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State Fair
First published in the spring of 1932, Phil Stong's whimsical and wise State Fair was an immediate success. Hollywood released a film that fall starring Will Rogers as Abel Frake and a champion hog from an Iowa farm as the famous Blue Boy, "the finest Hampshire stud boar in the world." In 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical motion picture launched such memorable songs as "It Might as Well Be Spring." In 1962 a movie musical with Pat Boone and Ann-Margret was set at the Texas State Fair. And in 1995 a highly entertaining adaptation of the 1945 musical premiered at the Iowa State Fair before moving on to Broadway. This paperback edition of State Fair, with a new foreword by Robert McCown, reprints the original novel in all its exuberance and freshness.
On the surface State Fair simply recounts the adventures of the close-knit Frake family at the Iowa State Fair in the late 1920s, but Stong's universal morality tale has much to reveal to anyone willing to read between the lines. The book shocked some readers in 1932, but most were captivated by the Frakes' good-natured integrity and applauded their spirit. Readers today will find the same joy, liveliness, and insight in this new edition of State Fair.
On the surface State Fair simply recounts the adventures of the close-knit Frake family at the Iowa State Fair in the late 1920s, but Stong's universal morality tale has much to reveal to anyone willing to read between the lines. The book shocked some readers in 1932, but most were captivated by the Frakes' good-natured integrity and applauded their spirit. Readers today will find the same joy, liveliness, and insight in this new edition of State Fair.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
14 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Phil Stong
56 books5 followersPhilip Duffield Stong (January 27, 1899-April 26, 1957) was an American author, journalist and Hollywood scenarist. He is best known for writing the novel State Fair, on which three films (1933, 1945 and 1962) and one musical by that name were based.
Stong was born in Pittsburg, Iowa, near Keosauqua. His father operated the general store, which is now an antique store. The 1844 brick house where Stong was born is located adjacent to the store and is now a private residence. He attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Stong scored his first success in 1932 with the publication of his famous novel, State Fair, which was later adapted for the screen as the hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name. In addition to his novels, his short stories were published in most of the leading national magazines of the time, and he wrote several screenplays.
As a nine-year old city boy travels from Des Moines, Iowa by train to visit his grandfather's farm in the early 1900s, he imagines how he will impress his cousins ― with stories of skyscrapers and trolley cars, automobiles and the Union Park Zoo, Ingersoll Amusement Park, and the Capitol ― things he thinks might dazzle farm boys. However, as his cousins and his grandfather introduce him to country life, the eyes that are dazzled become his own.
The Iowa Kids 1910 series is a collection of three unforgettable stories -- humorously captured and simply told. Farm Boy, High Waters, No-Sitch the Hound.
As a boy, the author Phil Stong spent many hours on a farm owned by his maternal grandparents -- the Duffields -- where he walked the land, fished in the creek, played in the dairy barn, chored for his grandparents, and otherwise immersed himself in the wonders and wisdom of rural life. Linwood Farm, as it was called, was located just three miles west of Keosauqua across the Des Moines River on the ridge line in Pittsburg. The farm remained in the Duffield family until it was sold during World War I. But in 1932, Stong bought back the family's historic farm which he owned until he died in 1957.
Phil Stong's experiences on Linwood Farm were later captured in many of his literary works, particularly in his books for young people. The Iowa Kids 1910 series is a collection of three unforgettable stories -- humorously captured and simply told.
About his writing career, he once said, "Fell while trying to clamber out of a low bathtub at the age of two. Became a writer. No other possible career."
Stong's The Other Worlds: 25 Modern Stories of Mystery and Imagination, was considered by Robert Silverberg (in the foreword to Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction) to be the first anthology of science-fiction. Compiling stories from 1930s pulp magazines, along with what Stong called "Scientifiction" it also contained works of horror and fantasy.
Stong published more than forty books. He died at his home in Washington, Connecticut, in 1957. Stong is buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Keosauqua.
Asked in 1951 to comment on humanism, Stong responded: "I’ve never gone deeply enough into any of the various definitions of “humanism” to be able to make any intelligent or instructive comment on the subject. When I read any of these tenuous expositions, they remind me (a) of the blind men and the elephant and (b) that I’d better have a glass of beer and get to bed. I don’t see how you distinguish between the humanism of More and that of Dewey or of Aristophanes or Lackland or Chaucer or Bunyan or Saintsbury or Taine. The boys that practice it seem to me tremendously more effective than the ones who preach it from the varied pulpits."
