If I had Wings these Windmills would be Dead

by Chuck Howe

Chuck Howe is a great musician and with If I Had Wings, These Windmills Would Be Dead, he shows what I’ve known for years: That he’s also a brilliant writer. Wings reads like a concept album, with its recurring themes, tons of gorgeous, leftfield imagery and a memory so vivid, you would swear it was all his imagination, if you didn’t know him any better. Howe takes you on a trip full of many bumps, bruises and missteps, but the most important thing about a book this good is that it never comes off as boastful and it all leads to a conclusion that leaves you with a feeling of overwhelming hope and love. I hope Chuck keeps at this for a long time. He has the potential to be a real noisemaker in this business and Wings is a great opening riff to start off with. -- Jonny Sparkles, stand up comedian

187 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2013

About the author

There are things about me you wouldn't understand, couldn't understand, shouldn't understand. I'm a loner, Dotty, a rebel...

Reviews

[Bud Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, endearing, heartfelt. Also, full of the wild meandering song of youth, equally blood, drugs and music spilling out of everything. This collection starts from the beginning, following a young protagonist through all sorts of strange adventures. At times feeling like a literary Calvin and Hobbes trading through mountain trails and backwoods pines, and later growing up into Hunter S. Thompson, with more poetry in his veins and less cocaine. If I had Wings These Windmills Would Be Dead is a rumination on life, love and what family means, even when you're balls are out and a gem an police officer has a machine gun pointed at your face.

[Aaron Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful piece of storytelling, Chuck Howe's If I Had Wings These Windmills Would Be Dead is a beautiful tapestry of shorts straight from the author's life. The book starts with heartwarming tales of youth that make you wonder how a little boy could ever be so charming. Gradually the boy grows into adulthood, encountering fear, heartbreak, surprise happinesses, and...well, drugs. I enjoyed watching how the charming boy of Howe's youth remains intact (in some ways) despite the constant dampening brought on by challenges that all 1990's hippies confront. I finished this book thinking, "What a beautiful, beautiful man," and it is my goal to give Chuck Howe a hug someday.

[Jonathan Sparkles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Howe is a great musician and with If I Had Wings, These Windmills Would Be Dead, he shows what I’ve known for years: That he’s also a brilliant writer. Wings reads like a concept album, with its recurring themes, tons of gorgeous, leftfield imagery and a memory so vivid, you would swear it was all his imagination, if you didn’t know him any better. Howe takes you on a trip full of many bumps, bruises and missteps, but the most important thing about a book this good is that it never comes off as boastful and it all leads to a conclusion that leaves you with a feeling of overwhelming hope and love. I hope Chuck keeps at this for a long time. He has the potential to be a real noisemaker in this business and Wings is a great opening riff to start off with.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Howe picks perfect moments for focus and has a marvelous way of bringing those brief selections across. I loved the younger portions best, but Howe is moving and evocative throughout. You really feel it as a reader and get a tangible sense of Howe as a person. It's a stellar book all around. Satisfying and enjoyable on the line level, vignette level, and on the whole.

[Mary Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Chuck Howe!! How I enjoyed If I had Wings these Windmills would be Dead!! I began reading this Saturday morning and finished it in one sitting. There were so many great stories that reminded me of my own youth. Of course, there were other parts that were totally unfamiliar to me but just as entertaining. It definitely took me back to those glory days of the 80's. Was there a better time to grow up than in the late 70's through the 80's?! No!! Best times ever! Chuck Howe does a fabulous job of bringing that time period alive for me. Thank you for sharing the wonderful memories. You are a brilliant storyteller. My favorite story: End of Summer.

Thanks so much to Chuck Howe for a gorgeous signed book that has one of the best cover designs (by Erin McParland) out there. Thanks to Goodreads for giving me the opportunity to join the best of giveaways. A very special thanks to Bud Smith for making sure I got this fantastic copy.

[Michelle]

I won this book in a first reads giveaway. I enjoyed reading it, but it is hard to review. There were things I had in common with the author that gave the some of the stories relevance for me, from geography to musical tastes. I am unsure how much someone without similar interests or experiences would enjoy it.

The book starts off with sweet, humorous or quirky autobiographical memories of childhood: fun little tales from the mind of a child growing up in the 70s/80s. As this child grows up and starts hanging out with girls, going to Phish shows, playing music and getting high, the writing feels more colloquial and less crafted. The thread of playing music is the strongest one throughout the book, among honest tales of relationships, roommates, adventures and transcendent experiences.

I would hope that a future printing of the book would correct the distracting typos, and also give context for the title of the book, which I don't think was mentioned. If you have interests similar to the author, or if you are open minded and curious, you might enjoy reading this book.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished the book, review to follow soon.