Julep Street

by Craig Lancaster

In his seventh novel, Craig departs contemporary Montana and heads to a river town in western Kentucky, one where a beleaguered newspaper editor is about to confront all that he is, and all he never imagined he might be.

Carson McCullough has given his career to a singular pursuit—putting out a small daily newspaper that keeps his employees engaged and his hometown informed. But as time and technology conspire against him, Carson’s Argus-Dispatch is shuttered by an owner with a different view of its future.

Stung by the abrupt end of his career and burdened by regret and grudges, Carson and his one true companion, a yellow Lab named Hector, set out on a road trip. As the miles pile up and Carson erratically drives into the residue of past decisions and the consequences of current actions, he confronts questions of love, faith, self-worth, and, perhaps most pressing, whether he can redefine himself after his identity is stripped away.

In this novel, Craig Lancaster returns to the broad themes of his award-winning work and goes deeper yet, straight into the heart and mind of a good man who has lost his way and is struggling against himself to set things right.

Genres: Fiction

236 pages, Paperback

Published May 9, 2017

About the author

When Craig Lancaster moved to Montana in 2006, at the age of 36, it was the realization of a dream he’d harbored since childhood, one that he figured had been overtaken by events, as so many dreams are.

“I have these incredibly vivid memories of visiting Montana with my folks on family vacations, and following my dad, an itinerant laborer who worked in the oil and gas fields of the West when I was a kid,” Lancaster says. “It was such a vast, beautiful, overwhelming place. From the first time I saw Montana, I wanted to be a part of it.”

Craig was born on February 9th, 1970, in Lakewood, Washington. Adopted at birth, he grew up in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, with his mother and stepfather and siblings. His stepfather, Charles Clines, was a longtime sportswriter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a connection that led to Craig’s career as a journalist, a profession he followed to a series of newspaper jobs across the country — Texas, Alaska, Kentucky, Ohio, Washington, California and, finally, Montana.

A couple of years after Craig’s arrival in the Big Sky State, he began chasing another long-held dream: that of writing novels. His first completed novel, 600 Hours of Edward, was born in the crucible of National Novel Writing Month, that every-November free-for-all of furious writing. He completed an entire first draft, nearly 80,000 words, in November 2008. In October 2009, it was published by Riverbend Publishing of Helena, Montana, and has since gone on to be selected as a Montana Honor Book and a High Plains Book Award winner.

His follow-up, The Summer Son, was released in January 2011 by AmazonEncore, to similar acclaim. Booklist called the new novel “a classic western tale of rough lives and gruff, dangerous men, of innocence betrayed and long, stumbling journeys to love.”

Lancaster’s work delves deeply below the surface of its characters, teasing out the desires and motivations that lead us through our lives.

“It’s all too easy to turn people into caricatures, but the truth is, we humans are pretty damned fascinating,” he says. “For me, fiction is a way at getting at truth. I use it to examine the world around me, the things that disturb me, the questions I have about life — whether my own or someone else’s. My hope is that someone reading my work will have their own emotional experience and bring their own thoughts to what they read on the page. When I’m asked what my stories mean, my inclination is turn the question around: What do they mean to you?”

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sit back, open the book and become immersed in the colourful characters, superb writing and wonderful descriptions that are, for me, the symbols of Craig Lancaster's work.

Follow Carson's journey as his life's work and livelihood is suddenly stripped from him, leading to an incident fueled road trip, a period of madness, a lot of reflection, many mistakes and the severe testing of life-long friendships, set against the backdrop of his one constant - the all enduring love for the aged four legged Hector.

The author took me through the whole gauntlet of emotions and I alternated between wanting to give Carson a massive consoling hug and shake some sense into him. Written from the heart, this is a touching and moving account of a man who feels he has little left to lose.

4.5 - 5 stars

[Colette Lamberth · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an author has written three books featuring a character that you love (Edward Stanton) it was always going to be tough for a character like Carson to compete. In truth I just didn't particularly care for him and it was only his relationship with his dog Hector that endeared him to me and I can imagine that any dog owners reading this will feel a strong connection to Carson. That said, I completely surprised myself by being moved to tears by the story. The last quarter of the book was in my opinion the best part and my rating would be 4.5 stars if I could.

