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Chocky
Chocky | John Wyndham
22 posts | 21 read | 61 to read
In Chocky, pioneering science-fiction master John Wyndham confronts an enigma as strange as anything found in his classic works The Day of the Triffids or The Chrysalidsthe mind of a child. Its not terribly unusual for a boy to have an imaginary friend, but Matthews parents have to agree that hisnicknamed Chockyis anything but ordinary. Why, Chocky demands to know, are there twenty-four hours in a day? Why are there two sexes? Why cant Matthew solve his math homework using a logical system like binary code? When the questions Chocky asks become too advanced and, frankly, too odd for teachers to answer, Matthews parents start to wonder if Chocky might be something far stranger than a figment of their sons imagination. Chocky, the last novel Wyndham published during his life, is a playful investigation of what being human is all about, delving into such matters as child-rearing, marriage, learning, artistic inspirationand ending with a surprising and impassioned plea for better human stewardship of the earth.
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review
AshleyHoss820
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

At first, Matthew‘s parents think their son has an imaginary friend. Sure, he‘s a bit old for that but what harm can it do? Soon, however, evidence begins to pile up that Chocky may not be what they appear to be… This short book was very engaging and thought-provoking. A pleasant surprise! 214/1,001 #1001Books

BarbaraBB I enjoyed all his books. The author has a weird mind! 🤍 2y
AshleyHoss820 @BarbaraBB I love hearing that! This is my first by him and I was slightly intimidated. But I really enjoyed this, so now I‘m looking forward to his other works!! 2y
31 likes1 stack add2 comments
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TimSpalding
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Chocky is such a fascinating social document.

IamIamIam 👀 2y
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youneverarrived
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Went to Harvard yesterday (amazing!) and bought these two from the Harvard Book Store. They had a great selection of used NYRB books but I was restrained and just got the one 😂 and baby‘s first book ❤️

TrishB A great first book ❤️ 4y
Cathythoughts Baby‘s first book from Harvard... that‘s cool 💕 4y
batsy Aww lovely first book 💕 4y
LeahBergen A lovely first book! 💕💕 4y
59 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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BarbaraBB
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

Matthew (12) doesn‘t have a simple imaginary friend, he is talking to Chocky, a supernatural invader who learns Matthew scientific stuff way beyond his years.

Starting from this simple fact, John Wyndham has written a clever and fascinating SF story, centered around the intriguing question: if there are intelligent beings from another world, how and when will they get in touch?

#1001books (Pic: Toronto, Canada)

Megabooks Love Toronto! Are you enjoying it? 5y
Cinfhen Great photo ♥️ 5y
Cinfhen And awesome review😃 5y
See All 9 Comments
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Yes very much. Great city with lots of cultures and cool places and neighbourhoods! 5y
ValerieAndBooks Another city I‘ve loved that I haven‘t been to in years!! That Bourgeois spider sculpture must be a relatively new presence there ! 5y
BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks I think it may be temporary. It reminds me of a similar spider in Tokyo and one I saw recently in Amsterdam (that I am sure is temporarily). But I couldn‘t find information about the artist. 5y
ValerieAndBooks Hmm! You got me curious— apparently the one in Toronto is *not* bu Louise Bourgeois but another artist https://www.dittwald.com/torontosculpture . However the ones in Amsterdam and Tokyo *are* Bourgeois https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/press/press-releases/louise-bourgeois-in-the-rijks... and https://tokyocheapo.com/place/maman-spider-sculpture-roppongi-hills/ 5y
BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks Thank you so much for looking this up. I am really glad to know all this ❤️😘 5y
ValerieAndBooks You‘re welcome — I‘m glad to know now, too! 🤗 5y
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vivastory
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Since one of the choices for the inaugural month of the #NYRBBookClub is Chocky, I thought I'd post this Penguin postcard.
@BarbaraBB

