Product Description

Pressed Pennies is mainstream fiction, written from a male perspective to a female audience. A la Nicolas Sparks and Robert James Waller, it is a tale of connecting love stories, proving that the world really is a small place and that the trick is to cherish it by living each of its moments to the fullest. Amid the heart-warming romances and deceitful twists and turns, Pressed Pennies tackles the trying issues associated with living in a non-traditional family. In an era of divorce and single-parenthood, it is a story about raising children and peacefully co-existing; making it work with mutual respect and consideration. The book's underlying theme is discovered in the evolution of the 80's child. Though life begins as wholesome and innocent, technology quickly takes over. Suddenly, two parents must leave the home and go to work. Day care, fast food and a list of coveted luxuries replace long talks in porch swings, tree forts and family suppers. The price for comfort proves very expensive, though, as the American family is traded in for the American dream. Early Reviews: "Steve Manchester has a gift for expressing through his writing the complicated and transcendent beauty of the human experience with poignant clarity." -Yolanda King (eldest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King) Higher Ground "Pressed Pennies is priceless! Steve Manchester has an obvious love of words and an amazing ability to use those words to create lasting images in the reader's mind. His detail-oriented, richly drawn characters and descriptions make this story leap off the pages." - Joyce Handzo, In the Library Reviews "Pressed Pennies is a tale of love and second chances and affirms that love can come at any stage of life if we are just open. This is a book that is sure to warm your heart." - Roberta Austin, The Compulsive Reader

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1585284 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 252 pages

Customer Reviews

"Nostalgia" for the 80s and "Love" are the buzzwords in Pressed Pennies
Pressed Pennies follows the lives of three couples destined to be together. Childhood sweethearts Abby and Richard are the lynchpins of the novel. They lose each other in childhood and are reunited by chance as adults. Second time around they discover that their love was destined. Eunice and Bill meet in the "winter of their lives", proving that love doesn't worry about age or circumstances. Grant and Carmen are the final and less-developed of the characters, unfortunately to the extent that they come across as cardboard cut-outs. By the end of the novel Grant and Carmen's relationship remains a loose end where no resolution has been reached.

There are unfortunately other flaws in this novel which some work could fix. The first few pages (and elsewhere) read like character lists where even their favorite foods and eye color are given. Some readers might switch off before getting in to the heart of the story. The author also relies too heavily on clichés and his minor (and sometimes major) characters often come across as stereotypes. There are also times when descriptions simply don't ring true and could be worked on, while the depth of detail in places often leaves nothing to the reader's imagination. It is a truism that what is not said can often have more impact than what is said. Finally, chapters often finish on a weak note (there are few cliffhangers here) with little or no connection between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. As I said, these are all fixable difficulties with the book as it now stands.

Manchester writes eloquently at times, especially when scene-setting. His descriptions are spot-on and the chronological order of the novel makes the interwoven stories easy to follow (all the characters are connected in some way to each other.) He uses the novel as a vehicle to address issues which clearly disturb him - principally the loss of family values in today's consumer society, and a hankering back to a more innocent age. At times the lessons are too obvious, too frequent and preachy, a pity because the author clearly has valid points: recapturing the good old days of conversation, respect and time spent with our families and friends may enrich all our technology-driven modern lives.

This novel is also a celebration of the 80s, a time when I too grew up. The fact that I'm European didn't hinder my comprehension in the slightest! Anyone from our generation - kids of the 70s and 80s - will relish this trip down memory lane.

Prose mixed with poetry-of-a-sort, journal entries and email messages make this a very accessible novel which most readers (and generations) should enjoy. Above all this is a story about how love is paramount to living, where nostalgia is relished and where profit and consumer values are scorned. A satisfying and inspiring read Pressed Pennies is several hours of reading time well spent.

Makes you believe in love again
Pressed Pennies takes you on a rollercoaster ride of love--from first to last, and everything in between. Love can never be easy, as Manchester's characters demonstrate, but if love is present, it is magical. It is a story about second chances and how experiences from the past set up opportunities for a better tomorrow. Niched through the fabric of the characters lives is the love of poetry and how a simple verse can preserve a feeling or a memory for a lifetime. The diversity of Manchester's characters and their insights about love is what stands out. Love remains to be the greatest influence in life."

Steve--you have another winner!
Steven Manchester has done it again! If Pressed Pennies were a song it would be Number One on the charts! He has included everything a good novel requires: prose, dialogue, characters, scenery, smells, and poetry. There's love, family interaction, marriage, death, caring and so much more throughout this book. The only item missing was illustrations but they weren't needed as your imagination takes over from the very start and you can truly visualize each person and scene in this book.

The story begins introducing a group of young friends in a wonderful neighborhood to the reader. The author's presentation of each child and family member brought him or her to life for the reader. You can feel the pain as one child has to leave his friends forever--or so he thinks.

Skip ahead twenty years and be introduced to a new group of characters. Or are they? Their lives have changed. Or have they? You'll have to read this wonderful novel to find out.

When a book can bring this particular reader to tears several times throughout its many chapters I know it is an excellent book. AND this is one of those books! BRAVO--Steve--you have another winner!