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Show me the way
Clyde Dupee, pronounced ‘dupay’, much like men of his ilk, wanders through life in a drunken drunk, sober, drunk, sober, two words repeated for a lifetime by men such as Clyde. A jailbird, an abysmal penny-ante burglar; he was certainly not someone the poised and proper Tharon McGee could ever consider appropriate. On work release from prison, Clyde takes time from his welding job to arrange studies for his GED, and Tharon, a former beauty queen, is his counselor. Twice burned and with very high standards, Tharon does not want to see any good in Clyde, but gradually comes to love him despite his flaws. Tharon is the path to sober, sober, sober. When an accident puts him in the hospital, Tharon reaches out to the family that had locked Clyde out years earlier, totally unprepared for the fireworks that ensue as the two prepare for their wedding. Marriage is not bliss for the two though, despite Clyde’s charm and Tharon’s love. As their family grows, Clyde’s demons return, drunk, sober, drunk, sober, threatening to destroy them all.
A story of love, love lost, and human strength, tempered by a cast of unforgettable characters, Show Me The Way will have you laughing, crying and wanting more.
A story of love, love lost, and human strength, tempered by a cast of unforgettable characters, Show Me The Way will have you laughing, crying and wanting more.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 3, 2012
** Show me the Way by Shakey Smith was provided to me free-of-charge by the author through a GoodReads, FirstReads Giveaway. **
We first encounter the very charming Clyde Dupee (Du-PAY) in jail, serving out the last few weeks of his sentence for attempted burglary before being paroled. With a sketchy past marked by cycles of sobriety and binge drinking, and long ago estranged from his large family, Clyde embarks on a new journey and hope for the future as he attempts to complete his General Equivalency Diploma while falling in love with his tutor, the very prim and proper Tharon McGee - - former Beauty Queen.
While Tharon initially rejects Clyde she begins to see what everyone else around her sees: a gentle, kind, charming man whom she finds herself falling in love with, despite her high standards. As the two prepare to get married, Clyde gets into an accident which sets into motion a Dupee family reunion and forgiveness for past transgressions. However, as we are reminded throughout the book: “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic” and Clyde’s relapses are inevitable under the pressures of marriage and family responsibility. Can Clyde conquer his demons once and for all with the support of his new-found family and his loving wife, Tharon?
When I began reading this book, I was absolutely enthralled with Clyde. I could envision myself in the Midwest, sharing a cup of coffee in the diner across the table with Clyde. He’s just so darned likeable! The author does such a great job of introducing and developing his character so that you just plain like him. Bergie is another character (Tharon’s aunt) who is also charming. Even Joe Dean, while portrayed as gruff initially, grows on you. The book is filled with wonderfully interesting characters. In the first half of the book (the first 174 pages), I was rooting for Clyde and was genuinely enthralled with the slow pace of the book. It was a real pleasure to read.
Then, there was the second half (a mere 73 pages)...I was so disappointed with the second half (1/4) of this book. I think some of the themes were underdeveloped. In particular, there was little description about what preceded Clyde falling off the wagon again (as opposed to how it was dealt with in the first part (i.e., there was a clear trigger which tied in to Clyde’s history). His drinking just seemed to come out of the blue - - which may be what happens in real life, but which leaves the reader hanging in a book. I think that this book could have been longer simply by spending more time fleshing out some of the story in the last 1/4 of the book.
I couldn’t put my finger on it right away, but something about Tharon and Clyde's relationship didn’t feel quite right until I started reading about how Clyde’s family came back into the picture. I think that the way the relationships between people grew was not realistic. Tharon had a great deal of disdain for Clyde, gets one pep talk from her aunt Bertie, and starts falling in love with him. That just seemed way too fast. Similarly, Tharon and Clyde’s father developed a strong father-daughter relationship after spending a few hours together. Again, I just couldn’t quite believe it.
Of note, I did want to draw attention to the fact that chapters were named (in very interesting ways) and not numbered in this book. I really thought it was a nice touch.
So, at the end of the day, I would give 4 stars to the first part of the book, and 2 stars to the second part; thus my 3 stars (the average).
We first encounter the very charming Clyde Dupee (Du-PAY) in jail, serving out the last few weeks of his sentence for attempted burglary before being paroled. With a sketchy past marked by cycles of sobriety and binge drinking, and long ago estranged from his large family, Clyde embarks on a new journey and hope for the future as he attempts to complete his General Equivalency Diploma while falling in love with his tutor, the very prim and proper Tharon McGee - - former Beauty Queen.
While Tharon initially rejects Clyde she begins to see what everyone else around her sees: a gentle, kind, charming man whom she finds herself falling in love with, despite her high standards. As the two prepare to get married, Clyde gets into an accident which sets into motion a Dupee family reunion and forgiveness for past transgressions. However, as we are reminded throughout the book: “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic” and Clyde’s relapses are inevitable under the pressures of marriage and family responsibility. Can Clyde conquer his demons once and for all with the support of his new-found family and his loving wife, Tharon?
When I began reading this book, I was absolutely enthralled with Clyde. I could envision myself in the Midwest, sharing a cup of coffee in the diner across the table with Clyde. He’s just so darned likeable! The author does such a great job of introducing and developing his character so that you just plain like him. Bergie is another character (Tharon’s aunt) who is also charming. Even Joe Dean, while portrayed as gruff initially, grows on you. The book is filled with wonderfully interesting characters. In the first half of the book (the first 174 pages), I was rooting for Clyde and was genuinely enthralled with the slow pace of the book. It was a real pleasure to read.
Then, there was the second half (a mere 73 pages)...I was so disappointed with the second half (1/4) of this book. I think some of the themes were underdeveloped. In particular, there was little description about what preceded Clyde falling off the wagon again (as opposed to how it was dealt with in the first part (i.e., there was a clear trigger which tied in to Clyde’s history). His drinking just seemed to come out of the blue - - which may be what happens in real life, but which leaves the reader hanging in a book. I think that this book could have been longer simply by spending more time fleshing out some of the story in the last 1/4 of the book.
I couldn’t put my finger on it right away, but something about Tharon and Clyde's relationship didn’t feel quite right until I started reading about how Clyde’s family came back into the picture. I think that the way the relationships between people grew was not realistic. Tharon had a great deal of disdain for Clyde, gets one pep talk from her aunt Bertie, and starts falling in love with him. That just seemed way too fast. Similarly, Tharon and Clyde’s father developed a strong father-daughter relationship after spending a few hours together. Again, I just couldn’t quite believe it.
Of note, I did want to draw attention to the fact that chapters were named (in very interesting ways) and not numbered in this book. I really thought it was a nice touch.
So, at the end of the day, I would give 4 stars to the first part of the book, and 2 stars to the second part; thus my 3 stars (the average).
December 28, 2011
Clyde Dupee ain’t good looking, but he is intelligent, funny and quite devastatingly charming. He’d also a thief, a jailbird and an alcoholic with a tragic past. Neverthless, prissy former beauty queen, Tharon McGee falls head over heels in love with him. Both are convinced their love will give them the happy ever after they’ve been looking for; continuing to believe it even after Tharon has to pull a back-sliding Clyde out of the bar shortly before their wedding. Will true love win the day? Or will Clyde’s demons destroy their relationship?
* * *
What a strange and delightful book “Show Me The Way” is. Short on plot, huge on voice, it’s a charming love story, a tragicomedy and a love letter to Kansas all wrapped up in one. Along with Clyde and Tharon, the story is filled with a large number of interesting characters, some lovable, some crotchety, all fascinating. I’ve always been at a bit of a loss to describe Shakey Smith’s writing. Erudite, but down-home. Hilariously funny, but so bittersweet. Painful, but full of so much joy. In the end there’s really only one word: unique.
There are a couple of issues that prevent this from being a five star review. First, the huge cast of characters was difficult to keep tabs on. A family tree or list of characters would have been hugely helpful. Second, the ending seemed a bit rushed to me. I would have liked a longer drawn-out ending, so that I could have closed the book completely satisfied (or maybe I just didn’t want the story to end.)
