Thursday 3 April 2008

Feel Good Novel

Finished April 2
The Best of Good by Sara Lewis
Tom Good is 47, a bartender who plays guitar, writing songs for himself and living in the same small apartment that he's lived in for years. Tom's life was heavily influenced by his older brother's death at 17.
When Diana, an old girlfriend, returns to town, Tom learns that she has a son who looks a lot like him. As Tom tries to come to terms with this information he begins to look at his life as others might see it, and becomes more interested in it himself.
This tale is very character-driven and we see Tom, who has been locked in a sort of limbo for years, grow into the person he should have become earlier. There is poignancy and humour and we feel for Tom as he cautiously makes contact with the people around him.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for this one. This past weekend my mother asked me to recommend a list of "feel good" Canadian books. When I crossed out the themes of alienation, incest, small-town isolationalism, and dualling linguistic nations...I had a hard time coming up with one story, let alone a list, of heart warming feel good Canadian tales. I'm pathetic.

    Please feel free to post your recommendations on my blog. I would love to hear from you, as would my mom.

    Kathleen Molloy, author - Dining with Death
    www.kathleenmolloy.offo.ca
    www.diningwithdeath.ca

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  2. Glad to be of service.
    Best of Good isn't Canadian but I'll put my thinking cap on to find some Canadian ones for you.

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