A History of Stone and Steel

by Christopher Fisher

---Gold Medal, IPPY Awards, Best Adult Fiction E-Book---
---Silver Medal, Benjamin Franklin Awards, Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book: Fiction---
---Finalist, Foreword Reviews' 2013 Book of the Year Awards---
---Finalist, Eric Hoffer Book Awards---
---Finalist, National Indie Excellence Book Awards---


When Paul Keppel learns that his fanatical, fire-and-brimstone-preaching grandfather is dying from brain cancer, he sees his own chronic headaches as a sign from above that he too has a very short time to live. Driven by pain, a nightmare about work boots, and a sense of impending doom, Paul soon finds himself losing control over his words and actions, to disastrous and comical effect. In order to save his marriage, avenge his sister, and preserve his sanity, he must face the memory of the summer when he was twenty-one, when a tragic steel plant accident sent his life spinning off course. But in the process, Paul begins to suspect that the history he has written in his head may not be as accurate as he once believed.

Genres: Fiction

322 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

Reviews

[Dan Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This finely drawn story draws the reader into a bruising world of hot steel mills and even hotter tempers, delivered through a hard-to-escape, biblical sort of fiery brimstone vision that makes the narrator’s blinding headaches seem like the least of his troubles. Yet A History of Stone and Steel is a thoughtful, nuanced look at pain—both emotional and physical—and the opposite of pain, at redemption and at just how far one can really get from those primary forces that form us into who we are. A good read. Highly recommend.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book when it the kindle version was free one day. Those types of books are usually poorly written and I don't even finish many of them. This book grabbed me from the very beginning and took me for a ride as Paul figures out where he is in life and where he's going as he works his way through past and current issues. Christopher Fisher is a great writer and I look forward to seeing more of his work. He brings Paul to life as a real human being with questions and flaws, but there is still a redemptive quality in him that makes you still hope for him as he deals with his life. This book has a religious theme and I love how he winds that into the story without hitting you over the head with the fact that he does or does not believe. I'm sad this is this author's first book as I would love to go find something else he has written. Big publishing houses, here is an author worth finding.
Be warned this is some raw language and I almost put it down due to that language, but I am glad that I didn't.

[Cacallahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising find

I stumbled upon this book and was attracted by the boots on the cover. The kind of boots my father has worn his whole life. I read the description and was intrigued. Turns out to be a very relatable story. I was very concerned about the characters, I could sympathize with the blue collar work, and I've known many guys just like the men portrayed in the book. Overall, it's a great read, showing us a gritty, real look at an American life. It's real, it's funny, it's heartbreaking, it was a surprising find. I will recommend to others.

[Glenna Pritchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was...unsettling. I was left with a vague uneasiness; maybe because I'm not sure God gives such "gifts" to anyone as Paul's grandfather claimed that Paul had, or because I would likely be afraid of such a gifted person if I met him. Maybe because Paul's struggles with his faith mirror my own. I can't say I enjoyed it, but I am glad I read it. The book is well-written and it provided me much food for thought. I would read other books by Mr. Fisher.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway. This book was so good. It had me hooked by the end of the first chapter. I couldn't put it down. Excellent read

[dori villalon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific Book

I liked this book, the characters, and the flow of the story. Read it in one day. Definitely recommend it.

[E.L. Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A History of Stone and Steel by Christopher Fisher is an unusual read that is both compelling and thought provoking. I was hooked from the first page and it is a credit to Fisher’s skill as a writer that he drew me in so effectively and made me care about a character who is not very likeable.

Paul Keppel is like a middle-aged Holden Caulfield – 43 years old and still going through life in a self-absorbed bubble with no idea who he really is. The story is told in first person narrative and the only thing that kept me from fully detesting Paul was his wry humour and the fact that he knows that he is a “ridiculous man.”

The novel begins in the present where Paul is married with one year old twin girls and another child on the way. He is a dissertation away from completing his PHD which will allow him to teach and take the financial pressure off his family. However, he is stuck in some kind of no man’s land unable to put pen to paper. Matters are compounded as he is suffering from debilitating headaches and insomnia caused by a recurring dream.

The dream takes on a life of its own and forms part of the structure of the story when Fisher takes us on a journey which alternates between the present and the summer of 1991 when Paul worked in a steel plant. As the novel unfolds the tension increases as Fisher hints that the incidents of 1991 have impacted massively on Paul’s present. By the time the time line meets up at the end of the novel the suspense is almost unbearable.

