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8 Plus 1
Meet seventeen-year-old Mike, who visits his grandmother's bedside and learns a family secret.
A divorced father who discovers only love, not bribes, can keep his daughter "his" on Thursdays.
And Jerry, a young boy desperately looking for the missing Grover Cleveland card to complete his set of president cards.
Here are nine stories by Robert Cormier, one of the most gifted writers of young adult fiction today; stories that are warm, touching, and intensely personal--to be savored by readers of all ages.
A divorced father who discovers only love, not bribes, can keep his daughter "his" on Thursdays.
And Jerry, a young boy desperately looking for the missing Grover Cleveland card to complete his set of president cards.
Here are nine stories by Robert Cormier, one of the most gifted writers of young adult fiction today; stories that are warm, touching, and intensely personal--to be savored by readers of all ages.
173 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1980
4 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Robert Cormier
51 books633 followersRobert Edmund Cormier (January 17, 1925–November 2, 2000) was an American author, columnist and reporter, known for his deeply pessimistic, downbeat literature. His most popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War was challenged in multiple libraries. His books often are concerned with themes such as abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the protagonists do not win.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 3, 2019
It's a bit difficult to review a collection of short stories, so I think I'll go through each story individually. Something I will say in terms of the whole collection was that I loved the way it was set up with an introduction to the book, then an introduction to each short story before it appeared (though Cormier occasionally spoiled plot points!!). It was really interesting to hear an author I admire discuss his writing, ideas, inspirations, etc.. My favorite stories were "President Cleveland, Where Are You?", "Protestants Cry, Too", and "Bunny Berigan-- Wasn't He a Musician or Something?" The only story I really didn't like was "Mine on Thursdays."
"The Moustache"
This story was a bit lackluster for me. I found the ending (and most of the plot) predictable, and the main idea of children discovering their parents/grandparents are people outside of themselves is a bit boring to me. That being said, I quite enjoyed the intro to the story and hearing about Cormier's life and inspiration for it. I also liked the following quote from the end.
"Mine on Thursdays"
This story I really did not like simply because I have no sympathy for deadbeat dads. I again liked the intro just for learning more about Cormier and his life. But as for the story I found the father pretty abhorrent and I just ended up feeling bad for his daughter that he clearly (through his actions) doesn't value. Like when Cormier didn't ride the roller coaster with his daughter, at least he had a migraine. This guy was just hungover (why are you getting drunk the night before hanging out with your daughter?) + wanted to chat up some girl (??!?!).
"Another of Mike's Girls"
I liked this story but I definitely find the father perspective a bit strange. I liked the narration and all that but it's just a bit weird to see a father interacting with a son's girlfriend without the son present. I also liked the title (changed by editors). The introduction was again great, especially the last two paragraphs. I really liked the following quote from the end, though I think the full context of the story is necessary to comprehend it completely.
"President Cleveland, Where Are You?"
This was absolutely my favorite story from the collection. Every part of the story I enjoyed-- the plot, the characters, the title, the end. I really like these sort of nostalgic Cormier pieces. I'm not sure if he intended them to carry such a nostalgic tone, but the emotional weight these sort of stories from the past carry is very enticing to me. The introduction was very nice, though not really relevant to the story (which was sort of good, so Cormier wouldn't spoil it for once!). I absolutely adore the final sentence from the story and the sentiment it holds:
"A Bad Time for Fathers"
This story was another one of those that just felt a bit strange coming from the father's perspective. I again support the editors' title change. This story had the least interesting introduction, though I still find it worth reading. Nothing really stood out about this story. It wasn't bad or anything, but I don't know if it was good. It's definitely the most skippable in the collection (though if you're going to skip anything, it should definitely be "Mine on Thursdays").
"Protestants Cry, Too"
This was another favorite of mine in the collection, again starring Jerry Renault from my other favorite (The Chocolate War? No...), "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" In the introduction to this piece, Cormier explained that though the cast, setting, etc. of the story are the same as the other, the tone, theme, and plot are entirely different. Something specifically he said was that due to this, he felt the father in the first story does not seem like he would act in the manner that he does in this one. I disagree with this and choose rather to view these stories as two different sides of the same family, as in Yes, the father in "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" would act like this even if it doesn't seem like he would from that story. Why? Because people are multifaceted like that. I found this story very interesting in that I've never really heard of a family protesting to a girl marrying their son because she was Protestant. The idea was so foreign to me that it almost made me laugh. It was really interesting getting this perspective from a story, and I really liked how it all turned out at the end.
