Oh!

by Mary Robison

Book Overview

""At first, Oh seems a satire, a sitcom stripped of its sentiment and foolishness. But it is far more. Mary Robison is trying to show us how the the incredibly complicated dance of family life... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394509471
• ISBN13: 9780394509471
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 209 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent

If you can get your hands on it, it's worth the read. Try your public library. Robison's use of dialogue to develop rich, 3-dimensional characters is amazing. This novel will have you laughing constantly. It's refreshing to read about a dysfunctional family who don't do too much damage to each other. Also read her outstanding novel Why Did I Ever

Lightyears away...

Is Mary Robison's "Oh!" memorable? Well, tonight I was browsing for Alice Munro's new collection of short stories when I saw Robison's name. When my husband and I were first married (20 years ago), I bought a load of hardback books marked down to $1.99 each from a department store that was going out of business. While browsing tonight, I wondered if that Robison was the same who'd written "Oh!" And it was! I can't recall exactly the plot, but I do recall laughing out loud and wondering about the delightfully eccentric characters in the book. I even remembered--pretty much--what the cover looked like. In fact, it's a shame it's out of print. I'd like to read it again.

Twister...

Perhaps you've seen the movie Twister. Not the one with Helen Hunt. You know, the weird one with Crispin Glover. Well, it was based on "Oh!" I enjoyed the movie so much, I looked for the book. Lo and behold, my brother found a used copy at Powell's bookshop in Oregon. All I can say is that Mary Robison writes about situations that may seem absurd, but are so true to life. Her short stories just seem to drift off, like life itself."Oh!" is the same way. This book makes me feel alive.Yes, I know this is an awful review, but as a result of reading this (and all Mary Robison I could get my hands on), she became my favorite author. She is the master of the vignette, and her characters seem so real. She grips you with life and doesn't let go...