What was fact and what was fiction? You don't rightly know, but the author traces his parents' path from West Viginia to Florida and back again. Was there really and alligator named Albert? Maybe. But it does explain why his mother liked South Carolina, retiring there after his Dad died.

Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam is a seriously funny book that will take you on one wild adventure.

Books like these are always my favourites - they tell fun and inviting stories and welcome you into someone else's world. I also identify as an 'old soul' so I get a real kick out of reading books about the past. This book, Carrying Albert Home, is about Homer's parents taking a pet alligator back to Florida. Yes, you read that right, they are transporting an alligator. Along the way they get themselves in lots of trouble and difficult situations, all of which are hilarious!

This book did feel like it would fit into the niche market. It's a fictional comedy based on true stories that weren't exactly true... It's so weird, but lovely. If you're looking for a book that's out of the ordinary, I think this book would be one excellent fit!

To be honest though... this book isn't my type of novel. I did enjoy reading it as a change from my normal selection, but it just didn't hit me as well as I wanted it to. The book is long and at times feels like too much. I had to put it down and pick it up a few times to really get through the story. It's not boring and it's written in a beautiful manner, it's just not made for me as a reader. There will be readers out there who are dying to read this book, but it just isn't my style. My rating for this book reflects the fact that it wasn't a book for me. In reality, I think this book is a solid 4.0 for the average reader, but based on my rating score it's a 2.

Overall, if I had to describe this book in a series of words they would be: quirky, spontaneous, eccentric, outlandish and zany.

2.0 out of 5.0 stars - it's just not my type of book, but it is absolutely lovely and I highly recommend it.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. ( )

An absolutely delightful read ! While at times this novel is side-splitting hilarious ; it is at heart, a love story. Homer absolutely adores is wife Elsie. While she's always giving him the cold shoulder, still pining for her lost love Buddy Ebsen. On their journey to Florida Homer risks life and limb time and time again to prove his love for Elsie. He goes head to head against bank robbers, moonshiners, bomb toting strikers, international smugglers, and even sex crazed serial killers ! There's no stopping Homer ! On the brighter side Homer, Elsie, and Albert also get to meet and spend quality time with John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. Couldn't ask for a more varied and diverse cast of characters ! ( )

Elsie and Homer are a young married couple living in a West Virginia coal mining town who, in 1935, embark on a 1,000-mile road trip to take their pet alligator Albert home to Orlando, Florida. Homer Hickam, author and son of this couple, describes this novel as “a family epic, which means it’s a blend of fact and fiction, evolved from stories told by my parents, both of whom were West Virginians and knew how to make their tales tall as the hills that surrounded them on all sides.”

There’s your clue – suspend your disbelief and just go with the story, which is a road trip, a love story, and an episodic adventure tale containing an alligator, a rooster, Buddy Ebsen, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway.

But this book is 400 pages (including family photos) and that’s a lot to tolerate if you don’t like one of the main characters. I think the author portrayed Elsie (his mother) as selfish and extremely unlikeable until maybe the last 50 pages. Homer was her unbelievably tolerant and long-suffering husband. Albert the alligator was even more likeable than Homer – probably my favorite character in the book.

Our book club read this and most people enjoyed the “somewhat true” and overly dramatic aspect of this family legend. ( )

SWEDISH REVIEW

Vilken otroligt härlig bok! Från första sidan fastnade jag för denna bok och det var inte alls svårt att klämma den på två dagar. Berättelsen är besynnerlig, otroligt mysig men även lite sorglig. Jag måste erkänna att slutet var svårt att läsa för att jag verkligen hade blivit fäst vid Albert, Elsie, Homer och tuppen.

Kändes berättelsen lite väl fantastisk ibland? Javisst, men det är charmen med boken. Jag tyckte om att läsa om denna 1000 mila resa pga av att man både fick den nakna verkligheten av USA på 30-talet blandat med en knasig berättelse där både John Steinbeck och Ernest Hemingway gör inhopp.

Denna bok är en sådan bok som jag utan tvekan skulle rekommendera till någon som vill ha en kul bok, som gör en glad men som även visar på att livet inte alltid är en dans på rosor och ibland så måste man välja mellan två saker man verkligen älskar. Och i det här fallet står valet mellan en man och en alligator...

Tack till HarperCollins Nordic för recensionexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

What an amazing book! I loved the book from the first page and it wasn't at all hard reading it in two days. The story is quirky, incredibly cozy, but also a bit sad. I must admit that I found the ending a bit hard to read because I had become attached to Albert, Elise, Homer, and the rooster.

Did the book feel a bit too fantastic now and then? Oh yes, but that's the charming part of the book. I loved reading this 1000 mile long journey because you got both the naked truth about life in the 30s in the USA together with a weird story where both John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway show up.

I would without a doubt, recommend to someone who wants to read something fun, something that makes one happy, but at the same time show that life isn't always perfect and sometimes you have to choose between two things you love. And, in this case, the choice is between a husband and an alligator...

Thanks to HarperCollins Nordic for the review copy! ( )