"Guess What? I Almost Kissed My Father Goodnight"
There's not much to say about this story. It was okay. I liked the little sort of mystery. I also quite liked how Cormier's son didn't even remember the incident it's based on when it clearly meant so much to Cormier. I really liked the end (i.e. the last two pages), and I liked that for once instead of just thinking of saying something the character actually said it. I only wish the character to whom he was speaking had reciprocated with a similar openness,
"My First Negro"
This story I enjoyed, but not like it was enjoyable, more like it was interesting to see Cormier try to tackle race relations. The ending left me unsatisfied, but I understand that that was the point. It is difficult to say if I liked this story. I liked aspects of it, not the racism. I guess with stories about racism (past and present), for me, I prefer to read from a black person's perspective (meaning the story is also authored by a black person). But that's just me.
"Bunny Berigan-- Wasn't He a Musician or Something?"
This was another great story, and a perfect one to end on. This book is called 8 + 1, and Cormier seems to think this story is a sort of odd-one-out in the collection, but I disagree. I think it finished the collection wonderfully. I love the main character, the way he behaves, the way he narrates. Cormier says "The story was written painstakingly, sentence by sentence, but with tenderness and care and with the certainty that the material was under control, the characters behaving the way they should, the mood sustained until the final word." This clearly shows through the writing. There's not much to say about this story without spoiling it, but it's definitely worth a read and it serves as a great end to the collection.
"The Moustache"
This story was a bit lackluster for me. I found the ending (and most of the plot) predictable, and the main idea of children discovering their parents/grandparents are people outside of themselves is a bit boring to me. That being said, I quite enjoyed the intro to the story and hearing about Cormier's life and inspiration for it. I also liked the following quote from the end.
"Mine on Thursdays"
This story I really did not like simply because I have no sympathy for deadbeat dads. I again liked the intro just for learning more about Cormier and his life. But as for the story I found the father pretty abhorrent and I just ended up feeling bad for his daughter that he clearly (through his actions) doesn't value. Like when Cormier didn't ride the roller coaster with his daughter, at least he had a migraine. This guy was just hungover (why are you getting drunk the night before hanging out with your daughter?) + wanted to chat up some girl (??!?!).
"Another of Mike's Girls"
I liked this story but I definitely find the father perspective a bit strange. I liked the narration and all that but it's just a bit weird to see a father interacting with a son's girlfriend without the son present. I also liked the title (changed by editors). The introduction was again great, especially the last two paragraphs. I really liked the following quote from the end, though I think the full context of the story is necessary to comprehend it completely.
"President Cleveland, Where Are You?"
This was absolutely my favorite story from the collection. Every part of the story I enjoyed-- the plot, the characters, the title, the end. I really like these sort of nostalgic Cormier pieces. I'm not sure if he intended them to carry such a nostalgic tone, but the emotional weight these sort of stories from the past carry is very enticing to me. The introduction was very nice, though not really relevant to the story (which was sort of good, so Cormier wouldn't spoil it for once!). I absolutely adore the final sentence from the story and the sentiment it holds:
"A Bad Time for Fathers"
This story was another one of those that just felt a bit strange coming from the father's perspective. I again support the editors' title change. This story had the least interesting introduction, though I still find it worth reading. Nothing really stood out about this story. It wasn't bad or anything, but I don't know if it was good. It's definitely the most skippable in the collection (though if you're going to skip anything, it should definitely be "Mine on Thursdays").
"Protestants Cry, Too"
This was another favorite of mine in the collection, again starring Jerry Renault from my other favorite (The Chocolate War? No...), "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" In the introduction to this piece, Cormier explained that though the cast, setting, etc. of the story are the same as the other, the tone, theme, and plot are entirely different. Something specifically he said was that due to this, he felt the father in the first story does not seem like he would act in the manner that he does in this one. I disagree with this and choose rather to view these stories as two different sides of the same family, as in Yes, the father in "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" would act like this even if it doesn't seem like he would from that story. Why? Because people are multifaceted like that. I found this story very interesting in that I've never really heard of a family protesting to a girl marrying their son because she was Protestant. The idea was so foreign to me that it almost made me laugh. It was really interesting getting this perspective from a story, and I really liked how it all turned out at the end.
