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The Early Tales of Snow and Oakham
A rite of passage, an adventure saga, and a redemption tale wrapped into one. "Snow and Oakham" is a story told across five continents: paying visit to a world of orphans and villains, heroes and slaves, cannibals and saints - all seen through the eyes of two brothers thrust into an adventure for the ages. When they are told that their birthright is buried in the Wild West End orphans Henry Snow and Jack Oakham set out to discover where they came from. And thus begins a journey to answer questions at the heart of every man. A saga about fathers and sons and the cost of forgiveness, "The Early Tales of Snow and Oakham is, '... An important, sprawling work with a lion's share of tenderness. It is proof that rip-roaring adventure is alive and well.'" Socratic Ventures
- GenresFiction
620 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 17, 2013
One word: Astonishing
I cannot overstate how grande this novel is. Grande in its scope, its execution, and most urgently, grande in its ultimate purpose. Snow and Oakham is as fully-formed a prolonged narrative as any I've ever read.
Pure adventure stories typically devolve into work that is merely fantastical or playful, designed for a younger audience. And although adolescents would certainly engage in this story, it is a serious work. A rousing, sweeping, even charming Odyssey that is at the same time deathly serious. It will engage the young adventurer in all of us, while giving grey hairs like myself much to contemplate about my purpose in this world. I am, quite literally, moved to action after reading it.
I like discovering new authors and I started on it the other day. After one morning my wife starting reading it as well. In the beginning she read in the evening while I read in the mornings and soon it became like a race between us, hogging the tablet whenever we could. I prevailed.
It was rewarding to know the fate of these characters for a full hour before my wife did, and to watch her react as the ending unfolded. It surprised me at first that an adventure story could engage her so thoroughly but this book is much more than that.
Young Henry Snow and Jack Oakham are on an adventure certainly, to track down their birthright, but the very idea of what they find, and what they choose to do with it, sums up men the world over. And the world as shown in this novel is explored to an astonishing degree. I can't recall any book that treks deeper into multiple varied cultures around the world.
My wife and I both commented on something we learned at University in our writing labs. Professors would ask 'What is the setting of this book and how does it help tell the story?'
At first glance the orphanage of Tenpenny is the setting of the story. But my wife and I agreed that ultimately the true setting of Snow and Oakham is the world itself. The Whole World that we humans inhabit. The characters in this story aren't really Americans or Russians or any other nationality but rather citizens of the world. The children of Tenpenny come from everywhere and a great deal of this world is actually seen in the story. Even more is discussed in dialogue. The tapestry includes all men, and all problems that they create. And what my wife and I have found so fascinating is that each of us discovered so many different things to love about this tapestry.
What my wife loved most about the book was the character of little Padi and her simple dreams of horses and freedom. She also adored the tenderness of Jack, the struggles in his heart, and the prayerful shepherding of Momma Tom. She was as engaged as I was but for other reasons.
The character of Kolschen was my favorite. There's never been a character like him in all of my reading. I think he only appears on about 30 pages of the book but he embodies something that will stay with me for years, I pray. Now I must discover how to be more like him.
The characterization was stunning. The complex people that fill this book felt like old friends of ours. Although so many of the characters are extraordinary, (especially Henry) how they live, what they can do, etc. - my wife and I felt like we knew them and would fit right in among them. We wanted to engage them in the future seasons of their lives. I actually thought how nice it would be to track down Tip Holland and buy him a stout.
The writing is smooth, intricately detailed, and crystal clear and this style is suited to tell a big story like this one. So much happens that the transitions must all be smooth, must all build upon each other. The dialogue is razor sharp, cutting, tender, witty and terse. And what these people are saying to each other ALWAYS matters, even in the few moments when it seems like they're merely joshing. I read many exchanges again and again to dig deeper and was constantly glad that I did. But despite the writer's style and talents - the writing itself was ultimately not what will make this book a first choice among fiction readers. The story alone would do that, even in the hands of a lesser writer.
The story is extraordinary. Every chapter unfolds the pieces of a large tapestry until we are literally looking down at the map of the world and all of the possibilities therein. It is tightly-written - even I'd say, not long enough - for Snow and Oakham could have kept my attention for much longer than the 660 pages that we are given. There are at least 3 characters here that deserve a novel of their own.
