Yellow Mesquite

by John J. Asher

Asher has produced a persuasive portrait of a young artist’s passage to manhood, filled with unobtrusively evocative descriptions and characterizations. —Kirkus Review Harley Buchanan wants out—out of his hardscrabble existence in West Texas, out of the heartbreaking discovery of his high school sweetheart with another boy. He hitches out of Separation, Texas, determined to forge his way in the art world of the 1960s. But he can’t leave his past as easily as he left Texas. A startling discovery ignites a bloodlust that propels him on an adrenaline-driven mission of revenge back to Texas, where he finally confronts the obsession that has crippled his entire life. “[…] The places Asher takes us, both visually and emotionally, range from the dirt-poor farms of West Texas, to Dallas, to Lower Manhattan, to Uptown, and back again. The people he becomes involved with range from trailer-trash, to oilfield millionaires, to eccentric artists, to art-scene sophisticates. They lie, cheat, steal, love, and hate. They betray and they support. They are petty and generous. One thing they are not is forgettable.” —J. T. Blue Hotel, The Tower Maker. “Easily my favorite of Asher's novels. This coming-of-age story has all the author's trademark ingredients—rich, visual descriptions and three-dimensional, nuanced characters…” —Phoebe The Breakup Doctor, Bedside Manners.

Genres: Fiction

456 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2014

Reviews

[William Tinnen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Vulgar

When I download books, I check for vulgar words before I read. The first word I checked for was the f........ word-- 20 hits. I can't stand writers that think vulgar gutter language is acceptable in their speech, or their writing. Grow up!!!!

[Dallas · Rating 3 out of 5]

After all the details about painting, painters & different types of painting, I was a bit stunned to have this book just end with a blank canvas. I think I would have hated it higher but for the ending.

[Stef · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great characterization, good writing, fine plot - improbable ending.

If not for the out of kilter, somewhat disconnected ending I'd have given this book four stars. Enjoyable and interesting enough to check out the author again.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the reasons I read fiction is that it provides a way to look into the mind and viewpoints of other people. This book does this amazingly well. The main character is a want-to-be-artist (which is kind of the same thing as an artist). The way he looks at the world, the way he describes it in terms of color, space, forms, meaning, and composition all hold a veracity of viewpoint so much that I can hardly doubt that the author is an artist himself.

The West Texas setting rings true also. I know this area of the country and it has the desolate beauty of solitude and open spaces. The main character's ties to this remote land and its few people seems authentic.

The end of the book is a little surprising because books seldom end on such a true note. Nevertheless, it is very satisfying. I hate sappy endings.

There is one thing I did not like about the book and that was the portrayal of the lives two early loves of the protagonist. I think that was a bit over the top and cast an unfair negative viewpoint of poor women and women in general.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harley Jay Buchanan has one overpowering ambition – he wants to be an artist. But he’s not a ruthless man, and finds himself unable to ignore the ties that bind him to the small town of Separation, Texas. Intelligent, gifted and with an inner confidence that belies his small town hardscrabble existence, he’s determined that one day he will achieve his dream and this wonderful book is the story of how he tries to do just that. Beautiful written, perfectly paced and pitch-perfect, this is a remarkable book and one that deserves to be at the top of the bestseller lists. Atmospheric and authentic, with realistic dialogue and empathetic characterisation, it’s a book that lingers in the mind, so familiar do the characters become and so invested does the reader become in their fate. John J Asher is a masterful writer and I heartily recommend this book.

[Rissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harley Jay is a complex man, an artist who describes his world with color and texture and light and dark. He's a young man with big aspirations to be a real artist. The little bits of guidance he gets from two wildly different egoistic men perplexes him, while feeding his ambition. The women in his life are well drawn. The young girl whom he marries is a narcissistic gold digger, shallow, fickle and cruel. The sophisticated woman who enters his life seems to be the woman who would complement him in all the right ways. Yellow Mesquite barrels through the Texas midlands and finally to NYC. I was totally drawn into the story, feeling all the feelings Harley Jay was experiencing. For me, that makes for a good read, a memorable novel.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Best book I've read in a long time. As I began I thought of Grapes of Wrath.

You relive small town excitement, or if you're a city person, you live it intensely. The writing was plane but meaningful and intense. You felt (Harley) his pain, his joy and his frustration. His purity of heart often mistaken for bull headed-ness and/or naïveté.

I don't think I've ever given a book 5 stars before, but this one is thoroughly deserving.

Read it and enjoy!

[Ken Orton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy grow up in West Texas small town, faces disappointment at every turn, eventually escapes to NYC to learn to be a painter, faces more disappointment, struggles at every turn. Sounds like a real downer but Asher writes very well and you find it to be a page-turner as we live along with a dreamer but also an over-comer. Thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it. Found it to be much better than his short stories book.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, but I may have been a bit biased by nostalgia - I grew up visiting grandparents in West Texas, and the Texas settings in the book (as well as the New York ones) were so easy to picture in my head. Ranger Hill! Horned toads! Plus a protagonist who is a Good Person without being a pushover. Recommend.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small town dreams

Having grown up in west Texas I understand the life Harley Jay experienced. There is a naivete in young teens from those wide-open spaces. Moving to a mega metropolis can be quite a culture shock and cause one to question his/her beliefs and knowledge about life and people.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story!

I absolutely loved reading this. I'll admit it started a little slowly for me, even if it did have me into it from the beginning. The story just kept developing, building and growing with each chapter as the main character grew. I highly recommend this to all that love reading.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great journey through a time past and people I've never been lucky enough to encounter. The rich detail and prose, the scandalous happenings, the complicated character development... it was really a great story. Only a few proofreading errors, which didn't even come close to detracting from the story... I loved it.

[Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better books I have read in a while. The story of a young Texan who has an artistic talent that eventually takes him to New York. A hard working, honest country boy whose naivety and innocent pride leads him to heartbreak and confusion later in his life.
An easy fast paced read that never gets to far ahead of itself, I would read more book by this author.

[Yaara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off strong, was intriguing, interesting, and engrossing until the melodrama of learning Leah is not Harley's father. It shifted the focus of the book from growth, education, and discovery to proving people can be temporarily insane for more than just a few minutes. Those chapters wrapped up the story in the worst way possible.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book!

I hated finishing this book! I got so caught up in the characters and their lives...especially Harley; they really came alive...especially as someone who has spent time living in Texas...the author nailed it!

[Connie Bredernitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This was a good story and I guess it is considered literature. But once again, I feel the author has crammed a lot of story into the last eighth of the book. Ending was disappointing.

[Crazyforbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging novel about a country man in pursuit of his dream of becoming an artist. The story flows easily, until a crescendo in the last chapters. Asher's characters breath life. Great craft. I'd love a sequel

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still deciding what I think about this

[Nikita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, some interesting characters were in it and I liked how the story played out.

[Aubrey Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story. Asher is such a solid writer.

The characters and plot are real grabbers.

I highly recommend "Yellow Mesquite."

You won't be disappointed.