Found Money

by Peter Watson Jenkins

Eighteen selected short stories from both sides of the Atlantic. They are all about people who came upon wealth of some kind. Ideal reading for those with a powerful envious disposition. (If you don't know whether you are envious, read the book and find out!)Some of the story a homeless Chicago drunk gets help from Grandma; a boy in the London Blitz finds a special tin box; a New Orleans family shelters from Hurricane Katrina; a soldier returns to North Carolina from the Gulf War; an old blind Dutch poet writes his last poem; an Eton schoolboy sings for Queen Victoria; a mother superior's parcel is a nude painting; two strangers win the lotto and reap disaster; trading in the 1720 South Sea Bubble; a Manhattan priest learns about an old vagrant; a ghost is discovered in a boat on the river Thames; an Egyptian baker meets the challenge of a revolution; a strange tale of love in an American hospital.These and more are the fascinating material the Author of Found Money weaves into great stories.

Genres: Short Stories

ebook

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Some people like to write about one important idea or tell stories that are of a well-known type, romantic novels are one example. My life has been very varied and I have chosen to write in a variety of ways. Some examples are: my recent collection of short stories, "Found Money," in which I set out to explore the idea of wealth coming to people in totally different ways. Then a Young Adult book "Saved by a Tweet" that is about teenage romance and a thrilling and dangerous episode the two lovers go through. One of my best books is "How I died, and what I did next." Before 2013 is out I will have added a book on spirit guides and what they have to tell us; "Fine Writing" a book of poetry and prose; "Spiritual Walkabout," my memoirs; and a sci-fi novel. They have not all been written in the past few months, of course, but happen to be coming out in a burst of activity. My favorite book took the longest to research and write. It is called "Training for the Marathon of Life" and is about the central core of Jesus’ teaching and how he explained the way that leads us for a fulfilled life and the creation of a good society

Reviews

[Jim Wright]

I've just finished Peter Watson Jenkins' Found Money; Eighteen Short Stories by a Master Wordsmith and the first words that come to mind are 'excellent' and 'entertaining'.
Writing is difficult work under any circumstance, but to weave a short tale takes a true master. Jenkins is one of those masters. All but one of these short stories has the theme of money. You'd expect that finding so many stories with the same motif would be tiresome. Not so. The tightly woven fabric of each story displays a unique pattern, setting it apart from all the others. I especially like that the stories cross all boundaries, settings, and historical periods. There's something here for everyone!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Found Money and give it my highest recommendation. You'll find happiness and sorrow, laughs and tears. Most of all, you'll be swept away!

[Ally Shields]

This delightful collection of stories will not set your heart pounding with excitement nor keep you on the edge of your seat. It reads like a set of memoirs, and you may be tempted to do a Google search to see if these people are real. Some of the stories will make you smile, and the endings will bring a nod of satisfaction.

Jenkins' eighteen stories are diverse in setting, age of narrator, time period. Many are set in significant historical times: the reign of Queen Victoria, WW II, 911, the Gulf War.

Stories I particularly liked include "Lucky Penny," the touching story of a soldier who arrives home from Kuwait to find tragedy and a miracle; "The Picture," where we meet a nun carrying around a portrait of a nearly nude girl; "Interrupted Journey," the adventure of a mother and her young children fleeing from Hurricane Katrina; and "for breakfast," a story of a homeless alcoholic who begins receiving an anonymous gift every morning.

If you enjoy reading short stories and a laid back style, this is definitely the collection for you. An excellent and enjoyable read!

[Colleen]

I received this book as a free Goodreads give-away. Over all I really enjoyed it. It was better in the beginning and got a little weak at the end. Out of 18 short stories, there was only about 2 that I just didn't like (both towards the end) and another one I thought was ok. I enjoyed the short story format, it was easy to pick up and read during breaks throughout the day.

[Peter Jenkins]

n excellent beginning in short story wrting.

[Maggie]

18 simple and short to the point stories about money! My favorite one is the one with the fluffy rabbit. Not sure why. Easy read.


Thanks Goodreads!

[Keefler Jones]

It is quite interesting because I caught like a spider web