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Outside In
From Memorial Day until the student workers and tourists leave in the fall, the island community of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, thrives on alcohol, drugs, sexual experimentation, and any other means of forgetting responsibilities. To Brad Shepherd—recently forced out of his job as a junior high math teacher after the overdose death of a student—it's exactly the kind of place he's looking for.
Allured by the comfort and acceptance of the hedonistic atmosphere, Brad trades his academic responsibilities and sense of obligation for a bouncer's flashlight and a pursuit of the endless summer. With Cinch Stevens, his new best friend and local drug dealer, at his side, Brad becomes lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification filled with romantic conquests, late-night excursions to special island hideaways, and a growing drug habit. Not even the hope from a blossoming relationship with Astrid, a bold and radiant Norwegian waitress, nor the mentoring from a mysterious mandolin player named Caldwell is enough to pull him out of his downward spiral. But as Labor Day approaches, the grim reality of his empty quest consumes him. Brad must accept that identity cannot be fabricated, but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.
Allured by the comfort and acceptance of the hedonistic atmosphere, Brad trades his academic responsibilities and sense of obligation for a bouncer's flashlight and a pursuit of the endless summer. With Cinch Stevens, his new best friend and local drug dealer, at his side, Brad becomes lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification filled with romantic conquests, late-night excursions to special island hideaways, and a growing drug habit. Not even the hope from a blossoming relationship with Astrid, a bold and radiant Norwegian waitress, nor the mentoring from a mysterious mandolin player named Caldwell is enough to pull him out of his downward spiral. But as Labor Day approaches, the grim reality of his empty quest consumes him. Brad must accept that identity cannot be fabricated, but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.
- GenresFictionContemporary
250 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2013
10 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Doug Cooper
4 books59 followersI love peanut butter. I mean most people do, but I eat-it-out-of-the-jar-with-a-spoon love it. I also am one of those people who loves both math and reading and writing and has a constant right/left brain battle for control going on. Maybe some day, one of the sides will win. It is quite exhausting.
Outside In was my first novel. My second, the Investment Club is about five broken people who meet at a blackjack table and discover the greatest return comes from what you contribute to others. Hmm...blackjack and fiction? Sounds like the battle wages on.
Outside In was my first novel. My second, the Investment Club is about five broken people who meet at a blackjack table and discover the greatest return comes from what you contribute to others. Hmm...blackjack and fiction? Sounds like the battle wages on.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 19, 2019
Why This Book
In early 2017, I had drinks with a former colleague when we discussed my goal to publish a novel that year. She had grown up with someone who published a book and offered to introduce us. I said 'sure' and never actually contacted the guy. Months later, I signed a contract to publish my book, then realized I never followed through, so I sent a message, we chatted a bit, and I thought... I should read Doug Cooper's book: Outside In. I got hold of a copy, it sat on the shelves for a bit, but I decided I wasn't allowed to buy/download another book in 2018 until I finished everything I already owned... hence how this one got picked for January!
Plot, Characters & Setting
Brad Shepherd is a middle school teacher whose student overdoses in class. As part of the Administration's way to handle the student's death, Brad's out of a job. He heads to Put-in-Bay, Ohio to meet a friend and have a summer off, where he can party for a little bit and find his new life path. When he arrives, a life he never knew, or perhaps had forgotten, begins to surround him: he's quick to fool around with a bunch of women, drink himself silly and experiment with a range of drugs. Over the course of the summer, he makes several mistakes and finds himself going off into a darker oblivion. His family re-surfaces, and a friend has an accident, which helps re-structure his course, but life is definitely going to be different in his future.
Key Thoughts
For starters, I'll say the book is a very realistic portrayal of what could happen in this environment. It's not something I'm familiar with, but based on tons of movies, other books and conversations that touch on these subjects, I'd comfortable stating it is accurately written. That said, it is not an environment I would ever want to be in, nor did I like ANY of the characters in the book. They were a mess, indulgent, immature and frustrating. BUT -- that's the point and they belonged being that way for the story. Cooper brought out my inner 'angry man' attitude over people who behave like this, so major kudos to him for a brilliant portrayal of his character set.
The writing has quality and brings to life both the background and the tone you need to be successful in a book like this one. While there are some plot points, e.g. the death of the student, the move to the island for the summer and the results of some of the drug overdoses, it's essentially a story about a group of experiences people have while drinking and taking various drugs. It's of course larger than just that simple observation, but you have to be comfortable reading about this side of life to enjoy the book. It's not going to be ideal for everyone, but it definitely has a large audience to work with. Once you get beyond drugs/drinking, you start questioning how we make choices, our fears, what makes us fall for another person, how does someone guilt you into doing things...
The dialogue and narration provide all the details readers need to know what's going on in the main character's head; you will hear his voice, see his actions, know the reasons (most of the time) and follow along on his journey. Sometimes you'll think he's stupid and full of fault, others you'll know he's suffering from a tragedy and just floating around without any anchor. For those reasons, it is pretty obvious that this has happened and continues to happen to people going through this stage of life. The sum of the parts equal the whole for me with this book. It's a solid read, full of a wide range of situations and thought-provoking ideas. I think if I had gone through something like Brad did, I'd probably like the book even more. I ended up around 3.75 stars.