I received a free copy of Julep Street via THE Book Club on Facebook and my thanks to Craig Lancaster for that.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julep Street by Craig Lanchester.
A middle-aged man, an ancient dog, and a new Mustang. A search for sustenance in a battered America.
This was a lovely read. I loved the story and the characters. Bought tears to my eyes. 5*. Tbc on fb.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Lancaster is one of my favourite authors and I always get a little over excited when he has a new book coming out. This one did not disappoint, I loved it. Carson has lost his job and he is devastated because its his life and all that he knows. He decides to take a road trip with his beloved, old dog, Hector and he has a few ups and down, to easy the least. I laughed and cried throughout the book, the authors humour is infectious. A must read in my opinion.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I haven't yet read this author's Edward series (I have them on my TBR) I have read This is What I Want, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unlike that book which took me a little while to get into, I hit the ground running with this one and it wasn't long before I was totally immersed in Carson's life and his journey as described herein.
Carson works in the newsprint industry. An industry on the decline with many small papers folding, merging or being swallowed up by city newspapers. We join him as he is dealt a blow. His paper is gone. Bought back by the original owner and being closed. But the news isn't all bad. It's being replaced by a museum to the paper's founder and, yay, there's a job for Carson there. But he's a journalist, an editor, ink runs through his veins. He can't just stop. He can't start again. Work in a museum? He'd rather... and that's all I'm saying. Where he goes next, what he does is much better read in Mr Lancaster's beautiful descriptive prose. I will just add that quite a bit of soul searching is done, a few friendships are broken, and more than a few laws too!
Carson's shenanigans had me laughing, crying, crying with laughter and I went through a whole other bunch of emotions whilst reading this too. Carson really got under my skin. Boy does this guy write blooming good characters. I felt for him, heck, I was with him every step of the way. To be fair and completely honest, I did want to slap him one too at times. He was a bit of a plank on occasion! He did love his dog though. Oh Hector, you certainly added your share of bodily fluids, solids and gases to the story. Which reminds me, this book is full of plain speaking. Warts and all, say it as it is. So refreshing. The minutiae of life was here in spades, brilliantly described and never, never boring. Adding its own richness to the "car-crash" journey that Carson spiralled into.
Someone remind me to bump the Edward books up my TBR and actually get to them soon please.

My thanks go to TBC on Facebook for the chance to read this book.

[Arkgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant characterisation, truth and honesty plus wit and warmth are at the heart of this new book by Craig Lancaster. As with many readers I first encountered Lancaster's work when he introduced us to Edward, an endearing and instantly memorable man, I would thoroughly recommend those books if you haven't read them already!!
In this book we meet Carson, a newspaper man through and through, a man burdened with troubles from his past and in the present. When economic changes impact on the paper he works for we see him spiral out of control on a manic road trip looking for a future, some 'karma' and a desire to make sense of it all.
Alongside Carson we have his faithful friend and dog, Hector, who is a beautifully crafted creation - the love between the two is movingly written and seems so natural that you can easily visualise the two of them together.
As with Edward I left this book feeling I had really got to know Carson and although the madness takes him to some dark places this is not a book lacking in hope and human kindness. It is a great commentary on the struggles for newspapers in the digital age and the author clearly has a good insight and understanding of the industry. Craig Lancaster is definitely an author that I trust to provide reads that challenge, engage and make you want to know more about the characters with whom you have journeyed.

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig writes about characters. Good old fashioned earthy ones with a heart and maybe a quirk or two. I loved Edward (If you haven’t read them then maybe you should - everyone should!). Carson has lost his job at the newspaper and has been asked to manage the museum that will take it’s place. For some reason known only to himself, he has started shoplifting, just the odd item. that he can well afford. His companion and the one that truly understands him is his dog Hudson(any dog owner will know this is so true!). Like Edward Carson grows on you and although in parts this is rather a sad story it is also a story of hope, of a lost soul of friendships and that we all learn things as we go through life. A thoughtful read.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

[Karen Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Carson at a point when life as he knows it reaches the point of no return and unravels seemingly out of his control. He is clearly suffering from depression at points but this novel is not without humour. The relationship between Carson and his dog is representative of what is happening and part of what makes the reader identify with Carson - whatever choices he is making! The book also makes you think as it reflects on the loss of traditional and much loved industries as we continue into an internet led world.
I always enjoy Craig Lancaster's writing and while I don't connect with Carson as much as I did the much adored Edward (series of 3 books) I did very much enjoy it and it did make me laugh and shed a tear for life as we know it!

[Samantha Borthwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, well written and I loved Carson and Hector.

[Ann Borthwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, i did find it a bit slow however it gave me time to absorb what had gone on.

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my very first Craig Lancaster book (I know, I know, I am very late to the party) and it certainly won't be my last!

Carson is a newspaper man, he has been for more years than he can remember. Bit by bit, the newspaper he works for downsizes in all sorts of subtle and not-so-subtle ways until finally the owner of the paper shuts it down. What does Carson do with himself, and his friends and colleagues too?

