Lynn Hoffman

 

Here's an excerpt from a review of bang BANG by John Kwok, an Amazon top 50 reviewer.

"Philadelphia-based food writer Lynn Hoffman is one of our unsung literary treasures. He's an expert at writing clear, concise, snappy prose which will linger in your memory like some excellent sauvignon blanc ... you had at dinner. ... (This is) one of the most intriguing works of fiction published this year that I've stumbled upon; a work written by someone who should be regarded as among our finest American writers working now in any genre, period. It is also quite hilarious, a surefooted comic satire aimed right at the heart of NRA and its legion of diehard supporters intent on keeping our country awash in firearms. "bang Bang" offers a vivid literary portrait of modern Philadelphia that could have been written by the likes of Raymond Chandler or Elmore Leonard. Hoffman is a keen observer of human nature, using his prose as much as a film cameraman or photographer might use a camera and lens, carefully recording every important detail in a given scene. He also offers in Paula Sherman, a bright, tenacious heroine for whom the reader will be rooting for as she embarks upon her campaign to bring some sanity to the NRA and its leadership.

A kid in Ohio shoots four schoolmates. A bullied, outcast in Pennsylvania talks his mother into buying him a 9mm semi-automatic weapon to take to school. It seems that sometimes the stakes in schoolyard fights can be raised to a deadly level. We shouldn't be surprised. In the savage world of elementary school, one teacher of my acquaintance estimates that at least a third of all children are the victims of bullies at least for part of their lives. Another source-a pediatrician- says that, if you include high school, probably two-thirds of all the people who have attended school in America have a story to tell about being the victim of someone or a group of someones who use their physical or social power to injure them.
‘Two-thirds’ seems sort of extreme. If two out of three kids have been bullied, then who’s left to be the bully? The answer, as revealed by interviews with kids on both sides of the bully line, is that last year’s victim becomes this year’s bully. There are lots of reasons for the shift in power over the years: the things that make you queen of the hill in third grade may count for nothing in junior high.
So for those people-parents, teachers, family, who are charged with protecting their kid from bullies, there’s an additional morally compelling question: after you protect your child from the class bully, how do you prevent your child from becoming next year’s bully? (The problem won’t go away until parents on both sides of the power struggle see it as a serious matter.)
Of course, there is no single answer, but a very important clue lies in the stories we tell our kids. Stories are sometimes more important than sermons. In stories, we get to be all the characters if we want. In sermons, it’s easier to discount the voice of the preacher who, let’s face it, often sounds a lot like a bully.

So what stories do you want to tell our kids? There’s a whole genre of young adult (YA) fiction about bullies and their victims. The typical story line has the bully vanquished by the victim. But if it’s true that most kids play both roles at some time in their lives, then these stories alienate the (temporary) bully and simultaneously aggrandize their behavior.
Basically, most stories simply shift the power relationships without questioning the nature of bully behavior.

And so, I was delighted to come across Cheryl Tardif’s Whale Song, It’s not a story about bullying, it’s a tale of youth and loss and redemption. Folded up in the middle of it though, is a thread about an angry, racist, destructive kid. Because this is a minor thread in a larger story with some very spiritual concerns, the preachy tone is missing. Instead the author is able to explore the pain and loss and humiliation that’s at the heart of the bully’s behavior.
It’s a story that just might let the kid who’s temporarily in the bully’s seat see his or her own behavior and accept responsibility without having to take on a gigantic load of guilt.

As I said, Whale Song has a lot of other things on its mind. But by being so busy elsewhere, it manages to offer a wonderfully low-key message for kids on both sides of the bully line. I highly recommend it as a conversation starter on this and a few other special topics. You can buy Whale Song along with bang Bang at  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601640072/cherylkayetar-20

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG which is all about a heroine fighting bullies.

You write a book, you get reviews. Some of them praise the book, some don't. That's pretty simple and if you're a writer, you learn to keep both the good reviews and the bad ones at a distance. It's all just stuff that happens after your book is out.

And then sometimes you get a review that makes you feel like all this writing is more than just indulging your own will to write. Here's one I just got from Grady Harp, Amazon's #6 reviewer:

" Hoffman, a highly regarded food and drink writer from Philadelphia, tops his 1997 fiction debut of 'The Bachelor's Cat' with a fully mature novel 'bang BANG', a book so well conceived and stylishly written that it places Hoffman in the realm of top American writers. And while many readers may know him form his books on food, beer, and wine (terrific tomes of culinary skill admixed with humor and wit), few will be prepared for the impact of this superb new work. "

My folks always worried about me, afraid that I was too impractical a person to make it in their very practical world. They were right of course (parents are always right in one way or another). And still, somehow it turned out okay. I wish I could call them and let them know.

You can read the full review and others here.

    It's been a big week for bang BANG. Two reviews are in from Amazon.com's Top 100 reviewers and they were enthusiastic and beautifully written. Here's what Dennis Littrell had to say:

"Clearly there can be no question of the brilliance of Hoffman's prose. Every sentence is the result of deep consideration or clear inspiration. . . .I hope this book is made into a movie and seen by millions. And I hope Paula Sherman becomes an American heroine, and I hope Lynn Hoffman gets to write the screenplay. "

Yup, I hope so too Dennis. 

 Then Michael Edelman added:

"Here's something you don't see everyday- a polemical novel that's not just readable, but well written. Author Hoffman has penned a snappy little novel that moves along quickly and gets to the point."

You can read more at bang BANG's Amazon page.

Reading Aloud

Remember the fun of reading aloud in elementary school? No?
You say it wasn’t fun? Well, I’m going to get to find out all over
again as I read from bang BANG at:

 

Wednesday, August 27th   7:00 PM
The Falls of Schuykill Branch
Philadelphia Free Library
3501 Midvale Ave (at Warden Dr.)
215.685.2093

I hope to see you then,

Lynn