Summary
I'm curious to read his other novel, The Investment Club, about a group of people in Las Vegas going through some life experiences at the Blackjack table. It seems this is the realm the author writes in... that space where the group of people interact in ways we can all relate to, but not nearly as far into the depths... and I'm confident when he hits on topics that are more pertinent to me, I'll be really invested in the novel and have an entirely deeper connection to the author and his work. For now, I'm glad I read this one and look forward to reading more.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, can be purchased on Amazon. I write A LOT. I read A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll find the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge – words and humor. You can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin.
In early 2017, I had drinks with a former colleague when we discussed my goal to publish a novel that year. She had grown up with someone who published a book and offered to introduce us. I said 'sure' and never actually contacted the guy. Months later, I signed a contract to publish my book, then realized I never followed through, so I sent a message, we chatted a bit, and I thought... I should read Doug Cooper's book: Outside In. I got hold of a copy, it sat on the shelves for a bit, but I decided I wasn't allowed to buy/download another book in 2018 until I finished everything I already owned... hence how this one got picked for January!
Plot, Characters & Setting
Brad Shepherd is a middle school teacher whose student overdoses in class. As part of the Administration's way to handle the student's death, Brad's out of a job. He heads to Put-in-Bay, Ohio to meet a friend and have a summer off, where he can party for a little bit and find his new life path. When he arrives, a life he never knew, or perhaps had forgotten, begins to surround him: he's quick to fool around with a bunch of women, drink himself silly and experiment with a range of drugs. Over the course of the summer, he makes several mistakes and finds himself going off into a darker oblivion. His family re-surfaces, and a friend has an accident, which helps re-structure his course, but life is definitely going to be different in his future.
Key Thoughts
For starters, I'll say the book is a very realistic portrayal of what could happen in this environment. It's not something I'm familiar with, but based on tons of movies, other books and conversations that touch on these subjects, I'd comfortable stating it is accurately written. That said, it is not an environment I would ever want to be in, nor did I like ANY of the characters in the book. They were a mess, indulgent, immature and frustrating. BUT -- that's the point and they belonged being that way for the story. Cooper brought out my inner 'angry man' attitude over people who behave like this, so major kudos to him for a brilliant portrayal of his character set.
The writing has quality and brings to life both the background and the tone you need to be successful in a book like this one. While there are some plot points, e.g. the death of the student, the move to the island for the summer and the results of some of the drug overdoses, it's essentially a story about a group of experiences people have while drinking and taking various drugs. It's of course larger than just that simple observation, but you have to be comfortable reading about this side of life to enjoy the book. It's not going to be ideal for everyone, but it definitely has a large audience to work with. Once you get beyond drugs/drinking, you start questioning how we make choices, our fears, what makes us fall for another person, how does someone guilt you into doing things...
The dialogue and narration provide all the details readers need to know what's going on in the main character's head; you will hear his voice, see his actions, know the reasons (most of the time) and follow along on his journey. Sometimes you'll think he's stupid and full of fault, others you'll know he's suffering from a tragedy and just floating around without any anchor. For those reasons, it is pretty obvious that this has happened and continues to happen to people going through this stage of life. The sum of the parts equal the whole for me with this book. It's a solid read, full of a wide range of situations and thought-provoking ideas. I think if I had gone through something like Brad did, I'd probably like the book even more. I ended up around 3.75 stars.
Summary
I'm curious to read his other novel, The Investment Club, about a group of people in Las Vegas going through some life experiences at the Blackjack table. It seems this is the realm the author writes in... that space where the group of people interact in ways we can all relate to, but not nearly as far into the depths... and I'm confident when he hits on topics that are more pertinent to me, I'll be really invested in the novel and have an entirely deeper connection to the author and his work. For now, I'm glad I read this one and look forward to reading more.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, can be purchased on Amazon. I write A LOT. I read A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll find the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge – words and humor. You can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin.
May 18, 2014
Outside In, by Doug Cooper, is a novel set in a very familiar place to me. Growing up in Ohio, Put-in-Bay has always been a well-known destination that is known for its crazy days and even wilder nights. Cooper had it right when he mentioned that once you step onto the island you forget that you're in Ohio. You really feel like you are on an isolated island where the sky is the limit. Put-in-Bay is a very touristy location and Outside In describes it perfectly.
Brad fled to Put-in-Bay after he went through a very traumatic experience. In his ‘old’ life he was a Math teacher and he seemed to enjoy his job and the kids he taught. However, when a student in his classroom dies of a drug overdose he blames himself for not doing enough. Should he have gotten the nurse sooner? Did he ignore the signs of trouble? Could he have done more? After it is evident that his administration is not behind him, Brad makes the decision to leave teaching in order to find himself. Living in St. Louis, Brad had never heard of
Put-in-Bay; however after becoming friendly with a band he decides to follow them to the island for the summer.
Having been to Put-in-Bay several times myself, I could easily picture the places that Cooper wrote about. Put-in-Bay really is a beautiful location. Once you step onto the ferry and leave the mainland behind a new attitude comes over you. Your every day stresses and worries vanish as you look forward to all of the fun that is about to be had. The only way on and off of the island is the ferry or Jet Express. There is also an airport that is used for emergencies and other island needs. There are not many cars on the island; you get around by walking, biking, or driving golf carts.