This was a real "thinker" of a book. It was easy to put myself in Carson's shoes - all those hopes and dreams that we all have when we are young and energetic, some of them are realised but many are not, and what do we do when we find ourselves not living our lives the way we thought we would? Carson has a bit of a mid-life crisis and with his dog, Hector, along for unconditional love and support, he gets up to all sorts of mischief. It is not an easy book to read at all, and I had to look up some of the American terminology (I learned new words though!), but it was so worth reading. There is something to be said for really being true to yourself and never leaving things unsaid.

Highly recommended read from me.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to THE Book Club and the author.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fifteen percent in to the book on my kindle before I started getting into it. The passion I was looking for, the outrage, of being fired from a lifetime of service at a newspaper finally arrived and came spewing out in a rant to an idiot of a radio announcer. The author’s MC takes a while to get into as well. And while you can’t entirely warm to him, there’s no denying his admirable qualities, one of which is the ability to champion causes that need championing and to give a voice to issues that need to be front and foremost in people’s minds. And well, he is a journalist, so that would seem to fit his m.o. Only now that he’s been fired as part of a declining industry, the question remains what will his powerful mind apply itself to now?

The road trip story that follows gives our hero, ironically, a chance to live and grow in ways that he was too busy to do previously, reporting the news and being overly vested in the townsfolks’ lives in a dying town.

This is not genre fiction, but it is character-driven fiction, and the characters are realistically drawn with complexities and intricacies you don’t always see in prose. For coming of age dramas for adults, you could do a lot worse than this one.

[Louise Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julep Street, Craig Lancaster’s seventh novel, is a beautiful American masterpiece. I read it slowly and carefully, savouring every word, and escaping my humdrum bus trip to work via Carson’s far less humdrum expedition through post-redundancy life.

Carson’s world collapses when his fifteen-year newspaper career ends abruptly. The journey he takes following this crisis is physical, spiritual and emotional. He is forced to assess not only who he truly is, but in many ways why he is. Along with devoted Labrador Hector, he travels into his past, stumbles through his now, and only then can navigate the tricky road into his future.

Julep Street is gentle yet brutal, sharply funny, and full of gorgeous light and shade. It’s rich in the kind of existential wonderings that had me read certain passages over again. In Carson we see ourselves; defined by the tragedies we face, the mistakes we make, and the very human qualities that take us eventually to where we belong. This is an extraordinary book, and I loved every word.

[Sandy Murrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first few books I read by Craig Lancaster were The 600 Hours of Edward, then Edward Adrift, and finally Edward Unspooled. I rated the first two 5 ⭐️ and they’re both on my Favorites shelf. The third one I rated 4 ⭐️, but I still really liked it.

I thought this book was a big drag. I didn’t like the main character. I hated his temper. If you are acting out your bad temper in front of your dog, that really stresses your dog out. I didn’t like the stunts he pulled in the stores, especially not thinking of the consequences if something were to happen to Carson, who would then take care of Hector? I liked his dog, but I felt bad for him. Mostly Carson was a good, loving dog dad, but I didn’t like how he spoke to him sometimes, and also the amount of time he would make his dog Hector wait in the car.

Again, I’m mad at myself for finishing a book I’m not enjoying. At least it was pretty short.

[Sue Purbrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have first-up to admit to huge bias: I am a huge Craig Lancaster fan (Edward is my hero), trained as a journalist, a bit of a cynic and a dog-lover. So what was not to love about Julep Street!! I adored it. I was in awe of Lancaster’s effortless prose. His incredibly taut writing is nonetheless poetic; each word perfectly chosen and each sentence beautifully crafted. No surprise to find out he’s a journalist! And this book draws on his knowledge of journos, newsrooms and newspaper owners. It is not a happy story as Lancaster takes us on a journey that seems to be spiralling downward towards an inevitable ending. The incredible relationship between ex-newspaper editor, Carson McCullough, and his yellow Lab Hector will have you laughing with delight and in floods of tears. Read it! 5 stars.

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to warm to the character of Carson and, to be honest, I didn't particularly even like him for the majority of the book. The brilliance of Craig Lancaster's writing, however, drew me in and before I knew it I was immersed in the lives of Carson and his beloved and faithful dog, Hector.

'Julep Street' made me laugh and it made me cry. Beautifully written, it is one man's journey of love, hope, despair and everything in between. Craig Lancaster writes with the humour and depth of emotion that I've come to expect from him, and his profound understanding of the human psyche is something that will bring me back to his work time and time again.