"Guess What? I Almost Kissed My Father Goodnight"
There's not much to say about this story. It was okay. I liked the little sort of mystery. I also quite liked how Cormier's son didn't even remember the incident it's based on when it clearly meant so much to Cormier. I really liked the end (i.e. the last two pages), and I liked that for once instead of just thinking of saying something the character actually said it. I only wish the character to whom he was speaking had reciprocated with a similar openness,
"My First Negro"
This story I enjoyed, but not like it was enjoyable, more like it was interesting to see Cormier try to tackle race relations. The ending left me unsatisfied, but I understand that that was the point. It is difficult to say if I liked this story. I liked aspects of it, not the racism. I guess with stories about racism (past and present), for me, I prefer to read from a black person's perspective (meaning the story is also authored by a black person). But that's just me.
"Bunny Berigan-- Wasn't He a Musician or Something?"
This was another great story, and a perfect one to end on. This book is called 8 + 1, and Cormier seems to think this story is a sort of odd-one-out in the collection, but I disagree. I think it finished the collection wonderfully. I love the main character, the way he behaves, the way he narrates. Cormier says "The story was written painstakingly, sentence by sentence, but with tenderness and care and with the certainty that the material was under control, the characters behaving the way they should, the mood sustained until the final word." This clearly shows through the writing. There's not much to say about this story without spoiling it, but it's definitely worth a read and it serves as a great end to the collection.
July 20, 2010
This book of short stories is full of interesting stories told from both a parent and a teenager's point of view. They are very realistic stories, keeping the reader intrigued. Many of the stories dealt with the parent and child relationship told through a variety of circumstances. Some of the issues pertaining to the book was time, divorce, dating, fear, loneliness, drugs, friends, death and more.
My reaction:
The short stories are complete enough that I didn't feel like I need anymore or any less. It was so interesting to me and I enjoyed the time I spent reading it. Robert Cormier is a very good writer and I think this must have been one of his more tame books from what I have heard about the author. I would recommend this book to a parent of a teenager so that they can understand their child's possible point of view about life.
Number of pages: 196
Copyright: 1965-1980
My reaction:
The short stories are complete enough that I didn't feel like I need anymore or any less. It was so interesting to me and I enjoyed the time I spent reading it. Robert Cormier is a very good writer and I think this must have been one of his more tame books from what I have heard about the author. I would recommend this book to a parent of a teenager so that they can understand their child's possible point of view about life.
Number of pages: 196
Copyright: 1965-1980
July 5, 2015
A great, well-rounded collection of short stories that include a small introduction from the author for each (thanks, Robert!). Some are told from an adult's point of view and others from a child's. But all take place in the same French-Canadian Catholic side of a town in Massachusettes. My favorite quote is from "Protestants Cry, Too" when young Jerry comments on his ignorance of Protestants: "Sister Angela assured us that Protestants could get to heaven, but she implied that this was allowed by the Catholic Church out of the goodness of its heart."
May 10, 2015
"EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" written by Robert Cormier is about short stories which are vaguely related in a sense that they all have a similar moral or theme. Cormier is a writer that writes about dark things, and this is one of few novels that are not as dark. That is why this book has interesting short stories, theme and character description.
A book with good and interesting short stories is "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" for these reasons. Firstly, as these are short stories, Cormier has to introduce the characters very briefly and specific in order not to bore most readers. As a result, the introductions have to be quick, as seen in this quote "Mike is always reluctant to introduce us… often next week’s memory" (Cormier 52). Secondly, all the stories end with a haunting and strange theme. An example is the short story "Protestants Cry, too" when the father hates the girlfriend of his son, but in the last paragraph of the story he runs up to her and hugs her, and that is where the paragraph end. That is why the book "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good and interesting short stories.
"EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good theme, to reflect on the actions, for two reasons. Firstly, the second story "Mine on Thursdays" is about a father who visits his daughter every Thursday, and only Thursday he is allowed to visit her. After a few visits the mother does not want the daughter to leave with him, and he stops seeing her, which causes him to be sad while driving back home. A quote is "I drove away slowly, and I kept telling myself desperately that I wasn't saying goodbye.” (Cormier 64) Also, the short story "Another of Mike's Girls" is about a father whose son has a lot of girlfriends. In the end he reflects about what he had said, that being that all girls look the same, but in the end he thinks that all the fathers would look similar, which he says that they are not. Then he reflects and concludes that he was wrong. That is why this book has a good theme.
If one is interested in a book with a good character description then "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" is a good book for them. Firstly, as the stories written in this book are short, as so the character description has to be short as well. In this way, the author writes in a different style, as seen by this quote "" (Cormier 106). Lastly, Cormier also describes by both showing and telling the actions the characters take. An example is in the beginning of almost every story while describing the characters. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good character description.
To conclude, the topic of reflecting ones action is certainly a very important aspect of life, as is one does not learn from his/her mistakes then it will keep on happening, to a point of catastrophe. Also, brief character description makes one realize that that is what one does in real life, and lengthy paragraphs are left to the people who one trusts the most. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" written by Robert Cormier has a very strong theme that is proven throughout the novel as short stories.
“Family comes first. You’re the only thing they have” by Heidi Klum relates to the book “Eight plus One” by Robert Cormier. Firstly, this book is about small families having troubles, which, much to the author’s style, end badly. This quote also relates to the feelings, settings and themes of this short story book, as one can see by the coming paragraphs.
A book with a very good and touching feelings is “Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier. When the dad from the short story Mine on Thursdays sees his daughter once a week because of a routine as him and the wife are divorced, he takes it seriously. This is suggested by this quote, which is when the dad is given the chance to skip his session “You think I’m going to leave her waiting uselessly, while I take a cold shower and sleep it off. But Holly expects me and I’ll be there” (Cormier 26). In addition, when Holly tells her dad that she wants home, he respects her, even though he can’t stand the idea of leaving. An example is when they are at the park and she says that to him and they go to the commentary, just to spend more time with her. To resume, this book has good feelings that reach out to the readers by these reasons.
“Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier has a remarkable setting as perceived by these two reasons. As seen in the previous paragraphs, the dad takes Holly to the cemetery after the park, and both these places represent different moods, one being sad and the other one happy, possibly to try and make Holly stay longer through approaching her through different me ans. This is clever as he uses the different setting to persuade her to stay with him. Also, the car is also an important setting as it is used the by the dad to come to Holly’s house. A quote of Holly coming and giving the dad a hug is “” (Cormier). That is why this book has a very good setting.
“Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier has a great themes, enjoy while you can and family first, as seen by these two reasons. At first, Holly’s dad is seen as he enjoys a lot being with his daughter, until at the park he abandons her to buy a pack of cigarettes. A quote is “” (Cormier). Secondly, he did not enjoy to privilege of being with his daughter, even after divorcing, and in a way abused of their friendship. An example is when he treats the wide badly when in her house. Finally, that is why this book has a good theme.
Finally, family is always first as they are the people that you can trust them most, which is important in life, as there are always tough times. The feelings written in this book are important for the suspense but also to help the reader to realize how important family is. Also, the setting and theme support the reader into gradually be grateful for what one has. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" written by Robert Cormier has a very strong and influential feelings, settings and last but not least, themes.
A book with good and interesting short stories is "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" for these reasons. Firstly, as these are short stories, Cormier has to introduce the characters very briefly and specific in order not to bore most readers. As a result, the introductions have to be quick, as seen in this quote "Mike is always reluctant to introduce us… often next week’s memory" (Cormier 52). Secondly, all the stories end with a haunting and strange theme. An example is the short story "Protestants Cry, too" when the father hates the girlfriend of his son, but in the last paragraph of the story he runs up to her and hugs her, and that is where the paragraph end. That is why the book "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good and interesting short stories.
"EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good theme, to reflect on the actions, for two reasons. Firstly, the second story "Mine on Thursdays" is about a father who visits his daughter every Thursday, and only Thursday he is allowed to visit her. After a few visits the mother does not want the daughter to leave with him, and he stops seeing her, which causes him to be sad while driving back home. A quote is "I drove away slowly, and I kept telling myself desperately that I wasn't saying goodbye.” (Cormier 64) Also, the short story "Another of Mike's Girls" is about a father whose son has a lot of girlfriends. In the end he reflects about what he had said, that being that all girls look the same, but in the end he thinks that all the fathers would look similar, which he says that they are not. Then he reflects and concludes that he was wrong. That is why this book has a good theme.
