Synopsis
Trillin collects of memories of his father--including his stubborn eccentricities such as his yellow neckties, abstinence from coffee and cigarettes, and abidance by maxims like "You might as well be a mensch"--to paint a picture of a man of exotic ordinariness. Unlike a crush of other "dysfunctional" family memoirists, Trillin comfortably recalls Abe Trillinsky as a gentle father and an exceptional friend.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1997-06-12 | | Edition Description: | Reprint |
| Size | | Height: | 8.3 in | | Width: | 5.5 in | | Thickness: | 0.5 in | | Weight: | 5.6 oz |
Publisher's Note
"The man was stubborn", writes Calvin Trillin - the second most stubborn member of the Trillin family - to begin his fond, wry, and affecting memoir of his father. Abe Trillin had the western Missouri accent of someone who had grown up in St. Joseph and the dreams of America of someone who had been born is Russia. In Kansas City, he was a grocer, at least until he swore off the grocery business. He was given to swearing off things - coffee, tobacco, alcohol, all neckties that were not yellow in color. Presumably he had also sworn off swearing, although he was a collector of curses like "May you have an injury that is not covered by workman's compensation". Although he had a strong vision of the sort of person he wanted his son to be, his explicit advice about how to behave didn't go beyond an almost lackadaisical "You might as well be a mensch". Somehow, though, Abe Trillin's messages got through clearly. Fathers, sons, and admirers of Trillin's unerring sense of the American character will be entertained and touched by this quietly powerful memoir.
Industry Reviews
"Among the things that make Mr. Trillin's prose so entertaining are, first, the absolute consistency of his viewpoint and, second, his ability to make the most vernacular language seem fresh and funny. In 'Messages From My Father', Mr. Trillin reveals the elusive source of his gifts--which are talents often bestowed on intelligent newcomers to a given culture--and he demonstrates how well he learned [them]...."
New York Times - Christopher Lehmann-Haupt (06/06/1996)
"Thirty years after his death, Abe Trilinsky, mild-mannered Midwestern grocer, still looms large for his son. In his shadow, Calvin Trillin, reluctant Boy Scout, remains unfailingly polite."
New York Times Book Review - Alex Witchel (06/30/1996)
"With characteristic grace and good humor, Trillin crafts a charming, heartfelt memorial to his father that is also a loving demonstration of how deeply he took his father's advice to heart."
Mortimer
"Calvin Trillin has been compared to Mark Twain, Will Rogers, and S.J. Perelman...I'd add Sholom Aleichem--sometimes called the Yiddish Mark Twain--to the list. Trillin's a great wit with a big heart."
Leary
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