Each and every chapter of this book is a complete story unto itself. The previous book I reviewed was like that too, but this one really hit me pretty hard. I have completely different opinions about all of these stories, and I wanted to go over them individually. I also want to mention that Jean Shepard refers to the main character of this book as... Jean. Not Ralph. It's the same family from the previous book, but he personalizes this one, making me of the opinion that, although exaggerated, this is pulled from his actual life.
"The Grandstand Passion Play of Delbert and the Bumpus Hounds"
This is a story about extremely horrible neighbors. If you ever had bad neighbors in your life, they were not as bad as the Bumpus family. They were a bunch of rowdy hillbillies that had absolutely no appreciation for other people's boundaries. The scene from "A Christmas Movie" where the Thanksgiving turkey is eaten up by dogs was pulled directly from this story, although it was an easter ham in this case.
The neighbors were cartoonishly horrible to the point where it wraps back around to hilarious. You don't like them, but you sure as heck can still laugh at their antics. I really enjoyed the insanity of it, but I am so glad it did not happen to me.
"County Fair!"
Pretty good story about what county fairs were like during the depression. Actually, I think they are exactly the same today. Everything they described was familiar to the ones I went to. There was a scene in one of the rides where everyone threw up. I wonder if that scene from the "Problem Child" movie was based on that. Who knows?
"Scut Farkas and the Murderous Mariah"
Easily the best story in the whole collection. This was an epic story about heroes and villains... but it was also just about kids playing with tops. Jean Shepard managed to take a simple game that kids play and turn it into the most clandestine encounter imaginable. It kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. So dramatic and wonderful. I am so sad this was never made into a movie. It sure as heck felt like one.
"Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss"
This was the one I bought the book for. I grew up watching the Disney film that was based on this. This is a solid story about a family going on a vacation trip. The movie actually reflected the story quite well, but it added extra stuff to the beginning. The story is all about the crazy trip, and it's wonderful.
"The Star-crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski"
This is another one of Jean's stories that was made into a film, although I have not seen it yet. Jean (not Ralph) is older now and thinking about girls. This story is about his first date, and with an exotic girl no less. I did like this one, but it was also the moment I realized that these are secular stories. Keep in mind when you read his stuff that he is an Atheist.
"Daphne Bigelow and the Spine-chilling Saga of the Snail-encrusted Tinfoil Noose"
What is going on with that wacky-ass title? This is another dating story. This time, he ends up with a rich girl. It's one of those situations that you know isn't going to go well, but you can't help but read until the end. I had to know how bad it was going to be. She was not anything of his class, but he did his absolute best to make it work. Great story, but also kind of a slow motion train wreck.
"The Return of the Smiling Wimpy Doll"
My least favorite, but it isn't bad. It just makes me groan at the truth of it. This is the oldest I have ever seen Jean in his stories. He is an adult and has even served in a war by this point. This story is all about nostalgia and how it can take a stranglehold on our lives.
His mother did something lots of mothers do and sent him a box of all his old toys from his childhood. This makes him go temporarily insane as he goes through the box, reliving his old memories much too quickly. It's funny, but I really hate when this sort of thing happens.
"Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories"
Another dating story! Well, it's a bit more than that. This is his one and only prom story. The dating part sort of just goes along with it. This is a brilliant telling of one of man's all-time great puberty rites. I never went on one, and I am glad I never did. I freaking hate stuff like this.
This is a story about something wonderful, going horribly, but still somehow being wonderful. It's not about the disaster, but more about the experience as a whole. I liked it, and, once again, I am glad I never went through stuff like this.
That's all of them! I absolutely recommend this book. It was a fun read, and I fully intend to keep reading his books. Jean Shepard is one of the best storytellers of all time!
This blog was written on September 15, 2025.
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When writing about real life, it helps to exaggerate in order to make it interesting. Otherwise, it just feels like what we deal with on a regular basis. By dramatizing, you can draw the attention much better.
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