And Let the Credit Go

by Lloyd Alexander

An adult fiction humorous novel about banking, Alexander's first novel.

Genres: Humor

174 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Lloyd Chudley Alexander was an influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books. His most famous contribution to the field of children's literature is the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. The concluding book of the series, The High King , was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969. Alexander's other books have also won the National Book Award and the American Book Award. He was also one of the creators of Cricket Magazine.

Reviews

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lloyd Alexander's first published novel (1955) when he evidently thought his career might be in writing adult fiction. This autobiographical (?) novel of a young man who "never intended to enter banking ... [his] laziness and disorderly habits, plus the dubious quality of schoolwork, seemed to indicate an intellectual career." His mother wanted him to be a great musician or artists, but his father "considered it more practical ... to earn money."

Some very funny sentences*, but all together a rather disquieting coming of age novel about a young man just prior to World War II. The chapters could be read as short stories, in fact one, "Dorothea," was published in an anthology. Stereotypical 1940ish big bank employees in awkward but sometimes humorous situations.

An interesting start to Alexander's writing career but certainly not typical of the children's fantasy books for which he is most acclaimed.

*"Mr. Tilton had gradually become morose, gloom, skeptical and suspicious. As a result, no one in The Bank was better qualified to deal with personnel."

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Lloyd Alexander's first published book, one written for adults rather than the children's literature that came to be his mainstay later on. It is well written and humorous, at time poignant, and in some ways (not surprisingly) similar to the book he wrote a few years later about his wife, "Janine is French." I compared that book to the old Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy, and I found it very endearing and enjoyable from start to finish. This book, "And Let the Credit Go," based upon the author's experience(s) as a young bank messenger, is not quite as good, but isn't bad either. In this case, to make a similar comparison, I'd have to say that it reminded me of the original M*A*S*H movie, or perhaps American Graffiti, or the much later Office Space movie. The humor, the episodic format and pacing, the ambiance and decorum, all struck me as reminiscent of those movies. It's a shame that it's no longer in print, but I was able to borrow it via Inter Library Loan, and I'm glad to have read it. Although based on Lloyd Alexander's experience working in a bank (after high school, prior to enlisting), it is evidently more fictional than the more or less biographical "Janine is French."