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Shepherd's Pie #2
Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters
A bestselling classic of humorous and nostalgic Americana and the basis of the movie A Christmas Story.
“Mr. Shepherd has the true satirist’s grip on his pen: he is humorous, sympathetic,and ironic all at once.”— Boston Globe
Before Garrison Keillor and Spalding Gray there was Jean Shepherd: a master monologist and writer who spun the materials of his all-American childhood into immensely resonant—and utterly hilarious—works of comic art. Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories represents one of the peaks of his achievement, a compound of irony, affection, and perfect detail that speaks across generations.
Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories is a universal (and achingly funny) orchestration of Midwestern puberty rites. From the gut-wrenching playground antics of one Delbert Bumpus and the almighty sacrifice of the Easter ham, to taffy-apple binges at the state fair and the supernatural glow surrounding unapproachable high school beauty Daphne Bigelow, to the memorable disaster that was Shepherd’s (and everyone else’s) junior prom—these are some of the archetypal legends of childhood that Shepherd evokes from his nostalgic Indiana muse.
A timeless and enduring classic, Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories captures the sweet cacophonous roar of youth tempered with the wit and honesty of a grown boy
“Mr. Shepherd has the true satirist’s grip on his pen: he is humorous, sympathetic,and ironic all at once.”— Boston Globe
Before Garrison Keillor and Spalding Gray there was Jean Shepherd: a master monologist and writer who spun the materials of his all-American childhood into immensely resonant—and utterly hilarious—works of comic art. Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories represents one of the peaks of his achievement, a compound of irony, affection, and perfect detail that speaks across generations.
Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories is a universal (and achingly funny) orchestration of Midwestern puberty rites. From the gut-wrenching playground antics of one Delbert Bumpus and the almighty sacrifice of the Easter ham, to taffy-apple binges at the state fair and the supernatural glow surrounding unapproachable high school beauty Daphne Bigelow, to the memorable disaster that was Shepherd’s (and everyone else’s) junior prom—these are some of the archetypal legends of childhood that Shepherd evokes from his nostalgic Indiana muse.
A timeless and enduring classic, Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories captures the sweet cacophonous roar of youth tempered with the wit and honesty of a grown boy
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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1196 people want to read
About the author
Jean Shepherd
47 books151 followersJean Parker "Shep" Shepherd Jr. was an American storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film A Christmas Story (1983), which he narrated and co-scripted on the basis of his own semi-autobiographical stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
January 24, 2023
"Ours was not a genteel neighborhood, by any stretch of the imagination. Nestled picturesquely between the looming steel mills and the verminously aromatic oil refineries and encircled by a colorful conglomerate of city dumps and fetid rivers, our northern Indiana town was and is the very essence of the Midwestern industrial heartland of the nation. There was a standard barbershop bit of humor that said it with surprising poeticism: If Chicago (only a stone’s throw away across the polluted lake waters) was Carl Sandburg’s “City of the Broad Shoulders,” then Hohman had to be that city’s broad rear end. According to legend, it bore the name of a hapless early settler who had arrived on the scene when the kind was just prairie and Indian trails. Surveying the sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan, he decided that Chicago, then a tiny trading post where kind was free for the asking, had no future. Struggling through the quagmires farther south, for some demented reason now lost to history, he set up camp and invested heavily in land that was destined to become one of the ugliest pieces of real estate this side of the craters of the moon. Indeed, it bore some resemblance to the moon, in that the natives were alternately seared by stifling heat in the summer and reduced to clanking hulks when the fierce gales blew off the lake. Our founding father set the pattern of futility for all future generations."
Jean Shepherd was a raconteur of note. For years he entertained his radio audience with stories, mostly about growing up in the Chicago metroplex. He is remembered, if he is remembered at all, for the narrative voice in the movie, A Christmas Story, which was a confabulation of several of his shorter pieces some collected in this book. For those who have seen A Christmas Story, the style below will be familiar.
"One afternoon, with a snootful of whatever they were making down there, Emil came reeling out onto the back porch. He was yelling at somebody in the kitchen, his deep molasses drawl booming out over the neighborhood. “WHO YEW THANK YO’ TAWKIN’ TEW?” With that, he grabbed ahold of the back porch and pulled it right off the house. He just grabbed the porch and yanked it out by the roots: “AAAuuuggghhh!” From that day on, the Bumpus house had no back porch, only a door about eight feet up in the air and a rusty screen. Once in a while, one of them would jump out—and land in the garbage. And every so often, one of the skinny, red-faced sisters would fall out accidentally, usually carrying a pail of dishwater or chicken innards."