Stong was born in Pittsburg, Iowa, near Keosauqua. His father operated the general store, which is now an antique store. The 1844 brick house where Stong was born is located adjacent to the store and is now a private residence. He attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Stong scored his first success in 1932 with the publication of his famous novel, State Fair, which was later adapted for the screen as the hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name. In addition to his novels, his short stories were published in most of the leading national magazines of the time, and he wrote several screenplays.
As a nine-year old city boy travels from Des Moines, Iowa by train to visit his grandfather's farm in the early 1900s, he imagines how he will impress his cousins ― with stories of skyscrapers and trolley cars, automobiles and the Union Park Zoo, Ingersoll Amusement Park, and the Capitol ― things he thinks might dazzle farm boys. However, as his cousins and his grandfather introduce him to country life, the eyes that are dazzled become his own.
The Iowa Kids 1910 series is a collection of three unforgettable stories -- humorously captured and simply told. Farm Boy, High Waters, No-Sitch the Hound.
As a boy, the author Phil Stong spent many hours on a farm owned by his maternal grandparents -- the Duffields -- where he walked the land, fished in the creek, played in the dairy barn, chored for his grandparents, and otherwise immersed himself in the wonders and wisdom of rural life. Linwood Farm, as it was called, was located just three miles west of Keosauqua across the Des Moines River on the ridge line in Pittsburg. The farm remained in the Duffield family until it was sold during World War I. But in 1932, Stong bought back the family's historic farm which he owned until he died in 1957.
Phil Stong's experiences on Linwood Farm were later captured in many of his literary works, particularly in his books for young people. The Iowa Kids 1910 series is a collection of three unforgettable stories -- humorously captured and simply told.
About his writing career, he once said, "Fell while trying to clamber out of a low bathtub at the age of two. Became a writer. No other possible career."
Stong's The Other Worlds: 25 Modern Stories of Mystery and Imagination, was considered by Robert Silverberg (in the foreword to Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction) to be the first anthology of science-fiction. Compiling stories from 1930s pulp magazines, along with what Stong called "Scientifiction" it also contained works of horror and fantasy.
Stong published more than forty books. He died at his home in Washington, Connecticut, in 1957. Stong is buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Keosauqua.
Asked in 1951 to comment on humanism, Stong responded: "I’ve never gone deeply enough into any of the various definitions of “humanism” to be able to make any intelligent or instructive comment on the subject. When I read any of these tenuous expositions, they remind me (a) of the blind men and the elephant and (b) that I’d better have a glass of beer and get to bed. I don’t see how you distinguish between the humanism of More and that of Dewey or of Aristophanes or Lackland or Chaucer or Bunyan or Saintsbury or Taine. The boys that practice it seem to me tremendously more effective than the ones who preach it from the varied pulpits."
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 3, 2011
Stong's first novel is set in Iowa in the late 1920s, just before the depression hits. A farmer is taking his boar to the state fair in the hopes of winning a prize for it. With him are his wife and two teenage children; the novel covers each of their experiences at the fair, including a pickle contest, the daughter's ride on the rollercoaster, and the boy trying to beat the midway barkers.
Innocent, huh? Well, think again. This book reads like a Brady Bunch episode told by the Coen Brothers. The writing is pitch-perfect, and gets at the ominous heart right beneath the glittering, roaring 20s. Morals collide, country meets city, a boy-girl subplot is juxtaposed with a girl-boy subplot, and the arc of the narrative travels evenly to the fair and back. The passengers look the same, but they return to a different America than the one they left just a week before. Do they even know?
Stong gilts the edges with a little Hollywood fluff (hence only 4 stars), but only a little. Like the stories of Raymond Carver, the films of Robert Altman or Peter Bogdanovich, the music of Neko Case, or the paintings of Edward Hopper, this tale is deliberate, sure, and gripping, and an American classic.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: I cannot recall why I got this book used off the internet... I must have read about it somewhere, probably referenced in a review of another book or a movie, and given my expectations, I don't believe the source discussed it in the same regard as I received it. At any rate, as part of my study of state fairs and US carnival culture, I was drawn to the book and found a used copy some months ago. I read it over vacation because it seemed like a quick read that would still satisfy my need for thematic substance. So out to the Pacific coast it came, and I gobbled it up in one day.