Snow and Oakham was one of the great literary surprises of the past few years for my wife and I - and the ending will play over and over in my head for a long time. I sat with the tablet glowing on the last page, awed by the final paragraphs. I passionately recommend it.
A warning however:
Although the forces of good in this story are inspiring and sacrificial, when the forces of evil show up they manage to contaminate the very air you breathe. But the showdown doesn't disappoint.
I cannot overstate how grande this novel is. Grande in its scope, its execution, and most urgently, grande in its ultimate purpose. Snow and Oakham is as fully-formed a prolonged narrative as any I've ever read.
Pure adventure stories typically devolve into work that is merely fantastical or playful, designed for a younger audience. And although adolescents would certainly engage in this story, it is a serious work. A rousing, sweeping, even charming Odyssey that is at the same time deathly serious. It will engage the young adventurer in all of us, while giving grey hairs like myself much to contemplate about my purpose in this world. I am, quite literally, moved to action after reading it.
I like discovering new authors and I started on it the other day. After one morning my wife starting reading it as well. In the beginning she read in the evening while I read in the mornings and soon it became like a race between us, hogging the tablet whenever we could. I prevailed.
It was rewarding to know the fate of these characters for a full hour before my wife did, and to watch her react as the ending unfolded. It surprised me at first that an adventure story could engage her so thoroughly but this book is much more than that.
Young Henry Snow and Jack Oakham are on an adventure certainly, to track down their birthright, but the very idea of what they find, and what they choose to do with it, sums up men the world over. And the world as shown in this novel is explored to an astonishing degree. I can't recall any book that treks deeper into multiple varied cultures around the world.
My wife and I both commented on something we learned at University in our writing labs. Professors would ask 'What is the setting of this book and how does it help tell the story?'
At first glance the orphanage of Tenpenny is the setting of the story. But my wife and I agreed that ultimately the true setting of Snow and Oakham is the world itself. The Whole World that we humans inhabit. The characters in this story aren't really Americans or Russians or any other nationality but rather citizens of the world. The children of Tenpenny come from everywhere and a great deal of this world is actually seen in the story. Even more is discussed in dialogue. The tapestry includes all men, and all problems that they create. And what my wife and I have found so fascinating is that each of us discovered so many different things to love about this tapestry.
What my wife loved most about the book was the character of little Padi and her simple dreams of horses and freedom. She also adored the tenderness of Jack, the struggles in his heart, and the prayerful shepherding of Momma Tom. She was as engaged as I was but for other reasons.
The character of Kolschen was my favorite. There's never been a character like him in all of my reading. I think he only appears on about 30 pages of the book but he embodies something that will stay with me for years, I pray. Now I must discover how to be more like him.
The characterization was stunning. The complex people that fill this book felt like old friends of ours. Although so many of the characters are extraordinary, (especially Henry) how they live, what they can do, etc. - my wife and I felt like we knew them and would fit right in among them. We wanted to engage them in the future seasons of their lives. I actually thought how nice it would be to track down Tip Holland and buy him a stout.
The writing is smooth, intricately detailed, and crystal clear and this style is suited to tell a big story like this one. So much happens that the transitions must all be smooth, must all build upon each other. The dialogue is razor sharp, cutting, tender, witty and terse. And what these people are saying to each other ALWAYS matters, even in the few moments when it seems like they're merely joshing. I read many exchanges again and again to dig deeper and was constantly glad that I did. But despite the writer's style and talents - the writing itself was ultimately not what will make this book a first choice among fiction readers. The story alone would do that, even in the hands of a lesser writer.
The story is extraordinary. Every chapter unfolds the pieces of a large tapestry until we are literally looking down at the map of the world and all of the possibilities therein. It is tightly-written - even I'd say, not long enough - for Snow and Oakham could have kept my attention for much longer than the 660 pages that we are given. There are at least 3 characters here that deserve a novel of their own.
Snow and Oakham was one of the great literary surprises of the past few years for my wife and I - and the ending will play over and over in my head for a long time. I sat with the tablet glowing on the last page, awed by the final paragraphs. I passionately recommend it.