Yes, the Bumpus household is here, as well as all the Parkers: “The Old Man,” Mom, Ralphie, and Randy. Their friends, too, including Flick and Schwartz. I’ll leave you with this bit of childhood determination:
"“Well, I don’t care what your old man says, Flick,” I said. “I’m gonna ride on the whip—and the caterpillar, too. There are so many things that stunt your growth and make you crazy, you might as well do it that way as any other.” My wisdom, as usual was profound."
Oh, and by the way, the original story elements for the movie came from a story about Easter (not Christmas) and a ham (not a turkey). 3.5*
Jean Shepherd was a raconteur of note. For years he entertained his radio audience with stories, mostly about growing up in the Chicago metroplex. He is remembered, if he is remembered at all, for the narrative voice in the movie, A Christmas Story, which was a confabulation of several of his shorter pieces some collected in this book. For those who have seen A Christmas Story, the style below will be familiar.
"One afternoon, with a snootful of whatever they were making down there, Emil came reeling out onto the back porch. He was yelling at somebody in the kitchen, his deep molasses drawl booming out over the neighborhood. “WHO YEW THANK YO’ TAWKIN’ TEW?” With that, he grabbed ahold of the back porch and pulled it right off the house. He just grabbed the porch and yanked it out by the roots: “AAAuuuggghhh!” From that day on, the Bumpus house had no back porch, only a door about eight feet up in the air and a rusty screen. Once in a while, one of them would jump out—and land in the garbage. And every so often, one of the skinny, red-faced sisters would fall out accidentally, usually carrying a pail of dishwater or chicken innards."
Yes, the Bumpus household is here, as well as all the Parkers: “The Old Man,” Mom, Ralphie, and Randy. Their friends, too, including Flick and Schwartz. I’ll leave you with this bit of childhood determination:
"“Well, I don’t care what your old man says, Flick,” I said. “I’m gonna ride on the whip—and the caterpillar, too. There are so many things that stunt your growth and make you crazy, you might as well do it that way as any other.” My wisdom, as usual was profound."
Oh, and by the way, the original story elements for the movie came from a story about Easter (not Christmas) and a ham (not a turkey). 3.5*
October 19, 2009
As with his spiritual heir David Sedaris, it's impossible to read Jean Shepherd without hearing his voice. (Anyone who's seen the movie based on his stories, "A Christmas Story," has heard his voice, as he was the film's narrator; anyone who hasn't heard Shepherd's old New York radio shows really needs to seek out some recordings.)
Much of "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories," as was the case with "A Christmas Story," serves as something of a love letter to Shepherd's father, played so perfectly by Darren McGavin in the movie:
This portrayal may not sound like affection, but it is. Anyone who reads the stories in "Wanda Hickey" can't help but feel the deep love and respect Shepherd had for his old man. This passage may serve as a better example:
Later stories in the book focus more on Shepherd's early dating adventures -- misadventures, really, this being Shepherd -- and verge on being somewhat generic, not far removed from the humorous stories of high-school romance that many other writers have told before and since. The Shepherd touch, though, helps make them feel original.
The book's penultimate story, "The Return of the Smiling Wimpy Doll," is a stand-out, recounting the time Shepherd, then living in a small Manhattan apartment, received at Christmastime a box of childhood toys sent by his mother. Shepherd apparently spent much of his childhood saving soup-can labels and cereal-box tops and mailing them away in exchange for toys tied to radio programs and comic strips. Now, as an adult, the toys serve the same purpose madeleines served for Proust. The story unfolds beautifully, replicating Shepherd's unpacking of the box, and then returns to its beginning as he repacks the items and puts the box in a closet. It's a wonderful piece of writing.
Much of "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories," as was the case with "A Christmas Story," serves as something of a love letter to Shepherd's father, played so perfectly by Darren McGavin in the movie:
"He slumped unshaven, staring numbly at the kitchen table, until my mother set the coffee down in front of him. She did not speak. She knew that this was no time for conversation. He lit a Lucky, took a mighty drag and then sipped gingerly at the scalding black coffee, his eyes glaring malevolently ahead. My old man had begun every day of his life since the age of four with a Lucky and a cup of black coffee. He inhaled each one alternately, grimly, deeply. During this routine, it was sheer suicide to goad him."
