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A contemporary literary novel. Main character James goes on two journeys of determination and self-discovery, one as a young man and the other when he is much older. One involves a cross-country, solo bicycle tour and the other a desperate search for his lost dog Kodiak.
298 pages, Paperback
Published May 25, 2017
332 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Polman
24 books45 followersKEVIN POLMAN does his writing in Fort Worth, Texas. He is the author of three contemporary novels: THE EXTRA KEY (2016), SOMETHING (2017), and LEMON SLICE MOON (2021). Kevin has many years of experience as a research scientist and as an instructor of science and math, but he's also been paid for these other services to mankind: lawn worker, fast-food cook, busboy, guitar instructor, house roofer, car painter, hardware store clerk, furniture refinisher, nurse's aide, and music director. The four Earth creatures closest to his heart are Cindy, Leslie, Allyson, and Jack.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 6, 2017
James can ride 100 miles a day on his bike - James also passes out from jogging a couple. James gets annoyed at the minuscule noises made by his wife - James can also sleep for nights on end in a mildewed tent in the middle of nowhere.
James can be complicated, and incessantly introspective, but that's one of the things that makes this decades-spanning novel so unique. Polman has a wonderful way of seamlessly incorporating the inner thoughts of the character into the writing; the result is an efficient and effective way of giving both depth and connection. Polman's setting is not extreme - the novel takes place in (mostly) everyday surroundings, but he uses this to highlight both the similarities and differences between James and each of his readers, providing either a new perspective or comforting familiarity.
I truly enjoyed this pseudo-autobiographical sketch of a searching man, a deep main theme explored with both honesty and humor. I also enjoyed a secondary theme: dogs are people, too! In summary, the adventure is entertaining, the character study is empathizing, and the introspection is thought-provoking.
James can be complicated, and incessantly introspective, but that's one of the things that makes this decades-spanning novel so unique. Polman has a wonderful way of seamlessly incorporating the inner thoughts of the character into the writing; the result is an efficient and effective way of giving both depth and connection. Polman's setting is not extreme - the novel takes place in (mostly) everyday surroundings, but he uses this to highlight both the similarities and differences between James and each of his readers, providing either a new perspective or comforting familiarity.
I truly enjoyed this pseudo-autobiographical sketch of a searching man, a deep main theme explored with both honesty and humor. I also enjoyed a secondary theme: dogs are people, too! In summary, the adventure is entertaining, the character study is empathizing, and the introspection is thought-provoking.
Displaying 1 of 1 review