Cooper hit the nail on the head when he wrote about the excessive partying. The streets are lined with bar after bar and you can literally step out of your hotel room or cabin at any point and find people drinking. ‘It's 5 o'clock Somewhere’ is definitely the slogan on Put-in-Bay. People flock to the island to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or to throw bachelor or bachelorette parties. It is also a getaway for those that have a weekend off in the summer.
It is on Put-in-Bay that Brad goes through some major changes. In his old life Brad would drink every now and then but he remained in control and responsible. However, in his new life readers find Brad piling cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, pot, and alcohol into his body 24/7. He definitely enters a party hard stage to try and forget his past. He doesn't want to think about what he is going to do next with his life. Throughout Outside In, Brad is on a journey of self-discovery. While he goes through many struggles, at the end of the book Brad believes he has discovered who he is.
Before reading Outside In I had never given much thought about the island workers or their lives and where they lived. However, reading this book has really given me a whole new appreciation of who resides on Put-in-Bay. I could definitely see the party atmosphere growing old very quickly. In the novel, Cooper says that four months on the island equals a year of living. This makes total sense to me and is easily seen as the characters in Outside In party to oblivion.
I really enjoyed Doug Cooper’s Outside In. The characters were well-developed and Put-in-Bay was described masterfully. Cooper painted real places like the Roundhouse, Boardwalk, and winery perfectly. I could truly see each and every place as Brad and his friends visited each. If you are looking for a coming of age story to read this summer then Outside In is for you.
*I was given a complimentary copy of 'Outside In' for the purpose of review.*
Brad fled to Put-in-Bay after he went through a very traumatic experience. In his ‘old’ life he was a Math teacher and he seemed to enjoy his job and the kids he taught. However, when a student in his classroom dies of a drug overdose he blames himself for not doing enough. Should he have gotten the nurse sooner? Did he ignore the signs of trouble? Could he have done more? After it is evident that his administration is not behind him, Brad makes the decision to leave teaching in order to find himself. Living in St. Louis, Brad had never heard of
Put-in-Bay; however after becoming friendly with a band he decides to follow them to the island for the summer.
Having been to Put-in-Bay several times myself, I could easily picture the places that Cooper wrote about. Put-in-Bay really is a beautiful location. Once you step onto the ferry and leave the mainland behind a new attitude comes over you. Your every day stresses and worries vanish as you look forward to all of the fun that is about to be had. The only way on and off of the island is the ferry or Jet Express. There is also an airport that is used for emergencies and other island needs. There are not many cars on the island; you get around by walking, biking, or driving golf carts.
Cooper hit the nail on the head when he wrote about the excessive partying. The streets are lined with bar after bar and you can literally step out of your hotel room or cabin at any point and find people drinking. ‘It's 5 o'clock Somewhere’ is definitely the slogan on Put-in-Bay. People flock to the island to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or to throw bachelor or bachelorette parties. It is also a getaway for those that have a weekend off in the summer.
It is on Put-in-Bay that Brad goes through some major changes. In his old life Brad would drink every now and then but he remained in control and responsible. However, in his new life readers find Brad piling cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, pot, and alcohol into his body 24/7. He definitely enters a party hard stage to try and forget his past. He doesn't want to think about what he is going to do next with his life. Throughout Outside In, Brad is on a journey of self-discovery. While he goes through many struggles, at the end of the book Brad believes he has discovered who he is.
Before reading Outside In I had never given much thought about the island workers or their lives and where they lived. However, reading this book has really given me a whole new appreciation of who resides on Put-in-Bay. I could definitely see the party atmosphere growing old very quickly. In the novel, Cooper says that four months on the island equals a year of living. This makes total sense to me and is easily seen as the characters in Outside In party to oblivion.
I really enjoyed Doug Cooper’s Outside In. The characters were well-developed and Put-in-Bay was described masterfully. Cooper painted real places like the Roundhouse, Boardwalk, and winery perfectly. I could truly see each and every place as Brad and his friends visited each. If you are looking for a coming of age story to read this summer then Outside In is for you.
*I was given a complimentary copy of 'Outside In' for the purpose of review.*
December 23, 2013
Pretty much read this book in one sitting, and I guess that says it all. Great story, believable characters but best of all is the authors language. Very strong debut!
October 13, 2013
I received this book free by entering a contest on Goodreads. This is the kind of novel I like to read. It makes you think about why we as humans do the things we do. There's a song that says "The road goes on forever and the party never ends." Where will the road take you when the party ends? Will it take you to the next party or somewhere else? I look forward to the next novel by this author.
Read
February 13, 2015Great Read
Outside In is a book about self discovery, and coming to terms with one's life choices. I will look for more books by this author.
Outside In is a book about self discovery, and coming to terms with one's life choices. I will look for more books by this author.
July 22, 2013
If in the days after finishing a book I find myself missing characters I met during my reading, I know the book is more than just a good story or entertainment. While Outside In is both, it also introduces a cast of complex and compelling personalities that resonated with me- sticking around in my head for a good while after. I thoroughly enjoyed and look forward to reading more from this author.
November 30, 2013
I literally read the entire book in an afternoon, so easy to get into. Well developed characters, for the most part, and many humorous moments. In a pathetic way, it was very much a mirror of a few of my own years.