A warning however:
Although the forces of good in this story are inspiring and sacrificial, when the forces of evil show up they manage to contaminate the very air you breathe. But the showdown doesn't disappoint.
January 9, 2014
Pick up The Early Tales of Snow and Oakham and get set for world-spanning adventures, grand landscapes, and life-changing relationships. You'll meet characters who are unbelievably cruel and others who are inspiringly noble, but none who are one dimensional. Although anyone can enjoy this novel, I think it is especially suitable for young men. Tipper, the main character, urges his sons to action with the words, "Adventure doesn't wait. Vacations and holidays, those wait. But not adventures. They come whether you're ready or not and they slip away just as quick." If I had a son, I would want him to read this book, because within the pages that lead from one adventure to the next are truths about manhood, priori, and eternal values. And hopefully, my son would realize, as Tip did, that "every life is an enormous thing."
These pages hold stories within stories and, always, tantalizing hints of more adventures to be had, leaving the book wide open for a sequel or, better yet, an entire series.c
These pages hold stories within stories and, always, tantalizing hints of more adventures to be had, leaving the book wide open for a sequel or, better yet, an entire series.c
December 27, 2023
Good writing … cuts us open. It exposes, in a beautiful twist, the reader as much as the author. And the best writing, following the incision, knits us back together more truly, more fully healed in some way. - Wallace Riley
Wow. It would be easier to leave it at that… but I imagine the labor put into this book for “my” sake, and I think I can probably muster up a few of my lingering thoughts.
Chavanne has crafted a masterpiece centered upon the journey from boy to man - a voyage crossing continents, cultures, and generations to artfully challenge the reader to join Jack in his haunting question: “do I have what it takes?”
I am a father to three sons, and I am grateful to have discovered this novel before they come of age. It will undoubtedly inform me as much as any non-fiction work around rites of passage. The common flashbacks to earlier chapters in the interconnected story force the reader to hold in tension the past and present, and to take a long view at life itself. It steers the imagination toward the "later tales" still to come. At some point along the way, I began taking notes on the proverbs scattered like treasure throughout the pages - an odd undertaking for a novel, and one that I don’t think I’ve ever done, but this is no ordinary novel.
There was certain stereotyping of male and female characters that felt unfair at times, but stereotypes often hold elements of truth, and sometimes giving way to aspects of those truths release them to their full, redeemed condition. Although there were occasionally overt, if not overdone, expression of Christianized ideals (e.g. the elevation of a traditional understanding of a missionary), these tales call to universal aches and beckon to universal truths (which, for readers like me, remain Christian anyway). There were also small grammatical errors that distracted at times, and yet, it only further emphasized the vital need for a republishing for the sake of a wider audience.
I don’t know that I have ever been so moved by the dynamic formation of characters in a novel. I long to know and imitate these men and women… to rise with their honor and borrow the best parts of them and allow the refining power of their shortcomings to challenge me toward wholeness.
There is a responsibility we must bear in our quest toward righteousness, but at the end of the day, the overwhelming and underserved love of our Maker will define us in full. Chavanne forced me to reckon with grace in a way I can’t remember. I wept for my brothers who remain locked in battle with shame.
I would not have predicted the ending, but ultimately I resolved that the inconclusive weight I felt resting on me was appropriate. For as Tip suggests, men are to be measured by the burdens they can undertake, and I am left asking if I have truly picked up my own cross and followed… and how will I teach my boys to do the same?
Wisdom to revisit:
- Son, you can’t have supper until your hands are dirty and your knees are bleeding.
- Tipper's "Five Romantic Virtues": Reflection, Laughter, Adventure, Appetite, and Pursuit
- Don’t take so much responsibility on yourself that you don’t have any room left to be yourself.
- The great struggle is not between right and wrong. That is an issue for boys. For men it is to measure what love you have to give, and then to dole it out to those who need it. Love is limited, but the need is endless.
- Just because someone hands you an offense doesn’t mean you have to take it.
- Do you know why old men try to pick a fight? …because they aren’t in one.
- A good nickname and a worthy adversary are the two things you just can’t give yourself. You sorta have to stumble upon ‘em.
