Going to the Sun: A Novel

by James McManus

Seven years ago, Penny's boyfriend was savagely attacked by a bear, setting off a chain of tragic events. Now, fighting a debilitating illness and haunted by her past, she finds herself incapable of emotional or sexual intimacy. As a way to break down the defenses she has built up in her safe Chicago life, she sets out on a cross-country bike tour. On this trip she meets Ndele, a beautiful, mysterious black man who challenges her to confront her ghosts and decide whether to put her past behind her and live or succumb to the terrible uncertainties that plague even her dreams.

Genres: Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

James "Jim" McManus is an American poker player, teacher and writer living in Kenilworth, Illinois.

Reviews

[Bonnie E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny is a cyclist with a chronic illness - diabetes - and her decision to travel from Chicago to Alaska by bike is driven by a desire to overcome some serious internal demons. We learn about a camping trip seven years earlier with Saint, her new boyfriend at the time, and the brutal bear attack that destroys him. Her interactions with his mother and family at his bedside, and the action she takes upon herself, are also brutal, and define her in the years to follow.

There is a very lyrical quality to this author’s storytelling. You get the true feel of what a grind it is to ride for 50 to 70 miles a day through Midwest flatlands, the constant slog through rain, wind, heat, and bugs, with cars and trucks zipping by sometimes inches away from impact and disaster, and the dangers associated with being a woman out there on her own. Penny’s strategy is to stop each night at small motels along the road as she refuses to camp out ever again given her past experience. She is tough and lonely and depressed and athletic - overall a complicated individual who is trying her best to overcome an insidious disease and face an uncertain future. The book was written through the eyes of a woman about her journeys, both internal and external, and I did not feel there were any miscues by the (male) author.

And wow - that violently poetic and superbly written ending - which I had to read several times over because it is such a kick in the gut.

Highly recommended.

[Brigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I aspire to write with as detailed observations as McManus's. The small things you wouldn't know unless you were diabetic, the size and location of both bodily and emotional aches, the overlooked things at the side of the road. The effect is that the first couple of chapters are absolutely harrowing, and the rest of the book seems to unfold effortlessly.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a PhD student at UIC running away from their dissertation and worried about student health insurance, I expected to feel a lot more things while reading this book about a PhD student at UIC running away from their dissertation and worried about student health insurance.

Alas, it never quite hits. There's not enough story here for the many emotional threads to develop, let alone resolve. Those which do resolve do so more out of happenstance than intention. McManus can't stop flaunting his "writer's craft" long enough for Penny to develop her own distinct voice. Yes, Penny's a clever English scholar, so some witty word choice in her internal monologue is expected. Real people are just a little bit more boring. Still, it's enjoyable to see the little details of the world and the human experience through McManus's observations.

[Kriskuch777 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t realize that lots of other people were also bothered by a man writing in the perspective of a woman until I finished this and read some reviews .. not exactly problematic but i never truly believed the protagonist was a young woman traveling across the country alone, I just pictured the author writing it and wondering where he got her inner monologue (especially on issues with sexuality, violence, etc etc). Interesting read, the first 100 pages were killlller and then I was less excited, overall I feel neutral. Loved the 90s vibes . Wanted to rate it 2.5 for the record!!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I was influenced by others comments regarding a male author writing from a woman's perspective, or if I formed my own opinions about that aspect of the book. I guess it was kind of weird- there was one statement about abusive fathers that was especially horrible- but otherwise I may not have noticed anything if I hadn't known. It was constantly in the back of my mind and therefore somewhat of a distraction, though. Even the person on the cover of the book appears to be a man! I liked the section of the book when Ndele is introduced. I was way more engaged. The travel parts describing the countryside or the various hotels she stayed in were decent overall, but not outstanding. It was interesting learning about what it's like to have the type of diabetes she has- I didn't realize it could be that serious. I guess this book got me thinking about a lot of things, and it kept my interest all the way through, so I'll give it a 3. If I could choose half-stars on Goodreads I would maybe give it a 3.5.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good "ride" book and this fits the bill, it's a fictional account of a young woman riding alone from Chicago to Alaska. The ride itself provides the usual highlights of too much traffic, bad drivers, young men looking for trouble or an opportunity, thunder storms and wind, steep mountain passes. But since this is fiction, the author throws in type 1 diabetes, a bear attack, sexual encounters, and many a bad decision.

[Micmacmilcomcast.net]

A young single diabetic woman rides her bike from Chicago to Alaska partially to try and conquer her diabetous but also to put closure on a horrible incident that happened years before in Alaska. The moral of the story I think you can all agree on is "Life is a challenge! Keep going!"

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago when it first came out and absolutely loved it. The story has as many twists and turns as her cross-country bike ride to find herself and the ending will leave you breathless. I'm so happy to have rediscovered it here on Goodreads and am excited to read it again.

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A travelogue about a woman on a cross country bicycle journey. Grizzly bear death, steamy sex with a basketball player... written by a man with really no sense of female experience. He should have written it with a male voice.

[Helene · Rating 1 out of 5]

definitely not written by a woman - even though the main character is a woman. The thoughts and decisions aren't realistic/believable. Whole idea is just not credible.

[D. Travers · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of his novels. The narrative structure of events taking place after the trauma, in shadow of trauma, is quite wonderful and haunting. I read this many years ago but still have an acute emotional memory of the protagonist.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful sad tale about what life could be on the road

[Kate Learson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. A bear, a bicycle roadtrip, a love affair, Going to the Sun has it covered.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I picked this up because I know the author's brother and went to law school with his sister-in-law. I also liked his Positively 5th Street about the World Series of Poker. I didn't expect to like this novel about a late twenty something diabetic Phd candidate who can't finish her dissertation and decides to bike from Chicago to Alaska, but I did, a lot.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early mid-life crisis send a doctoral student on a mission to come to accept herself. Consumed by thoughts of her boyfriend's gruesome death, and her own incurable disease, she travels by bike from Chicago to Alaska hoping to find an answer.

[Barry Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

What better way to work through your issues, emotional and physical, than to take off on a cross-country bike tour. A well-told story with twists, turns, and road side sights to keep the reader interested.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damned good. Bicycling, Sam Beckett references, a dead boyfriend. It has it all...

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. That's all I have to say.

[Cheryl S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual and haunting

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crazy bear attack scene in the beginning!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Full of twists and unexpected turns. I could hardly put it down.

[Debs · Rating 3 out of 5]

College graduate diabetic tries to ride her bike to Alaska to come to terms with her past. This book made me afraid of bears.

[Genya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has everything from Beckett and bicycles, to dead boyfriends, epic journeys and grizzlies -- I read it straight through.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, intense read. Seemed a little contrived at times, but an interesting story, nonetheless.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book that comes to mind with all this talk about bear attacks.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

An emotional ride that will keep you going well into the night and the final end!

[Keir Haug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story.

[Brad Erickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment.