Reichold Street [NOOK Book]

Masterfully written, Reichold Street is the story of a group of

Masterfully written, Reichold Street is the story of a group of friends and neighbors struggling to overcome personal challenges, and deal with the losses brought about by mental illness, war and coming of age in a turbulent time. Their shared story is presented from the perspective of several compelling characters, giving the book a unique depth and dimension. Highly recommended!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

An enjoyable ride from multiple points of view, Reichold Street

An enjoyable ride from multiple points of view, Reichold Street is a nicely crafted anthology.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

'Reichold Street' is a very strong, character-driven story that leaves you wanting more.

If you enjoy novels that draw you though many emotions and evoke a sense of parting with a good friend at its end, then you will enjoy 'Reichold Street'.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A 'must-read' for my book club. The setting of REICHOLD STREET i

A 'must-read' for my book club. The setting of REICHOLD STREET is in the sixties, when young people faced not only the tribulations of growing up, and all the different kinds of turmoil that could mean, but they also dealt with the horrors of Vietnam. Told from the perspective of several different people, in this story Herron's characters come to life and I find his style to be enticing. It's a hard book to put down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite Ronald Herron, author

Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite

Ronald Herron, author of Reichold Street offers Young Adults a coming of age novel. In Reichold Street readers will meet a group of neighborhood teens. Each individual faces their own struggle. The setting is the turbulent sixties when young adults had to face the horrors of the Vietnam war. This book is unique in that it is written as though it is several short stories; however, it is actually an anthology, which is a group of short stories dealing with a particular subject matter. Usually the stories are written by several authors. In "Reichold Street" all of the stories are written by Ronald L. Herron. The plot is told from the perspective of several different people. In this story we meet Albert Parker. Albert is new to the neighborhood, when a group of friends offer friendship, Albert comes across as a bully and rejects the offer of friendship. As the tale advances we the readers come to realize Albert is from an extremely abusive family. His mother is repeatedly beat and when Albert attempts to take up for her he is taken to jail.

Herron's characters come to life on the pages and march straight into the hearts of readers. This plot is character-driven. Carl is obviously mentally ill as well as being a mean drunk. The plot centers on Albert but Carl is also a driving force in this tale. Herron has deftly captured the confusion and changes in personality in a person with mental illness. He clearly shows the effect it has on the family and friends.

I like this book. I find Herron's style to be fresh and enticing. It is easy to recommend this book to other readers.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Jean Brickell for Readers Favorite Written in the s

Reviewed by Jean Brickell for Readers Favorite

Written in the style of a themed anthology, the characters of Reichold Street each have story to tell. As the story unfolds, you learn how the death of his father and the distorted personality of his mentally ill step-father, Carl, contributed to the unhappy person Albert became. Carl tried to control his mental problems with alcohol. Albert handled his problems by rejecting friendship with others, fighting and causing trouble. The other recurring characters, Paul, Janice, Randy, Donnie and Anthony were a microcosm of working-class America during the turbulent Vietnam War era. This collection of stories is combined into a fascinating tale of life during that period.

"Reichold Street" is a painful story of mental illness and self medication with alcohol that devastates a whole family, but also leads to unparalleled heroism in battle during an unpopular war. I found it interesting the way Herron chose to write this tale, in several short stories about the same story but through varying character viewpoints. I was fascinated by this enthralling book because it shows firsthand what the double trauma of alcohol and mental illness can lead to.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Lorraine Carey for Readers Favorite "Reichold

Reviewed by Lorraine Carey for Readers Favorite

"Reichold Street" is an extremely moving account of a group of boys who come of age during the turbulent 1960's. It begins as a place where young boys played ball in the street but in its later years it was riddled with suicide, thugs and crime. It starts off with a mysterious family moving into an average neighborhood where several boys have already formed a genuine bond of friendship. Within the dynamics of this family is a very tortured and angry bully who struggles to fit in with this dynamic bunch. Albert Parker and his family begin to give Reichold Street a run for their money with family issues of mental and physical abuse. As Albert becomes labeled as the bad bully here you will surprisingly see his character revealed later on as a product of his abusive father and the environment. He was a boy with a destiny already marked for failure. The early events flow as each boy in the gang holds a specific role and so many vivid details are portrayed as these boys experience the pleasures and pains of adolescence. The boys will witness such tragedy and triumph. The story will spiral as it chronicles the boys’ lives after graduation. You will be moved by Albert’s shady beginnings to find out the real story behind all the madness. Some walked away from this neighborhood in fame or defeat and some never survived the haunting essence of this place they called Reichold Street.

Ronald L. Herron is a master of the art of character development. You can hear each voice clearly as they relate relate their experiences on Reichold Street. For a work of fiction this brings to life some of the real tragedies that had occurred during that time. I believe this book will appeal to a vast audience, and as a reading specialist, I feel this is a great piece of literature for young boys and would be a wonderful addition to any school library.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

"Looking for something different? A unique read for all age

"Looking for something different? A unique read for all ages and perfect for any book club.
This is one of those books that makes you laugh, cry, reminisce, want to run into the novel to try and save the day and much more.  Reichold Street, by Ronald L. Herron is a must read for people of all ages.  The storyline is set in 1962 and written about a family who moved to Reichold Street, told from a number of character perspectives.  The author pointed out in the Prologue that the concept started out as short stories and morphed into a novel.  Herron created a smooth flow from story to story and, while doing so, created an intense depth of emotion that connected all of the characters.  The main characters, Albert and Paul are the focal point.  The stories revolve around the new family on the block and what transpired during the time that they lived there and the impact that time period had on the characters’ lives. The unique perspectives of the characters showed that we can all see the same thing and tell a completely different story. .Reichold Street is an indie novel that you want everyone to hear about.  This book was read from start to finish, without putting it down.  My continued reflections about the stories, for days after, was what made the novel truly amazing.  It evoked conversation in everyone around with the question of, “Have you read this book?”  If they hadn’t, then a quick description and the comment “You have to read this!”  Book clubs need to pick this one up and continue the dialogue and discussion.  Don’t let this one slip under the radar!" TBR-TopBookReviewers

Review for Reichold Street by Ronald L. Herron (5 stars) Reic

Review for Reichold Street by Ronald L. Herron (5 stars)


Reichold Street is a themed anthology. The author has cleverly woven together individual character personas into a central plot. The collection of stories all revolve around Reichold Street and the common bond of the characters in the novel. The majority of the story takes place in the later part of the nineteen-sixties. Each character has a unique voice. They share the memories of the events happening during that time, not just on Reichold Street, but also in their school, their town, and their personal lives.
I was able to live each moment with Paul, Albert, Janice, Puz, the twins, and all the well-written characters interwoven throughout the novel. Herron choreographed the emotions and personalities of each character, allowing me to join in as one of the street's residents. Many times, authors like to direct us with their narration, but in Reichold Street, Herron gives us multiple perspectives, and lets us construct our own opinions. No one, and nothing, is what it seems at face value.
The biggest question for me, as I read deep into the novel was, how will the author pull all of the storylines together and end the book. He didn't disappoint me, and I felt the ending brought closure. Reichold Street deals with some tough issues, such as alcoholism, suicide, bullying, criminal activities, family dysfunction, and the horrors of fighting in the Vietnam War. In other words, the characters and the emotions of the novel are portrayed realistically. It was time well spent with Paul, Albert, Janice, and the rest of the residents on Reichold Street. I look forward to reading more of Ronald Herron's novels.

No text was provided for this review.