Review by vik_the_reviewer -- The Not So Great American ...

[vik_the_reviewer]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Not So Great American Novel" by James E. Doucette.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Not So Great American Novel by James E. Doucette is a comfortable, easy read. Something to enjoy over an afternoon or in transit. If you're looking for a break from fiction, and in the mood for something biographical, told at an easy pace that does not get boring, this is a great option.

I enjoyed Mr. Doucette's style of writing, because of the way he documents the events of his life and family history without becoming too focused on detail, or losing a sense of humour. In the sense that it is a biography, the word "Novel" in the title is entirely tongue in cheek.

If you're from the U.S. you'll identify easily with some of the descriptions and references made to how Mr. Doucette and his family, and many others from his generation, lived when they were growing up. If you haven't grown up in the U.S. then you may still appreciate, like I did, the classic feel of rural and urban America evoked by Mr. Doucette's childhood, and later his starting and raising of a family with his wife.

If you enjoy biographical or historical accounts, easy going and well paced, then I would recommend this as one of the better reads. If you aren't into reading numbers or business stories, be warned that a lot of the latter half of The Not So Great American Novel describes matters of a corporate nature and describes the business side of James Doucette's life.

In reference to Mr. Douchette's life story, I will say that it is an interesting and pleasant read.

The book firstly chronicles Mr. Doucette's family life growing up in Bingo, Maine through to moving to Brooklyn, New York, his time serving in the navy, and early years in accounting and cable television.

If you have held any kind of management position in a corporate body, you will relate to the middle and later chapters in which Mr. Doucette describes his time working in cable television. This provides an interesting window into the world of the cable t.v. industry and indeed corporate business in 80's America. Though I enjoyed the corporate chapters of the book, these may be discouraging for readers who aren't interested in descriptions of business deals and corporate politics. Much of the latter half of the book deals primarily with business and this will be an issue for readers with no taste for such things in their reading-for-leisure.

I read the book over a few weeks, though it is easily read in one or two sittings. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, for what it is as a biography. I can't critique the amount of business content in the novel since it is a part of the life story which the author wants to share through this book. The book is well proofread, I found no glaring grammatical anomalies, ambiguities of meaning, or punctuation errors. Well done.

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The Not So Great American Novel
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[Hazel Arnaiz]

I like your recommendation that this book is an option when looking for a break from fiction. I also appreciate the explanation about the title of the book. Nice review! Thanks for the insights.