Point of Impact

by Clair M. Poulson

This book is the story of teenagers in a small Utah town, and the impact of drinking on their lives. Judge Poulson's desire in writing "Point of Impact" is to draw attention to the problems of underage drinking, drunk driving, and alcoholism. And in doing so, he hopes that others will come to realize that this is something we all must deal with if lives are to be saved, both on the highways and wherever alcohol is being abused.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Fiction

193 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Clair M. Poulson was born and raised in Duchesne, Utah. His father was a rancher and farmer, his mother a librarian. Clair has always been an avid reader, having found his love for books as a very young boy.

He has served for forty years in the criminal justice system. Twenty years were spent in law enforcement, ending his police career with eight years as the Duchesne County Sheriff. For the past twenty years Clair has worked as a justice court judge for Duchesne County. Clair is also a veteran of the US Army where he was a military policeman. He has served on various boards and councils during his professional career, including the Justice Court Board of Judges, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Utah Judicial Council, Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, an FBI advisory board and others.

In addition to his criminal justice work, Clair has farmed and ranched all of his life. He has raised many kinds of animals, but his greatest interest is horses.

Clair has served in many capacities in the LDS church, including fulltime missionary (California Mission) bishop, counselor to bishop, young men president, high councilor, stake mission president, scoutmaster, High Priest group leader, etc. He currently serves as a Sunday School teacher.

Clair is married to Ruth, and together, they have five children, all of whom are married: Alan (Vicena) Poulson, Kelly Ann (Wade) Hatch, Amanda (Ben) Semadeni, Wade (Brooke) Poulson, and Mary (Tyler) Hicken. Between them they have twenty-three children. Clair and Ruth met while both were students at Snow College and were married in the Manti temple.

Clair has always loved telling his children, and later his grandchildren, make-up stories. His vast experience in life and his love of literature has always contributed to both his telling stories to children and his writing of adventure and suspense novels.

Reviews

[Kristie]

One of his earlier books - not as skillfully written, but an impactful story.

[Shae Burton]

Ok, I must now admit that there are two books of Clair's I don't particularly care for. This is the second one. I do believe that his intentions were good here and I can only begin to try and understand how he must have felt when he, himself received the phone call that led to this novel. However, in his efforts to get his point across, I think his peripheral characters are more believable than the main one. She is too good. Too perfect. Not really realistic. There may be girls like this out there, I hope there are. But you know almost from the beginning how it will end and didn't feel the normal belief of character that I usually feel in his books.

[Barbara]

I was very surprised to see so many people recommend this book and to say it was a favorite. I was extremely disappointed in this Clair Poulsen. I love this author and have loved all his others. This was an earlier one and it drags along until you want to reach in and pull something out of it. Anything! Spoiler alert...the last few pages some thing exciting happens and the book is over! Something extremely dramatic and then you want more from the book. I found the characters to be very unrealistic.

[Susan]

I don't think I could ever be as good as Darcy. As I thought about this story, I believe there are two "points of impact"--the point one is struck by a drunk driver, and Darcy's impact on others.

[Susan]

When a judge is asked how he feels when the man he gave a light sentence to, after release from jail, resumed drinking and driving and killed an innocent teenager: he writes this book.

Written simply and not too deep, sometimes very idealistic, but it touched me.

[Liz]

This book was sad, too sugar-sweet, and poignant all at the same time. Some of it I liked, some was way too sappy, and some of it was just plain upsetting. It had a good message about turning your life around or just blaming others and not changing for the best.

[Amylin]

This is my favorite book. I read this book while in a book group at pleasant grove library.

[Terri W]

Loved this book- a real two hanky story

[Tiffany]

This book would be good for kids 16 and up to read.

[Frank]

Excellent story! You will love it!

[Shalisha-rob]

This book made me bawl my eye out so if you want a crying book it is a good one

[Susan]

Hated the ending.

[Patricia]

I did a lot of skim reading with this one. It is not one of my favorite Poulson books but perhaps a topic close to his heart.

[Mandi]

Too hickish for me. Put it down after a few pages.

[Lorie]

A good page turner!!