April 21, 2014
Outside In is like so many coming of age stories I've read, with one exception, the main character is a guy. Brad Shepherd is a guy spiraling out of control after one of his students OD's on his watch.
I'm not really sure how I felt about the district forcing him out of his job from the start. I can see how it could happen, but I couldn't see any negligence on his part. Once this happens, he loses focus and himself and ends up in Put-In-Bay, OH.
Thanks Mr. Cooper, after Googling this lakeside town, I've decided that some day I must road trip there just to see Ohio's Perry Monument. I'm used to the one located in Presque Isle State Park, across the bay from where Perry's ship The Niagara is often docked.
This is the monument in Ohio
It is hard to believe such a normal guy can spiral down the wrong way so quickly. He takes a job as a bouncer and soon becomes caught up in drinking, drugs and more than a few sexual encounters.
I have to say, of the hookups Brad made in the course of the book, the only one that was really erotic was the one with Randy.
As things continue to go wrong Brad slowly starts to step away from the drugs. He did it a bit too easily in my opinion, especially after all the partying he did over the summer. I mean, this guy was drinking, smoking weed and snorting coke and yet he stops cold turkey.
The climax of the book ends with a death of one of the characters. It was more than a bit depressing, but not unexpected.
It was hard to like these characters. Not because they were bad, but because they were all so messed up in their own ways. You knew each one of them could be so much better that what they were. Haley was the one I felt the most sorry for. She grasped at relationships the wrong way. Astrid....well there was something about her that I just couldn't like. I wanted to smack her most of the time, along with Cinch.
Outside In, was a quick read, definitely different from the girlie books that I'm used to, but it was something that I enjoyed even as I stepped out of my comfort zone.
I'm not really sure how I felt about the district forcing him out of his job from the start. I can see how it could happen, but I couldn't see any negligence on his part. Once this happens, he loses focus and himself and ends up in Put-In-Bay, OH.
Thanks Mr. Cooper, after Googling this lakeside town, I've decided that some day I must road trip there just to see Ohio's Perry Monument. I'm used to the one located in Presque Isle State Park, across the bay from where Perry's ship The Niagara is often docked.
This is the monument in Ohio
It is hard to believe such a normal guy can spiral down the wrong way so quickly. He takes a job as a bouncer and soon becomes caught up in drinking, drugs and more than a few sexual encounters.
I have to say, of the hookups Brad made in the course of the book, the only one that was really erotic was the one with Randy.
As things continue to go wrong Brad slowly starts to step away from the drugs. He did it a bit too easily in my opinion, especially after all the partying he did over the summer. I mean, this guy was drinking, smoking weed and snorting coke and yet he stops cold turkey.
The climax of the book ends with a death of one of the characters. It was more than a bit depressing, but not unexpected.
It was hard to like these characters. Not because they were bad, but because they were all so messed up in their own ways. You knew each one of them could be so much better that what they were. Haley was the one I felt the most sorry for. She grasped at relationships the wrong way. Astrid....well there was something about her that I just couldn't like. I wanted to smack her most of the time, along with Cinch.
Outside In, was a quick read, definitely different from the girlie books that I'm used to, but it was something that I enjoyed even as I stepped out of my comfort zone.
March 11, 2015
Outside In is Doug Cooper's award winning debut novel and he definitely has a nice writing style. His tone and approach to his story, and the themes which I'll discuss in a bit, reminded me a lot of Brett Easton Ellis.
Brad, a high school math teacher, loses his job after the strange death of one of his students and he decides to go to Put-In-Bay Island in Lake Erie to spend the summer. Cooper obviously has a personal connection to this place because an island off the coast of Ohio is not a place I'd probably think of to spend my summer vacation no matter how depressed I was feeling about the loss of my job.
Brad immediately gets a job in a bar and befriends some of the other young island goers. What follows is pages of drunken nights, drug abuse, sex, biking, and swimming divided by Brad's inner dialogue about his constant need to find himself. And that's about all that happens until you are about 80% of the way through the book when Brad finally steps outside of his reckless comfort zone. Things get even better in the last pages of the book when a friend disappears. Sadly, I wish that had happened earlier.
Because of the constant parade of doing shots in the bar or getting drunk at the winery or doing coke and mushrooms, I was really turned off by the characters and almost gave up on this book several times. In fact, I couldn't connect with anyone, not even Brad until the very end. I couldn't even remember the characters' names half the time!
Cooper might be writing about his own glory days here and that's fine. I just wish the real physical and emotional conflicts would have come earlier in the story. When your lead character is just trying to "find himself" by doing lines with his roommate and partying all night, it gets old after a while. But I think Brad knows that and Cooper eventually gives his protagonist a good hard push in the end. Like I said, I wish it had happened sooner. If it had, I probably would have given it four stars.
I am anxious to see what Cooper writes next though. The writing was decent here and being a first novel, I'm willing to try him again.
Brad, a high school math teacher, loses his job after the strange death of one of his students and he decides to go to Put-In-Bay Island in Lake Erie to spend the summer. Cooper obviously has a personal connection to this place because an island off the coast of Ohio is not a place I'd probably think of to spend my summer vacation no matter how depressed I was feeling about the loss of my job.