My favourite parts of the novel are the ones in the steel plant. Fisher creates a world that is vividly terrifying. He describes inside the plant as being like hell with the heat and physical labour and the reader is left with no doubt of the harsh conditions and danger that the men are working in every day. All this is offset though by the camaraderie of the men and the unique relationships that develop in such a tough environment.

One of Paul’s weaknesses is that he unable to accept people as they are. He is easily disappointed when people can’t be who he wants them to be. His father is a hard working man, often working double shifts in the steel plant to provide for his family. He clearly loves his son, there is a tender scene where he makes Paul breakfast and he’s also given him his beloved old truck and paved his way into the steel plant. However, he’s not particularly demonstrative for which Paul can’t forgive him.

Paul’s sense of dislocation seems to stem from the fact that when he was just eight years old his ‘fire and brimstone’ grandfather, “the reverend”, declared him to be a prophet. Consequently Paul’s childhood was defined by his feelings of being special and his grandfather’s dream of him attending bible school and becoming a preacher. It is only as a young man that Paul is able to free himself from his grandfather’s dominating presence.

Maybe as a result of his grandfather’s overbearing personality, Paul becomes like a spectator in his own life. He loves his first girlfriend, Angela; because she wants him to and then goes on to marry Carrie because she makes it easy for him. At no time does he make an actual commitment. It’s ironic that his anger towards his own father stems from their lack of communication because his relationship with his own daughters seems very distant which is emphasised by his friend Gary’s ability to easily engage with them.

Fisher uses Gary as a direct contrast to Paul. A mature student working his way through college, Gary is an ex-Marine who perhaps has reason to feel sorry for himself. He walks with a limp due to a bizarre accident whilst in service and is troubled by his wartime experience. Paul has everything that Gary doesn’t and, maybe due to his loneliness, Gary quickly insinuates himself into Paul’s life and becomes his partner in crime. Paul and Gary’s antics provide much of the comedy in the novel. As Paul’s behaviour becomes increasingly out of control, Gary is like the voice of reason even though he clearly has a great many mental health issues of his own.

I’m not sure what to make of Paul’s long suffering wife, Carrie, or indeed why she puts up with his unreasonable, selfish behaviour. Despite being pregnant she is the one who keeps the family together, working in a bank, taking care of the twins and seemingly doing all of the household chores. She even collects Paul’s medication for him while he wallows in self pity and pretends to write his dissertation. Since marrying Paul she has found religion which perhaps explains why she stays with him or maybe she is simply a realistic portrayal of why people stay in marriages that to outsiders don’t seem worth the trouble.

The end of the book came as a massive surprise to me which, despite the escalating tension, I never saw coming. I think A History of Stone and Steel is an intelligent book which raises lots of questions. Religion runs through the entire novel and with it the idea that it is not religion but the way in which we interpret it that causes so many problems. It is very much a novel of our time and Paul is the perfect representative of our self obsessed society. He mirrors the way we all seem to spend our time looking inward and struggling with existential angst rather than just getting on with life and making the best of what we have.

I loved A History of Stone and Steel and as much as I wanted to slap Paul I was completely intrigued by his story. It’s a thoughtful and at times hilarious book which is extremely well written. If you like something that is a bit quirky and different then I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having won this book from a Goodreads.com giveaway, I was intrigued by the blurb used in the description of the giveaway. It mentioned the bare essentials of the plot such as a man dealing with his own set of problems finding out his grandfather was dying and coming to term with secrets long buried. When I actually opened the book, I was instantly hooked on the road Paul, the main character, was taking. There was no alternative but to hang on until the end.

A History of Stone and Steel is the debut novel for Christopher Fisher, but it certainly does not read like one. The path that the story takes winds its way through Paul's adolescence and adulthood with little effort, bringing the reader along as a witness to the unraveling that is taking place in Paul's life. With each revelation and decision, the reader is given a front row seat to the madness that takes over as he begins to lose control, driving his loved ones to the edge of desertion.

The theme of what it means to truly be a Christian also presents itself throughout the story. For some of the characters, it is the driving force behind each and every one of their decisions. Others are reluctant to acknowledge the depth in which they do believe, whether out of fear or they simply cannot bring themselves to believe completely. The author lays out thoughts, theories and feelings along the way that allow the reader to decide for him/herself what the meaning behind the events could be.

