Genre: Book
Grade: A-
Notable People: Howard Frank Mosher
Title: Waiting for Teddy Williams
Review: after three of his books, I am now convinced that Mosher surpasses all other living writers, as the reigning King of Vermont and New England-centric literature (yes, even surpassing Steven King). This is another in his series on fictional Kingdom County in far remote Vermont (really the Northeast Kingdom)- and it’s a humdinger. I suppose having some interest in baseball makes the book more accessible, but even if you don’t…it’s keeper. Young EA (Ethan Allen,…you get the picture) lives with his mother Gypsy Lee and his Gran. Mom runs a one person and legendary escort service in the NE kingdom, and Gran is a gun toting “Mammy” type who has not walked since the 1978 shot heard round the world, when the Yankees’ Bucky Dent hit a ninth inning pop fly home run to send the hated ones to the world series over the beloved Red Sox. This book is both a coming of age story and tribute to the fierce will of northern New Englanders (not to be confused with ,say, Connecticut types). And, yes, there is an actual Teddy Williams, though not the Red Sox immortal outfielder. Grand ol’ Opry tunes from Gypsy, lunatic homicidal bothers on the loose, the biggest excavating machine in the world and the taking statue of the real Colonel Ethan Allen all come together to make this a subtly hilarious read. Vermont loves Mosher….and I’m getting there.