Innocent, huh? Well, think again. This book reads like a Brady Bunch episode told by the Coen Brothers. The writing is pitch-perfect, and gets at the ominous heart right beneath the glittering, roaring 20s. Morals collide, country meets city, a boy-girl subplot is juxtaposed with a girl-boy subplot, and the arc of the narrative travels evenly to the fair and back. The passengers look the same, but they return to a different America than the one they left just a week before. Do they even know?
Stong gilts the edges with a little Hollywood fluff (hence only 4 stars), but only a little. Like the stories of Raymond Carver, the films of Robert Altman or Peter Bogdanovich, the music of Neko Case, or the paintings of Edward Hopper, this tale is deliberate, sure, and gripping, and an American classic.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: I cannot recall why I got this book used off the internet... I must have read about it somewhere, probably referenced in a review of another book or a movie, and given my expectations, I don't believe the source discussed it in the same regard as I received it. At any rate, as part of my study of state fairs and US carnival culture, I was drawn to the book and found a used copy some months ago. I read it over vacation because it seemed like a quick read that would still satisfy my need for thematic substance. So out to the Pacific coast it came, and I gobbled it up in one day.
June 21, 2025
The source material for three movies, including the most well known, the 1962 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. The movies follow the novel pretty closely except that they tack on happy endings that aren't really needed, and are a great deal more whimsical than the novel. This is a coming of age story that is surprisingly dark. In this there is gambling, womanizing, drinking during prohibition, and a teen daughter willingly losing her virginity on the ground in a grove during the fair to a reporter she will never see again. Pretty controversial stuff for the 1930's. And not the typical Hollywood musical. The book was better than any of the film versions because of the realism Hollywood couldn't show due to the censors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2024
A farming family in the early 1930's spends a week at the Iowa State Fair, the young adults each have a romantic escapade. A good time was had by all, including this reader.
November 26, 2020
I didn't expect to love this little book, but here we are. I'm sure a great deal of the appeal is that it's by an Iowa author, writing about places I know. Published in 1932, though seemingly set in 1928, it's interesting to see how much has changed out here and how much hasn't.
The conflicts in the narrative are wildly normal. You expect them to somehow be more than they are, but even the flights of fantasy are immediately dragged down by the not-altogether-melancholy normalcy of a real life. All parties are victorious and glorified in their moments, and events press on anyway. No one is overburdened by their losses, nor are they unable to recover from their thrills; they just press on. The text manages the balancing act of honoring without patronizing its subjects.
I'm glad to have happened upon this book, so popular in its own today and now so forgotten. It's an appropriate end, considering the melancholy contentment of its characters. This is a book to buy and reread once every 15 years or so.
The conflicts in the narrative are wildly normal. You expect them to somehow be more than they are, but even the flights of fantasy are immediately dragged down by the not-altogether-melancholy normalcy of a real life. All parties are victorious and glorified in their moments, and events press on anyway. No one is overburdened by their losses, nor are they unable to recover from their thrills; they just press on. The text manages the balancing act of honoring without patronizing its subjects.
I'm glad to have happened upon this book, so popular in its own today and now so forgotten. It's an appropriate end, considering the melancholy contentment of its characters. This is a book to buy and reread once every 15 years or so.
November 14, 2017
It was kind of a cute story, with a refreshing ending for the time period. But the writing was pretty underwhelming, the characters not super fleshed out, and I’m not sure how such a dull little book became the source material for a big ol musical. Whatever. I️ read it before I️ went to the Iowa State Fair myself and that was kind of fun.
March 14, 2018
This was an entertaining read - very interesting also! Fairs used to be a lot of fun, reminded me of a lot of happy times we had attending them...................
February 15, 2020
Okay, let's go. First, an explanation: This is not normally in my wheelhouse of books I would read. I typically don't read realism, and I don't usually go for novels written before 1950 (with a few notable exceptions). I picked this up because I am currently playing Margy Frake in a local production of the musical version of State Fair, and the source material was recommended to me by the guy who plays Pat.
