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Journey: Mouse, Bear, Eagle, Buffalo
Journey is a fictional work about an anonymous teenager living on the fringes of society. Assigned to an alternative school, minimally functional in academics, he spends much of his time spoiling for a fight. Angry, resistant, and mistrustful, he is at first unaware of the fact that he is changing, as he begins a journey of self-examination and gains a more balanced view of himself.
This book frequently uses realistic language and depicts his struggles with peers, staff members, and most of all within himself, and ends with many issues still to be resolved; Journey is about a young man’s first steps, and the fact that he realizes that he is only beginning ends the book on a hopeful note.
The structure of the book was inspired by one version of the Native American Medicine Wheel.
The cover art is by Karah Tull.
This book frequently uses realistic language and depicts his struggles with peers, staff members, and most of all within himself, and ends with many issues still to be resolved; Journey is about a young man’s first steps, and the fact that he realizes that he is only beginning ends the book on a hopeful note.
The structure of the book was inspired by one version of the Native American Medicine Wheel.
The cover art is by Karah Tull.
94 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2013
About the author
Jim Hartsell
25 books20 followersLike most of us, there are many descriptors that apply to me: husband, father, grandfather, voracious reader, and average hammer dulcimer player are a few of them. I also write, concentrating on Southern fiction and children’s books.
During my seven decades I have lived in a total of three counties, all in East Tennessee, and all contiguous; in one of those counties is the farm that’s been in our family for five generations. I have deep roots in this area. My immediate family consists of my wife of 40+ years, my two children, their spouses, and, at the moment, a total of six grandchildren. I have been assured that six is it, but I remain skeptical. My wife and I share our home on House Mountain with a cat and two shelter dogs.
My professional career was spent in education, working with teens in various treatment centers, locked units, residential facilities, and public school alternative classrooms. These decades spent with teens who were characterized as losers at best and dangerous at worst taught me much about resilience, strength, and bravery, and helped form the concept of the main character in the Boone series. It has been said that the problem with stereotypes isn’t that they aren’t true, but that they are incomplete. Certainly this is the case with the young people I spent so much time with, who are more like the rest of us than not.
I have a beautiful family, all the necessities of life plus a few luxuries, a fine circle of friends, and time to write books, play music, and enjoy the moments as they present themselves one by one. By any measure that matters to me, I am a very wealthy man.
During my seven decades I have lived in a total of three counties, all in East Tennessee, and all contiguous; in one of those counties is the farm that’s been in our family for five generations. I have deep roots in this area. My immediate family consists of my wife of 40+ years, my two children, their spouses, and, at the moment, a total of six grandchildren. I have been assured that six is it, but I remain skeptical. My wife and I share our home on House Mountain with a cat and two shelter dogs.
My professional career was spent in education, working with teens in various treatment centers, locked units, residential facilities, and public school alternative classrooms. These decades spent with teens who were characterized as losers at best and dangerous at worst taught me much about resilience, strength, and bravery, and helped form the concept of the main character in the Boone series. It has been said that the problem with stereotypes isn’t that they aren’t true, but that they are incomplete. Certainly this is the case with the young people I spent so much time with, who are more like the rest of us than not.
I have a beautiful family, all the necessities of life plus a few luxuries, a fine circle of friends, and time to write books, play music, and enjoy the moments as they present themselves one by one. By any measure that matters to me, I am a very wealthy man.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 6, 2018
The author’s extensive experience in counselling troubled youths has given him insights into their attitudes and behavior; but it is his talent as a writer that puts the reader inside their heads. In this slim volume we inhabit the mind of a rebellious sixteen-year old boy as he journeys through one year in an alternative high school. Like in the classic novel REBECCA, we never learn the name of our first-person narrator. The author may have done this to stress the commonality of the boy’s anger and frustration as he searches for a better sense of self.
Each chapter is titled with the aspects of the Medicine Wheel system of development: Mouse (small and fearful); Bear (the hibernator looks within); Eagle (looks at the big picture); and Buffalo (symbol of strength, reaches out to help others).
There are many quotes about the meaning of journeys; most of them recognizing they involve positive changes in small increments. Here, too, the boy’s perceptions of himself and the world around him evolve slowly. Through the character’s internal dialogue, we understand how he first sees those around him as threatening and untrustworthy. Then, he begins to have glimpses of doubt about his own perceptions. Gradually, he makes peace with others and sees glimmers of hope that he can accomplish something positive. At the end of the school year (and the book), he recognizes he has matured enough to be of help to a new student he can see as his former self.
