Hello, My Name is Henry

by Micah Schnabel

Hello, My Name is Henry is a heartfelt exploration of small-town life in the Rust Belt. It's about how hard it is leave home, even when you know home is a dead-end. The main character Henry works the graveyard shift in a convenience store, dealing with drunks and drug addicts while dreaming of a way out. When a chance accident brings Henry's past into focus, the question of whether he can build a future beyond Brooksville's dilapidated downtown becomes more urgent than ever. This is the first novel by Micah Schnabel, who is both a founding member of the band Two Cow Garage and a prolific solo artist. The book's prose reflects the same incisive emotional observations and keen attention to detail long seen in his lyrics. "A heart-wrecking novel about those who remain in a dying midwestern town. A story of the forgotten and passed-by. Henry, the graveyard-shift cashier at a mini-mart, will stay with the reader for months after the last page is finished." — Willy Vlautin, author of the novels The Motel Life , Northline , Lean on Pete , The Free , and Don't Skip Out On Me . "A perceptive depiction of reality addressing the dissolution of the American Dream mythos. The disarming familiarity of the writing humanizes the political/economic causes that fuel the narrative." — Julien Baker, musician ( Sprained Ankle , Turn Out The Lights )

Genres: Fiction

370 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2018

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing isn’t what makes this book hard to put down. Henry will make you think twice before you judge the person in front of you. At the gas station, on the streets, anyone that may “look” less than you.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micah Schnabel's debut novel is going to read familiar to fans of his songs and music. His characters live in the margins of society. There is nothing glamorous about Henry. You've probably crossed paths with him hundreds of times and never taken notice of him...but he matters, doesn't he? Don't we all? The book is also a bare-knuckled glimpse of life in a small, dying town. Brooksville isn't exactly preparing for any return to some long-lost glory and neither are its inhabitants. A must-read for fans of Willy Vlautin, Salinger and Two Cow Garage.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is going to stick w with you for awhile. Micah has a true gift for capturing the soul of the Midwest in a way that few writers can.

[Alex Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive debut novel from alt-country punk Micah Schnabel (of the band Two Cow Garage). Schnabel explores the gritty claustrophobia of small town life through the titular narrator, Henry, a 28-year old night-shift clerk at a garage who longs to escape his hopeless hometown and its cast of addicts, dropouts, and struggling dreamers. Brooksville has other ideas, however, and as we join our eponymous hero on his quest to make something out of the nothingness that is his life we will encounter trauma, tragedy but also triumph; this story may be filled with hopelessness but it is ultimately fuelled by hope.

I look forward to reading more of Micah's work, and thoroughly recommend listening to his latest album, Your New Norman Rockwell, as a companion piece whilst reading this book.

[Christine Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1am and I've just finished this book. I keep going back to parts to re-read and passages to remember. Are we left hopeful or full of despair? Or is that our choice to decide once we've reached the end? I want to cry but I'm not sure what about? I'm also not sure how to write a proper review regarding this book. Except, that it is sincerely, one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I loved every page.

[Dave Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Steinbeck in miniature, and it's heartbreaking.

[Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohh my goodness, this is THE best book I've read all year. I've been a fan of Micah and Two Cow Garage for about 10 years or so now. I just saw him live in Portland a few weeks ago and talked him up a bit and bought his book. I didn't realize it would be so damn good.
I think the biggest thing for me is the connection I feel to the content. I was born and raised in a small midwestern town where a lot of the same small town disillusionment happens. People who don't leave often end up in dead end jobs and drink or do drugs to pass the days. This is a story of just that, a man named Henry who never left his hometown and everyone else there seems to have their own set of problems and hurdles they have had to deal with living with poverty and not much to do. I won't give away much else, because it's best to go into this book fresh. I high recommend it.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book 'blind' - I never knew the author wrote a book until his shows were cancelled due to Covid-19 and I wanted to support the author.
It's surprisingly VERY good! At the half way point of the book I was enjoying it and would've given a 4* review - the writing is good, it all feels very real and you can totally see why the characters would act the way they do. The plot hadn't really gone anywhere at this point, but I assumed this was the point of the book and was perfectly fine with that as the writing kept me interested.
At about 3/4 of the way through the pace quickens a bit, things start happening and at the end of the book I was left putting it down thinking 'that was so much better than it had any right to be'!

As an aside, my paperback copy "Printed in Great Britain by Amazon" was really heavy and printed on really good quality paper.

[Suitcaselife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich bin vermutlich ein bisschen voreingenommen, weil ich Micah kennen und schätzen gelernt habe. Er ist ein hervorragender Künstler und wer seine musikalischen Texte mag, wird dieses Buch lieben. Ich war anfangs sehr skeptisch, da es mit vielen Absätzen und einfacher Sprache zunächst sehr simpel daher kommt, aber es gibt einem das Gefühl, dass Micah direkt neben einem sitzt und vorliest. Dass diese Geschichte genauso vorgefallen ist. Ich habe gelacht, ich habe geweint und ich werde das Buch vermutlich noch mehrere Male lesen und beim nächsten Mal diverse Passagen anstreichen, weil ich sie so gut fand! ❤️❤️❤️

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micah Schnabel's been writing biting songs for years now and I expected no less from his novel. It's rough around the edges in the way first novels often are, but it speaks of amazing things to come as Schnabel continues to develop as a long-form writer. Just like the core of his songwriting, the novel will hit you with pain and desperation but will remind you to appreciate your own humanity and the humanity of others along your journey.

[Ivan Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This is the new Americana."
Micah has written a wonderful meditation on the tragic dichotomy of small-town existence, the battle between hopelessness and hopefulness that fuels every struggling working class American. Henry is a great hero, at times bitter and biting but most often compassionate and empathetic. Brookfield could be my hometown, it could be any fledgling hamlet, and Micah's writing of its minutiae is approachable, readily readable, and expertly written. Totally recommended.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an incredible thing when a book sucks you in from the first page and doesn't let you go until you reach the end. I knew this book was going to speak to me, but I don't think I expected it to do so in such a harrowing way. The world would be a better place if the world listened to everything Micah Schnabel has to say.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Micah (I read his latest first). This one is much more gritty and real, showing the true face of rural Midwest poverty. Brutal at times, but with the point of help the reader really understand the life he describes. It ended weird and abruptly, which was the only thing that lost a star. Well worth the read if you can find a copy.

[J. Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters; good writing. Recommended.

[Guilhem Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this and could not stop, I ended up pouring through it all in less than 24 hours. As a big fan of Micah's music, I bought this off him at a live show and I'm really glad I did. Really enjoyable but hard-hitting emotional ride.