote the recommendation of the Boston Herald on the back cover: "Warm, human story that will make you feel better after you have read it."
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No