LeahBergen Cool! 5y
Leftcoastzen Nice! 5y
BarbaraBB I must read this one anyhow! 5y
See All 7 Comments
Cathythoughts ♥️👍🏻 5y
Cathythoughts I believe the choice is Cassandra... just about to get here on kindle only 2.39 euros in our part of the world !! Sorry , but I don‘t know what #NYRBBookclub stands for 😬🤷🏻‍♀️. Thankyou X (edited) 5y
vivastory @Cathythoughts It stands for New York Review Book Book Club. Yes, May's choice is Cassandra & I can't wait to read it. 5y
Cathythoughts I have it my possession 👍🏻♥️ looking forward to it too ! Thankyou (edited) 5y
71 likes7 comments
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BarbaraBB
Chocky | John Wyndham
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#NYRBBookClub

It has been difficult to narrow them down, but here are my three nominations for our brandnew #NYRBBookClub, to read in May! 🎉

I chose one classic from the #1001books list, one American that I had stacked already and one that has been on my shelves for way too long and that I really want to read, a Hungarian one.

I am looking forward to your votes!
All credits to the awesome Scott for organizing. Thanks so much 💕

MicheleinPhilly WOOHOO! My vote is for the following because I already own it: 5y
mklong Excellent choices and I‘d be happy with any of them, but I‘ve been meaning to read this one for a while 5y
merelybookish Any will do but my first pick is 5y
See All 35 Comments
batsy Great picks! Magda Szabo is high on my list of authors to read but I'm going with Cassandra at the Wedding because I have the Kindle version 🙂 5y
Theaelizabet Great choices! I would be happy to read any of them, but since I have The Door I‘ll vote for it. 5y
Tamra The Door is good! 5y
Suet624 I‘ve read The Door. Cassandra would be my first choice but happy with any. 5y
youneverarrived I‘m going with The Door as it‘s one I‘ve been wanting to read but I‘ll be happy to read any of them. 5y
vivastory Stellar choices! I haven't read any of them, but my vote is for the one that has also been on my shelves for a long time 5y
sisilia I vote for Cassandra 5y
sprainedbrain Great choices! I would be happy with any of these, and can get my hands on all of them, but my first choice would be 5y
saresmoore Excellent picks! I vote for 5y
Rachel_nyc I‘m up for any but my vote goes to Cassandra. 5y
LeahBergen Gahhh! I didn‘t realize this would be so hard! 😆😆 I own Chocky and The Door but have been dying to read Cassandra. Okay, I‘ll go with the one that I‘ve owned for longer.... my vote is for 5y
CarolynM I'm not voting because I'm not joining you on this journey but I can't resist telling you that I read Cassandra at the Wedding not that long ago and thought it was really good. (edited) 5y
Leftcoastzen Oh ,they all look so good,voting for 5y
vivastory It's almost a tie between The Door & Cassandra... so much anticipation 5y
emilyhaldi Great choices!!! All 3 have caught my eye in the past, but I‘ve had this one stacked for way too long so it‘s getting my vote! 5y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM Your review made me nominate it 💕 5y
BarbaraBB @vivastory It still can be a tie with two more votes to go! Too bad Chocky won‘t make it but I want to read all three of them now 😂 5y
vivastory Same here! I have the feeling that your #2 choice will be on someone else's list very soon & I'm really tempted to read Chocky soon. If I do, I will tag you. 5y
Rachel_nyc I love the drama! I just checked and my library has both of the top picks so I should be all set either way although I have a feeling I will want these in my collection. 5y
vivastory @Rachel_nyc They're affordable, durable, beautiful editions. It's so hard to resist them!! 5y
GatheringBooks i vote for Cassandra at the wedding and The Door. :) 🧚🏼‍♀️💕📚 5y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Cassandra it is, with only @Liz_M left to vote! Do you take over from here? I‘m excited for the start of our book club! (edited) 5y
BarbaraBB @vivastory and I‘m going to buy Chocky too so let me know when you‘ll get to it! 5y
vivastory Sounds good! I'm going to buy Cassandra & Chocky tomorrow. Great choices! 5y
vivastory Yes, I thought that throughout the month the group could post their thoughts as they're reading & then towards the end of the month we'd have a more structured discussion. I can do the discussion, or you can. It's up to you. 5y
BarbaraBB @vivastory We can think of some questions per email and do the discussion together? I won‘t have the book before half May however (BookDepository is cheap but slow). 5y
vivastory That sounds like a good plan. I've used book depository a handful of times, I had good experiences with them overall. 5y
LeahBergen I‘m popping back in to see the voting results! 😆😆 @vivastory 5y
Liz_M Sorry! I only check litsy once or twice a week and had no idea voting had started and (effectively) ended. Luckily y'all choose the one I want to read. 😁 😁 😁 5y
BarbaraBB @Liz_M I‘m glad your happy with the outcome! No apologies needed! 💕 5y
62 likes35 comments
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LauraJ
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