Brad immediately gets a job in a bar and befriends some of the other young island goers. What follows is pages of drunken nights, drug abuse, sex, biking, and swimming divided by Brad's inner dialogue about his constant need to find himself. And that's about all that happens until you are about 80% of the way through the book when Brad finally steps outside of his reckless comfort zone. Things get even better in the last pages of the book when a friend disappears. Sadly, I wish that had happened earlier.
Because of the constant parade of doing shots in the bar or getting drunk at the winery or doing coke and mushrooms, I was really turned off by the characters and almost gave up on this book several times. In fact, I couldn't connect with anyone, not even Brad until the very end. I couldn't even remember the characters' names half the time!
Cooper might be writing about his own glory days here and that's fine. I just wish the real physical and emotional conflicts would have come earlier in the story. When your lead character is just trying to "find himself" by doing lines with his roommate and partying all night, it gets old after a while. But I think Brad knows that and Cooper eventually gives his protagonist a good hard push in the end. Like I said, I wish it had happened sooner. If it had, I probably would have given it four stars.
I am anxious to see what Cooper writes next though. The writing was decent here and being a first novel, I'm willing to try him again.
November 15, 2013
You know how sometimes you just want to read a book to escape reality for a while but at the same time you want to feel connected to real human experiences. Well, this book did that for me. Its one of those books that keeps your interest while you're reading, then sticks with you long after, so you find yourself thinking of all the things you learned from it. Looking forward to the next book from this author!
December 3, 2013
The moment I began this book, I was immediately invested. I wanted to see what would pan out with Brad. Doug Cooper does an amazing job really allowing the reader to understand the characters. Enough that it brought out every type of emotion. I laughed, I cried and I sometimes felt like I was there among the crew - able to feel their emotions. You will not be able to put this book down!
April 14, 2014
I'll be honest, I don't know where the funny portions of this book come in. Maybe because I was reading while exhausted I missed them, but I found the book more sad than anything else. We have Brad, a junior high math teacher who experiences the death of a student in his classroom, who basically loses it. And really, picking up all of your worldly belongings, tossing responsibility out the window and moving to a location where the only things to do in your time is to get drunk and do drugs, is what I would consider losing it. While interesting, and Brad is kind of a different character, I really had no idea where the story was going. The writing is good, it just felt like as a reader, I was as aimless as Brad.
His adventures in Put-In-Bay, Ohio are what you would expect for a play like Key West, also referenced. I don't envision Ohio as being this hub of night life, and maybe Ohio gets a bum wrap. Maybe we should all go to Ohio and see what we're clearly missing.
But he spends an entire summer basically wasting his life away under the guise of who knows what, finding himself? Finding a larger meaning? I don't know even, but as fall approaches he realizes the summer, albeit fun and adventurous, doesn't wholly provide what he was looking for. It still feels like he never really finds what he was looking for. Maybe that was intentional, maybe it wasn't thought out enough and just wasn't included, I'm not sure. Basically, I'm a little surprised at how normal the ending is. And maybe I'm just really naive, but I'm pretty sure if a person did that amount of drugs and alcohol in a summer, you'd walk away as an addict. I don't know if a person can really do that much and just... return to life without a souvenir drug habit. But... it's fiction. He could be a fairy princess if he wanted to.
This is a debut, so given that, I'm interested to see what Doug Cooper has up his sleeve for the next book. Definitely has a good writing voice that makes it almost melodic to read, and that will get you through anything. It's available for Kindle right now for less than $7, so an interesting read if you're on a budget!
His adventures in Put-In-Bay, Ohio are what you would expect for a play like Key West, also referenced. I don't envision Ohio as being this hub of night life, and maybe Ohio gets a bum wrap. Maybe we should all go to Ohio and see what we're clearly missing.
But he spends an entire summer basically wasting his life away under the guise of who knows what, finding himself? Finding a larger meaning? I don't know even, but as fall approaches he realizes the summer, albeit fun and adventurous, doesn't wholly provide what he was looking for. It still feels like he never really finds what he was looking for. Maybe that was intentional, maybe it wasn't thought out enough and just wasn't included, I'm not sure. Basically, I'm a little surprised at how normal the ending is. And maybe I'm just really naive, but I'm pretty sure if a person did that amount of drugs and alcohol in a summer, you'd walk away as an addict. I don't know if a person can really do that much and just... return to life without a souvenir drug habit. But... it's fiction. He could be a fairy princess if he wanted to.
This is a debut, so given that, I'm interested to see what Doug Cooper has up his sleeve for the next book. Definitely has a good writing voice that makes it almost melodic to read, and that will get you through anything. It's available for Kindle right now for less than $7, so an interesting read if you're on a budget!
May 4, 2014
" Don't let yourself get bored. Exist to question, question your existence."
Brad Shepherd is a younger high school math teacher, who for all of his life has followed the rules and his parents wishes. Suddenly, while in the middle of a lesson, one of his students passes out and dies from a drug overdose. The school-board, not wanting any trouble, offers Brad a nice package to leave. Brad takes his package and runs away to a small summer-vacation island in Put-in-Bay, Ohio. There he meets up with a menagerie of friends, Haley, Cinch, Birch and Astrid. Brad picks up a job as a bouncer at one of his friends bars and quickly falls into the party scene, drugs, more drugs and even harder drugs and women (and other lovers). Trying to erase from his mind the school tragedy,Brad may just create more problems for himself.
