Title: Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? Author: Lorrie Moore
First published January 1, 1994
147 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781400033829 (ISBN10: 1400033829)
Rating: 3.81
Overview
From the author of the bestselling book Birds of America comes a poignant tale of friendship and nostalgia. Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?
takes us on a journey through the memories of a grown woman who reminisces about the wildness of her youth. Berie and Sils were best friends, spending their summers working at Storyland in upstate New York.
They spent their days selling tickets and their breaks smoking, joking, and gossiping. But when Berie sees that Sils needs her help, she realizes that their carefree days are over.
This moving novel explores the complexities of growing up and the enduring bonds of friendship.
About the Author
Lorrie Moore holds the esteemed position of Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of English at Vanderbilt University. She has been recognized with several awards, including a Lannan Foundation fellowship, the PEN/Malamud Award, and the Rea Award for her outstanding work in short story writing.
Her contributions to literature have earned her a place in the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Lorrie currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
Editoral Review
A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that will captivate readers from start to finish. Maguire is a master storyteller who has built a career on reimagining classic tales, and A Lion Among Men stands out as one of his most impressive works to date.
Set in the land of Oz, the novel follows the story of Brrr, a lion who is summoned before the Cowardly Lion and asked to provide testimony about the life and legacy of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. As Brrr recounts his travels across Oz, he reflects on his own experiences as a nonhuman creature trying to navigate the complexities of a world that is dominated by humans.
Maguire is a gifted writer who is able to vividly bring to life the world of Oz and its inhabitants. His prose is lyrical and poetic, and he is able to create vivid imagery that evokes the magic and wonder of Oz. Additionally, Maguire excels at crafting complex and nuanced characters, and readers will find themselves drawn to Brrr and the Cowardly Lion as they grapple with the weight of their own pasts.
One of the strengths of A Lion Among Men is the way that it tackles themes of identity, redemption, and the nature of power. Maguire has always been interested in exploring the stories of characters who have been marginalized or dismissed by society, and in this novel, he uses the character of Brrr to dive deep into questions about what it means to be human and how we define ourselves in relation to others.
Additionally, Maguire is skilled at unpacking complex political and social issues, and readers will appreciate the way that he uses the world of Oz as a way to comment on the world we live in today. Overall, A Lion Among Men is a masterful work of fiction that will leave readers thinking long after they’ve turned the final page.
It is a novel that will appeal to fans of fantasy, as well as readers who enjoy richly drawn characters and thought-provoking themes. Highly recommended.
5/5 stars.