Overall, I liked how frank the book was when it came to Paul's indecision. He was as messed up as anyone on this planet could be and yet he still had a sense of right and wrong at his very core. In a way, I was both rooting for and against the character, something not usually done in my case. It's a thought-provoking, profanity-laced, theology-questioning book that kept me turning page after page to find out what happened next. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A History of Stone and Steel tells the story of Paul Keppel's struggle to comes to terms having lived a life he only half-chose. As a teen his grandfather the zealous preacher and his steel worker father had opposing visions of Paul's future. His preacher grandfather's breath reeked fire and brimstone while whisky suited his father's taste more. Inevitably, Paul's life launched sideways. He finds himself a depressed and struggling TA at a college, trying to cobble enough of an existence to support his young family. Reoccurring nightmares and chronic headaches and the news his grandfather is dying of brain cancer convince Paul he also is not long for this life. The prospect of not having to life to see the fruit of his behavior gives him permission to stray into erratic behavior as he attempts to salvage his marriage and whatever else is left in his dead end life.

Fisher's debut foray into novel writing is brilliant. Every facet of his protagonist's life is in flames by the end of the first chapter. The beats alternate between tragic and comic with ease and occasionally embody both at once. Fisher guides his readers through the steel mill, the college, the church, the bottom of a bourbon bottle, and through the depth's human spirit, each setting with equal ease.

A History of Stone and Steel also explores Paul's conflicted relationship with his grandfather's God. Paul sees his grandfather as God's unreliable narrator and as a result can't trust what he thinks he knows about God, or if there is a God at all. Spiritual fiction, especially written from a Christian point of view, is difficult to pull off well due to the temptation to impose a "Prodigal Son" template on every story arc or to use God as deus ex machina. Fisher stands each of these devices on their head to create a conclusion that is surprising, inevitable, and satisfying.

[Dathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed at how short it was -- when I find a book that I can get into, I usually like for it to last longer.

The main character is very strong, and the book does a good job of giving him depth. I can't escape the feeling, though, that I was just an observer through the whole book -- I never felt drawn into the character. His physical pain, his instability, and his traumatic history give the reader a lot to think about, but it would have been better had it gone a little further -- taking some time to flesh out some of the other characters and investigate the protagonist's relationship with them would make the character and his ennui more compelling. As it is we don't get a great feeling for his wife, and as such it's tough to get really involved in his feelings for his wife. Similarly, his struggle with his grandfather, which sets the stage for the entire story, seems shallow, since we never get a real feel for the grandfather as a person. The same can be said of all characters in the book, I think, especially Gary, who just comes off as a foil. There's a solid foundation for all of these relationships and characters, but the realization just falls a little short.

Despite that, it's a good, if short, character study that I thoroughly enjoyed -- sort of a cross between J.D. Salinger and John Irving -- and I'm looking forward to some more of Chris's stuff, hopefully soon.

[Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A History of Stone and Steel is hard. It comes from a place of hardness, as does its main character, Paul Keppel, which contrasts with his chosen path of getting a history doctorate.
The book has a single flaw which bumped it down one star and almost bumped it down two. Sudden, allegedly divine, intervention into the affairs of men, at the end of the book.
It made no sense for me to suddenly need to suspend my disbelief during the last 20 pages. Although something like this had previously been hinted it, it was just that: hints from a crazy religious man. To have the divine intervention, that was just stupid. It ruined the reading experience.
Except for that glaring flaw, Steel is a very good read, somewhat quick and well grounded. The sense of place is not, however, tied to a geographical place (I kept thinking of it being in the rural West) but rather, a manufacturing town and a university town.
The scenes are mostly enjoyable, the novel does not drag and the characters seem believable.
The novel appears to use functions just before our current situation, which make it a wee bit harder to believe in our immediate present, saturated with Obamacare.
Steel is worth reading, despite its terrible deus ex machine.

This book was received, free of charge, from the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When Paul Keppel learns that his fanatical, fire-and-brimstone-preaching grandfather is dying from brain cancer, he sees his own chronic headaches as a sign from above that he too has a very short time to live. Driven by pain, a nightmare about work boots, and a sense of impending doom, Paul soon finds himself losing control over his words and actions, to disastrous and comical effect. In order to save his marriage, avenge his sister, and preserve his sanity, he must face the memory of the summer when he was twenty-one, when a tragic steel plant accident sent his life spinning off course. But in the process, Paul begins to suspect that the history he has written in his head may not be believed.”