- How am I doing mother? // You’re doing fine. // But am I doing well? // More than well. You’re growing up // Do I have what it takes? // (She smiled at him). That isn’t for me to say.
- 4 stages to become a man: know yourself, know a friend, know your mission, know heartbreak
- To travel is to be released from manmade bondage. One must never spread their roots too deep in their youth, but go, go far, meet many and see much, sift through the raw hovels until you are left with only shiny stone gems in your crown of memories. Then come back to your favorites.
- I don't want a wrinkle-free life. I won't stand for comfort-friendly footwear. Give me a horse and the force it takes to tame him, give me the wisdom of fire and ice, bring me a boy and seven years to claim him, and I'll hand you a man both naughty and nice.
- There is nothing more shameful than a man without a mission
- One’s early years should not be wasted in soft pursuits
- What’s the best way to gain a friend’s trust? Be vulnerable. Ask their advice about something important. The act of asking will bond them to you immediately.
- Because old men were once young men whose appetites had grown, because fortunes and boredom allowed for wild undertakings, because life and death remain at the forefront of the human question, men beyond their prime are known to suit up for bold escapades, to answer the unanswered questions
- How do you measure a man? By his burden. What he can undertake.
- Nothing is earned with more intention than a legacy.
- The strengths that seduce the world are of little use among men of character
- We don't have an hour to spare. Adventure doesn't wait. Vacations and holidays - those wait. But not adventures. They come whether you're ready or not and they slip away just as quick. In a blink you're an old man wondering where they've gone.
- Evil is patient, it endures… and sadly, it only needs a single victory to succeed, whereas goodness needs a lifetime.
Wow. It would be easier to leave it at that… but I imagine the labor put into this book for “my” sake, and I think I can probably muster up a few of my lingering thoughts.
Chavanne has crafted a masterpiece centered upon the journey from boy to man - a voyage crossing continents, cultures, and generations to artfully challenge the reader to join Jack in his haunting question: “do I have what it takes?”
I am a father to three sons, and I am grateful to have discovered this novel before they come of age. It will undoubtedly inform me as much as any non-fiction work around rites of passage. The common flashbacks to earlier chapters in the interconnected story force the reader to hold in tension the past and present, and to take a long view at life itself. It steers the imagination toward the "later tales" still to come. At some point along the way, I began taking notes on the proverbs scattered like treasure throughout the pages - an odd undertaking for a novel, and one that I don’t think I’ve ever done, but this is no ordinary novel.
There was certain stereotyping of male and female characters that felt unfair at times, but stereotypes often hold elements of truth, and sometimes giving way to aspects of those truths release them to their full, redeemed condition. Although there were occasionally overt, if not overdone, expression of Christianized ideals (e.g. the elevation of a traditional understanding of a missionary), these tales call to universal aches and beckon to universal truths (which, for readers like me, remain Christian anyway). There were also small grammatical errors that distracted at times, and yet, it only further emphasized the vital need for a republishing for the sake of a wider audience.
I don’t know that I have ever been so moved by the dynamic formation of characters in a novel. I long to know and imitate these men and women… to rise with their honor and borrow the best parts of them and allow the refining power of their shortcomings to challenge me toward wholeness.
There is a responsibility we must bear in our quest toward righteousness, but at the end of the day, the overwhelming and underserved love of our Maker will define us in full. Chavanne forced me to reckon with grace in a way I can’t remember. I wept for my brothers who remain locked in battle with shame.
I would not have predicted the ending, but ultimately I resolved that the inconclusive weight I felt resting on me was appropriate. For as Tip suggests, men are to be measured by the burdens they can undertake, and I am left asking if I have truly picked up my own cross and followed… and how will I teach my boys to do the same?
Wisdom to revisit:
- Son, you can’t have supper until your hands are dirty and your knees are bleeding.
- Tipper's "Five Romantic Virtues": Reflection, Laughter, Adventure, Appetite, and Pursuit
- Don’t take so much responsibility on yourself that you don’t have any room left to be yourself.
- The great struggle is not between right and wrong. That is an issue for boys. For men it is to measure what love you have to give, and then to dole it out to those who need it. Love is limited, but the need is endless.
- Just because someone hands you an offense doesn’t mean you have to take it.
- Do you know why old men try to pick a fight? …because they aren’t in one.
- A good nickname and a worthy adversary are the two things you just can’t give yourself. You sorta have to stumble upon ‘em.
- How am I doing mother? // You’re doing fine. // But am I doing well? // More than well. You’re growing up // Do I have what it takes? // (She smiled at him). That isn’t for me to say.
- 4 stages to become a man: know yourself, know a friend, know your mission, know heartbreak
- To travel is to be released from manmade bondage. One must never spread their roots too deep in their youth, but go, go far, meet many and see much, sift through the raw hovels until you are left with only shiny stone gems in your crown of memories. Then come back to your favorites.
- I don't want a wrinkle-free life. I won't stand for comfort-friendly footwear. Give me a horse and the force it takes to tame him, give me the wisdom of fire and ice, bring me a boy and seven years to claim him, and I'll hand you a man both naughty and nice.
- There is nothing more shameful than a man without a mission
- One’s early years should not be wasted in soft pursuits
- What’s the best way to gain a friend’s trust? Be vulnerable. Ask their advice about something important. The act of asking will bond them to you immediately.
- Because old men were once young men whose appetites had grown, because fortunes and boredom allowed for wild undertakings, because life and death remain at the forefront of the human question, men beyond their prime are known to suit up for bold escapades, to answer the unanswered questions
- How do you measure a man? By his burden. What he can undertake.
- Nothing is earned with more intention than a legacy.
- The strengths that seduce the world are of little use among men of character
- We don't have an hour to spare. Adventure doesn't wait. Vacations and holidays - those wait. But not adventures. They come whether you're ready or not and they slip away just as quick. In a blink you're an old man wondering where they've gone.
- Evil is patient, it endures… and sadly, it only needs a single victory to succeed, whereas goodness needs a lifetime.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2014
Some people are gifted at recognizing important moments in life, seeing deeper truths. Others are good at explaining those moments, although only second-hand, not having the eyes to see them as they happen. This author has both, which makes it not only an excellent story, but it makes the content of the story valuable. The author has a unique ability to understand a moment and then explain why it was a moment to begin with.
The book had a scope that was so vast and part of it almost mythical...you'll visit places all over the world and hear riveting stories...and yet, not so vast or mythical that real, live people couldn't experience it. I can never carry a ring to Mordor, but if I lived hard enough and fought for the right things and spent myself...this book could be experienced. The balance between storytelling and truth is a difficult line to walk...Too much myth, and I disengage into fantasy...too much truth without story, and I am not as entertained. And yet I was both entertained and inspired by the interweaved truth and storytelling.
This book made me want to be a better man. I truly mean that. It inspired adventure in me, made me hungry for the world...but it also masterfully reveals that adventure for adventure's sake is not the goal. There is an understanding of true masculinity in this book, and what is required to live a life on purpose.
Deserves a much wider audience.
The book had a scope that was so vast and part of it almost mythical...you'll visit places all over the world and hear riveting stories...and yet, not so vast or mythical that real, live people couldn't experience it. I can never carry a ring to Mordor, but if I lived hard enough and fought for the right things and spent myself...this book could be experienced. The balance between storytelling and truth is a difficult line to walk...Too much myth, and I disengage into fantasy...too much truth without story, and I am not as entertained. And yet I was both entertained and inspired by the interweaved truth and storytelling.
This book made me want to be a better man. I truly mean that. It inspired adventure in me, made me hungry for the world...but it also masterfully reveals that adventure for adventure's sake is not the goal. There is an understanding of true masculinity in this book, and what is required to live a life on purpose.
Deserves a much wider audience.
July 2, 2016
The story begins with a man who has a troubled youth, but ends up working at an orphanage, where he has adopted to boys, Henry Snow and Jack Oakham. After receiving a phone call, the three of them start off on an adventure which the boys have looked forward to their whole lives, knowing that it is through this experience they will learn about past and future.
This story was epic, with so many interesting characters that grow and change in different ways throughout the book. I enjoyed learning how they were all related and had an effect on the story. And the novel was long enough that the background of the characters was carefully described without being drawn out. I was also impressed with the quotable wisdom sprinkled throughout the book. Several I wished I had written down. The book has some pretty intense action sequences, that would make me recommend the book for kids over the age of 13-16. Overall, a great book that I would recommend others to read.
This story was epic, with so many interesting characters that grow and change in different ways throughout the book. I enjoyed learning how they were all related and had an effect on the story. And the novel was long enough that the background of the characters was carefully described without being drawn out. I was also impressed with the quotable wisdom sprinkled throughout the book. Several I wished I had written down. The book has some pretty intense action sequences, that would make me recommend the book for kids over the age of 13-16. Overall, a great book that I would recommend others to read.
April 13, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'd rank it among my favorite fictional stories. While it's certainly a coming-of-age story, as I've read in other reviews, it is so much more than that. Brilliant character development and beautiful story. I saved the final chapter for a quiet evening by myself with a cigar in hand. A story I wasn't ready to finish.
I was reminded (at the heart / soul level...) of the simplicity of the gospel message: undeserved mercy that holds the power to transform the human soul, from one focused entirely on itself to one focused on service to others. I've needed this reminder, and feel eternally grateful to Chavanne for getting this simple message back into my soul at a critical time when I needed it.
------
A few notable moments I liked:
- Well aware that his life was about to change, Tip hoped that Sissy, the only family he still had, would change with him.
- He passed Putt’s face from palm to palm, reminded of how fine a thing it is to share the world with others.
- Jack carried the belief that smells travel best in the mornings, as do memories, and he rarely missed an opportunity to reflect upon his life in the quiet early hours.
- He had a habit in the dark of the morning of asking God questions concerning his place in the big scheme of things.
- Ever since his time on the sea as a younger man Tip had enjoyed the great map of the sky, especially in the last hour before dawn when the stars were on their best behavior.
- “Are there some among you who live authentic lives? Worker bees who amidst the drivel do escape their prison hives? Who bring to mind the way we were when adventure was our friend And fly the very causeways where our safety does pretend?”
- Even when his mind said no his body took him to unguarded territory. “It’s the start of spring,” he told her. “Who Henry is and where Henry is go together.”
- And for Tip Holland, nothing motivated him quite as powerfully as progress.
- One could believe after only a minute with Henry that he was on their side, and that their side was finally a safe and happy one.
- For Henry Snow, knowing what angered someone was the first step in understanding them.
- “The great struggle,” he said, “is not between right and wrong. That is an issue for boys. For men it is to measure what love you have to give and then to dole it out to those who need it. Love is limited but the need is endless.”
- Let my words be your words, Father, he said to himself. My thoughts, your thoughts.
- “You want something to have value,” he had said, “Give it a name. You want something to be remembered – have a story to go with it.”
- She found that it was easier to love Tenpenny now that she was leaving.
- “The last stage is to know heartbreak.” “Heartbreak?” “That’s right. No strong man has done without it. You must be broken to be rebuilt.”
- If I had “wanted” Tenpenny it would have ended up a joke. Tenpenny wasn’t a wish. For me Tenpenny was a conviction.
- Jack had always found silence to be an invitation to reflect on the questions of his life so as he crossed the soft turf he began to dwell on matters of the heart and where his affections rested.
Adventure, solitary and bloody, had found him. It was what he’d longed for but now it was over and he knew nothing would match it, possibly for many years. Henry knew that at least one of the glory days had come and gone and a sad, lonely sorrow filled him and his eyes burst with tears.
- For Jack Oakham had always been more deeply moved by people than by circumstance.
- “If the service taught me one thing,” Kolschen said. “It’s that there’s nothing more shameful than a man without a mission.”
- But sometimes all a man needs to get a fresh start is a clear view of the ground before him.
- “I won’t grow idle,” he told his wife. “A man must dream until his breath has left him.”
But Unger had always believed that it was better to clean up a dream already dreamed then to begin a new one from scratch.
- Henry nodded. “Unkay. What’s the best way to gain a friend’s trust?” “Be vulnerable. Ask their advice about something important. The act of asking will bond them to you immediately.”
