Nothing Normal in Cork

by Chris Coulson

Do you ever want to chuck it all, pack nothing, and disappear? Start a new life where no one knows you? If you did, could you leave your old ways behind? Or would those tired old thoughts and feelings come with you? That's what Chester is trying to do. He's come all the way from America to Ireland, and he's sworn to stop being normal before his 50th birthday - the week's end. And in the rough town of Cork, he's not the only one setting out on a new path. Tommy's the big man who wants to be a singer but is unable to open his mouth. Sondra has the sexy flair of a rebel, but her only companions are the dogs in the animal shelter. Rob could be something; he'll figure out what after the next pint. Mary, Declan, and even the little lone dog, skittering across a bridge, long for something different. Nothing Normal in Cork is a lyrical novel weaving the lives of several loners and misfits. Navigating shuttered bedrooms, wet alleyways, and dark pubs - broken souls bump and stumble and fumble their way through a week; breaking habits, finding courage, but can they really change?

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2010

About the author

Chris Coulson is the rowdy writer of Nothing Normal in Cork, The Midwest Hotel, Go With the Floe, A Bottomless Cup of Midnight Oil, and his new novel, Red Jumbo. He's been writing his way out of trouble since kindergarten.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to put into words how much I loved this book. It's the story -- well, not actually one story, but many intertwining stories -- of people in Cork, Ireland, some natives and some who moved there to follow their dreams or find their destinies. If there is a main character, it's Chester, who emigrated from the USA to, as the opening page puts it, "end everything normal in his life." And he certainly found the right city for that. But many characters share the spotlight: Rob, the writer; Tommy, a barman and aspiring singer; Sondra, who runs a pet shelter and is in love with Tommy; Nepo, Sondra's dog; Mary, who was uprooted from Kinsale, when a Starbucks took over the tea shop she ran; Eric, a young man in need of a purpose; Declan, whose dreams are at odds with what his father wants for him; Kieran and Julie, who own an inn -- and I loved these characters. I loved every character in the book except the owner of a bed store, whose appearance was fairly brief. All the time I was reading this book I was wishing I could be there with these wonderful characters, whose intermingling lives coalesce into something wonderful (for more on that, read the book, you won't be sorry).

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chester feels he’s a failure. He’s a disappointment to his family in America. He drinks too much. His life is mundane, going nowhere. He has repeatedly made the wrong life decisions, and so he escapes to Cork, Ireland, just before his fiftieth birthday and vows to change. On or before midnight of the last day of his forty-ninth year—he will never be “normal” again.

Appraisal:
This novel was a lot of fun. Funny, poignant, deeply introspective, and yet hope filled.

The work may be more accessible if you’ve ever drunk alcohol and had one or two too many or know someone who does or has, but that isn’t necessary. The author does a fine job of outlining the benefits and the pitfalls of booze.

It may also help if you’ve been to Ireland or maybe know someone who has told you tales of the Emerald Isle. Again, that is far from essential in order to enjoy the story as the descriptions of the people, the culture, the pubs, the weather, and the scenery are so vivid.

The writing is lyrical, full of fresh imagery and James Joyce-like streams of consciousness (although I don’t personally enjoy Joyce, so that isn’t a prerequisite either).

If you are a fellow author, and I know many of Big Al’s subscribers are, then cast aside any bias you have against the present tense. I often find present to be an awkward tense for a novel, but in this case it pulled me inside of the story and imbued the characters with a tangible warmth and closeness.

The writers among you may also have to check your internal editor at the door, because Mr. Coulson happily breaks many of the normally expected rules relating to point of view. Expect to inhabit every character in the book at one stage or another, including a pepper-colored terrier. Yet, as though to prove the adage of the exception proving the rule, the head-hopping works and delivers a kaleidoscope of viewpoints and internal perspectives that add colorful layers to the tale.

In my humble opinion, this is an exemplary example of why self-published books add hugely to the body of writing out there.

Highly unusual, and highly recommended.

This review was originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.

[Susan Emshwiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful lyrical book. Moving, funny, and very human. We get to know these characters, their thoughts and hopes and dreams and care about them deeply. Even the little dog! The writing is both clear and poetic, using the rhythm of the words and repetitions to create an almost musical feel. It seems as if the pace of the words is a reflection of a character's state of mind or action.

It isn't a novel that focuses on plot twists or intricate drama, rather, it moves with the calm meandering force of a river. Intimate. Meditative. Telling the big picture with small details. These are everyday people and their journeys are very moving. The imagery is never too much but always just enough to give the reader a vivid feel of the places and events. I could smell the peat fires, hear the murmur in the pubs, and feel the wind in the streets. I feel like I've been to Ireland with this book.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting peek at the possibilities when one chooses to reinvent oneself without the constraints of "normal" expectations. Each character is lovingly extracted, displayed - broken and disheveled - and beautifully transformed. The pure joy in which Coulson evokes, through the intimate revelations of all the folks in Cork, leaves the reader with a sweet, romantic, uniquely Irish tale of resilience and buoyant optimism. I feel as if I can go and visit all the characters at Shane's Pub tomorrow and be greeted with the familiarity normally reserved for the best of friends and lovers, with my favorite stout waiting for me at the bar and Nepo the dog sniffing at my feet. Nothing Normal in Cork is the kind of book that lodges in your heart and fondly resounds the beautiful fragility and persistence of the best of humankind, much like Anne Lamott. Delicious read.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky & fun.