This portrayal may not sound like affection, but it is. Anyone who reads the stories in "Wanda Hickey" can't help but feel the deep love and respect Shepherd had for his old man. This passage may serve as a better example:
"As traffic fighters go, he was probably no more talented nor dedicated than most other men of his time. But what he lacked in finesse he more than made up in sheer ferocity. His vast catalog of invective -- learned in the field, so to speak, back of the stockyards on the South Side of Chicago -- had enriched every Sunday-afternoon drive we ever took. Some men gain their education about life at their mother's knee, others by reading yellowed volumes of fiction. I nurtured and flowered in the back seat of the Olds, listening to my father."
Later stories in the book focus more on Shepherd's early dating adventures -- misadventures, really, this being Shepherd -- and verge on being somewhat generic, not far removed from the humorous stories of high-school romance that many other writers have told before and since. The Shepherd touch, though, helps make them feel original.
The book's penultimate story, "The Return of the Smiling Wimpy Doll," is a stand-out, recounting the time Shepherd, then living in a small Manhattan apartment, received at Christmastime a box of childhood toys sent by his mother. Shepherd apparently spent much of his childhood saving soup-can labels and cereal-box tops and mailing them away in exchange for toys tied to radio programs and comic strips. Now, as an adult, the toys serve the same purpose madeleines served for Proust. The story unfolds beautifully, replicating Shepherd's unpacking of the box, and then returns to its beginning as he repacks the items and puts the box in a closet. It's a wonderful piece of writing.
April 9, 2013
Excellent. Absolutely Excellent.
Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters is written by the man who co-wrote and narrates the classic movie A Christmas Story , Jean Shepherd (1921-1999). Shepherd's book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash is the inspiration for that movie, although the infamous dogs in the kitchen scene comes from Wanda Hickey.
If you love the movie A Christmas Story , you will absolutely enjoy this book. Set in Hammond, Indiana (he fictionalizes it as Hohman, Indiana) in the 1930s, Wanda Hickey is actually a set of 8 semi-fictional short stories loosely based on actual people and events in Shepherd's life. Hohman is described as being "nestled picturesquely between the looming steel mills and the verminously aromatic oil refineries and encircled by a colorful conglomerate of city dumps and fetid rivers" which is an unkind, but not inacurrate description of Indiana's industrial northwest corner.
These short stories cover Shepherd's youth from elementary school to his high school prom (his date is the Wanda Hickey from the title). Shepherd's genius in story-telling is his ability to take a fairly normal situation and somehow milk it for every bit of humor and add a bit of wisdom in the re-telling...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters is written by the man who co-wrote and narrates the classic movie A Christmas Story , Jean Shepherd (1921-1999). Shepherd's book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash is the inspiration for that movie, although the infamous dogs in the kitchen scene comes from Wanda Hickey.
If you love the movie A Christmas Story , you will absolutely enjoy this book. Set in Hammond, Indiana (he fictionalizes it as Hohman, Indiana) in the 1930s, Wanda Hickey is actually a set of 8 semi-fictional short stories loosely based on actual people and events in Shepherd's life. Hohman is described as being "nestled picturesquely between the looming steel mills and the verminously aromatic oil refineries and encircled by a colorful conglomerate of city dumps and fetid rivers" which is an unkind, but not inacurrate description of Indiana's industrial northwest corner.
These short stories cover Shepherd's youth from elementary school to his high school prom (his date is the Wanda Hickey from the title). Shepherd's genius in story-telling is his ability to take a fairly normal situation and somehow milk it for every bit of humor and add a bit of wisdom in the re-telling...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
February 7, 2017
This was a hilarious book and I enjoyed his wordsmith talent to the end. I laughed so much. I debated on 3 or 4 stars, but decided to take one off for the language and the risqué chapter "The Star Crossed Romance" since I'm a light-weight. His rendition of the roller-coaster ride is a classic and that section alone is worth 5 stars. The goat named Prince Bernadotte Charlemagne d'alexandre of Hamilton Farms had me in stitches! Jean Shepherd was a master storyteller.