* * *
Full disclosure: I've had the privilege of being a reader of Ms. Smith’s unpublished stories. I am, in fact, her fan and her critic. Having read several of her other stories I know that “Show Me The Way” is but one square in a body of work that, brought together, comprises a quilt: generous in size, beautifully stitched, each square fitting perfectly into the whole. It’s a remarkable body of work. I look forward to more stories from her.
* * *
What a strange and delightful book “Show Me The Way” is. Short on plot, huge on voice, it’s a charming love story, a tragicomedy and a love letter to Kansas all wrapped up in one. Along with Clyde and Tharon, the story is filled with a large number of interesting characters, some lovable, some crotchety, all fascinating. I’ve always been at a bit of a loss to describe Shakey Smith’s writing. Erudite, but down-home. Hilariously funny, but so bittersweet. Painful, but full of so much joy. In the end there’s really only one word: unique.
There are a couple of issues that prevent this from being a five star review. First, the huge cast of characters was difficult to keep tabs on. A family tree or list of characters would have been hugely helpful. Second, the ending seemed a bit rushed to me. I would have liked a longer drawn-out ending, so that I could have closed the book completely satisfied (or maybe I just didn’t want the story to end.)
* * *
Full disclosure: I've had the privilege of being a reader of Ms. Smith’s unpublished stories. I am, in fact, her fan and her critic. Having read several of her other stories I know that “Show Me The Way” is but one square in a body of work that, brought together, comprises a quilt: generous in size, beautifully stitched, each square fitting perfectly into the whole. It’s a remarkable body of work. I look forward to more stories from her.
October 20, 2012
Shakey Smith --Show Me the Way - Thought provoking realism, solid characters,
Leo Tolstoy - "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
A great deal of this unhappiness lies with Clyde Dupee (pronounced Dupay), an alcoholic since his late teens. After his latest stint in jail, Clyde vows to stay sober, get his GED, and apologize to each member of his family. From page one, Shakey Smith nails Clyde's character, and each subsequent character is drawn with the same love of detail and uniqueness.
Since Tharon's parents died when she was 15, she has been working to make her life perfect. That certainly doesn't include a ex-drunk and con, Clyde who studies at the local library where Tharon works for her aunt, the head librarian. Clyde's determination, sincerity, good manners, and drive to better himself make a positive impression on Tharon. Clyde teaches Tharon to throw a proper punch as self-defense.
An accident that sent a child to the hospital causes Clyde to fall off the wagon the day before he weds Tharon. She refuses to let him stay drunk by punctuating her opinion with a solid right hook that knocks him into the jukebox. That's not the last time Clyde backslides, though often it's covered up by his or her family.
I rarely read family dramas, they're not my style, but I'm so glad I read this one. Shakey Smith paints meticulous portraits with words, carefully chosen and placed just right for each member in the cast. I'm looking forward to the next book to 'Show Me the Way'.
Leo Tolstoy - "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
A great deal of this unhappiness lies with Clyde Dupee (pronounced Dupay), an alcoholic since his late teens. After his latest stint in jail, Clyde vows to stay sober, get his GED, and apologize to each member of his family. From page one, Shakey Smith nails Clyde's character, and each subsequent character is drawn with the same love of detail and uniqueness.
Since Tharon's parents died when she was 15, she has been working to make her life perfect. That certainly doesn't include a ex-drunk and con, Clyde who studies at the local library where Tharon works for her aunt, the head librarian. Clyde's determination, sincerity, good manners, and drive to better himself make a positive impression on Tharon. Clyde teaches Tharon to throw a proper punch as self-defense.
An accident that sent a child to the hospital causes Clyde to fall off the wagon the day before he weds Tharon. She refuses to let him stay drunk by punctuating her opinion with a solid right hook that knocks him into the jukebox. That's not the last time Clyde backslides, though often it's covered up by his or her family.
