Bell Hammers

Written as a string of short stories that span eighty years, we get the story of Remmy, from his grandson - the author.

These stories are entertaining, and regale the reader with fun pranks, some not so fun areas, and go through the time that Remmy spends in prison for some sabotage, just so they can get the company to admit to their wrongdoings - all of which will come out during the court case.

This book will keep you engaged throughout, and might cause you to giggle a few times out loud as you are reading.

I received this through NetGalley, so I gave it a listen. The author does a good job with the narration. 
This is exactly what the blurb promises. The story of the life of Wilson Remus (Remmy) through his pranks and exploits. He spends his life wanting to surround himself with merry-men, a mixture of Robin Hood comics and Arthurian influence that continued into his adult life. He was giving, but also played pranks at points regardless of the cost. 
Below the surface, the story deals with a character that is flawed. He is arrogant at times, prideful, and vengeful even. However, he does speak to the lord, in funny bits of dialogue, where he is also forgiving and forgetting. He is an accepting and understanding father, and he does read as grounded even with the larger than life pranks. 
It does tackle certain aspects of race, how people should and shouldn't have behaved, and how everyone can be good. It's hard to traverse the time periods without mentioning it (1940-2000s). 
This was not my typical choice for a read, however I did enjoy it, and it was rather fun. I would suggest it to others looking for a lighter read. Personally a 3/5*. 

28/02/2023:

This is probably gonna be a book that I don't think I'll ever be able to re-read. At least not without erasing my memories of having read it for the first time and also because I am not good at re reading. And it was a complete impulse read.

That aside, this book was honestly really good. It isn't perfect but it is good and solid. Following Remmy as he tried to build Camelot and his Merry Men, I even forgot what Camelot was and Merry Men from initially. It's probably the most real, fun and emotional depiction of a historical setting I have ever read till date personally. 

As for the writing, gotta say, this book doesn't hold back on its toilet humor at all. Whatsoever. (So do beware if you get grossed out easily). What it does best though, is show people in a different time and setting as their own thing and not mere clippings from an old newspaper found in the archives of a library. Remmy very much a person living in mid 1900s but he has his own mind and struggles. There's humor to him and there's also deep emotions. I was laughing and crying all while lamenting that the book is going to end at some point. And that's the thing you want from a story. Not just recreation if its drawn from a time past, of confirmation of biases and stereotypes built from uninformed rumors, but letting the characters speak for themselves. That's what happened here.

Objectively speaking the end felt a little lackluster. But this book won't leave my mind any time soon.

Final Rating: 4/5