Fup - Jim Dodge

It's been awhile between book nooks, I apologise! What's funny is, I felt like I needed to re-read books to give an accurate review, which is kinda time consuming. Anyway. We have a new book for your reading list, may I introduce you to FUP.

Grandaddy Jake Santee is a restless soul. He has married 3 times, has a daughter that he's not seen since she was a baby and a grandson, Tiny (who is 6'5") whom he has never met. He has followed a gold rush and made fortunes and lost them again through gambling. One night in Nevada City, he is given the recipe for Ol' Death Whisper moonshine, a gift from a dying Indian, the gift of immortality.

Jake receives news that his daughter has drowned, and after a battle with the authorities, he secures custody of his grandson Tiny. They live on the ranch together, Grandaddy Jake drinking his immortality inducing moonshine whiskey, Tiny building fences.

Tiny, fortunately, was as amiable as his Granddaddy was ornery, as placid and benign as the old man was fierce and belligerent. Tiny enjoyed the open, linear purity of checkers. Granddaddy favored games with hole cards, where your strength was in your secrets and you flew into the eye of chaos riding your ghost.

One day Tiny discovers a baby duck in one of his post holes. He brings the duck home, and it is named Fup. (Fup Duck! get it?) Fup is nursed back to health by Jake and Tiny (with a little drop of Ol' Death Whisper to help him along).

The adventures of Fup are hilarious and sweet. At 60 pages long, you really have no excuse not to read it. It's full of humor, sarcasm and wise words. I wish there were more books by Jim Dodge, but alas, there are only 3 (plus a collection of poetry) This is his first book and I highly recommend it, I loved it!

Have you read Fup? What did you think? If not, get thee to a book store!
Kitty
xo