I rarely read family dramas, they're not my style, but I'm so glad I read this one. Shakey Smith paints meticulous portraits with words, carefully chosen and placed just right for each member in the cast. I'm looking forward to the next book to 'Show Me the Way'.
June 6, 2012
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway earlier this year.
I gave this book to my Mother as a gift as it is not a book that I would read.
She read the book over two or three nights, bearing in mind that she only reads when going to bed, this is pretty good going.
Although it was slow to get going once the story-line picked up pace, she found it hard to put down.
The two main characters, Clyde and Tharon, are very different. Clyde is a loveable rogue, whereas Tharon, an ex-beauty queen, was a little harder to get on with because she was such a perfectionist.
The plot was good although not your typical traditional romance. "A story of love, love lost and human strength....leaves you laughing, crying and wanting more".
Having now finished the novel, she is hoping for a sequel as the story could continue, and there are more stories to be told of their lives.
The rating of 4 stars is a little mean, she would have preferred to give 4.5, and then only beacuse the pace was so slow to begin with.
I gave this book to my Mother as a gift as it is not a book that I would read.
She read the book over two or three nights, bearing in mind that she only reads when going to bed, this is pretty good going.
Although it was slow to get going once the story-line picked up pace, she found it hard to put down.
The two main characters, Clyde and Tharon, are very different. Clyde is a loveable rogue, whereas Tharon, an ex-beauty queen, was a little harder to get on with because she was such a perfectionist.
The plot was good although not your typical traditional romance. "A story of love, love lost and human strength....leaves you laughing, crying and wanting more".
Having now finished the novel, she is hoping for a sequel as the story could continue, and there are more stories to be told of their lives.
The rating of 4 stars is a little mean, she would have preferred to give 4.5, and then only beacuse the pace was so slow to begin with.
December 30, 2011
I received this book as a Good Reads Giveaway which I really appreciate. The book started off slow for me and I had a hard time staying focused. At this time I had started several books and had the same issue. I resorted to reading on my Kindle (so I could enlarge the print). I have just recently bought my new glasses and was able to go back to my regular books in my to-read stack. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the rest of the book and intend to start over and read the whole book through again to see what I may have missed the first time.
January 13, 2012
Shakey Smith grabbed me-filled me with the guts of her characters-made a great read out of what others might easily try to write but after the first few paragraphs you might just say-damn wasted my money-not here friends-not with this one-seldom have characters such as Shakey Smith's been so well defined-Steinbeck and Hemmingway come to mind-if you do not care for these authors then this book is not for you-if you do-then give it a go-I did-damn good book!!!!
David Smith
David Smith
January 18, 2012
Thanks, Goodreads for selecting me as a winner of this book. I'll be back with a review as soon as it arrives and makes its way to the top of my "to read" stack! The Firstreads book arrived very quickly. I love Goodreads for giving me the chance to read books I might not normally select for my "to-read" list. I found this book charming and worthy of it's positive reviews. The characters have depth and come to life on the written page. Thanks again, Goodreads!
March 19, 2012
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
3.5 so round up to 4
I was drawn in by the characters and thrilled to see positive changes in them. I was disappointed when they had relapses. Life is messy and this book keeps that theme close. The story ended on a hopeful note and so even though it looks like the troubles these people have will continue the end is not a bummer.
3.5 so round up to 4
I was drawn in by the characters and thrilled to see positive changes in them. I was disappointed when they had relapses. Life is messy and this book keeps that theme close. The story ended on a hopeful note and so even though it looks like the troubles these people have will continue the end is not a bummer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2012
This was a very cute story. It was like nothing I have read. The characters are a colorful display of small town-everyone is related to everyone sort of way with of course, their share of problems. You will find yourself laughing out loud at the antics as well as cheering for Clyde to get it right!! Nice job, Shakey.
November 17, 2011
This book is full of characters you know, everyone knows, in places you know, doing things you know. The difference is in the telling and in the strength and depth of the characters. Americana at its best.
November 17, 2011
What a perfect glimpse of a Kansas rural town, with realistic people, realistic challenges and realistic coping. This book wraps you up in the story and makes you want to read right to the end.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews