Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

* * * *

Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything --who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David-or "Hank" and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past. The only way Hank can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past, to stop running, and to find his way home.





Review:

When I was in my mid to late teens I mostly read classics such as Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, etc.  At the time I tried to read Thoreau’s Walden but just couldn’t get into the language.  Now, many years (we won’t say how many) and multiple copies (we own three) later, I still haven’t made another attempt to read it.  But that doesn’t mean the idea of it doesn’t continue to fascinate me.  Which is why I was thrilled to receive this title from Albert Whitman Teen via NetGalley.

Our hero, Hank, wakes up in a train station to a homeless man asking him if he plans on eating his copy of Walden.  As Hank struggles with the realization that he has no identity or any idea where he might be, the bum steals the book and starts eating it.  This is just the start of what will prove to be a bizarre and scary day.  Over the next 24 hours Hank meets two homeless teens, almost kills a crazed addict, steals a guy’s wallet and runs away from a crime boss.  This is just the beginning of Hanks adventure to discover who he is and why he has no memory of his life before waking up.  With the cash from the stolen wallet and his half-eaten copy of Walden, Hank sets out for Concord, MA in hopes that visiting Walden Pond will shed some light on who he is.

Hank was a likeable character.  Even with the possibility that he was running away from doing something terrible couldn’t stop me from caring for him.  The other characters in this book were also excellent and all played a part in helping Hank come to terms with his memory loss and identity. My favorite was Hank’s newly acquired mentor and confidant, Thomas.  He reminded me of Joe from Amy Lane’s Sidecar - a big softie with a tough guy exterior.

And then there are the descriptions.  They were strong without being overwhelming or boring. I felt as if I were in Concord.  It has always been a place I wanted to visit (huge Luisa May Alcott fan here) and now I can’t wait to see it and see what I recognize from this book.

This book was excellent.  Armistead took a story that could have been gloomy and slow and made it fast-paced and hopeful.  And believe it or not, I am seriously contemplating reading cracking open one of our three copies of Walden now that I have read Being Henry David.

Nat

When Love Comes To Town by Tom Lennon

* * * *

The year is 1990, and in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland, Neil Byrne plays rugby, keeps up with the in-crowd at his school, and is just a regular guy. A guy who's gay. It's a secret he keeps from the wider world as he explores the city at night and struggles to figure out how to reveal his real self--and to whom.

First published in Ireland in 1993 and compared to The Catcher in the Rye by critics, Tom Lennon's When Loves Comes to Town is told with honesty, humor, and originality.

This is the 20^th anniversary edition of When Love Comes To Town. At first I didn’t realize it was a re-issue. But I’m glad for it as I got the chance to experience a time and place as it was back then, not from memory but as it was happening. The foreword by James Klise provides a stark reminder that this book arrived on the scene before famous people coming out of the closet became the norm. That provided an interesting perspective as I read through one of the best and most touching books on the subject.

Neil truly is just one of the lads. He’s bright, personable, athletic and charming, surrounded by many friends though still feels separate from everyone because of what he is hiding. Lennon does a fantastic job laying out the path that Neil begins on as he gains the courage to be himself. He starts by revealing himself to one of his best friends, Becky. Her reaction and instant acceptance are a surprise and relief to him. Having at least one person know this secret that he’s held so close is like opening a floodgate encouraging him to be braver.

He stumbles upon a gay bar in Dublin where he’s a little out of his element at first but ends up making new friends. As the story progresses, Neil balances between his worlds – his gay friends, the select few who know his secret and the rest of his oblivious family and friends.

When Love Comes To Town is a lovely coming-of-age story that's compassionate, thoughtful and witty. I instantly took to Neil. He's the kind of guy you'd want to be your best friend or brother. He has a wonderful personality that is so welcoming and devoid of pretense. Yes, I know that is odd to say considering how he’s been hiding his sexuality. But he’s such a genuine guy who is trying to come into his own. That’s a struggle every person goes through regardless of sexual orientation. And the story is not just about Neil. It’s also about the people around him who are learning to adjust to changes in their own lives and relationships. Neil’s observations are perceptive.  His willing acceptance of some of his friend's reactions is remarkably generous considering how close-minded they are. 

I highly recommend When Love Comes To Town. It's a brilliant book about self-discovery without a whole lot of angst or overly dramatic elements. It's simply charming, starting out with promise, delivering straight through the end!

~ Bel

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal

* * * 1/2

It’s an unsettled summer for Sirena. Back in Texas, her family’s splitting apart, but here in Rhode Island, at the cottage of her free-spirited aunt, it’s a different world. There are long days at the beach and intriguing encounters with him. Pilot. He’s the lifeguard.He’s the lifeguard with shamanic skills. He both saves Sirena and makes her feel lost at sea. Sirena explores her obsession with Pilot and discovers 

his mysterious – almost magical – gifts.

  

Come on ...how many of you are staring at this cover thinking, “I want to go to that beach!”. I feel exactly the same way after reading this romantic story about a magical summer. (By the way, my husband just saw it as he walked by and said, "Really?". I feigned disinterest.)

First off, it’s a relief to have a female protagonist who is thankfully devoid of any kind of teenage angst. Sirena is just your normal girl with a normal best friend and worries about normal things. The biggest drama in her life at the moment is that her parents are divorcing. They send her to her aunt's in Rhode Island while they remain in Texas to hash out the details of their divorce. Sirena takes it in stride. She’s almost practical as she processes these changes. And while I said she’s normal, that doesn’t mean that interesting things can’t happen.

During her stay, she meets a few people who leave an impression on her like Pilot, who spends endless days at the beach, you know, as lifeguards tend to do. She can’t escape him and is conflicted whenever she’s in his presence. She’s giddy being near him and also slightly self-conscious – it’s quite cute to watch. Sirena has an innocence about her that makes you nostalgic to be a seventeen year old again. You just want to wrap yourself up in that feeling. Then there’s also Antonio, an elderly man who sits on the beach every day and paints. He becomes a mentor to Sirena who is an artist herself. With him, she feels a reassuring calm and finds herself opening up to this stranger about the changes taking place in her life. It’s a wonderful friendship that gives her some anchor while she’s there for the summer.

At the urging of her Aunt Ellie, Sirena also starts volunteering at the local hospital thinking the routine will be good for her. This in particular becomes an important catalyst in her own personal growth as she encounters illness, sadness and healing.

There’s a part of The Lifeguard that reminds me of Anna and The French Kiss – you know that feeling of falling in love for the first time; those oh so awkward moments of trying to play it cool when you’re attracted to someone. Those instances made me smile. Then there are those other moments when she’s witness to “miracles”. And they all point to Pilot who sets her imagination on fire. And where Sirena is such a delightfully straightforward girl, Pilot is elusive. But after a few life-altering events, we share in her wonderment as she discovers who he is.

The Lifeguard is very enjoyable. It was a nice change in pace to read a story that's pleasant and relatively uncomplicated but still had mystery to it. I absolutely adore Sirena and I fell in love with Pilot. It's just one of those books where you feel good at the end and you're glad you read it. And if nothing else, it'll just make you even more anxious for a beautiful summer at the beach. 

~ Bel