This is a modern-day coming of age story for adults; adults that have succeeded in the eyes of society, but still feel like something is missing, that all that they were promised is not present. Being the same age as Brad in this story, I can relate. Though I haven't quite gone through a tragedy like his and hopefully would not fall into sex, drugs and alcohol to fix it; Brad's struggle with finding what he wants to do in life still resonates for my age group. I felt particularly bad for Brad's character when the school so quickly pushed him out of his job since he was a younger, non-tenured teacher and the issue would be more easily fixed by letting him go then trying to deal with whatever mess was left in it's wake. The setting and eternal-summer type atmosphere of Put-in-Bay is a great setting for Brad's raucous quarter-life-crisis and subsequent recovery. With great descriptions, I could easily picture this small island town and feel the atmosphere of the party life. Even though, Brad's fall was a hard one, he eventually learns that he is "drowning in a worse reality than the one I was trying to escape."
Brad Shepherd is a younger high school math teacher, who for all of his life has followed the rules and his parents wishes. Suddenly, while in the middle of a lesson, one of his students passes out and dies from a drug overdose. The school-board, not wanting any trouble, offers Brad a nice package to leave. Brad takes his package and runs away to a small summer-vacation island in Put-in-Bay, Ohio. There he meets up with a menagerie of friends, Haley, Cinch, Birch and Astrid. Brad picks up a job as a bouncer at one of his friends bars and quickly falls into the party scene, drugs, more drugs and even harder drugs and women (and other lovers). Trying to erase from his mind the school tragedy,Brad may just create more problems for himself.
This is a modern-day coming of age story for adults; adults that have succeeded in the eyes of society, but still feel like something is missing, that all that they were promised is not present. Being the same age as Brad in this story, I can relate. Though I haven't quite gone through a tragedy like his and hopefully would not fall into sex, drugs and alcohol to fix it; Brad's struggle with finding what he wants to do in life still resonates for my age group. I felt particularly bad for Brad's character when the school so quickly pushed him out of his job since he was a younger, non-tenured teacher and the issue would be more easily fixed by letting him go then trying to deal with whatever mess was left in it's wake. The setting and eternal-summer type atmosphere of Put-in-Bay is a great setting for Brad's raucous quarter-life-crisis and subsequent recovery. With great descriptions, I could easily picture this small island town and feel the atmosphere of the party life. Even though, Brad's fall was a hard one, he eventually learns that he is "drowning in a worse reality than the one I was trying to escape."
January 14, 2014
Kat's Review
This book started off fairly mainstream, but quickly made its way into the realm of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. I have mixed feelings about the novel as a whole.
The protagonist was a bit difficult to like, because I found him to be immature. I also found his rapid descent into a full-blown drug problem to be a bit unbelievable. I felt at times that I was reading about a frat boy, not an adult.
That said, the story documented one man's descent into a lifestyle that starts off fun, but quickly gets out of control. Brad's desire to blow off some steam and live life with no responsibilities after leaving his job lends to the initial party atmosphere. Too much alcohol and partying, no strings attached relationships, and sleeping away the day seem like just the life he's looking for.
As the book progresses, his drug use and drinking increase, and getting high begins to take precedence over everything else. As things begin to spiral out of control, it becomes clear that he's on a collision course with disaster.
Kat's Rating: Worth a Look
I wavered on what to rate this because in some ways this is an uncomfortable read. Days can run into each other in the narrative, but I think some of that is because the main character is losing his grip on reality as the book progresses. It wasn't my favourite book, but I found it to be well-written. I certainly think there's an audience for this, and I could see it being a bit of a cult fave.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley & the publisher in return for an honest review.
- See more at: http://www.katsbookbuzz.net/2014/01/r...
This book started off fairly mainstream, but quickly made its way into the realm of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. I have mixed feelings about the novel as a whole.
The protagonist was a bit difficult to like, because I found him to be immature. I also found his rapid descent into a full-blown drug problem to be a bit unbelievable. I felt at times that I was reading about a frat boy, not an adult.
That said, the story documented one man's descent into a lifestyle that starts off fun, but quickly gets out of control. Brad's desire to blow off some steam and live life with no responsibilities after leaving his job lends to the initial party atmosphere. Too much alcohol and partying, no strings attached relationships, and sleeping away the day seem like just the life he's looking for.
As the book progresses, his drug use and drinking increase, and getting high begins to take precedence over everything else. As things begin to spiral out of control, it becomes clear that he's on a collision course with disaster.
Kat's Rating: Worth a Look
I wavered on what to rate this because in some ways this is an uncomfortable read. Days can run into each other in the narrative, but I think some of that is because the main character is losing his grip on reality as the book progresses. It wasn't my favourite book, but I found it to be well-written. I certainly think there's an audience for this, and I could see it being a bit of a cult fave.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley & the publisher in return for an honest review.
- See more at: http://www.katsbookbuzz.net/2014/01/r...
September 11, 2014
Outside in 240 (251) Doug Cooper 6/12/14 posted 9/9/14
Brad Shepherd (scapegoat, Shep) gets blamed & loses his job because 1 of his MS students Barry Christenson O/D in class on his mother pain meds.