If one is interested in a book with a good character description then "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" is a good book for them. Firstly, as the stories written in this book are short, as so the character description has to be short as well. In this way, the author writes in a different style, as seen by this quote "" (Cormier 106). Lastly, Cormier also describes by both showing and telling the actions the characters take. An example is in the beginning of almost every story while describing the characters. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" has a good character description.
To conclude, the topic of reflecting ones action is certainly a very important aspect of life, as is one does not learn from his/her mistakes then it will keep on happening, to a point of catastrophe. Also, brief character description makes one realize that that is what one does in real life, and lengthy paragraphs are left to the people who one trusts the most. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" written by Robert Cormier has a very strong theme that is proven throughout the novel as short stories.
“Family comes first. You’re the only thing they have” by Heidi Klum relates to the book “Eight plus One” by Robert Cormier. Firstly, this book is about small families having troubles, which, much to the author’s style, end badly. This quote also relates to the feelings, settings and themes of this short story book, as one can see by the coming paragraphs.
A book with a very good and touching feelings is “Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier. When the dad from the short story Mine on Thursdays sees his daughter once a week because of a routine as him and the wife are divorced, he takes it seriously. This is suggested by this quote, which is when the dad is given the chance to skip his session “You think I’m going to leave her waiting uselessly, while I take a cold shower and sleep it off. But Holly expects me and I’ll be there” (Cormier 26). In addition, when Holly tells her dad that she wants home, he respects her, even though he can’t stand the idea of leaving. An example is when they are at the park and she says that to him and they go to the commentary, just to spend more time with her. To resume, this book has good feelings that reach out to the readers by these reasons.
“Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier has a remarkable setting as perceived by these two reasons. As seen in the previous paragraphs, the dad takes Holly to the cemetery after the park, and both these places represent different moods, one being sad and the other one happy, possibly to try and make Holly stay longer through approaching her through different me ans. This is clever as he uses the different setting to persuade her to stay with him. Also, the car is also an important setting as it is used the by the dad to come to Holly’s house. A quote of Holly coming and giving the dad a hug is “” (Cormier). That is why this book has a very good setting.
“Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier has a great themes, enjoy while you can and family first, as seen by these two reasons. At first, Holly’s dad is seen as he enjoys a lot being with his daughter, until at the park he abandons her to buy a pack of cigarettes. A quote is “” (Cormier). Secondly, he did not enjoy to privilege of being with his daughter, even after divorcing, and in a way abused of their friendship. An example is when he treats the wide badly when in her house. Finally, that is why this book has a good theme.
Finally, family is always first as they are the people that you can trust them most, which is important in life, as there are always tough times. The feelings written in this book are important for the suspense but also to help the reader to realize how important family is. Also, the setting and theme support the reader into gradually be grateful for what one has. That is why "EIGHT PLUS ONE: STORIES" written by Robert Cormier has a very strong and influential feelings, settings and last but not least, themes.
March 2, 2015
Picked this up because my daughter teaches high school English and is always recommending gems she finds in the young adult genre. I hoped to be able to return the favor for once...and did I ever come across a winner! Perhaps it's because I'm "of a certain age" and the author's time setting was right in the ballpark for me. Or perhaps it's simply that these nine short stories are well-written, thought provoking and ever so true to life. I can see why some of these are included in textbooks; it's easy to imagine the discussions that could be launched after reading these excellent pieces.
I don't think I could pick a favorite...each one would top the list for one reason or another. Grab your box of tissues and curl up for a wonderful read and remember (or learn) what it was like to be a teen in a simpler time. Or perhaps these times weren't so simple either after all. The stories will stay with you much longer than the time it takes to read them.
I don't think I could pick a favorite...each one would top the list for one reason or another. Grab your box of tissues and curl up for a wonderful read and remember (or learn) what it was like to be a teen in a simpler time. Or perhaps these times weren't so simple either after all. The stories will stay with you much longer than the time it takes to read them.