A mesmerising 4.5 stars.

Thank you to TBC and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book, reeled me in and kept me wanting to read every moment I had the chance. There were many twists and turns in this book comparable to what we all face in life. His beloved dog Hector, his job now gone, and a new mustang...confusion ensues. After many different reactive behaviors, eventually comes clarity. This book is definitely an example how we can become so wrapped up in our lives, and that we think that our professions are who we are, that they define our worth in life; so not true! A great bigger picture here for all of us to keep in mind. Thank you for allowing me to be a Goodreads winner and review this book!

[Deborah Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the Edward books and as a result was looking forward to reading this. Julep Street did not disappoint. I love Craig Lancasters wonderfully observant, beautifully written style. I could relate to the enduring, long standing relationship between Carson and Hector as I am sure many dog owners will. It is a story that tugs at the emotions and I found myself laughing and at times sad as I read and accompanied Carson on his road trip. This a a thoughtful book and with all of this authors books that I have read so far there is always something in them that resonates strongly with me. I strongly recommend this read.

[Brady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading all of Lancaster's books in the last 6 months or so. I started with 600 Hours of Edward and absolutely loved it. Read the rest of the Edward books and found them great. Summer Son and Hugo Hunter were well written, although I didn't like the characters as well. This one was the first stinker in the bunch, in my opinion. I don't think the writing was as good as his previous efforts, and I didn't like the main character. Not sure what to say beyond that; I'll definitely read other books by the author, but think I might need to take a break for awhile before I get back after it. This book left a little bit of a sour aftertaste.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, Craig cetainly writes a fantastic character driven novel! Carson McCullough loses his way in life after the abrupt ending of his career and goes on a road trip with his faithful companion Hector the labrador to find some answers.

Carson is not a particularly likeable character but I did sympathise with him and his increasingly rash decisions provided some comic relief in what was at times an intense story.

[Ange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully crafted book by Craig Lancaster, which I was totally immersed in from start to finish. The characterisation is, as always, sublime. The story is packed with prose that provoked every emotion in me. The relationship between Carson and Hector is one of the best I've come across in any book, ever!
I absolutely love this book, so much so that I already want to read it again! My favourite book of the year so far.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very average fare sadly. The story of a newspaper man who has his life turned upside down when the owner decides to close down. It was difficult to feel anything for the main character. His relationship with his dog was the best part of this novel. I have read all of this authors “Edward” books and loved them all. This has neither the heart nor the lighthearted nature I loved so much. Shame really

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Lancaster is fabulous at drawing you into a book with his immense talent at in depth character writing . To be honest I didn't particularly like Carson for most of this book and it is the authors talents that kept me reading . A thought provoking funny and sad book. My thanks to tbc reviewers for allowing me to read and review this . 4.5 stars

[Cheryle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a former Billings, Montana newspaperman this book tells the story of a similar character in Kentucky who learns that his job is being eliminated and the newspaper he works for is closing. The downward spiral is documented as he battles with his wish to continue in the field and the realization that newspapers are not what they used to be.

[Timea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carson McCullough is struggling to accept the sudden change of events in his (now seemingly future-less) life. He is confronted with losing his beloved job as a journalist, the ageing and deterioration of his dog, and also midlife crisis to top it all off. This is all a very distressing experience for him with no easy solution in mind. On a sudden impulse, he splurges on a Mustang and sets off on a journey. His road trip is a quite dark, sometimes funny yet eye-opening experience, with his depression deepening with each disappointing day that passes.
I found it a bit hard to sympathise with Carson and his actions but I did appreciate the author's descriptions of his complex personality, feelings and reasoning.
Julep Street is a thought-provoking, moving story that the fans of Craig Lancaster's books will surely enjoy.

[Nenette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the Edward series, just alright. As much as I loved Edward, I didn't really like Carson's character. Biggest takeaway, and one that I'd say to a person who's anything like him, "It is what it is. Things happen for a reason, so move on already!"

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Lancaster writes and writes so we can read and read. This tale of the dark side of one newspaper editor’s forced retirement veers from brutally funny to achingly sad. One cannot wonder how close Lancaster has come to capturing the truth of careers shattered by investor greed, etc.

[Wes F · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 5th Craig Lancaster read. Enjoyed this book about a middle-aged man & his reactions to having the newspaper he worked at for 25+ years be closed down rather abruptly. Interesting character development & story development.

[Sean Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Heartfelt and honest.

[Lyndsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So Carson isn't Edward.... that's tough to deal with. I really enjoy Lancaster's style though and I like how real this felt. Good read!