Put-in-Bay (island), OH, like all college or tourists traps it relies on or survival from alcohol, drugs, music & sex.
Brad goes there for some well-deserved R & R & gets a job at the Boat House as a bouncer/jack-of-all-trades.
He quickly adapts & he meets his soon BMF Cinch Stevens (Shep; street musician; drug dealer, history teacher, Griffin brother). Life is never the same for him.
Several years ago on 1 of those food/travel TV channels I saw a Bartender Olympics that was awesome. Which bar & bartender will win this?
What will Brad do the rest of his life?
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well YA spring break type written book. It was very easy to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. No grammar errors, repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great YA spring break type movie, or paid-per-view mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Autographed Goodreads book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Brad Shepherd (scapegoat, Shep) gets blamed & loses his job because 1 of his MS students Barry Christenson O/D in class on his mother pain meds.
Put-in-Bay (island), OH, like all college or tourists traps it relies on or survival from alcohol, drugs, music & sex.
Brad goes there for some well-deserved R & R & gets a job at the Boat House as a bouncer/jack-of-all-trades.
He quickly adapts & he meets his soon BMF Cinch Stevens (Shep; street musician; drug dealer, history teacher, Griffin brother). Life is never the same for him.
Several years ago on 1 of those food/travel TV channels I saw a Bartender Olympics that was awesome. Which bar & bartender will win this?
What will Brad do the rest of his life?
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well YA spring break type written book. It was very easy to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. No grammar errors, repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great YA spring break type movie, or paid-per-view mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Autographed Goodreads book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
May 15, 2014
Outside In by Doug Cooper is a unique coming-of-age story. Brad Shepherd has always followed the path where his life is 'supposed' to go. He is a junior high math teacher, and, following the death of a student in his class, he becomes the scapegoat and is forced out of his job. He feels responsible and feels like his life is not his own anymore. Brad relocates to the Put-in-Bay island community in Ohio, in an effort to find himself.
The story takes off right from the beginning and it felt like we were on a collision course that didn't let go. It was really interesting to read, as this story could have gone so many different directions. I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in Brad's situation. We are passengers in Brad's frenzied journey toward self-discovery. It is an intense ride. Outside In by Doug Cooper shows how one man goes to extreme measures to find out who he is and what he should be doing with his life. The book manages to be funny, entertaining, heartwarming and honest all at the same time. I genuinely liked Brad and found myself thinking about his story even after I finished reading.
Review posted on Brooke Blogs.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The story takes off right from the beginning and it felt like we were on a collision course that didn't let go. It was really interesting to read, as this story could have gone so many different directions. I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in Brad's situation. We are passengers in Brad's frenzied journey toward self-discovery. It is an intense ride. Outside In by Doug Cooper shows how one man goes to extreme measures to find out who he is and what he should be doing with his life. The book manages to be funny, entertaining, heartwarming and honest all at the same time. I genuinely liked Brad and found myself thinking about his story even after I finished reading.
Review posted on Brooke Blogs.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 17, 2014
Brad "Call me Shep" Shepherd is a 28 year old teacher who faces an existential crisis after a tragedy in his classroom. he follows the Summer crowd to Put-In Bay in the middle of Lake Erie where he hopes to find himself and his path.
His search has him working as a bouncer and experimenting with every increasing amounts of drugs and alcohol until finally, another tragedy allows him to put things in perspective and see where he really belongs.
In the notes, the author describes this as a cross between Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Catcher in the Rye. That's a fairly apt description, and one that occurred to me as I was reading. The writing was very cinematic in feel and the novel would translate very well to film.
There were certainly elements that I could relate to, as a teacher who had a similar, if much less extreme, journey at the same age, but ultimately I found Shep and unlikeable character who I just wanted to slap most of the time. And the supporting cast weren't much better.
I can see this book appealing to those in their mid to late 20s who are transitioning from an over-long adolescence into adulthood like the main character, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.
His search has him working as a bouncer and experimenting with every increasing amounts of drugs and alcohol until finally, another tragedy allows him to put things in perspective and see where he really belongs.
In the notes, the author describes this as a cross between Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Catcher in the Rye. That's a fairly apt description, and one that occurred to me as I was reading. The writing was very cinematic in feel and the novel would translate very well to film.
There were certainly elements that I could relate to, as a teacher who had a similar, if much less extreme, journey at the same age, but ultimately I found Shep and unlikeable character who I just wanted to slap most of the time. And the supporting cast weren't much better.
I can see this book appealing to those in their mid to late 20s who are transitioning from an over-long adolescence into adulthood like the main character, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.
February 16, 2016
Outside In was written in a way that transported me in time and space. I could not put this book down. The description of the Island took me back to a week I spent there in my twenties. And the characters made me feel like I knew Brad and Cinch personally. While not all scenarios were true to life, there was enough similarity that gave me a clearer understanding of the characters in the book, as well as the ones in my life, past, and present. I think if I were to meet Brad in a restaurant today, I'd feel an instant connection. Like the rest of us, he was looking for that one person to connect with and love. It made me literally laugh out loud at times, and wipe tears from my face. I felt empathy and hope for what is the human condition. For these reasons, I anxiously await his next novel. Well done, Mr. Cooper!