January 24, 2009
I'm on my way through a Cormier fest. I guess this counts as historical fiction because the stories are set during the Great Depression, and there is a lot of detail about the French Canadian immigrant community in Massachusetts in which the narrator lives. The cool thing about these is that you get an introduction from the author for each story. It's a good choice for young writers (and old ones) and especially so because these are short stories. The stories are also tailor made for an author study; I've never actually done one with my students but this book actually makes me want to.
December 23, 2016
At first I was surprised to see relatively low ratings on this collection. But I guess it makes sense; most people aren't sentimentality-junkies like I am. I enjoyed the complex emotions within these stories, as well as the themes of 1960s/1970s family life.
This year I fell in love with Cormier's work. And it was this book that made me really appreciate the human behind his bleak novels. Every wonderfully oversentimental short story is prefaced by a few pages of context and reflection from Cormier. I loved these grandfatherly introductions as much as I loved the stories themselves.
This year I fell in love with Cormier's work. And it was this book that made me really appreciate the human behind his bleak novels. Every wonderfully oversentimental short story is prefaced by a few pages of context and reflection from Cormier. I loved these grandfatherly introductions as much as I loved the stories themselves.
April 13, 2018
An entertaining, well-written group of short stories presumably aimed at the Young Adult but perhaps more appealing to adults as they are time dated (great depression, WWII, and 1950s eras), nostalgic, lacking in the action and adventure elements that are probably more appealing to today's youth, and reflective of life, chances taken and not taken, and regrets. So in these ways probably more a pleasant, sedate, reflective easy read for adults even if classified as YA.
October 19, 2011
Love. Love Love. I read this almost ten years ago and still vividly remember moments and phrases like, "a big white birthday cake of a house" and "a constellation of acne." I remember Laura Kincaid's blonde hair and Mike looking into the mirror and sadly noting the crumpled expression on his face--the same one he'd seen his father wear earlier that day. What a great writer.
November 25, 2011
Very good. Short stories that make you think and feel. If you want stories that are tied up in the end with a bow, this isn't for you. I recommend it!
July 7, 2012
It reminded me a lot of Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It has the same smooth flavor of nostalgia, thought the settings and stories are very different.
March 3, 2020
3.75 stars. A collection of Cormier's short stories, each of which has a brief intro by the author providing context on how that particular short came to be. The book peers back into a 1940s USA - and it's striking how different these narratives feel compared to those set even 20 years later (much less current lit): both homey/familiar and alarming/desperate.
I've never read Cormier before, even though I now see he's quite prolific and much admired. Will check into more of his full length novels (perhaps starting with I Am the Cheese?).
I've never read Cormier before, even though I now see he's quite prolific and much admired. Will check into more of his full length novels (perhaps starting with I Am the Cheese?).
November 27, 2019
Cormier just kills it yet again. This collection is unlike anything fiction I’ve read from him. It resembles more closely his own memoir, and his insightful introductions were both informative to his writing process and human as hell. Give this one a try, guys.
August 11, 2024
I've had an old copy of this on my shelf for a while after being a big fan of I Am The Cheese as a kid and am glad I finally got around to reading it. I especially enjoyed the prefaces to each story where Cormier shares his inspiration as well as connections and themes between them all--the last one especially resonated with events in my life right now and was a great closer, especially the last few sentences.
June 22, 2011
"I have always pondered a tragic law of adolescence. (On second thought, the law probably applies to all ages to some extent). That law: People fall in love at the same time—often at the same stunning moment—but they fall out of love at different times. One is left sadly juggling the pieces of a fractured heart while the other has danced away."
—8 Plus 1, P. 41
For the most part, great young-adult writers are commonly compared only to other young-adult writers, and even then usually only to those who are of their own time. One doesn't often hear comparisons between Neil Gaiman and Charles Dickens, Lois Lowry and Jane Austen or Jerry Spinelli and Mark Twain. Therefore, one gets perhaps an inkling of the nearly incomparable genius of Robert Cormier when comparisons between him and visionaries of masterpiece literature such as William Golding and J.D. Salinger come up, not just occasionally, but again and again and again. For who captures the every part of the human soul with the stunning elegance and outright terror to be found in Robert Cormier's writing, hitting so close to home for each of us in a nearly endless variety of painfully relevant ways?
