An Open Book: Chapters from a Reader's Life
SKU: 14449546

An Open Book: Chapters from a Reader's Life

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An Open Book: Chapters from a Reader's Life"All that kid wants to do is stick his nose in a book," Michael Dirda's steelworker father used to complain, worried about his son's passion for reading. In "An Open Book," one of the most delightful memoirs to emerge in years, the acclaimed literary journalist Michael Dirda re creates his boyhood in rust belt Ohio, first in the working class town of Lorain, then at Oberlin College. In addition to his colorful family and friends, "An Open Book" also

"All that kid wants to do is stick his nose in a book," Michael Dirda's steelworker father used to complain, worried about his son's passion for reading. In "An Open Book," one of the most delightful memoirs to emerge in years, the acclaimed literary journalist Michael Dirda re-creates his boyhood in rust-belt Ohio, first in the working-class town of Lorain, then at Oberlin College. In addition to his colorful family and friends, "An Open Book" also features the great writers and fictional characters who fueled Dirda's imagination: from Green Lantern to Sherlock Holmes, from Candy to Proust. The result is an affectionate homage to small-town America summer jobs, school fights, sweepstakes contests, and first dates as well as a paean to what could arguably be called the last great age of reading. "Dirda is a superb literary essayist." Harold Bloom "Michael Dirda's memoir no surprise to me is so good that I went up to the attic meaning to send him one of my antique Big Little books as a salute to excellence...A great job. I'll be buying "An Open Book" for my children and grandchildren." Russell Baker, author of "Growing Up" "Here, in "An Open Book," is the show and tell of a wonderful American story, everything coming together in the immemorial dance of literature and memory, of history and gossip, and of the deeply felt, bittersweet story (his own) of a young life. Read it and rejoice." George Garrett "A lovely, unapologetically nostalgic remembrance of growing up in a more innocent America, but it is also the touching story of one person's lifelong love affair with words." June Sawyer, "San Francisco Chronicle" "Dirda inhabits each book he reads. Inhabits it and makes a space alongside it for us to join him....He is a rare treasure." James Sallis, "Boston Sunday Globe""



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 12/17/2004
ISBN: 9780393326147
Pages: 335
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 8.26h x 5.61w x 0.93d

Review Citations: New York Times 03/06/2005 pg. 24
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SKU: 14449546

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Amazon Customer
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Great for dog self play
Size: 6 Inch, Color: Red, Size: 6 Inch, Color: Red
So much fun for my puppy. Easy to grab and throw for him to play alone. Durable for a medium dog. This is his favorite toy. I also bought one for my friends cattle dog puppy who went bonkers with it. Yet her dog liked to chew the tags off. So I wouldn’t recommend for chewers.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026
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Dawn L
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Fun to fetch
Size: 5 Inch, Color: Red, Size: 5 Inch, Color: Red
Perfect size for my 1 yr old Cavapoo that is ball obsessed. This ball is fun to toss around in the yard to exercise and wear out my energetic boy. Perfect for after my work day when I don’t have the energy to match his energy level. He gets to run and chase and I can enjoy his playtime too. Overall the ball is durable and I have confidence it will last for a very long time. We have 2 sizes, small and medium, for my 30 pound athletic pup. He enjoys both equally.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2026
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brownie2009
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Dog loves them
Size: 6 Inch, Color: Independence Day
My dog loved the first ball I got her, so I got her a second one. Both hhavr been very durable (she likes to puncture things with her teeth). I left each ball slightly deflated, so they were still firm, but she could bite them without issues. She has not punctured either ball yet. I did have to watch her because she started trying to chew the tabs off because she was bored. She has not chewed one off, just started thinking about it, and did a tiny bit of damage to one tab. She loves these balls. We have played tug of wat with them too, so yhe tabs are sturdy, and so is the ball. The dog did not care what collar she got, so I grabbed the least expensive one, and the 6 inch. She is a medium sized dog with razor teeth, and these work great.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2026
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Russell Taft
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 4
Not recommended for the aggressive player..
Size: 6 Inch, Color: Red, Size: 6 Inch, Color: Red
First this ball was not delivered when it should have been. Second, the tabs are poorly made. One day of my dog playing with it and the tabs are already torn up. The ball itself is fun for her and has not deflated for now at least.
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Ladybug27
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 5
Best Balls Ever!!!
Size: Medium
These are the best balls ever! We have 2 very active ball loving dogs and these bounce very well and they actually hold up with active play and chewing. They still look brand new after daily use for months!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026

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