No need to be intimidated if you find the book with illustration cover of dark man looking down at a thin fragile child. The cover illustration is the scariest part of the book. Surprisingly, I found the story is an easy reading and sometimes even hilariously ridiculous.The content itself mainly about arguments for buying a child. Compared to other Hersey's books, this book's theme is very mild. If you seek a serious John Hersey's award-winning-classics maybe you will be disappointed with this r [...]

Thirty years ago, when I read this book back in high school, I focused only on the horror of the sinister stranger, Wissey Jones, who wanted to buy Barry Rudd. As an adult, however, I see a deeper horror at work.The story, told in the format of a court transcript, is a quick, easy read. However, the themes - the shortcomings of the educational system of the US, television's corruption of society, and peoples' blind belief in the need for national security - will stick with me for a long time. Th [...]

I found this book through an old recommended reading list by my high school freshman English teacher. The novel is in the form of a trial transcript - which makes it seem almost like a drama. I normally avoid reading dramas and books where only dialogue tells the story, but the personalities and motives of the many characters are so well written I fell easily into this work. The Child Buyer is a study in perspectives. No descriptions are needed because as each person stands to testify, they talk [...]

The Child Buyer was one of the few John Hersey books that I was not wildly enthusiastic about. Not that it was badly written, but the plot was odd, and I could not connect to the themes in the novel either. And while the style was unique, using a state senate hearing to tell the story, I thought the characters were charactatures, and the whole things together a bitwell, weird.This state senate hearings take place because three senators are looking into an accusations that a man has come into one [...]

Between the cover of the book and the quotes on the back, one would think we've got some kind of techno-horror type novel goin' on here, but what we really have is Hersey's version of A Modest Proposal.The book is entirely framed as a 'hearing' with 3 state senators. One is just a buffoon, and makes random comments throughout that are meant to be funny (though fall a bit flat to this modern reader). One is essentially McCarthyism incarnate, and the third just an average guy.In fact, just about e [...]

This book is a strong 4.5. It is entertaining, at times VERY funny, and very well-written. It's written in the form of court transcripts in other words, it's told exclusively through dialogue with very little description. At first this was hard to get into, as it's so different from the books that I normally read. However, I really came to love it. It is impressive to me how Hersey can bring such life to his characters, and to his message, with what I'd consider to be such a limiting approach. W [...]

Fun, strange, dark, disturbing. I'm told many people had to read this book in high school, but I'd never heard of it before until someone mentioned it on Twitter. Told in the form of a transcript from a government hearing, it's surprisingly compelling reading.The characters are well formed, the plot is a tad sluggish, but there is real suspense. I found myself genuinely worried for the boy being bought, stuck in the middle of the drama.But it would not be compelling to most teens forced to read [...]

There were some surprisingly funny sections in the beginning, however, the Senate hearing formula became tiring quickly. I also just could not buy the whole premise and felt he had such a cynical & hopeless opinion on mankind. Maybe that comes from covering Hiroshima? The best part of the book was the cover. I will be tossing this into the book bin as soon as I can.

Best book I've read in a long time. Although written in 1960 and told in the form of senate hearings, it's dark commentary is as pertinent today as ever. What is the price of our convictions?

I've arranged my thoughts on this terrifying story into a haiku:"Corruption runs deep,Manipulated by greed.Nothing's too gruesome."

All written in court/playlike writing format. Dabbles around in things that appear unecessary when really the whole point of the story is to show how these people are turned around to admit to selling the child. A study more in human psychology and manipulation than a drama about the actual child or program itself.

Written in the form of court transcripts, Hersey excels at giving each character a distinct voice while utilizing the structure of the courtroom proceedings to underscore the futility of square pegs in round holes. The story is especially apt in today's climate of Alternative Facts.

I grabbed this book off the library shelf because the title is compelling and the cover art chilling. With such a great cover and title, the book has to be great, right? D'oh! It's not that the story is bad, it's just that it's so disappointing. All the potential never came to fruition, leaving a hollow ache instead of anticipated fulfillment. Part of the problem is the format of the book. Writing a book as if it were a senate hearing is a neat idea, but one that would have worked far better as [...]

This was like rejoining an old friend. Much of the book I recalled, especially the humorous characterizations of educational minions, although legislators were an easier target for satire. The speculative fiction portion (not really science fiction) I spent more time on this reading.Hersey had a Faustian streak, nowhere more so than here. In this case, the devil (really a corporation representative) has an uncanny knack for determining each person's vulnerability and his/her leverage point for a [...]

I read this a long time agoobably 30 years ago and thought it was one of my favorite books then. I've learned a lot more by then and I still think it is great, especially because I've run into a lot more politicians and bureaucrats since then. The plot centers on a stranger who comes to town and wants to buy an extremely intelligent boy because of his potential for his company. The scene is a Senate hearing in which some of the goofiest politicians attempt to decide if there is any wrong done. T [...]

The 'novel' is a running transcript, which makes reading it a bit difficult. Running true to a transcript, people are brought in and out of the questioning as the story is pieced together. The story itself is a great idea - a man representing a corporation (with ties to the government/defense) goes from town to town to purchase geniuses. Why is revealed near the end, as the townspeople decide whether or not the local brain-child should be sent to this corporation.Some very strong thematic ideas [...]

I first read this book in 1967 and although dated it is still a valuable read. It is a riveting, depressing and sometimes humorous story dealing with child psychology, economics and the nature of education. Can and should children be bought? The book is structured around a trial dealing with this issue. A moralistic story, told keenly, bringing an unbelievable concept into the possibility of reality.

This book was written from an interesting perspective and had a deeply disturbing plot, both of which I appreciate as an avid reader. The plot overall, however, moved slowly and John Hersey really failed to create the tense and terrifying novel that he was clearly trying craft. There is a glimmer of the insanity that he tried to create towards the end of the book that literally makes the entire book worth reading.

Excellent, well-written novel superficially about a company representative who buys children (certain children only) on behalf of the company. This engaging story begs you to figure out what it's really about. Is it the exploitation of people? The commercialization of people? The homogenization produced by education? I had fun sorting through the possible meanings with friends. I hope you do too.

When the State Senate Committee on Morality meets to try and figure out why a company would have trouble buying a 10 year old boy to use as an intelligent lab mouse, you know it's gonna be ugly. By conspicuously never mentioning human rights, Hersey ensures that the reader will be unable to think of anything else. Unfortunately, the characters are exagerated and one-dimensional, much of the writing is really dull, and many important elements of the book are simply outdated.

This is a 50's style straight laced comedy. There is shtick between the (obviously written for laughs) characters. It's written in a legalese setting and tone. To give Hersey credit I felt like I was attending a hearing but then again why would I want to attend a hearing. I had to give up on this one without finding out why he wanted to buy as child.

the format of a congressional inquiry at first is tedious but one easily acclimates. an easy, entertaining read with some perhaps over-overt social critique. still, recommended.

This was a re-read from high school days, useful in understanding the man as a machine point of view, and a "modern" context for the buying and selling of children.

I had to force myself to finish this book.

unfavorite book by a favorite author.

More humorous than I remember it, but still very dark.

Started this summer of 1975 on the recommendation of a good friend. Somehow I couldn't connect with it. Perhaps I'll try again sometime.

Chilling story of lost childhood and the power of the state/corporations.

I just couldn't get into it. I don't think it was my kind of book

the tedious dialogue is nicely done. half way thru