Reading this book is a learning experience in coming to terms with self-doubts we all have to some degree. In telling the story, the author uses natural language and realistic situations to make a compelling read. I highly recommend this book and would like to see a sequel to continue this journey.
Each chapter is titled with the aspects of the Medicine Wheel system of development: Mouse (small and fearful); Bear (the hibernator looks within); Eagle (looks at the big picture); and Buffalo (symbol of strength, reaches out to help others).
There are many quotes about the meaning of journeys; most of them recognizing they involve positive changes in small increments. Here, too, the boy’s perceptions of himself and the world around him evolve slowly. Through the character’s internal dialogue, we understand how he first sees those around him as threatening and untrustworthy. Then, he begins to have glimpses of doubt about his own perceptions. Gradually, he makes peace with others and sees glimmers of hope that he can accomplish something positive. At the end of the school year (and the book), he recognizes he has matured enough to be of help to a new student he can see as his former self.
Reading this book is a learning experience in coming to terms with self-doubts we all have to some degree. In telling the story, the author uses natural language and realistic situations to make a compelling read. I highly recommend this book and would like to see a sequel to continue this journey.
March 21, 2015
The difference between good and bad literature is that good books leave you changed somehow. Journey is a short book- I finished it in a day- but it's one I know I'll read over again. The prose has something I've seen a lot of authors try for but rarely achieve- absolutely no bullshit. The level of straight up truth telling reminds me a lot of the writing style of Paulo Cuelho's The Alchemist.
The story is simple and straight forward like the summary explains it but the character's growth and struggles are uncannily applicable to almost anyone. Days after finishing it I found myself thinking over it, but the story is so short I can't really say more without giving something away.
Looking forward to more from this author.
The story is simple and straight forward like the summary explains it but the character's growth and struggles are uncannily applicable to almost anyone. Days after finishing it I found myself thinking over it, but the story is so short I can't really say more without giving something away.
Looking forward to more from this author.
April 12, 2017
JOURNEY by Jim Hartsell
We begin by attending an unidentified sixteen-year-old’s first day at a school for special needs children. Throughout I assumed this was a male child, but we’re never told. What is evident is that the teenager is incorrigible, and to some extent proud of it. Or is he?
He likes to fight. He wants to quit school as soon as he turns seventeen, and he doesn’t like anyone to even look at him for too long.
He’s defiant and nasty to his peers and teachers. But as the new kid in school, he has yet to learn the drill as those with more longevity already have. The other students leave him alone and the teachers show infinite patience with him. He’s expecting negative discipline, but he doesn’t get it. This aggravates him and throws him for a loop.
Then he meets Mr. L, a “counselor” who offers to assist him to get his head around the ever-present anger within him. We watch L act more as a psychotherapist than a typical guidance counselor. L’s method is not to instruct or preach, but rather to guide the troubled student to find his own answers and truths and plan for his future. The gradual change in the child’s thinking is extremely well presented and I can only assume that the author could double for Mr. L should he take a vacation or retire.
I didn’t count the words, but assume this book is about novelette length and one of the best short reads you’ll ever take on.
We begin by attending an unidentified sixteen-year-old’s first day at a school for special needs children. Throughout I assumed this was a male child, but we’re never told. What is evident is that the teenager is incorrigible, and to some extent proud of it. Or is he?
He likes to fight. He wants to quit school as soon as he turns seventeen, and he doesn’t like anyone to even look at him for too long.
He’s defiant and nasty to his peers and teachers. But as the new kid in school, he has yet to learn the drill as those with more longevity already have. The other students leave him alone and the teachers show infinite patience with him. He’s expecting negative discipline, but he doesn’t get it. This aggravates him and throws him for a loop.
Then he meets Mr. L, a “counselor” who offers to assist him to get his head around the ever-present anger within him. We watch L act more as a psychotherapist than a typical guidance counselor. L’s method is not to instruct or preach, but rather to guide the troubled student to find his own answers and truths and plan for his future. The gradual change in the child’s thinking is extremely well presented and I can only assume that the author could double for Mr. L should he take a vacation or retire.
I didn’t count the words, but assume this book is about novelette length and one of the best short reads you’ll ever take on.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews