[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 138: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 150: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 151: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 152: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 153: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 154: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 155: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 156: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 157: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 158: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 159: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 160: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/book.php on line 161: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4130: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3009) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4130: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3009) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4130: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3009) [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4130: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3009) The Internet Book Database of Fiction - Detailed view for the Book: Take Me Where the Good Times Are
Robert Cormier is not known to sugarcoat his stories, and Take Me Where the Good Times Are is no exception. As a writer, Cormier"s main strength is creating realistic and flawed heroes who are not always above the fear and temptations of daily life. In short, his characters are like you and me, and if they"re lucky, they"ll do the right thing. However, if Cormier"s characters do make some tragic mistakes, they"ll learn from it. Tommy Bartin, the protagonist from Take Me Where the Good Times Are, is a 70-year-old resident at the local Dorchester County, MA poor house who was brought in because he could no longer live or work on his own. For the past three years, Tommy has been bragging to the other residents about how he"ll return to town, get his job and apartment back, and in short start life anew. When another resident leaves Tommy some cash, he sees his opportunity to go back to the life he left behind. Like the typical Cormier hereo, Tommy lives in a world of self-delusion and when confronted with the truth, he tries to hide from it. Tommy finds that his town has changed, his beloved factory closed down, and his friends fearful of this embarrassing ghost from the past. Tommy drifts from bar to bar, hoping to find a way to be useful again, and to regain his self-respect. Although Tommy is in denial, he"s not stupid or insensitive. Most of his plans end in heartbreak and tragedy as he learns to accept he"s not the man he used to be and, more importantly, that maybe the man he used to be wasn"t that wonderful to begin with. However, eventually, he will learn to balance his hopes with the harsh reality of the world, as we all have to. Perhaps he will succeed; after all how can anyone live in such an ugly world without at least a little denial? As always, Cormier has delivered a story that features flawed but sympathetic people involved in a simple but engaging plot. cc