The Twenty Dollar Bill
by Elmore Hammes
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elmore HammesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-11-22
ISBN: 061514716X
Number of pages: 180
Publisher: Kanapolis Fog Publishing Emporium
Book Reviews of The Twenty Dollar Bill
Book Review: Reviewed by Cynthia Murphy
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever received a tattered dollar bill and wondered where it has been? Or have you ever paid for something and wondered where that money will go next? Those are the questions that Elmore Hammes attempts to answer in The Twenty Dollar Bill.
The concept is simple, yet intriguing; Hammes traces the path of a twenty dollar bill as it weaves its way in and out of the lives of various people. He takes what could have been a flat story tracing the whereabouts of a particular bill and creates an enjoyable web of characters. In fact, the characters are more important than anything else in this book. There is no continuous plot. The book itself is an interwoven series of vignettes linked only by the presence of the twenty dollar bill.
The journey starts with Claire. She gives her last twenty dollar bill to a homeless man at the bus stop. She stops to hug him and consequently misses her bus. If Claire is late to work one more time she will be fired. As Claire boards the later bus, her fate seems to be sealed, but the reader can't be sure because she drifts out of the picture. Hammes then tells a bit of Joe's story. Joe is the homeless man from the bus stop. He plans to use the money for dinner at Ponderosa, but he loses the money to some young thugs before he gets the chance. The story continues as the bill passes from one person to another.
One of the most interesting things about this book is the variety of people that possess the bill. It starts with an average woman and then passes to a homeless man, onto thugs, and then to an elderly woman. The journey continues through the hands of a gas station clerk, a bouncer, a cabbie, a drug dealer, and a wealthy woman. The bill makes its way throughout the United States and even to Mexico. Then it comes back to America and finds its way back to Claire. Along the way it sees the start of several possible romances, a mission trip, and two people attempting to make a fresh start.
Each person has his or her own brief storyline. As the bill passes on, the cast of characters changes and a new story begins. At times this is frustrating to the reader. There is no real closure with any character or set of characters. I wanted to know what happened with some of the relationships beyond the few moments where the twenty dollar bill was in their lives. Amazingly, I did care about some of the characters despite their lack of development.
In The Twenty Dollar Bill, Elmore Hammes accomplishes exactly what he promises on the back of the book. He provides "a brief glimpse into the lives of ordinary people as they interact with one another." The resulting book is a fascinating look at the world around us that we never really see. It is a quick, enjoyable read that will make you think twice about the bills in your wallet.
Summary of The Twenty Dollar Bill
Follow the path of a twenty dollar bill as it is stolen, given, spent or otherwise passed from person to person, traveling from place to place. No bombastic explosions, steamy sex scenes, political intrigue or cosmic encounters. Just slices of life from the people you walk by every day - glimpses into how ordinary people interact, how they think, how they feel and how they love. A contemporary novel exploring every day interactions and relationships.Literary Books
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