Terror is not to be found in abundance in 8 Plus 1, though. I suppose that death takes a holiday here, so to speak. Instead, Robert Cormier has compiled nine of his most personally telling short stories into a single novel of deep and surpassing beauty; not beautiful as much for the words that are used or dazzling descriptions sewn into the text like lovely crochet, but for the simple plainness behind the stories, and how they each carry the strong scent of real life in the way that we regularly experience it. What could be more beautiful than a novel that mimics to perfection the rhythms of real life, and teaches us important things about ourselves as we hop on and go along for the ride?
It's easy to tell that the nine stories that make up 8 Plus 1 were all originally published in magazines, separate from each other. Some stories borrow little incidents from others in the collection, and some names (Ellie, for one example, and Jerry) are used repeatedly for different characters. It can feel slightly odd to read a little quirky fact about one person and then have that same offbeat bit of information show up to describe a completely different character in another story, and to have both stories be contained within the same book, but it's no big deal, and it's a tradeoff well worth the brief moments of "huh?", if it means having all of these meaningful vignettes compiled in one place.
The stories each come with an introduction by Robert Cormier, who generally gives a little bit of background for how he was feeling at the time when he was writing the story in question, or what incident first sparked the idea that would eventually blossom into the miniature tale as it stands in 8 Plus 1, or what unique difficulties arose when he tried to write that particular story. He tells us about the ways that his children's adolescence seemed, at times, vastly different from his own, and also how he ultimately realized that the lives they were leading were much more similar to his than they were different, regardless of the disparity in generation. This was how Robert Cormier was always able to keep in tune with what young people were thinking and how the mechanism of their hearts worked; he understood as few others are able that he and they were essentially the same, and it mattered not how many years had passed since Cormier had been a teenager himself. He always remembered. Always...
8 Plus 1 takes readers along the entire gamut of emotion, fearless in addressing any topic and often leaving stories somewhat unfinished if that is how they were best (and most honestly) told, but I would have to say that the best story of the book is the one the author leaves for last, Bunny Berigan—Wasn't He a Musician or Something?. In my view, it may be the most astute tale of the whole lot, and by itself makes the book worth reading.
I guess that the most unusual element of 8 Plus 1 is the way that it acts like a bridge between young-adult and adult readers. Most young-adult stories focus on teenagers or kids as the main protagonists and feature adults only as peripheral characters, but these nine stories are different. The perspectives are split equally between young people and adults, with Robert Cormier taking the time to paint the true, raw emotions of both sides toward a meeting of the minds in the middle. It's as if Cormier understands young minds and he understands adult minds, and in this book he has found a way to masterfully orchestrate a reconciliation between the two sides. I've never seen this done as skillfully as Robert Cormier does it here. A thing of real beauty, it is, but then...since when has Robert Cormier ever written a story that wasn't a thing of pure beauty?
8 Plus 1 is an impressive success, and I certainly would recommend it. I would consider giving it three and a half stars.
—8 Plus 1, P. 41
For the most part, great young-adult writers are commonly compared only to other young-adult writers, and even then usually only to those who are of their own time. One doesn't often hear comparisons between Neil Gaiman and Charles Dickens, Lois Lowry and Jane Austen or Jerry Spinelli and Mark Twain. Therefore, one gets perhaps an inkling of the nearly incomparable genius of Robert Cormier when comparisons between him and visionaries of masterpiece literature such as William Golding and J.D. Salinger come up, not just occasionally, but again and again and again. For who captures the every part of the human soul with the stunning elegance and outright terror to be found in Robert Cormier's writing, hitting so close to home for each of us in a nearly endless variety of painfully relevant ways?
Terror is not to be found in abundance in 8 Plus 1, though. I suppose that death takes a holiday here, so to speak. Instead, Robert Cormier has compiled nine of his most personally telling short stories into a single novel of deep and surpassing beauty; not beautiful as much for the words that are used or dazzling descriptions sewn into the text like lovely crochet, but for the simple plainness behind the stories, and how they each carry the strong scent of real life in the way that we regularly experience it. What could be more beautiful than a novel that mimics to perfection the rhythms of real life, and teaches us important things about ourselves as we hop on and go along for the ride?
