Goodbye, Mr. Chips: Amazon.ca: James Hilton: Books

Product Description

Full of enthusiasm, young English schoolmaster Mr. Chipping came to teach at Brookfield in 1870. It was a time when dignity and a generosity of spirit still existed, and the dedicated new schoolmaster expressed these beliefs to his rowdy students. Nicknamed Mr. Chips, this gentle and caring man helped shape the lives of generation after generation of boys. He became a legend at Brookfield, as enduring as the institution itself. And sad but grateful faces told the story when the time came for the students at Brookfield to bid their final goodbye to Mr. Chips.

There is not another book, with the possible exception of Dickens's A Christmas Carol, that has quite the same hold on readers' affections. James Hilton wrote Goodbye, Mr. Chips in loving memory of his schoolmaster father and in tribute to his profession. Over the years it has won an enduring place in world literature and made untold millions of people smile--with a catch in the throat.

Ingram

A schoolmaster plays a vital role in the lives of generations of English boys.

See all Product Description

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

24 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

3.9 out of 5 stars (24 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent stuff., July 3 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Phantom Tollbooth (Hardcover)

I watched, "Goodbye, Mr Chips" (teh Robert Donat version) when I was just a teenager, and loved it. Now 33, I've wacthed the film again several times, and had to retrieve the box of tissues every time! :-) My husband recently bought me the hardback book (been looking for it for YEARS!!), which I'm thrilled with. The story is such a wonderful one (Old school teacher reminiscing about loves ones and events that influenced and changed his life), and I really do wish that more younger people (usually those under 20) could stop for a moment and enjoy the history of an ordinary life, without rejecting the whole concept as 'boring'. Disturbingly enough, I've heard the same word (boring) used to describe, "The Diary of Anne Frank" (the actual diaries of a Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis). Makes one wonder about people, really, when such beautifully-written diares and novels are rejected as 'boring'. Perhaps those readers just don't fully understand the subject matter or the language used in either book. That's a shame, because this (and The Anne Frank diaries) is a wonderful book. Read it, enjoy it, and read it again later.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all-time favorites..., Dec 21 2003

By

meiringen "meiringen" (the Midwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phantom Tollbooth (Hardcover)

This is one of those books (a novelette, really--it's only a little over 100 pages) that has become a classic, and rightfully so. It's about a somewhat shy man, Mr. Chipping, who comes to teach at Brookfield School in 1870. He begins to warm up to his students, after falling in love and marrying Katherine, who brings him out of his shell. He becomes a beloved institution at the school, and is there until the end of his life. It's a wonderful story, told by one of the best of the modern story-tellers, James Hilton.

Hilton is a wonderful author, and I never tire of reading his books. He's very good at characterization, and that talent really shines in "Chips." "Chips," "Lost Horison," and "Random Harvest" are among his best, but I've never read a bad book by Hilton. By all means, check out his books--you'll be glad you did!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton, Nov 4 2003

By

Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Audio Cassette)

This work is a fine rendition of English literature around the
time of the 1880s or thereabouts. The main character, Mr. Chips
evolves into a personable old man who gains substantial
sympathy from the readership. This book is assigned in early
high school because of its excellent presentation and
innocent themes. The main character represents an instructor
who teaches generations of boys in a local middle or high school. The setting is in Brookfield, England. There is a
quaintness about the town, as well as the characters in the
book. The portal of time preceeded the 20th century when
teachers stayed in the same job and the same locale for
multiple generations. With each passing generation, the
graduating students would reminisce about teachers within
each others' common domain of experience. Mr. Chips was a
character not likely to be forgotten due to his longstanding
presence as a pedagogue to the many young students in Brookfield.
Students would critique his memory and style of teaching
year after year. The main character suffered through adversities
and celebrated better times. The work is memorable due to its
shear ordinariness. At times, the author shifts from the
present tense verbal structures to the past tense without
adequately preparing the reader. The general grammatical
thrust of the book is appropriate for the readership; namely,
young people. The work foretells a time past; however,
it's important for students to read literature from different
centuries in order to gain an overall perspective on world
history and comparative styles of writing in the English
language and other languages. Contrast the character of
Mr. Chips to that of Ebeneezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol"
by Charles Dickens. The character of Scrooge is far more
sophisticated and worldly. The story is more involved with
a complete evolution of the main character from a stingy
pennypincher to a generous patron of the local community.
The authors are similar in that the storylines are centered
on a single character throughout a lifetime. These English
authors were marvelous storytellers. They escorted the readers
through decades of experiences in the lives of the involved
characters. The works are important for readers of all ages
because they document ordinary and sometimes extraordinary
lives during the various stages of evolution and transition.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 24 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 28 reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars The worst book I have ever read in my life!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok. I am a male from Marietta, Georgia, and I am in 8th grade. This was the worst book I have ever, I would have given this book negative stars if I could. Read more

Published on Sep 26 2003 by Nick Rak

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little bit sad
A Review by Tamame (Japanese exchange student)

This book about college professor. His name is Mr. Chips. He likes joking and he likes college students. Read more