The Book of Mamie

by Duff Brenna

"a great big, awe-inspiring, wonder-inspired story about American people in the heartlands."

Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

About the author

DUFF BRENNA is the author of nine books, including The Book of Mamie, which won the AWP Award for Best Novel; The Holy Book of the Beard, named “an underground classic” by The New York Times; Too Cool, a New York Times Noteworthy Book; The Altar of the Body, given the Editors Prize Favorite Book of the Year Award, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and also received a San Diego Writers Association Award for Best Novel 2002. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts award, Milwaukee Magazine’s Best Short Story of the Year Award, and a Pushcart Prize Honorable Mention. His book Minnesota Memoirs was awarded Best Short Story Collection at the 2013 Next Generation Indie Awards in New York City. His memoir, Murdering the Mom, was a Finalist for Best Non-Fiction at the same Independent Publishers Awards.His work has been translated into six languages.

Reviews

[Mosker]

I know Duff, so no rating. Stillthis is a freaking great book, well deserving of the AWP award. In many ways the book is an homage to, and parallels Huckleberry Finn, but holds its own when the relationship is obvious (c.f. Zadie Smith's On Beauty & Howards End for a less successful attempt).

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I can't be objective about this book, but it's an American masterpiece and its main characters have remained with me for the last couple of years and Mamie is unforgettable.

[Jodie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous story from a former professor at CSUSM.