Finally finished my first book of the #readathon. A father tells the story of his adopted ‘tween son who has some very odd ideas which may or may not come from an imaginary friend. I read it slowly to savor it. Written in 1968, it warns about our inefficient use of energy. Surprised there aren‘t more Litsy posts!

Reviewsbylola This is an amazing cover! 5y
BestDogDad Love the cover....and forward by Atwood?! Very cool. 5y
LauraJ @BestDogDad and I like that the forward is at the end of the book. 5y
48 likes3 comments
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LauraJ
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Seems I may finish this bag of chips before I finish the book. #readathon

It‘s my first John Wyndham read and it‘s very enjoyable. In a similar vein as The Midwich Cuckoos (which I‘ve only seen the movie version of).

BookwormM I really enjoyed this one 5y
LauraJ @BookwormM me too 😈 5y
51 likes2 comments
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LauraJ
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Is this some kind of trick? Why isn‘t she laying ON the book? Wonder if she‘s hiding a hairball UNDER the book. Do not trust the tabby.
#danger #catsoflitsy

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Scott_BookInvasion
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

Come watch my ugly mug talk about imaginary friends and aliens in my review of the classic ‘Chocky‘.
https://youtu.be/oNvtzKFJSrw
#booktube

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BestDogDad
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

This is the fourth Wyndham novel I've read and I've enjoyed them all. I just love the way he writes, and how he expertly delivers his odd little science fiction stories in short novels with no filler or wasted words. Chocky was his last novel, written a year before he died in 1969.

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BestDogDad
Chocky | John Wyndham
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The introduction to my 1968 first edition paperback. The only problem is that there is no Mark in the book. The main character is named Matthew. Oh, well.

mcipher Too funny! 6y
11 likes1 comment
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BestDogDad
Chocky | John Wyndham
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My current paper and audio reads. I‘m really enjoying Wyndham‘s Chocky so far. The Fifth Season is OK. A little too much fantasy for my tastes but I‘ll stick with it

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Scott_BookInvasion
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Very interesting classic. I‘m only about halfway through and loving it. If my son turns 11 and starts taking to himself I will be equal parts horrified and excited.

LeahBergen I just bought this one because of that freaky premise! 6y
Scott_BookInvasion This has been on my TBR for such a long time and I finally stumbled across a hardcover at a thrift store! I was so excited. 6y
KCorter I just bought this one as well! It looks so good. 6y
wtimblin This book also gave me the creeps. My son is 9 and I said the same thing to the misus! 6y
10 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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LeahBergen
Chocky | John Wyndham
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When their son‘s imaginary friend starts asking questions that are too scientifically and mathematically advanced for a boy his age, they start to wonder if “Chocky” is really a figment of their son‘s imagination ... or something more sinister. 😬

I had to buy some gifts this weekend at a bookshop and it would just be unseemly if I didn‘t buy something for myself, right??