What I liked: Phil Strong's matter-of-fact writing style, and I thought he made good use of the omniscient point of view. Even though there weren't a ton of details in the book, the fair was easy to picture, and the details that were there made it clear that Strong really knew what he was writing about. Strong also makes nice use of foreshadowing, setting up the final (implied) twist early on. I also liked the pig.
What I didn't like: most of the characters other than the pig. And that's pretty unfortunate, given how likeable the characters are in the play, especially Abel and Melissa. Abel is so detached from everything going on that is not Blue Boy's contest, and Melissa might as well not be there for all she does in the book.
What was okay: I found to be Wayne the most likeable of the Frake family, and his disappointment over the breakup with Emily was pretty sound. Emily, while obviously extremely different from the Emily in the show, was still interesting, at least. I would have liked to have seen more about the very odd relationship between her and her father, and learn more about how she is left to her own devices.
What I REALLY didn't like: Margy and Pat. I was horrified by the scene in which she loses her virginity to him because--and I know that Strong leave a LOT of room for interpretation in the scene--it really read like it is not totally consensual. He kisses her, she backs away and says "no," he pressures her into saying "I love you" and then they have sex. She is saying, "No, no!" in her sleep the next morning, for goodness sake. The whole thing feels like an act of coercion more than anything else, and it made me really uncomfortable. The Pat of the book lacks a lot of the charm that the Pat of the show has. I was glad when Margy didn't end up with him.
So, TLDR: No one is that likeable except the pig.
What I liked: Phil Strong's matter-of-fact writing style, and I thought he made good use of the omniscient point of view. Even though there weren't a ton of details in the book, the fair was easy to picture, and the details that were there made it clear that Strong really knew what he was writing about. Strong also makes nice use of foreshadowing, setting up the final (implied) twist early on. I also liked the pig.
What I didn't like: most of the characters other than the pig. And that's pretty unfortunate, given how likeable the characters are in the play, especially Abel and Melissa. Abel is so detached from everything going on that is not Blue Boy's contest, and Melissa might as well not be there for all she does in the book.
What was okay: I found to be Wayne the most likeable of the Frake family, and his disappointment over the breakup with Emily was pretty sound. Emily, while obviously extremely different from the Emily in the show, was still interesting, at least. I would have liked to have seen more about the very odd relationship between her and her father, and learn more about how she is left to her own devices.
What I REALLY didn't like: Margy and Pat. I was horrified by the scene in which she loses her virginity to him because--and I know that Strong leave a LOT of room for interpretation in the scene--it really read like it is not totally consensual. He kisses her, she backs away and says "no," he pressures her into saying "I love you" and then they have sex. She is saying, "No, no!" in her sleep the next morning, for goodness sake. The whole thing feels like an act of coercion more than anything else, and it made me really uncomfortable. The Pat of the book lacks a lot of the charm that the Pat of the show has. I was glad when Margy didn't end up with him.
So, TLDR: No one is that likeable except the pig.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2025
This novel surprised me in an extraordinary way. I went into it not knowing that much about it, having never seen the Rogers and Hammerstein film version (or any other film version, for that matter). It's about the members of a farm family by the name of Frake who travel to the Iowa State Fair in the hopes that their pig, Blue Boy, and Mrs. Frake's pickles will win prizes.
But the main focus is on the two Frake children: Wayne, who is jealous that his girlfriend is up at college and going around with several young men, and Margy, who's bored with her current boyfriend, who has their lives planned out until she dies. When the young people get to Des Moines, they live out their romantic escapades. There was a strong and deep character arc that I connected with in these two people, even if the novel, in general, was a lighter read.
Many reviewers claim that this novel is in poor taste because the original source differentiates it from the good-natured, wholehearted, clean-cut movie musical. I say that's what makes it better for me as a reader. There was more conflict, and, in the end, there is a wonderful line about how the state fair was a "fantasy." The end takes on a melancholy mood that seems truthful.
This was the author's first published novel. Stong had written about a dozen other books before his wife suggested that he write about something he knew, like the Iowa State Fair. So, he did, and what an absolute treat it was to go back in time and feel immersed in the story and characters. Light humor, an abundance of fair atmosphere, and youthful truths exist between these pages. I enjoyed this book being my first read of the year.
