>I can't agree that Keillor was "scathing" in his review, but any one might feel disappointed, depending on expectations.
>I thought he had it mostly right.
>There will be many folks this Christmas who will be given this volume, and it will go right onto their shelves in a conspicuous spot, without much more than a skimming sort of read, because they too had expectations.  
>The skimming will not even have to look for the reference to Paige's testicles caught in a vise, since Keillor cites it.  I wonder how many people bought the book because they think that there will be lots of similar passages in a volume supposedly suppressed for 100 years?

I agree completely. I’ll be happy to have the whole autobiography published at long last, as I’m sure all aficionados will be; but more casual readers could easily be put off by the “stream-of-consciousness” method. And given the sales figures, a lot of casual readers must be buying the book.

As for those whose interest is fueled mainly by notes that this volume is “uncensored” – and I think there probably are more than a few cases – well, they get what they deserve.

-- Bob G.