• Wishin' and Hopin'

  • A Christmas Story
  • By: Wally Lamb
  • Narrated by: Wally Lamb
  • Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (369 ratings)

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Wishin' and Hopin'  By  cover art

Wishin' and Hopin'

By: Wally Lamb
Narrated by: Wally Lamb
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Editorial reviews

Wally Lamb narrates this grand slice of American life circa 1964 in the words of 10-year-old Felix Funicello. Adding to the joy, he focuses on one memorable Christmas. Felix is a fifth grader at St. Aloysius Catholic School in New London, Connecticut. Lamb as narrator is glorious; the large Funicello family is warm and distinctive while Felix's fiesty Russian classmate, Zhenya, is hilarious with her mispronunciations of which "bezball" for "baseball" is but one example. As Felix, Lamb speaks kid English and often adds breathless additions or asides to his narrative. Most boisterous is the school's live Christmas tableau during which things go merrily awry. His standout is Felix's Quebecois substitute teacher with her distinctive French laugh. Many listeners will undoubtedly add this treat

Publisher's summary

It's 1964 and 10-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade - easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his listeners straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School - where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business.

But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Québec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kapakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been - and how far we've come.

©2009 Wally Lamb (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Charming....Full of pop-culture references of the day. This will have broad appeal." ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about Wishin' and Hopin'

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    169
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    61
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great holiday read!

I listen to this book every holiday - it is so good! Funny, light, and Perfect to get you in the holiday spirit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Laughing Out Loud

I was pleasantly surprised by this little book...I haven't read any of Wally Lamb's others. Since I grew up in the same time and vicinity as the narrator, this book rang so true to me. Nothing like growing up Catholic!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Laugh Outloud

Wonderfully quaint. Easy listen. Laugh out loud when Felix tells his joke on live TV.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Great Fun

This book was the best ever Christmas Story. Felix is one to just love. Laughed out loud!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great writing!

Fabulous writing and the narration by the author brings it all home. The characters are rich in the story is upbeat and touching.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Cute, nostalgic Christmas story!!

This is truly a fun and nostalgic look back at 1964 with a parochial school and it's preparations for Christmas through the eyes of a fifth grader, Felix Funicello. The descriptions of the school pageant makes this book a complete winner in and of itself!!

Felix is the narrator in this cleverly written look at life through the eyes of a spunky, but not completely understanding boy who shares 'all' about his life at home and at school. He's also a distant cousin of Disney's early icon, Anette Funicello, which plays well into the story too!

Every character adds to the poienency and hilarity of this coming of age story. From the modern Quebec 'French' substitute teacher for the mentally disturbed nun, to the new Russian girl who competes with the classes' 'little Miss Suck-up', to the sexually advanced boy, to Felix's family who are so completely nostalgic of every small 1960's family, this book will remind every reader of the 'good old days'.

Even the 'expected' epilogue is tremendous for it's look at how people grow and change!! A thoroughly enjoyable book that I'm very glad I read!!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A fun way to reminisce

If you went to Catholic elementary school in the 50’s s or early 60’s you will find this a fun read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

one to listen to each Christmas

Any additional comments?

A new classic, just like A Christmas Story. I plan to listen to this every year.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Didn't like at all

Any additional comments?

I was hoping for a nice Christmas story to share with my family. Instead, found it to be a book with the f word used frequently, teenage boy issues and not something I wanted my family to listen to. Disappointed!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Mediocre!

This was one of those books that you know you've wasted a good credit . I couldn't get through chapter 3. By this time I didn't think it would get better. Absolutely no interest in the ramblings of a pre-teen boy's life. And the little sexual innuendo's that kept coming up. There was nothing funny about this listen at all.

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2 people found this helpful