Captain Saturday: A Novel

by Robert Inman

Will Baggett, TV weatherman, is probably the biggest celebrity in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he sure does like that "Yo, Will, what's the weather?" people call out, echoing his station's promotion campaign. With a nice house, a son in medical school, and a wife who's become one of the top brokers stoking the heedless real estate rush in north Raleigh, Will has the perfect life. But overnight a nasty conglomerate buys his station and throws him out, he's arrested for running a red light, he badly injures his knee, and he begins to see both that his marriage is in danger of crumbling, and that his son doesn't like him much. Then the past he thought he didn't have comes calling, in the person of his cousin Wingfoot Baggett, who collects a bewildered Will for some R&R back home, on the banks of the Cape Fear River. How Will comes to terms with his history, sorts out his legal dilemmas, reinvents himself, gets to know his son, and maybe, just maybe, reconciles with his wife, is the subject of Bob Inman's graceful, comic, and poignant novel. In a larger sense, this is also a novel about how the New South, with its booming economy and newly minted cities, is stamping out the Old South, losing in the process a sense of tradition and identity.

Genres: Fiction, Southern

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 8, 2002

About the author

Robert Inman’s new novel, The Governor’s Lady, is available now from John F. Blair Publishers. Drawing on his a career as a journalist and creative writer, Inman has crafted the story of Cooper Lanier, a determined woman fighting to establish her independence in the tumultuous world of male-dominated politics.

The Governor’s Lady is Inman’s fifth novel, following Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002), all published originally by Little, Brown and Company, and now available in popular e-book formats. He is also the author of a collection of non-fiction work, Coming Home: Life, Love and All Things Southern, and an illustrated family holiday book, The Christmas Bus.

Inman has written screenplays for six motion pictures for television, two of which have been “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. His script for The Summer of Ben Tyler, a Hallmark production, won the Writers’ Guild of America Award as the best original television screenplay of 1997. His other Hallmark feature was Home Fires Burning, a 1989 adaptation of his novel.

Inman’s first stage play, the musical comedy Crossroads, had its world premiere in 2003 at Blowing Rock Stage Company, a professional theatre in Blowing Rock, NC. His playwriting credits also include The Christmas Bus, Dairy Queen Days, Welcome to Mitford, A High Country Christmas Carol, The Christmas Bus: The Musical, and The Drama Club. Inman wrote the book, music and lyrics for Crossroads and The Christmas Bus: The Musical. Inman’s plays are published by Dramatic Publishing Company.

Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama, where he began his writing career in junior high school with his hometown weekly newspaper. He left a 31-year career in television journalism in 1996 to devote full time to fiction writing.

He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. He has been selected as Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, and was inducted into the Alabama Communication Hall of Fame.

He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum.

Inman and his wife, Paulette, live in Conover and Boone, North Carolina. They have two daughters: Larkin Ferris of Breckenridge, CO; and Lee Farabaugh of Atlanta.

Author's web site: www.robert-inman.com.

Reviews

[Stephanie Kimball · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this for my girls' trip to Mexico. I usually pack at least 2 books with the intent to leave them at the resort if I don't care to bring them back in my luggage. I was not able to finish this book on the trip due to its length and because 'someone' wanted to chit chat at the beach. I'm actually glad I didn't finish it at the resort and leave it as I had something to read on the plane.

The book started out light and upbeat with a writing style that showed us exactly how Will's life was at that moment. For some reason, I thought the book would continue in this fashion even though I knew he was headed towards trouble with his wife and son...according to the back cover.
Once his troubles started, the writing took on an entirely different style. Still sort of comical, but more like...SIGH....this is real life now.
I was not depressed at all by Will's turn of events. I was sold on his character and wanted to see how he handled his past, his present and his possible future. I loved that this was written by a male author about a male character. It's a matter of Venus being fascinated about Mars and getting a glimpse inside Mars' thought process.

[Coleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in a used book store, and picked it up only because it was by Robert Inman. I knew the author as Bob Inman, my favorite newscaster in Charlotte, NC, when I lived there in the early 90s.

The book's protagonist, Will Baggett, also works in TV news. He's the top-rated weatherman in Raleigh and seems to have a picture-perfect life: a happy marriage, a son (Palmer) in med school, and the adoration of his community.

It all begins to come crashing down when the station Will works for is sold. Will loses his job, and then his wife files for divorce, and his carefully crafted image is shattered by his own recklessness.

In short, Will's life is upended. So with the encouragment of his cousin Wingfoot, Will returns to his childhood home in the Cape Fear Valley, living with his cousin Min a house that has become a museum. Being here forces Will to confront his past, and to re-evaluate the life he constructed after leaving.

There are passages in this book that literally made me laugh out loud. But this novel also is an exploration of how childhood relationships and trauma shape the adults we become. In the wake of the many crises facing Will, he must confront his own complicity in Clarice's decision to divorce him... Palmer's avoidance of a meaningful relationship with him... and how confronting and understanding his past might allow him to rebuild a new life with those he loves.

Through it all, there is the juxtapostion of the Old South and the New South, a wonderful cast of characters who bring warmth and humor to the story, and the theme of redemptive transformation.
An entertaining and big-hearted book.

[John P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story, very good writing. Inman includes unique characters and does a great job filling them out. The plot has a number of clever twists and turns all working to compel the reader onward. He has planted key elements early in the timeline and then uses them to great effect later to provoke an enjoyable emotional response.

A couple nitpicky points:
I think one, maybe two, goofs slipped by the editing process although none cause any serious problems for the story - just some head-scratching by this reviewer.

Three of the main characters have a bipolar nature - they change dramatically in response to certain events. Of course this adds to the richness of the plot as we try to figure out their motivations, but the absolute and radical nature of the changes stretches credibility (and this reviewer needs believability in order to experience full immersion in this or any other literary world).

Speaking of believability, there is a certain traffic scene late in the book upon which everything depends. That is, the admittedly very satisfying denouement depends completely on this scene. The incident, unfortunately, doesn't make sense. It simply couldn't have played out the way described. However, if one squints and tilts one's head to the side and gets past it, the conclusion follows nicely.

[D.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. All the books by Inman are very good, though I think it helps if you have some southern roots and can more easily relate to much of what he writes. I always see characters in his books that are so much like people I have known. His books are funny, yet always with a 'southern gothic' thing mixed in, and a dose of humanity that is refreshing.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second time reading this book. I read it many, many years ago and I remember liking it very much. This is an example of how things change and it matters what is going on in your life at the time of reading a book that impacts your reaction to a book. I again liked it, but it was not as memorable as the first read.

[Andy2302 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wanted to be a Weaher man. Couldn't pass up this Personal Discovery tale. It was way better than expected. Told in 5 parts bouncing around in time.
Not 5 stars but kept me reading till my eyes ached.
4.3

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this one 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 simply because it’s set in NC in an area near me, and I enjoy that connection.

[Benjamin Marx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing and fun, but rarely does a book end with me in tears of joy.

[Frederick Bingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Will Baggett. In the beginning of the book he starts out as Raleigh's most popular TV weatherman. He makes good money, has fame and fortune and a lovely wife. Then, in the space of a few days, his TV station is sold, his wife files for divorce and he is charged with possession for a bag of marijuana that his son left around the house.The story retreats to flashbacks. From his childhood, where his parents are killed in a plane crash, leaving him in the care of his cousin. From his young adult years, where he meets and marries his wife and starts on his broadcasting career.This is a book about love, and loss. What would happen to someone if they lost everything, house, money, family, respect. The final message... Just keep on going. Put your feet in front of each other and get on with your life.A fine book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is best defined as an epic-comic midlife crisis book. It's amazing the run of bad luck that befalls the "hero", Will. it's amazingly funny. But it's not a funny book, it's tragic! but funny. ;) In the end, Will is transformed (so this is kind of like a "coming of age" book, just that the protagonist is of a midlife crisis age).
It has depth and substance, and yet it doesn't wallow in angst or sorrow. This is a book that I shared with many friends, telling them they have to read it!! it's awesome!!
After re-finding this book on goodreads I want to go up to the attic and dig it out of whichever box its buried and re-read it! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face. :) :)