- “It doesn’t. Love isn’t an emotion like anger or sadness that fades or changes with time. Love is a choice. You get up in the morning and you choose to love. Every single day. Emotions don’t last sixty years. But love can.”
- Tip took a long puff on the pipe and waited, for the moment was made for waiting. “What exactly,” he said. Young Oakham looked long at his brother, until it seemed that they were both asking.
- Some men are never good when it counts. They practice well, they make fine coaches, and their words are what they are known for. Yet when the solid stuff of life comes their way, their words fall short, they backpeddle and re-evaluate, instead of remaining calm, taking careful aim and putting a hole right where they want it to go.
- Because old men were once young men whose appetites had grown, because fortunes and boredom allowed for wild undertakings, because life and death remain at the forefront of the human question,
- He believed a man must have something, or especially someone to keep his mind occupied or else he’ll grow sick with boredom.
- Otsov Kolschen had always said that men are made by their choices. “Every decision, no matter how tiny, carves you and sands into who you will become.”
- It was self denial that became his drug of choice.
- He made a point of training up ragamuffins - lost souls, men hardened by the world, for he found that broken men were the most malleable, and for them his heart beat with compassion.
- “There are three questions that must be answered in life,” Tip said. “Truthfully there are only three. ‘How did I get here?” What is my purpose? What will I to do to fulfill that purpose?”
I was reminded (at the heart / soul level...) of the simplicity of the gospel message: undeserved mercy that holds the power to transform the human soul, from one focused entirely on itself to one focused on service to others. I've needed this reminder, and feel eternally grateful to Chavanne for getting this simple message back into my soul at a critical time when I needed it.
------
A few notable moments I liked:
- Well aware that his life was about to change, Tip hoped that Sissy, the only family he still had, would change with him.
- He passed Putt’s face from palm to palm, reminded of how fine a thing it is to share the world with others.
- Jack carried the belief that smells travel best in the mornings, as do memories, and he rarely missed an opportunity to reflect upon his life in the quiet early hours.
- He had a habit in the dark of the morning of asking God questions concerning his place in the big scheme of things.
- Ever since his time on the sea as a younger man Tip had enjoyed the great map of the sky, especially in the last hour before dawn when the stars were on their best behavior.
- “Are there some among you who live authentic lives? Worker bees who amidst the drivel do escape their prison hives? Who bring to mind the way we were when adventure was our friend And fly the very causeways where our safety does pretend?”
- Even when his mind said no his body took him to unguarded territory. “It’s the start of spring,” he told her. “Who Henry is and where Henry is go together.”
- And for Tip Holland, nothing motivated him quite as powerfully as progress.
- One could believe after only a minute with Henry that he was on their side, and that their side was finally a safe and happy one.
- For Henry Snow, knowing what angered someone was the first step in understanding them.
- “The great struggle,” he said, “is not between right and wrong. That is an issue for boys. For men it is to measure what love you have to give and then to dole it out to those who need it. Love is limited but the need is endless.”
- Let my words be your words, Father, he said to himself. My thoughts, your thoughts.
- “You want something to have value,” he had said, “Give it a name. You want something to be remembered – have a story to go with it.”
- She found that it was easier to love Tenpenny now that she was leaving.
- “The last stage is to know heartbreak.” “Heartbreak?” “That’s right. No strong man has done without it. You must be broken to be rebuilt.”
- If I had “wanted” Tenpenny it would have ended up a joke. Tenpenny wasn’t a wish. For me Tenpenny was a conviction.
- Jack had always found silence to be an invitation to reflect on the questions of his life so as he crossed the soft turf he began to dwell on matters of the heart and where his affections rested.
Adventure, solitary and bloody, had found him. It was what he’d longed for but now it was over and he knew nothing would match it, possibly for many years. Henry knew that at least one of the glory days had come and gone and a sad, lonely sorrow filled him and his eyes burst with tears.
- For Jack Oakham had always been more deeply moved by people than by circumstance.
- “If the service taught me one thing,” Kolschen said. “It’s that there’s nothing more shameful than a man without a mission.”
- But sometimes all a man needs to get a fresh start is a clear view of the ground before him.
