Wishin' and Hopin': A Novel

“This book is a bonbon for any baby boomer. . . . Lamb gets Felix’s voice just right, and he does a spot-on job of evoking the special joys and trials of parochial school in the ‘60’s…Put a bow on this book and warm somebody’s heart.” — St. Petersburg Times

Wally Lamb, the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hour I First Believed, I Know This Much Is True, and She’s Come Undone, delivers a holiday treat with Wishin’ and Hopin’—an unforgettable novella that captures the warmth and joy of the holiday season.

It's 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and ten-year-old Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy. But there are several things young Felix can depend on: the birds and bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’s never going to forget.

Poignant and hilarious, in a vein similar to Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story and David Sedaris’s The Santaland Diaries, Lamb’s Christmas tale focuses on a feisty parochial school fifth grader named Felix Funicello—a distant cousin of the iconic Annette!

In Wally Lamb’s pitch perfect new novel,it is 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in theWhite House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’sturntable, and ten-year-old Felix Funicello(distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doinghis best to navigate fifth grade—easier said thandone when scary movies still give you nightmaresand you bear a striking resemblance to a certainadorable cartoon boy. But there are several thingsyoung Felix can depend on: the birds and beesare puzzling, television is magical, and this is oneChristmas he’s never going to forget.

“Charming…. Full of pop-culture references of the day…this will have broad appeal.” - Library Journal

“Humorous and heartwarming…clever and well-written…A fun trip down memory lane from a skilled writer. The stocking stuffer might just become a cherished possession.” - Columbus Dispatch

“Lamb is a very good writer, and Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a charming read with a genuinely funny ending.” - Houston Chronicle

"We might as well call Wally Lamb the man with the golden pen...[Wishin’ and Hopin’] will leave you laughing and thinking nostalgically about your own school days and holidays past.” - BookPage

“Both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny…a cast of characters that are both uproarious and unforgettable…a poignant reminder that family and friends are the greatest gift of all.” - Hartford Books Examiner

“Lamb’s vividly detailed portrait of the 1960’s and the inner workings of a Catholic schoolboy’s mind puts his first Christmas book on par with his previous three novels.” - Miami Herald

“In the hands of Wally Lamb, what emerges isn’t an apology but a celebration of life...Felix makes a hilarious guide through a story that whirs right along.” - Washington Post

“A heartwarming slice of life....The entertaining characters will bring back youthful memories.” - Romantic Times (4 Stars)

“Wishin’ and Hopin’ from Wally Lamb reminds us of what innocence was like.” - Body and Soul

“Lamb...proves he can be short, sweet and funny” - USA Today

“This book is a bonbon for any baby boomer…Lamb gets Felix’s voice just right, and he does a spot-on job of evoking the special joys and trials of parochial school in the ‘60’s…Put a bow on this book and warm somebody’s heart.” - St. Petersburg Times

“Warmly, sweetly retro.” - Kansas City Star

“Lamb’s rich panoply of details...render this novel first-rate escapism just begging for a comforter and a cup of tea.” - Minneapolis Star Tribune