But the main focus is on the two Frake children: Wayne, who is jealous that his girlfriend is up at college and going around with several young men, and Margy, who's bored with her current boyfriend, who has their lives planned out until she dies. When the young people get to Des Moines, they live out their romantic escapades. There was a strong and deep character arc that I connected with in these two people, even if the novel, in general, was a lighter read.
Many reviewers claim that this novel is in poor taste because the original source differentiates it from the good-natured, wholehearted, clean-cut movie musical. I say that's what makes it better for me as a reader. There was more conflict, and, in the end, there is a wonderful line about how the state fair was a "fantasy." The end takes on a melancholy mood that seems truthful.
This was the author's first published novel. Stong had written about a dozen other books before his wife suggested that he write about something he knew, like the Iowa State Fair. So, he did, and what an absolute treat it was to go back in time and feel immersed in the story and characters. Light humor, an abundance of fair atmosphere, and youthful truths exist between these pages. I enjoyed this book being my first read of the year.
February 20, 2022
What an odd book. I’m familiar with the movie and stage versions of the novel, but the story is darker than they are. In the dramatized versions the Frake family goes to the fair, the father worries about whether Blue Boy will win the grand prize as a hog, the mother worries about whether her food will win prizes, and the two teenagers, Wayne and Margy, who are both a little discontented with their lives and respective romantic partners, hope for something exciting to happen to them. The novel is similar, but the focus is more on the sexual awakening of the two young people. Wayne meets a girl whose father bets on the horses and has a romantic and sexual relationship with her—he even smokes and drinks. Margy, who loves roller coasters, meets a newspaper reporter, and they have a fling as well. Given that right before they left for the fair they had both pulled back from their current romantic partners, it’s ironic. Although the fair is described in glowing terms, when one goes behind the scenes it’s tawdry and cheap. Wayne wants to marry Emily and Pat the reporter wants to marry Margy, but in the end, both of them realize that they are connected to a farming life and these weeklong romantic escapes are just that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
The Iowa State Fair is a sacred tradition for me, so I was excited to go this year. I hadn't been in several years (given the COVID pandemic) and I was so excited to go back. I heard about this book and thought it would be a perfect addition to Fair Week.
It was!
This quaint little story follows a family (and their--prize-winning hog--through their adventures at the Iowa State Fair. Right away I was impressed with the playful descriptors and word choice. As a local, it was fun to compare the State Fair of the 1930s to my experiences nearly 100 years later (we still have a butter cow!). But I think just about anyone would enjoy this short little story as a way to explore a unique setting and perspective.
(Also, given that I live 30 minutes outside of Des Moines, this counts as my "book set in your hometown"--a reading challenge goal for this year.)
It was!
This quaint little story follows a family (and their--prize-winning hog--through their adventures at the Iowa State Fair. Right away I was impressed with the playful descriptors and word choice. As a local, it was fun to compare the State Fair of the 1930s to my experiences nearly 100 years later (we still have a butter cow!). But I think just about anyone would enjoy this short little story as a way to explore a unique setting and perspective.
(Also, given that I live 30 minutes outside of Des Moines, this counts as my "book set in your hometown"--a reading challenge goal for this year.)
February 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book more than I thought that I would. It is a good story about a family attending the Iowa State Fair and each family member having a special purpose for attending. The trip turns out to be a memorable one for each.
July 29, 2017
Good. Interesting that the woman in each relationship seems to be the one steering.
August 11, 2022
The Frake’s go to the Iowa State Fair.
February 23, 2011
After reading the first chapter and reading some things about it online I assumed that State Fair was going to be a very wholesome family story. And for the most part it was... The Frake family are all close to perfect, the husband and wife joking rib each other but are still in love, the son and daughter love and respect their parents, and their biggest problems before going to the fair are fighting with their significant others. Then they hit the fair. Still things seem pretty happy, the older Frakes do well at the fair, winning all the awards they set out to win. And the kids... well the kids both lose their virginity.
Does that come as a surprise to you, because it certainly did to me. These two children have never spent much time outside of their small hometown, but while at the fair they both fall in with more worldly counterparts. The son, Wayne, meets a jet-setting (or whatever the term for that was in the 1930's) young woman with a gambling, womanizing father. The daughter, Margy, meets a traveled newspaper man, probably several years her senior, with a past full of loose women. And like I said... they all get laid. The tone doesn't really change, they're still a wholesome family, and there don't seem to be any repercussions (although there are hints that Margy might be knocked up). I thought they might learn a lesson about why you shouldn't have sex until you're married, but if they do, it isn't really shown in the book.