A few quotes I liked:
"Plunging into the downpour, I sloshed through the puddles and finally reached the Ford. She must have had at least a foot of water in her already. Hair streaming down over my eyes, soaked to the skin and muddied to the knees. I bailed it out with a coffee can from the trunk, slid behind the wheel and pressed the automatic-top lever. [...]. This had never, to my knowledge, happened to Fred Astaire. And if it rained on Gene Kelly, he just sang."
"I had never realized that a good speller could be so pretty."
"
A few quotes I liked:
"Plunging into the downpour, I sloshed through the puddles and finally reached the Ford. She must have had at least a foot of water in her already. Hair streaming down over my eyes, soaked to the skin and muddied to the knees. I bailed it out with a coffee can from the trunk, slid behind the wheel and pressed the automatic-top lever. [...]. This had never, to my knowledge, happened to Fred Astaire. And if it rained on Gene Kelly, he just sang."
"I had never realized that a good speller could be so pretty."
"
July 5, 2013
Enjoyed & this was given to me by a friend. Now I'm donating as I'm clearing bookshelves.
March 7, 2021
Caveat: the first story is full of offensive stereotypes of Appalachian people. After that it is pleasantly full of self deprecating humor.
November 29, 2025
This wasn’t quite as good as In God We Trust, but it offered a few more tidbits that were included in the movie, A Christmas Story. This books deals more with Ralphie’s teenage, dating years. However, in the first book, their last name was Parker. In this one, it is Shepherd. Typo? Jean Shepherd’s true stories? Will we ever know? 3 1/2 stars
January 13, 2025
Fantastic literature. I laughed so hard I cried at the county fair chapter. Even rereading it.
Jean Shepherd was an American treasure.
Jean Shepherd was an American treasure.
August 14, 2020
A little racist, likely because of its setting and time period -- this was a childhood favorite of mine, and other than, you know, the racism, it holds up well.
March 3, 2019
This story is from the family of the movie Christmas Story. It was impossible to read it without the voice of the narrator from the movie in your head. It was funny at times - very much like the movie. I’d give it 3.3 stars.
December 27, 2012
For those who are reading this with absolutely no background information on Jean Shepherd, he is a storyteller best known for his stories which were made into the movie A Christmas Story. Those stories are mostly contained in In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash though as talented as he is, he recycles quite a bit, meaning that you will recognize parts of that book/movie sprinkled throughout many of his works.
This particular book, Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories is a collection of individual stories, all taking place within the same universe as the aforementioned works, though at different times and places. Each story is a chapter, and could be read by itself at any time and still make sense. The title is a reference to one story within the book.
If you enjoyed A Christmas Story you will likely enjoy this book. If you have never seen that film, you would still like this book. I can't imagine a person who wouldn't. Perhaps those who don't enjoy humor, or stories wouldn't enjoy it. But then, those people are sociopaths and will likely be on death row soon anyway. For those of you who aren't on death row, read this book.
This particular book, Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories is a collection of individual stories, all taking place within the same universe as the aforementioned works, though at different times and places. Each story is a chapter, and could be read by itself at any time and still make sense. The title is a reference to one story within the book.
If you enjoyed A Christmas Story you will likely enjoy this book. If you have never seen that film, you would still like this book. I can't imagine a person who wouldn't. Perhaps those who don't enjoy humor, or stories wouldn't enjoy it. But then, those people are sociopaths and will likely be on death row soon anyway. For those of you who aren't on death row, read this book.
May 17, 2008
Jean Shepherd gave the commencement speech at my high school.He asked me where I was going to college.He laughed and said "That was the first college I got kicked out of!" I got kicked out as well, so I follow in the footsteps of greatness.In my own defense, who the fuck puts a college close enough that if you maintain a steady 110-120mph you can be in Daytona beach in 20 minutes?Anyway this book is a collection of funny stories.He wrote and narrates "A Christmas Story" which is on every Christmas.In this small world,he also narrates a documentary about my old cycling club's team doing a stage race in the early 70's.
This is a great book which also has blood stains from one of my early bike racing crashes.Weird how it all ties in for me.
Go get the non-blood stained version,you'll never laugh so hard.
This is a great book which also has blood stains from one of my early bike racing crashes.Weird how it all ties in for me.
Go get the non-blood stained version,you'll never laugh so hard.
January 1, 2008
Wanda Hickey is one of those humorous coming of age stories in vignettes a la Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories. The true stories tell of Jean Shepherd's childhood in small town Indiana, where his family and his friends are the main players on a stage of hilarity. Being Polish, I was particularly taken with the story of Josephine, a Polish girl from East Chicago upon whom Jean sets his sights, and whose Polish family he describes with a gusto that makes me love my own family all the more. Other great stories include the wonderful tale of the trip to the fair and of course the title story. Told with charm, wit, and a little bit of the ole "awwwww!" factor, this was a great read. One of my favorites of this year.
September 14, 2012
I just finished reading a pretty tragic book and needed to follow up with something a little more upbeat. This definitely fit the bill. As I read this story to myself, I couldn’t help but hear Jean Shepherd’s voice narrate Ralphie’s recollections of his youth – And I couldn’t help visualizing the movie versions of Ralphie and his sidekicks, Flick and Schwartz as adolescents. Ralphie’s stories are sweet and funny… A real treat for nostalgic toy, candy, and radio show lovers!
December 6, 2008
At least as good as 'In God We Trust...' or maybe better. The final story about the Junior Prom was outrageously funny.
March 26, 2009
Funny as hell, but not the best short stories out there. They read like radio plays... which I think is how Shepherd started with his writing. It's a bit rambling, but has plenty of laughs.
June 3, 2018
A MUST have and read for all Jean Shepherd fans and anyone who remembers their junior prom!
December 12, 2022
I like to frequent the many Little Libraries here in town and every once in a while, I strike gold. This was one of those rare and happy occasions.
I was visiting one of my less popular book exchanges and was busy wading through rain soaked James Patterson paperbacks when I stumbled across this weather beaten volume. It was a vintage pocket paperback from the Early 70's, so I was already halfway sold. (I will read almost anything if it is contained in a vintage pocket paperback from the early 70's) The title meant nothing to me and seemed to imply a sleazy novel of lurid sex exploits so I was ready to put it back when the name of the author caught my eye. "Why do I know the name Jean Shepherd?" I thought to myself, stroking my grizzled chin in sincere puzzlement. "Who is she anyway?"
Eventually, the light of reason and memory slowly dawned on me and I recalled that this particular Jean was not a She, but a He and was the celebrated author and narrator of the now-classic movie A Christmas Story. The one with Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun. My knees quivered with excitement as I realised that I was in the presence of Comedy Greatness. Literary Gold. In other words - a potentially great read.
Happily, it more than lived up to my lofty expectations. A lot of the regulars from the movie are here, most notably "The Old Man" whose stories I enjoyed the most. I could practically see Darrin McGavin in my mind's eye cursing and swearing as he deals with the "Bumpuses" - the hillbilly neighbors next door. Young Jean (never referred to as Ralphie, btw. I guess that was just for the movie) is the true star here and we read about his painful experiences as he navigates his teen years under the watchful, inebriated eye of "The Old Man" and his annoying younger brother, Randy.
Just a fabulous read. Now one of my favourites.
I was visiting one of my less popular book exchanges and was busy wading through rain soaked James Patterson paperbacks when I stumbled across this weather beaten volume. It was a vintage pocket paperback from the Early 70's, so I was already halfway sold. (I will read almost anything if it is contained in a vintage pocket paperback from the early 70's) The title meant nothing to me and seemed to imply a sleazy novel of lurid sex exploits so I was ready to put it back when the name of the author caught my eye. "Why do I know the name Jean Shepherd?" I thought to myself, stroking my grizzled chin in sincere puzzlement. "Who is she anyway?"
Eventually, the light of reason and memory slowly dawned on me and I recalled that this particular Jean was not a She, but a He and was the celebrated author and narrator of the now-classic movie A Christmas Story. The one with Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun. My knees quivered with excitement as I realised that I was in the presence of Comedy Greatness. Literary Gold. In other words - a potentially great read.
Happily, it more than lived up to my lofty expectations. A lot of the regulars from the movie are here, most notably "The Old Man" whose stories I enjoyed the most. I could practically see Darrin McGavin in my mind's eye cursing and swearing as he deals with the "Bumpuses" - the hillbilly neighbors next door. Young Jean (never referred to as Ralphie, btw. I guess that was just for the movie) is the true star here and we read about his painful experiences as he navigates his teen years under the watchful, inebriated eye of "The Old Man" and his annoying younger brother, Randy.
Just a fabulous read. Now one of my favourites.
May 22, 2022
7/10
Having just read a different book of his a few months ago, I knew what I was in for and again, Shepherd delivers. More stories that were worked into the Christmas Story movie (the Xmas turkey stolen by the neighbor's dogs was actually an Easter ham that dad had saved for & meticulously chose out of a number of other hams wrapped in butcher paper and greasy twine!). And funny. These stories are funny. Unfortunately, I only recognize - and vaguely at that - a handful of the popular culture references he uses.
PROS: Still a very funny book - turns out childhood / young adulthood is more universally similar than you'd think!; Well written - he uses some older words that I know but haven't seen for awhile and that is nice; Universal experiences and thoughts; It's interesting seeing the lives of kids the way they were 70 years ago or whatever it was; You can hear him narrating the book to you if you allow yourself
CONS: These stories are long - some are 50+ pages and with no real natural stopping points within them reading this became a bit daunting because you have to commit to an entire story at a time; most of the pop culture references I'm sure were hilarious at the time but are generic proper nouns nowadays; I think the other book I read was a smidge better.
Having just read a different book of his a few months ago, I knew what I was in for and again, Shepherd delivers. More stories that were worked into the Christmas Story movie (the Xmas turkey stolen by the neighbor's dogs was actually an Easter ham that dad had saved for & meticulously chose out of a number of other hams wrapped in butcher paper and greasy twine!). And funny. These stories are funny. Unfortunately, I only recognize - and vaguely at that - a handful of the popular culture references he uses.
PROS: Still a very funny book - turns out childhood / young adulthood is more universally similar than you'd think!; Well written - he uses some older words that I know but haven't seen for awhile and that is nice; Universal experiences and thoughts; It's interesting seeing the lives of kids the way they were 70 years ago or whatever it was; You can hear him narrating the book to you if you allow yourself
CONS: These stories are long - some are 50+ pages and with no real natural stopping points within them reading this became a bit daunting because you have to commit to an entire story at a time; most of the pop culture references I'm sure were hilarious at the time but are generic proper nouns nowadays; I think the other book I read was a smidge better.
December 4, 2023
Jean Shepherd reveals himself and his neighbors as they grew up in Hammond, IN. This is the third collection of his stories, that culminates with the end of his high school prom, to which he takes Wanda Hickey of the title. There are more vignettes that are recognizable from A Christmas Story such as the meat-stealing hounds.
What is it about growing up in the great flat middle of the country that has made us such a vast repository of humorous stories? Shepard started mining the motherlode in the 1940s through the 1970s, and it has been giving up hilarious observations on the radio, tv, and now podcasts, since then. “A Prairie Home Companion” picked up the vein decades ago, and the same high-quality ore is still bearing current workings such as “Ted Lasso.” For a this-day-in-history view, there is a Shep-A-Day podcast from his WOR days.
Yes, this is mostly a review of the author. Don’t worry, just go read the book. It’s hilarious.
What is it about growing up in the great flat middle of the country that has made us such a vast repository of humorous stories? Shepard started mining the motherlode in the 1940s through the 1970s, and it has been giving up hilarious observations on the radio, tv, and now podcasts, since then. “A Prairie Home Companion” picked up the vein decades ago, and the same high-quality ore is still bearing current workings such as “Ted Lasso.” For a this-day-in-history view, there is a Shep-A-Day podcast from his WOR days.
Yes, this is mostly a review of the author. Don’t worry, just go read the book. It’s hilarious.
July 13, 2018
Another collection of short stories by Jean Shepherd hits the spot. The story that pushed it over the edge from four to five stars was "Scut Farkas and the Murderous Mariah," in which our hero searches for an Excalibur of tops in order to defeat the evil Farkas and his top of death. There was something in the shape of this little story that I found extremely satisfying along with Shepherd's vivid descriptions. He finds a little shop down by the rail yard, between the smelters and oil refinery. A frail old woman with an old lady beard brings a Quaker Oat box from the back room. "She set it down on the counter and began fishing in it with a withered claw."
I can't get enough of this stuff.
I can't get enough of this stuff.