It's easy to tell that the nine stories that make up 8 Plus 1 were all originally published in magazines, separate from each other. Some stories borrow little incidents from others in the collection, and some names (Ellie, for one example, and Jerry) are used repeatedly for different characters. It can feel slightly odd to read a little quirky fact about one person and then have that same offbeat bit of information show up to describe a completely different character in another story, and to have both stories be contained within the same book, but it's no big deal, and it's a tradeoff well worth the brief moments of "huh?", if it means having all of these meaningful vignettes compiled in one place.
The stories each come with an introduction by Robert Cormier, who generally gives a little bit of background for how he was feeling at the time when he was writing the story in question, or what incident first sparked the idea that would eventually blossom into the miniature tale as it stands in 8 Plus 1, or what unique difficulties arose when he tried to write that particular story. He tells us about the ways that his children's adolescence seemed, at times, vastly different from his own, and also how he ultimately realized that the lives they were leading were much more similar to his than they were different, regardless of the disparity in generation. This was how Robert Cormier was always able to keep in tune with what young people were thinking and how the mechanism of their hearts worked; he understood as few others are able that he and they were essentially the same, and it mattered not how many years had passed since Cormier had been a teenager himself. He always remembered. Always...
8 Plus 1 takes readers along the entire gamut of emotion, fearless in addressing any topic and often leaving stories somewhat unfinished if that is how they were best (and most honestly) told, but I would have to say that the best story of the book is the one the author leaves for last, Bunny Berigan—Wasn't He a Musician or Something?. In my view, it may be the most astute tale of the whole lot, and by itself makes the book worth reading.
I guess that the most unusual element of 8 Plus 1 is the way that it acts like a bridge between young-adult and adult readers. Most young-adult stories focus on teenagers or kids as the main protagonists and feature adults only as peripheral characters, but these nine stories are different. The perspectives are split equally between young people and adults, with Robert Cormier taking the time to paint the true, raw emotions of both sides toward a meeting of the minds in the middle. It's as if Cormier understands young minds and he understands adult minds, and in this book he has found a way to masterfully orchestrate a reconciliation between the two sides. I've never seen this done as skillfully as Robert Cormier does it here. A thing of real beauty, it is, but then...since when has Robert Cormier ever written a story that wasn't a thing of pure beauty?
8 Plus 1 is an impressive success, and I certainly would recommend it. I would consider giving it three and a half stars.
July 10, 2019
These stories are nostalgia inspiring- a perfect time capsule of the late sixties and seventies (not that I would remember anything from then.)
Want to read
June 7, 2025Cutting is for Guess What? I Almost
Kissed My Father Good Night
By Robert Cormier
Kissed My Father Good Night
By Robert Cormier
Read
July 24, 2025Cormier, as usual, uses vital and direct language to convey vivid stories about youth. He not only is one of the best YA authors, but one of the best authors out there, period.
April 29, 2021
These were all good but cumulatively quite early on found that they were seemingly just so overtly finite in the absolute monotony of normality...
(Side note: I just remembered it was trying to find this book the first thing I thought of avoid reflection shaving which I remember was a title that had been changed from published rendered nothing but the second reference I could retrieve and did so via the microphone / voice to text option - 'another one of mike's girls'- (and it just happened again )read 'another one of my squirrels'. Ha. But when corrected I found it and meanwhile realized that the extent of my memory for the details herewihin is far beyond normal and that probably says something (positive)
(Side note: I just remembered it was trying to find this book the first thing I thought of avoid reflection shaving which I remember was a title that had been changed from published rendered nothing but the second reference I could retrieve and did so via the microphone / voice to text option - 'another one of mike's girls'- (and it just happened again )read 'another one of my squirrels'. Ha. But when corrected I found it and meanwhile realized that the extent of my memory for the details herewihin is far beyond normal and that probably says something (positive)
January 31, 2012
This is my first time reading Robert Cormier and I can't believe what I have been missing out on. Just nine short stories and each one of them beautifully done, striking, haunting, just amazing writing.
Warning: Divorce, some stealing and some violence.
Warning: Divorce, some stealing and some violence.
June 19, 2008
A bit tamer than his normal fare. Not my cuppa, but that doesn't erase the fact that he's an enormous talent.
July 28, 2008
didn't like this one much.
December 20, 2016
Different sorts of stories from his typical.
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