[Almira · Rating 4 out of 5]

He was Raleigh's favorite TV weatherman, he had a beautiful wife, a son in medical school - life was good, UNTIL a heartless conglomerate purchases the TV station and releases him from his job.
Will goes on a rampage, is arrested, is locked out of his house, and then he finds out that his medical school son isn't too "crazy" about him.
Enter Wingfoot Baggett, Will's long-lost cousin, who is out to rescue Will from all his problems, although Will is not too certain that he wants to be rescued by his river cousin.
Will, eventually, figures things out, wins his son back, and becomes Captain Saturday.
Lots of good writing, and lots of comic scenes.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written, funny, witty book about Will the Weatherman. Will is the TV weatherman for a popular TV station in Raleigh. When he loses his job and gets arrested for running a red light, his whole life changes. He takes stock of his life and decides to go about making changes. He doesn’t realize the real mess he is in regarding his personal life, until it’s almost too late. I loved the transformation the author takes this character through. This is a heart warming story with many lessons learned through out the book. The humor just adds to the beauty of this story. I would definitely like to read other books by this author.

[Jerry Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read. Inman's characters shine in this novel, and the journey of self-discovery that the main character, Will Baggett, takes is one that resonates in the life of every reader. My only complaint, if it can be called that, is that the end seemed to wrap things up a bit too neatly. After a deus ex machina event in the last ten or so pages, all the pieces fall neatly into place, which for me detracted from the sense of realism in the rest of the novel. Overall, though, it was a great story, one that I would highly recommend to anyone who feels lost/overwhelmed with life (which is really anyone on any given day). A very approachable, fun and enjoyable read.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everybody has two lives, whether they know it or not. The one you have and the one you might have. It's what you would be if you weren't who you are." - Cousin Wingfoot Baggett

Captain Saturday is the perfect novel to read for the start of a new year. The journey that Will Baggett takes to discover his other self is not only humorous, it is absolutely uplifting with a set of characters that won't soon be forgotten....

read my full review here:
http://www.mostlyfiction.com/contemp/...

[Michael Sadoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inman does a great job humanizing what is arguably one of the most two-dimensional TV personality types - the local weather forecaster. The story feels very authentic, particularly when it comes to the inner world of its protagonist, and it convincingly portrays the cadence, mindset and colloquialisms of small-town, eastern North Carolina.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant. Here is a guy who seemed to have everything and nearly in the blink of an eye he loses his job, wife and son and returns to his roots along the Cape Fear to wrestle with his life. It goes downhill from there. Slowly he begins to put the pieces back together, but .... Read the book. Captivating.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a beach read but it's set in North Carolina so I enjoyed the mindlessness of it. A bit contrived but definitely made me stop and think about slowing down in life and appreciating the smaller things.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decently comical story in which the main character, through a series of unfortunate events, loses everything, hits his personal rock-bottom, and finds himself at a number of crossroads. Served me well on a 10-hour flight.

[Cara]

J. Pulcino recommendation

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up just to try a new (to me) and different author. I was so pleasantly surprised to enjoy this so much. Must be my southern author preference.

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I'd really give this book two and a half stars. It kept me interested while I was reading, but not great literature and pretty obvious. But, I got it for free at the Wordstock event.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Evening Edition Book Club 11/2007

[F H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good analogy on mid-life crisis

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just like whatever Robert Inman writes. Captain Sunday was a story of loss and redemption. I didn't like it as much as Home Fires Burning or Old Dogs and Children, but it was a good read.

[Elizabeth W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought would be silly, but really is good.

[Coco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another tale from Robert Inman that was pleasant to read. Southern lit.

[Crystal Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay in a Hallmark movie sort of way.

[the real Timtim Book man · Rating 5 out of 5]

i got this book as my 19th book in 2008 and i started to read it and love the book. about a weather man that wanted to have a lawn service. and talk about when he grow up

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm about halfway through and it's an interesting story with lots of North Carolina flavor.