September 1, 2023
This was a straight forward book about ordinary life in Indiana before the war. The main character went thorough events of the state fair, driving to a vacation , the notorious next door neighbors all most of the with his family. He even talks about dates his been with which included emotions that most teenagers go through during these situations. The narrator didn’t sugar code any thing or over philosophized any thing. He just told a story about events in his life smoothly. I liked the date with the polish girl and the prom with Wanda the most. The last story concluded the book well with the fact even though Wanda was ugly but she had the good time being with her crush the narrator at the prom and after.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
The holiday classic, "A Christmas Story" was based on the nostalgic essays of Jean Shepherd, some of which can be found in "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories, and Other Disasters. If you love the movie, you'll love this book.
The chapters/essays can stand alone, and some are better than others, but they all share Shepherd's master storytelling and trademark humor, which pick up speed with each chapter. Smiles turned to chuckles, and by final story with memories of the junior prom, I was guffawing.
Some chapters were three stars, others very easily earned five, so I split the difference for my final rating.
The chapters/essays can stand alone, and some are better than others, but they all share Shepherd's master storytelling and trademark humor, which pick up speed with each chapter. Smiles turned to chuckles, and by final story with memories of the junior prom, I was guffawing.
Some chapters were three stars, others very easily earned five, so I split the difference for my final rating.
January 23, 2018
We don't have to be of the same era to find common threads.
Our stories may be different, but kids will always be kids.
Jean Shepherd had a great gift as a story teller.
Of course it helps to hear his voice as the narrator while reading his words.
Like a lot of people, my introduction to Shepherd was through the movie A Christmas Story.
This book, Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories has the same feel and many of the same characters.
This was a fun read and I look forward to more of his adventures.
Our stories may be different, but kids will always be kids.
Jean Shepherd had a great gift as a story teller.
Of course it helps to hear his voice as the narrator while reading his words.
Like a lot of people, my introduction to Shepherd was through the movie A Christmas Story.
This book, Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories has the same feel and many of the same characters.
This was a fun read and I look forward to more of his adventures.
November 21, 2017
I read a lot of humor writing and very rarely do I actually laugh out loud. A chuckle? Here and there. A bemused smirk? Constantly. But full-on belly laughs? Very, very rare. My familiarity with Mr. Shepherd's work starts and stops at A Christmas Story (which despite being overplayed to death still miraculously maintains its charms.) I am very excited to read more by this author, and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-told tale.
December 7, 2017
Shepherd penned many gems of humorous lit, and a mash-up of his memoirs formed the basis for the cloying movie A Christmas Story (not a fan :/ ). The books make it more apparent that he was writing about a grittier working-class world, one based on family dysfunction among the steel mills of Gary, Ind. That truth makes the soaring humor even more astounding and cathartic. An absolute masterpiece that, I happen to know, helped pull at least one reader out of general spiritual malaise.
January 15, 2019
I loved this book. I sacred it, reading one story at a time and using it as a special wind-down treat. It's filled with funny moments, with a touch of twanging nostalgia from an adventured filled youth. I was both saddened, yet excited when I reached the final story, as I did not want it to end but could not wait to read the title story. Every story delivers on something, and probably one of the best books I've read in a while.
May 18, 2020
This was my second time reading this wonderful book, and although it may have seemed better on the first read, this was still quite entertaining. It was good to read the original versions of these tales as they were written rather than the altered version of them that comes from the movie "Christmas Story". I probably have to reacquire his other books again as I gave my copies away a few years back while downsizing my library.
December 24, 2024
I used to listen to Jean Shepherd's radio show one night a week when his station would send a tape to a local radio station in Seattle where I was an undergrad at UW. I so looked forward to those shows. I do believe his medium was radio. However, he was a wonderful writer as well, and Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And other Disasters brought me belly-laughs galore. What a brilliant storyteller and humorist!
January 12, 2025
I just finished reading a pretty tragic book and needed to follow up with something a little more upbeat. This definitely fit the bill. As I read this story to myself, I couldn’t help but hear Jean Shepherd’s voice narrate Ralphie’s recollections of his youth – And I couldn’t help visualizing the movie versions of Ralphie and his sidekicks, Flick and Schwartz as adolescents. Ralphie’s stories are sweet and funny… A real treat for nostalgic toy, candy, and radio show lovers!
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