I'm a member of YPG (Young to Publishing) group and as such am invited to a variety of young publishing people events/parties and the like, though I've never attended any of them. I suppose I'm a bad member. I did, however, recently sign up to receive advanced reader editions of books and write reviews and help spread the word. On Tuesday I received my first ARE! Little Princes by Conor Grennan which is published by Harper Collins and when I got my copy I was ecstatic. Not because I knew what the book was about (I had no idea) but it is a book from another publisher!! How exciting! I've been reading only Simon & Schuster books for a while now and though they are great it's nice to have some variety.So - the book.
It's great. Better than I could have imagined by staring at the lovely cover (which really is lovely). It reads like a great piece of fiction, but it's true! Every little bit of it. The basic story is about an almost 30 year old guy who has worked in mainstream America and decides to use all of his life savings for a trip around the world. It's an idea that I think the age group I'm in (20s?) will definitely relate to and I've already thought of a ton of people that I think would love this, but I also think it's a book that MR (teenagers who care about the world) would enjoy along with my young mother and aunt. Back to the story... one of his first stops is in Nepal working at an orphanage. He's a bit hesitant at first and is doing it mainly to impress people and seem hardcore, but it turns out that he develops real relationships with these kids and thus begins a beautiful, yet sad story about the situation with human trafficking in Nepal.
Conor's voice is real, which is what I like best about this book. He seems really believable and on top of that all is a great writer. I wouldn't normally think that you could get all this in one. Incredible story, incredible writer = Impossible? I used to think it was one of the other, though I guess Jon Krakauer could compete (and they do mention him as a comparison).
Read it. You'll love it. Yes, you.
8 comments:
1. I do want to read this! Please bring to Lex and share.
2. Doesn't everyone of every age want to leave everything behind and travel the world? Or, at least work in publishing in Manhattan.
3. Great post and that sounds like a cool group. When I grow up, I want to be young and in publishing (see item #2).
Haha. I wish I had ur job and then I could wear all those dresses to cool parties! Really though, sounds great and please do bring to lex!!!
I do want to read this as well, and I like the book cover too! Also, I concur with the above comments!
I think this is in the box that is on the way to the Mathews... I think I think.
I finished Little Princes over the weekend! Hooray for me and an enormous Thank You to Isabelle for sending it in the box of books. It really was good and I would compare it to Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson almost more than Into Thin Air. To be honest, I liked it better than Three Cups of Tea -- there's something really likeable about Conor and his writing style was a lot of fun -- self-effacing, engaging and warm. MR is going read it and I'm going to make Marc read it too. I think he'll like it. I'm also going to pass the name of the book along to our executive director at the International Book Project because I bet Next Generation Nepal could use some books. IBP and NGN need to connect.
Aw, this makes me so happy, now having finished it too as of last night! There are so many good things about it too.
I do think it's funny what Auntie G compares them to though... did you read what the inside cover has?
What's more though - go on the amazon site for it and there's a little video!!! Near the end, I think you even see (during Conor's voiceover) where the two kids say "CONOR!" and kinda pump their fists! I like the idea of getting involved with books for NGN too!
I'm glad that everybody loves it as much as I did. I knew it would be a good book to pass around!! YPG sent an advanced copy to the right person :)
You should all friend him on Facebook now (or his book) and tell them how much you like it. I want to read it again!
They certainly did... I think I'm going to lend my copy (which is to say, your copy) to Paola before I pull a Broadway nights on it, just so there's some space between... and then I'm going to buy it when home if you need yours back ;) support, support!
Post a Comment