I wouldn't really recommend this book to anyone, because there's nothing all that special about it, or much relevance today, but it certainly wasn't as tame as I expected it to be.
Does that come as a surprise to you, because it certainly did to me. These two children have never spent much time outside of their small hometown, but while at the fair they both fall in with more worldly counterparts. The son, Wayne, meets a jet-setting (or whatever the term for that was in the 1930's) young woman with a gambling, womanizing father. The daughter, Margy, meets a traveled newspaper man, probably several years her senior, with a past full of loose women. And like I said... they all get laid. The tone doesn't really change, they're still a wholesome family, and there don't seem to be any repercussions (although there are hints that Margy might be knocked up). I thought they might learn a lesson about why you shouldn't have sex until you're married, but if they do, it isn't really shown in the book.
I wouldn't really recommend this book to anyone, because there's nothing all that special about it, or much relevance today, but it certainly wasn't as tame as I expected it to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2013
I have seen all three film versions of this book and I loved them all because of the wholesome Frake family. I was very surprised that the book was slightly darker than the three movies were, though the 1945 film version alluded this darkness. The older Frakes still shine in the book and Blue Boy still wins the hog championship even though it appeared he might not. Ma still beats her rival in her food contest, though it is pickles rather than mincemeat as it was in the movies.
But the shock came with the younger Frakes. Wayne and Margy still have problems with their girlfriend and boyfriend. Margy still wants to get away from the farm and have some fun. Wayne has practiced all year to get even with a fair barker who had cheated him the year before. The Iowa State Fair not only is the backdrop of the novel, it becomes a character that will directly affect the brother and sister. Both are relived that they are by themselves and fall madly in love on the Midway. Wayne meets a worldly young woman whose father is a womanizing gambler, will Margy is drawn to an older newspaper man. He's handsome, smooth talking, and has a gal in every town. What really shocked me was Stong hinting that Margy could be pregnant. For a novel written in 1932, the fact that both siblings lost their "innocence" at the Fair is surprising, but Margy pregnant? That is very controversial considering the time it was written, because there is almost no consequence to the siblings actions. They still are the wholesome kids who left for the Fair at the end of the novel - albeit wiser and a bit more grown up.
But the shock came with the younger Frakes. Wayne and Margy still have problems with their girlfriend and boyfriend. Margy still wants to get away from the farm and have some fun. Wayne has practiced all year to get even with a fair barker who had cheated him the year before. The Iowa State Fair not only is the backdrop of the novel, it becomes a character that will directly affect the brother and sister. Both are relived that they are by themselves and fall madly in love on the Midway. Wayne meets a worldly young woman whose father is a womanizing gambler, will Margy is drawn to an older newspaper man. He's handsome, smooth talking, and has a gal in every town. What really shocked me was Stong hinting that Margy could be pregnant. For a novel written in 1932, the fact that both siblings lost their "innocence" at the Fair is surprising, but Margy pregnant? That is very controversial considering the time it was written, because there is almost no consequence to the siblings actions. They still are the wholesome kids who left for the Fair at the end of the novel - albeit wiser and a bit more grown up.
September 17, 2020
Filmed at least three times, this is a folksy story of a family's trip to the Iowa State Fair around the late 1920's before Depression set in and times were still at least fairly good for farmers and their daily lives.
The story is set in simpler times, when events like entering a pickle contest was something to look forward to, and winning a blue ribbon for getting first prize a reason for great excitement.
We follow the Frake family - Abel and his wife Melissa, and their teenagers - son and daughter Wayne and Margy. Accompanying them is Blue Boy, the hog Abel is confident will top prize for the world's best pig.
The novel concentrates on the sexual affairs that Margy and Wayne encounter during this week at the fair - Margy with a journalist and Wayne with a breezy confident girl with a gambling womanizing father.
The two siblings manage to keep their affairs private from their parents who seem oblivious to what is happening to their kids during this busy week at the State Fair.
