Book Review: Mr. Mean Streak
John Hershey’s Mr. Mean Streak is the riveting tale of John C. Phillips, former member of the U. S. Army. After winning 127 million dollars in the Virginia lottery, he takes his wealth to California where he adapts quickly to the jet-set lifestyle. He purchases a mansion equipped with a four-car garage, a clubhouse, and much more. John Phillips, better known as J.P., entices several of his comrades from the Army to join his evil gang. One of J.P.’s favorite quotes best sums up the premise of the book: “Everyday is a nice day to ruin someone’s life.”
Hershey’s background detailing Phillips’ financial ascension is intriguing enough to draw the reader in from the get-go. Phillips does win the Virginia state lottery; however, there is the matter that the winning ticket never actually belonged to him.
Throughout the story, Phillips and his gang are hell-bent on making the lives of random strangers miserable. An example of J.P.’s mean streak occurs early on, when he offers a gas station attendant a job in his fictitious advertising agency. The business card he gives the attendant is actually the address to a doctor’s office. J.P. and his gang revel in petty antics like this.
What is most interesting about J.P.’s ruthless behavior is that he, like many of his victims, has a family: wife Carrie (CP) and sixteen-year-old daughter Belinda, aka, Bee-Bop. Of course, they are nothing like a traditional family. CP is satisfied as long as her shopping money is coming in and Belinda is the studious type who never talks to J.P.
The main conflict of the book occurs between J.P., his goons, and the Meanlette Girls: Jonesy, Dollar Sign, Millie, and Chopsticks. The lives of these characters are profoundly altered by J.P.’s meanness when their mother’s beauty parlor is shut down, their dad’s Chinese restaurant is closed, and their sister’s wedding is ruined. With the introduction of the Meanlettes, the story takes an entertaining turn when John Phillips is found to be the mastermind behind of all these unfortunate happenings, and the story becomes all about revenge–against J.P.
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