July 6, 2014
Brad Shepherd is a 28 year old junior high math teacher until a student dies from a drug overdose in his classroom.The school district pressured him to leave and he decides to get away and spend the summer on put-in-Bay with old friends.Put-in-Bay is a summer tourist location on South Bass Island in Ohio.Wanting to escape reality,he quickly falls into the party scene with excessive drinking,heavy drug use and sexual experimentation.After a tragic loss and some serious self reflection Brad rediscovers himself.I found this book to be a real downer.Doug Cooper has well developed characters but I did not particularly care for them."Coming of age" stories are not the type I normally read and enjoy.
December 9, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Outside In tells the story of a young man who suffers a life altering tragedy and is forced out of his job as a school teacher. This book recounts a summer vacation of drug and alcohol abuse, while the main character tries to find him purpose in life.
Great characters who all have demons. I could close my eyes and be in the island. This was a "real life" type novel. Gritty, not always pretty, yet totally believe able. Looking forward to reading more from Mr. Cooper
Great characters who all have demons. I could close my eyes and be in the island. This was a "real life" type novel. Gritty, not always pretty, yet totally believe able. Looking forward to reading more from Mr. Cooper
October 13, 2013
I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review. The book was okay, but was not considered a mystery to me. While I could identify with all the characters, typical teen/young adult, the ending was not very thoughtout. Brad is still choosing to hide. I had some difficulty getting into the book at first, but once I did it was fine.
November 5, 2014
I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review. It was too long, there was no need for endless pages about Brad's drunken, drug filled days and nights. I almost quit reading this book. I started just skimming the pages to get through it. However, the last couple of chapters were better...they almost redeemed the book.
December 1, 2025
Maybe it’s because I read this mere days after finishing Seascraper by Benjamin Wood that I found this novel of “20-something-male-finds-himself” lacking. But not really. Outside In and Seascraper are different books, about different types of people, with different journeys. It’s just interesting that one can be so poetic and atmospheric (Seascraper), where the other fails to produce any atmosphere and falls quite flat whenever it tries to philosophize (Outside In).
I know that the reader not liking Brad is probably the author’s intent, and I do enjoy when a book makes me hate the MC, but there still has to be something to root for, something relatable to connect to. But Brad very much reads like a self-centered, 28 year old with arrested development and a quarter life(ish) crisis. I think most of us have been there (me). Who doesn’t dream quitting their job (even though he doesn’t really) and fucking off to a remote island to do lots of drinking, drugs and hooking up? It mostly just read like a daydream of someone stuck behind a desk 9-5 (me), imagining what it would be like to have a big dick (Brad is given the nickname “the Rod” at some point) and have all the drunk hotties running after you. A lot of it is also “I’m 12 and this is deep”.
I know that the reader not liking Brad is probably the author’s intent, and I do enjoy when a book makes me hate the MC, but there still has to be something to root for, something relatable to connect to. But Brad very much reads like a self-centered, 28 year old with arrested development and a quarter life(ish) crisis. I think most of us have been there (me). Who doesn’t dream quitting their job (even though he doesn’t really) and fucking off to a remote island to do lots of drinking, drugs and hooking up? It mostly just read like a daydream of someone stuck behind a desk 9-5 (me), imagining what it would be like to have a big dick (Brad is given the nickname “the Rod” at some point) and have all the drunk hotties running after you. A lot of it is also “I’m 12 and this is deep”.
May 20, 2025
it's just one of those pieces of media that is about how the party can get dark. has a weird moralistic view about sex and drugs even though it's essentially using those things as an engine to drive its story, which is to say that it's a lot of like c-tier 80s film, complete with dialogue and prose that strive toward philosophical heights it doesn't earn and can't possibly achieve. one one level its about losing a sense of self but the reasons for that loss are never fully explored beyond an inciting incident that doesn't take up as much of the book's emotional real estate as it probably should, and the climax that induces that sense of self is cliche. catch it anywhere from snack shack to my girl. or no, wait, I get it. he's being punished for his moral transgressions so our protagonist can return to his rightful path having learned a lesson about partying. good. I hate partying. it sucks.
August 14, 2025
Unfortunately, didn't care for most of this one. Found the characters flat, the themes overly simple and moralistic, and most of the dialogue unbelievable. There were a handful of moments that made me laugh out loud, and I was fascinated just to learn about the existence of Put-in-Bay. Unbelievable to me that such a place exists in Ohio.
September 20, 2013
This story reminded me of my college days when everything you did was done with a carefree attitude. The main character makes a major change in his life after he is forced out of his job. He then begins to view life in a different way and moves to a place where responsibility goes out the window and he can live life one day at a time. As you can imagine, it can't continue like this forever and he must face his future. Interesting story.
July 21, 2013
I kinda liked Brad, his 1st person voice, even though the plot was lacking in direction. I usually like the slacker novel, and I liked this one ok, but the end really bombed. It was very contrived and dumb. But I read an ARC, so maybe the final copy will be improved. 2.5 stars.
March 21, 2015
Yuck. nOT my kind of book.
December 22, 2015
Something kept me going to see how it ended up, so that's something. Sort of predictable, but the author's earnest attempt made me continue.
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