Lottery

The last book I read was good, but this one was so much better. 

This is the story of Perry L. Crandall.  Age?  32.  IQ?  76.  Family situation?  Not ideal.

Net worth?  $12 Million.

Perry is quick to tell you that he's not retarded.  He's slow.  Retarded means an IQ of 75.  His is 76.  He is the narrator and main character in this really engrossing novel about people with special needs as well as the effects of money on people.  Although he has several relatives, no one really wanted Perry as a child.  His grandparents, however, jumped at the chance to raise him.  Of course everyone comes out of the woodwork when Perry gets his novelty-sized check and lands in the headlines.

His Gram always told him that words were the key, and she set him on a schedule of learning all the words in the dictionary.  One of my favorite things about the book is that Perry often explains what a word or phrase means.  Example: Convenient means that other people do not have to work so hard.  I found this link that scrolls through some of these gems.

I can't really say too much else about the book without giving away the story, except that it is really great.  Like many of my favorite books, movies, and TV shows, this one strikes a nice balance between being funny and poignant.  Plus, you should be able to find it at your local library for free.