CindyE09 I love NYRBs!!! 6y
batsy Right! Especially a cool-looking NYRB like this one 👍🏽 6y
LauraJ Treat yo‘ self 😈 6y
See All 13 Comments
Cinfhen That‘s a stunning cover!! Don‘t care what‘s inside!!! 6y
TrishB Lovely book 👍🏻 6y
LoveToReadLiveToRead Ooo, I‘m intrigued by this! Another one for the TBR! 6y
AlaMich NYRB rocks!! 6y
Redwritinghood Of course! This book looks interesting. 6y
saresmoore This is such a neat cover! 6y
MicheleinPhilly 😍😍😍 6y
emilyhaldi Into it!!!! Let me add to my Amazon cart with all 30 of the other NYRB books 😬😬😬 6y
Reviewsbylola Haha, my 5 year old asked me yesterday if men are born with all their sperm already in their bodies (like women with eggs) and today she asked me where our souls go when we die and she told me that she wants to keep some of my skin cells in a jar when I die to remember me by. 😱😂 I often wonder how tf she comes up with this stuff. Maybe now I know. 😂 6y
LeahBergen @Reviewsbylola Oh my God!!! 😂😂😂 I hope it isn‘t Chocky! The “skin cells in a jar” is bloody amazing. 🤣 6y
122 likes13 stack adds13 comments
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MariettaSG
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Chocky, the alien visitor has some pertinent points about the environment.

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MariettaSG

'For intelligent life is the only thing that gives meaning to the universe. It is a holy thing, to be fostered and treasured."

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quirkyreader
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Today's #bookmail brightened my day.

LeahBergen I want to read Chocky, too! 7y
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BooksForYears
Chocky | John Wyndham
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#MayBookFlowers Day 6 - Supernatural Mysteries

I really enjoyed this tale of a young boy who starts talking to himself one day, then begins performing all this complicated maths work. Is he having mental health issues, or could there be a supernatural force at work?

Weave That's a great edition ~ glad you enjoyed it x 7y
BestOfFates I love that cover!! 7y
BooksForYears @BestOfFates Isn't it delightfully creepy! 7y
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BookHermit My youngest has an imaginary fiend named Jack Frost who likes to ask science questions. Whenever my son has new information for him he says "send video" so Jack can receive the data ? 7y
MicheleinPhilly @BookHermit I think that's awesome! 7y
RealLifeReading Love John Wyndham! 7y
LeahBergen This sounds good. I need it! 7y
BooksForYears @BookHermit Uh oh....😉 7y
137 likes7 stack adds8 comments
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Catrad
Chocky | John Wyndham
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Pickpick

My first audiobook of the year, Chocky by John Wyndham. Brilliantly narrated, and a really excellent story.

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BooksForYears
Chocky | John Wyndham
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#Booktober Day 29 - Supernatural Beings

One day, 12yr old Matthew begins talking to an imaginary friend named Chocky. His parents aren't too worried, until Matthew begins doing very sophisticated math and science work. Is Chocky truly imaginary, or is there something else afoot?

#SupernaturalBeings #Chocky #JohnWyndham #nyrb

LindsayReads Love that cover! 7y
RealLifeReading Love John Wyndham! 7y
SuperPunkNinja Ooh... sounds good! 7y
See All 6 Comments
BooksForYears @McShelfington It's so creepy and wonderful! 7y
Bookish.Heart Sounds great! The cover is creeping me out though! 😳😄 7y
CherylRainfield This is one of my favorite books! 7y
102 likes16 stack adds6 comments
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sumaiyya.books

#currentlyreading and loving this modern classic! Has anyone read Wyndham?

Shemac77 I loved The Chrysalids. 8y
SophieWaters I loved Day of the Triffids! Very much looking forward to reading more. 8y
Dragon I enjoyed Chocky and the Chrysalids but Day of The Triffids was too scary for my teenage self. May try it again 8y
19 likes3 comments