The Real Diary of a Real Boy

Plupy #1

by Henry A. Shute

This is a reproduction of the original artefact. Generally these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way the author intended. Since the original versions are generally quite old, there may occasionally be certain imperfections within these reproductions. We're happy to make these classics available again for future generations to enjoy!

Genres: Fiction, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

Born in Exeter, New Hampshire, Shute was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy (1875) and Harvard University (1879). In the 1890s, the Exeter News-Letter began publishing a weekly column of Shute's recollections of his boyhood in Exeter.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real-life friend of mine mentioned this book as one that her father had given her when she was very very much younger. She said she wanted to read it again, and I was excited to find it at Project Gutenberg for her. Then I decided I would read it myself to see what it was like.

The idea was that the author found a sealed box one day while rummaging around in a closet in his father's house. Inside the box was a variety of boy's treasures such as a dried up frog's leg, marbles, and a bird's wing and more. But there was also this 'diry', and the author spent the rest of the afternoon reading it.

I paid attention at first, and the entries were fairly cute, but I ended up skimming after awhile. This was not a real diary, this book was the piece of fiction that brought Shute public attention. He did capture the every day life of The Boy, though. From 'fites' in school to the time his dad let him tag along to the office, you get a glimpse of this boy's world in the 1860's.

But a glimpse was enough for me, since not all of the entries were as entertaining as this first one:

"December 1, 186- brite and fair, late to brekfast, but mother dident say nothing. father goes to boston and works in the custum house so i can get up as late as i want to. father says he works like time, but i went to boston once and father dident do anything but tell stories about what he and Gim Melcher usted to do when he was a boy. once or twice when a man came in they would all be wrighting fast, when the man came in again i sed why do you all wright so fast when he comes in and stop when he goes out, and the man sort of laffed and went out laffing, and the men were mad and told father not to bring that dam little fool again."

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really funny book, and it sounded so authentically boyish that I never doubted a word of Shute's. No matter that it was set years and years ago, the essential boy remains the same, obsessed with the same sort of behaviours, doing the same damn-fool things. Recommended for people who like boys and their foibles.

[Jenny Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

You just gotta read this book!!! You will laugh from beginning to end!!!

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Hilarious

I read this book when I was 13 or 14 years old and for some reason got to thinking about it the other day and the title came to me. I remember reading it several times as a kid and now I remember why. Parts of it are laugh out loud funny and the visual that Mr. Shuts creates allows us to stand nearby and watch events unfold.

[Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very highly recommended. *grins*

[Chris King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 5th grade, one of the first books that really captivated me, very funny.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first boyhood diary that Henry A. Shute published and of which he published several sequels. I had read one of those sequels, "Brite & Fair" as a kid - it was the only one my folks had - and so when I came across this one at a store that sold used books, I picked it up and eventually got around to reading it. Totally hilarious. All the boyhood pranks, of Plupy (the author) and his friends, growing up in Exeter, Massachusetts in the late 1860's. At the back of the book is an appendix, the "Dramatis Personae" with 123 entries, telling where the people named in the book were as of his publishing it.

[Mary Ahlgren]

I loved this book when I was young....and planned to give it to one of my grandsons. Reread it this weekend and am still impressed with its picture of a New Hampshire town, but appalled by the history that it tells so well.....many fights, many whoppings by fathers, and the N word unapologetically used throughout. I think it belongs in the cannon of American literature but no longer in the hands of a 11 year old boy. (Some of it is really funny though!)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loaned to me by the mother of a friend who had read the book and loved it as a young woman and thought I would like it. I did. It's an interesting look into another time through the eyes of a young boy. I like a variety of genres, ages, countries and basically anything written well and offers insight into another mind and time. Thanks

[Mary Hammock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was copyright 1906. As a young boy, Henry A Shute was asked by his father to keep a diary. The content of this book is the diary he kept from Dec.1, 186? until Sept 1 186? He found this book amoung his father's possisions in 1902.
200 Pages

[Fabienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun and funny! I reread parts multiple times just to get the laugh.

[D. Jason Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pointless, racist drivel

[Amos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s good. Funny.

[Chris Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book of my childhood, read to me by my Father. Adventures and misadventures of young boys growing up in New England in much more simple times. Plupy and Beany will forever be in my childhood memories. A gem of a book, to me.

[Samantha Glasser]

Read this book for free through Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5111/5...

[Tabbetha Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

I enjoyed reading the book..wish it would've continued longer. The language and spelling made it so very endearing to read.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hoot! I laughed and giggled all the way through this book!! Written in true backwoods style. Looking for a great laugh? This is the book to read!!;)