- “I won’t grow idle,” he told his wife. “A man must dream until his breath has left him.”
But Unger had always believed that it was better to clean up a dream already dreamed then to begin a new one from scratch.
- Henry nodded. “Unkay. What’s the best way to gain a friend’s trust?” “Be vulnerable. Ask their advice about something important. The act of asking will bond them to you immediately.”
- “It doesn’t. Love isn’t an emotion like anger or sadness that fades or changes with time. Love is a choice. You get up in the morning and you choose to love. Every single day. Emotions don’t last sixty years. But love can.”
- Tip took a long puff on the pipe and waited, for the moment was made for waiting. “What exactly,” he said. Young Oakham looked long at his brother, until it seemed that they were both asking.
- Some men are never good when it counts. They practice well, they make fine coaches, and their words are what they are known for. Yet when the solid stuff of life comes their way, their words fall short, they backpeddle and re-evaluate, instead of remaining calm, taking careful aim and putting a hole right where they want it to go.
- Because old men were once young men whose appetites had grown, because fortunes and boredom allowed for wild undertakings, because life and death remain at the forefront of the human question,
- He believed a man must have something, or especially someone to keep his mind occupied or else he’ll grow sick with boredom.
- Otsov Kolschen had always said that men are made by their choices. “Every decision, no matter how tiny, carves you and sands into who you will become.”
- It was self denial that became his drug of choice.
- He made a point of training up ragamuffins - lost souls, men hardened by the world, for he found that broken men were the most malleable, and for them his heart beat with compassion.
- “There are three questions that must be answered in life,” Tip said. “Truthfully there are only three. ‘How did I get here?” What is my purpose? What will I to do to fulfill that purpose?”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2014
Snow and Oakham captivates from the outset as it paints a sweeping and beautifully woven story of tragedy and unlikely triumph. Full of rich characters, many of whom surprised me and all of whose stories I wish could go on, this epic adventure of a story refuses to be taken lightly. It is wise, funny, challenging and heartbreaking. A joy to read and share.
June 7, 2015
I will come and finish this with my favorite quotes and thoughts from the book, but for now I will simply say a great read for every one. I find that this book shows courage, good vs evil, and at the heart of this book is adventure. A must read!
April 21, 2015
one of the grandest, fantastic adventures I have ever read! This is a huge sweeping story that grabbed me and never let go. Loved it!
January 19, 2020
A story of redemption, legacy, and a depiction of life well lived. Adventure and character building ooz from the pages. Creative in how the book is laid out and comes together. Very much worth the read! One of my favorite book of all time!
December 26, 2024
8.8\10
more people need to read this story, it's a classic. Left me wanting to make more of my life than before I read it.
more people need to read this story, it's a classic. Left me wanting to make more of my life than before I read it.
August 19, 2014
I thought that this was an excellent book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was the longest book I've read in a while but I didn't want it to end and the story to be over. In the beginning you need to get things and people sorted out in your mind to where the more you read, the better it gets and you just want to keep reading. It is full of so much adventure, hope, lessons about life and relationships. A reminder that some people just can't change what they are. It makes you think of people in your life and which character they remind you of. You develop favorites and relate to them. It is a beautifully written story that stretches your imagination and stirs up a bit of restlessness for seeking out your on adventure in you. You wish that every young person had the opportunity for this type of mentoring in their lives and that they could have the chance to read and learn from this book and the life experiences it offers.
August 19, 2014
Not sure that there's ever been a book that I was willing to put down before I finished in order to give it to someone to begin reading just so I would have someone to share it with and to discuss it. It's beautiful and grand. I haven't read a work of fiction like this in a long time that actually made me stop so often to ponder my own life. I feel like I could ramble on for awhile in an attempt to review this book or could craft an eloquent review in an attempt to articulate my thoughts on this grand work but instead let me simply encourage you to read it for yourself because I can't imagine someone being disappointed by this epic.
August 20, 2014
What a refreshing, intriguing read. I love this book with its life lessons and poetic imagery. Philip Chavanne's novel is a must read. I can't wait for his sequel, but until then, I will use some examples of his imagery to encourage and instruct my students about language that paints lovely pictures.
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