The Book of Fred

Bardi, Abby. The Book of Fred. New York: Washington Square Press. 2001. Print

First Sentences:

When Little Freddie took sick, I knew things would change, and change fast. 

We sat next to his bed all day, laying our hands on him and saying the Beautiful Prayer, but he just got hotter to the touch and more shivery. His skin looked yellow, like he was turning into old paper. I laid my hand on his forehead and said "Get thee hence" a bunch of times, but it didn't help.

That night I had a dream that the Archangel Willie came to me and said, "Lo, Mary Fred, thou wilt be traveling down the road. Thou wilt be somewhere else when the Big Cat comes. So look to yourself and say Ho." 

Description:

Who could not be intrigued by a book with "Fred" in its title? Certainly, The Book of Fred by Abby Bardi promises to all of us named Fred (and naturally everyone else in the intelligent reading world!) that here at last is a novel which celebrates the greatness of this superior name.

Fifteen-year-old Mary Fred lives in a fundamentalist cult, founded and led by Fred Brown, the author of their sacred text, The Book of Fred. All members of this sect have "Fred" in their names and live in the Compound located apart from outside world of "Lackers." Members of the Fred Brown cult follow his written rules as laid out in The Book of Fred, such as watch no television, wear only brown clothes ("the color of prophecy"), eat fish but no meat, and completely rely on The Book for acceptable action in all situations.

But after the death of Mary Fred's brother in the opening pages, her parents are jailed for child neglect for not seeking medical attention for him. Mary Fred is forcibly moved into a foster home of Lackers, comprised of Alice, a single mother who has not recovered from her divorce; Alice's brother Roy, a layabout drug user; and Alice's daughter Heather, a typically lost teenager.

For Mary Fred, this is a totally new world, completely foreign to her life in the Compound, full of new stimuli, temptations, and decisions to be made. Mary Fred must try to fit into this new environment and deal with this confusing Lacker family, without the guidance of her parents or other cultists, relying only on the wisdom of The Book of Fred and her own intuition. Of course, there are unexpected results. 

Each chapter is narrated a different character, providing access to that individual's unique thoughts, reactions, and decision-making process when facing another new situation or challenge to their previously uneventful lives. Readers get very close to each character, learning inside information about them which shaped their lives.

I was fascinated by this completely different peek into our mundane world and ordinary people through the eyes of a young, isolated cultist. Mary Fred is our guide to the modern world, offering a wonderful, intelligent, and fascinating story full of unique, memorable characters.

Please read this book. You won't regret it.

(And speaking as a Fred, I know one can never go wrong by heeding the words of a man with such an inspiring, profound, and wise name.)

Happy reading. 

Fred

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