Will's Boy: A Memoir

by Wright Morris

A witty autobiography by Wright Morris describes the early years of his life in the Midwest, discussing his unusual upbringing by his father, his travels, education, and independence

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Wright Marion Morris was an American novelist, photographer, and essayist. He is known for his portrayals of the people and artifacts of the Great Plains in words and pictures, as well as for experimenting with narrative forms.
Morris won the National Book Award for The Field of Vision in 1956. His final novel, Plains Song won the American Book Award in 1981.

Reviews

[Peter Zuppardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I didn't like everything I saw, but it was home."

[Robert Nolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm puzzled why i enjoyed this so much. Morris does a remarkable job of telling the story of growing up without lapsing into sentimentality. But if I'd had such a shit of a father, I'd have written about that aspect. Morris never says a bad word against his father. There are large voids left unexplored, and the picture I come away with is undeveloped. What drives fiction is desire and its conflict with reality, and Morris's narrator doesn't seem to want anything in particular. We see the world he inhabits, but not how he feels about it, nor what he wants from it. His life is one upheaval after another, yet if he wishes things were otherwise, you'd never know it. And that, for me, is where it stops ringing true.

[Tamara Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had not heard of author wright morris before so had not read his books. but enjoyed the tie-in quotes to times in his life that the memoir provided. picked up the bk in a thrift store & loved the turn-of-the-(20th)-century details & depiction of everyday life that Mr. Morris' memories provided.
he had an unstable family life, to say the least, due to a 'revolving door' parent, but persevered & endured. he had an impressively strong character.
an unexpected find resulting in a very enjoyable read.

[Tuck · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars cause he's half a orphan. About author morris growing up “1/2 an orphan” with his father in the early 20th century in small town Nebraska, Omaha, Chicago, LA, west texas, back to Chicago, repeat.. interesting tidbits about living back then, but more interesting view of the “American character” of chancers, entrepreneurs, single dads and loose women, the rich of north side Chicago and the very poor there too, all set in 1920’s.

[SheMac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 3.5* ... drags a little at times. I had never heard of this guy. I enjoy memoirs, so I gave it a shot. Enjoyable read, but, being a 45-year old book and a 100-year old story, its attitudes and language are a little dated!