This was truly an interesting read – about a man’s story of a steel plant, his family, search for a belief in God, that leads him along a strange path, as he remembers it. It made me laugh, cry – was well written, plotted and truly most entertaining read. A surprising, enjoyable story that I would recommend to almost anyone I know!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
While I took my time finishing this book, I enjoyed it very much. For a Christian fiction book, it wasn’t boring or corny like almost every one I’ve read is. Maybe it’s the grittiness and bluntness and the fact that not all Christian Americans are crazy zealots that made is appealing.
An easy summary is Paul Keppel is going through a mid-life crisis and has a dying grandfather an on-the-brinks marriage and is unsatisfied with his job at a university. Though all of this he we get a retelling of a time in his past working at a steel mill and how it is affecting him now. While working at the university he becomes friends with a student named Gary and they have their exploits. Gary was one of my favorite characters in the book, just for his willingness to do and be bad. One can’t deny the power of Grandpa Todd and his presence throughout the novel. The grandfather just plagues him at every turn.

[Irma Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the way the story intertwined present and past. The beginning was pretty intriguing, like you really want to find out more about a guy who throws bricks at cows.
But the character turned out to be a bit inconclusive. For a guy from a religious steel-mining background to turn out an academic... maybe I'm just not familiar enough with the American Dream? On the other hand, the book reads like it is a factual account. It seems difficult to imagine that someone could make up these strands of a personality.

[Madi Busi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was recommended this book by a friend. Like most friendly book recommendations, I was expecting this book to be a casual decent read. It passed my expectations and then some. Perhaps this was a case of right book, right reader, right time. I found a connection with the main character's sarcasm and growing apathy. I enjoyed the layout of the story, flashbacks, current happenings mixed with the occasional dream fade.

Overall it is a story that I would recommend reading, but I wouldn't expect it would be loved by all.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a good reads giveaway. It's a story about Paul who's life is spinning out of control. The chapters go back an forth between the present and 20 years ago when Paul was working at a steel mill. Events from that summer changed the direction of his life and now he is in physical agony, having nightmares and questioning his Christianity. The story is at times funny and tragic. Paul made a lot of questionable choices and yet I was rooting for him.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book. I liked how there were two stories, separated by 21 years, told by the same narrator. I have to admit that I didn't really care for the protagonist a whole lot, which made it a little difficult to identify with him. However, the story (stories) were well-written enough to keep it interesting. I consider myself more of ambiguous "literary fiction" than "chick lit," but this was a decidently more "manly" book that I typically read.

[Matt Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is entertaining, thought-provoking, funny and tragic, striking a nice balance at the right times. It navigates the protagonist seamlessly through past and present, navigating fear, regret, anger and miscellaneous messiness of life,violent tempers and all, contemplating mortality and God on top of it all. This isn't only a great first novel. This is a great novel, period.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely well-written novel about a middle-aged graduate student haunted by the influence, and fear, of his holy-roller grandfather. While the protagonist does everything he could possibly to to make himself unlikable to everyone around him, the reader can't help but want good things to finally happen for him. The story is disturbing but redemptive at the same time.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, well written and enjoyable. I loved the wry and sometimes raw humor of the main chatacter. He puts himself in some interesting situations as he works through his life and the person he's become. The story feels like someone's true experiences, with all of the people like those I've met myself and either liked, loved or tolerated. I hope to see more from this writer.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The writing was excellent. It seems that debut novels are often gems. Authors seem to put their heart and soul into their first works and this book is a wonderful example of that. It was so good I couldn't stop reading. Plenty of conflict and well developed characters. Flawed characters always make for a good story. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book I'd normally choose, but I enjoyed it. A bit slow to start, and I found myself switching between this book and others. But I still always came back, and I definitely enjoyed it more as I got further into it.

[Jim Melville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This was an interesting tale about extraordinary people living ordinary lives. No fluff just really good story telling I will look up more stories by Christopher Fisher.

[Jennifer Khodadoost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this novel that explored the struggle of a young man to choose between a family history of working in a steel mill or a future in academia. It also interplayed his struggle with religion throughout his development. Interesting and different kind of novel. An easy and enjoyable read.

[Mark Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has tremendous faith, humor, wit and grit! A great story that comes at a perfect time in our country's battle to save the middle class. Read it and be moved, it's that simple! I received a free copy of this book via Goodreads First Reads.

[Starr Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it! The main character felt very real, and familiar. Storyline drew me in quickly, leaving me up too late to keep reading.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read. the power struggle between the father and maternal grandfather was interesting.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a pretty good book. Maybe it was just everything I had going on at the time but i found it a bit hard to get into sometimes.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange book. Interesting book but strange also. It started slow and took a few chapters to really grab my attention.

[J. A. Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the first few pages. I am not a fan of the "f" word as I don't think it adds value to any story. So, after getting to the next "MF", I just put it away.