The book reads like a Hollywood movie a lot of the time, but not all of the time. Hollywood would have certainly sanitized the affairs of the two siblings, both of them lost their virginity during this particular trip to the State Fair.
Another character in the book is the small town storekeeper who believes he can foretell what is going to happen in the future and how it will effect many peoples' lives. But he is still someone who can get things wrong (sometimes) and lose bets.
Overall, this was an easy quick read, a simple tale about a simpler time, folksy, but not as folksy as Hollywood would make it.
The story is set in simpler times, when events like entering a pickle contest was something to look forward to, and winning a blue ribbon for getting first prize a reason for great excitement.
We follow the Frake family - Abel and his wife Melissa, and their teenagers - son and daughter Wayne and Margy. Accompanying them is Blue Boy, the hog Abel is confident will top prize for the world's best pig.
The novel concentrates on the sexual affairs that Margy and Wayne encounter during this week at the fair - Margy with a journalist and Wayne with a breezy confident girl with a gambling womanizing father.
The two siblings manage to keep their affairs private from their parents who seem oblivious to what is happening to their kids during this busy week at the State Fair.
The book reads like a Hollywood movie a lot of the time, but not all of the time. Hollywood would have certainly sanitized the affairs of the two siblings, both of them lost their virginity during this particular trip to the State Fair.
Another character in the book is the small town storekeeper who believes he can foretell what is going to happen in the future and how it will effect many peoples' lives. But he is still someone who can get things wrong (sometimes) and lose bets.
Overall, this was an easy quick read, a simple tale about a simpler time, folksy, but not as folksy as Hollywood would make it.
April 12, 2023
Published in 1932.
This is basically a story of growing up and the realization of what is important in one’s life. The book is much bolder and franker in its presentation of the American coming-of-age saga than the three movie versions present (1933, 1945, 1962). I like the darkness of it, interspersed with scenes of joy, hope, and the pride in the rewards earned from one’s labors.
NOTE: The pre-Code 1933 film with Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor is very good, with the character of Emily being the trapeze artist. The 1945 version is a musical with Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain is just as good though not as dark-ish as the 1933 version. The seductress, Emily, is a singer in a dance band in this version, rather than a trapeze artist. In 1962, Pat Boone and Ann-Margaret pair up and the character Emily is a showgirl this time. Out of these three versions of State Fair, I only like the first two (from 1933 and 1945). The 1962 version is a disaster.
🎥 Movie versions.
This is basically a story of growing up and the realization of what is important in one’s life. The book is much bolder and franker in its presentation of the American coming-of-age saga than the three movie versions present (1933, 1945, 1962). I like the darkness of it, interspersed with scenes of joy, hope, and the pride in the rewards earned from one’s labors.
NOTE: The pre-Code 1933 film with Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor is very good, with the character of Emily being the trapeze artist. The 1945 version is a musical with Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain is just as good though not as dark-ish as the 1933 version. The seductress, Emily, is a singer in a dance band in this version, rather than a trapeze artist. In 1962, Pat Boone and Ann-Margaret pair up and the character Emily is a showgirl this time. Out of these three versions of State Fair, I only like the first two (from 1933 and 1945). The 1962 version is a disaster.
🎥 Movie versions.
November 21, 2015
Always have loved the Rogers and Hammerstein movie version of the book, finally got the opportunity to read the book. This is one of the few times that the movie is better than the book. The plot seemed cloudy and confusing and the characters seemed shallow. It was interesting, though, to see where the idea came from and how it inspired several movies and the Broadway play.The movie took it and fleshed the characters out and the plot making it complete.
August 11, 2009
The Iowa State Fair is famous - supposedly the biggest fair in the world. It starts this Thurs., so I thought I needed to read this book before I go this year. It was fun to picture what Des Moines was like and the fair over 50 years ago. The plot was kind of a coming of age type theme - the farm kids meet the big city and lose their virtue, which I didn't love.
September 19, 2009
I just moved to Iowa a couple of months ago. In anticipation of the state fair, I picked up this book (and the movie, too) to prepare for the event. Enjoyed the book much more than the film. A quick, fun read.
June 15, 2011
The high rating because it made me nostalgic for home-even mentions my little town...a great job of capturing all the magic of the Iowa State Fair, and descriptive enough to take me back to the buildings and events. Iowa's a pretty good place.
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