Addison

by Leon Hale

Hale's third book, and one of his best. Presentation copy, inscribed and signed by Hale

207 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Leon Hale was an American journalist and author. He worked as a columnist for the Houston Chronicle from 1984 until his retirement in 2014. Before that, he had a column in the Houston Post for 32 years. He was the author of twelve books.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon finishing, I initially assigned this book a 3 rating. I've reconsidered, largely because I find myself turning my thoughts back to the book - an indication that it made more of an impression on me than I realized.

I recommend this to readers who don't mind focusing more on a character study than on action. Not that nothing ever happens, but that the main point of the book is the nature of the main character and his influence on the lives of The Troop, each of whom has had an unhappy and unfulfilling life up to that point in time, leading them into the army as a kind of refuge.

Addison is a flawed but memorable character. One reviewer compared his relationship to The Troop to that of McMurphy to the other inmates in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Don't go reading this one thinking it compares to Kesey's masterpiece, but I'd have to say there's a certain level of validity to the analogy.

[Julie Mangham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I immediately ordered Bonney’s Place upon finishing. I think Leon Hale has a similar writing style to Tim O’Brien; it’s very conversational and the deepness is woven into simple sentences. I loved this book. 5/5.

[Richard Brear]

Wanna read a novel with gripping characterizations for adult readers? One in which the reader gets to know the protagonist unusually well? A real page-turner of a book? Then try to get your hands on Leon Hale's hard-to-find 1978 novel Addison; it's just such a novel.

In general, Addison shares the loving and lovable style for which Hale's been known since his early days as a journalist in Houston. He gained fame by writing human interest pieces for The Houston Post. In those thousands of published feature pieces, Hale typically explored a rural Texan--either an acquaintance of Hale's which was most common, or thoughts by native Texan Leon Hale himself. The quirky personas and powerful yet gentle portraits of rural Texans living with a lot of contentment with their humble lives were the brick and mortar of Hale's non-fiction. Addison preserves this Hale tradition.

Addison may be set in Texas as most of Hale's other writings have been, but Addison goes farther. It's more an American novel than Texana. Non-Texans would enjoy Addison as much as Hale's legions of adoring readers in Houston because the physical setting in Texas is secondary to the novel's rich characterizations and plot. The Army facility where Addison and his "Troop" live and work is in West Texas, but the novel's events could easily have happened in another barely populated region of the southwestern United States.

While reflecting on the novel after finishing it mere minutes before, I discovered similarities with another novel that I love, namely One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Both novels have adult language and content, but more than that, the protagonist Addison is comparable on many levels and in many ways to McMurphy in the Kesey novel. Because of the charisma of these protagonists, both mesmerize a group of loyal misfits who share daily life with the protagonist in a restrictive setting. Both protagonists lead their companions to fuller lives and more happiness despite oppression by powerful persons controlling the lives. And in both novels, the climax leaves readers feeling particularly empty yet pleased with the growth of the supporting characters thanks to the protagonist.

Addison is not a clone of the Kesey novel. Both stand on their own merits. Just remember, perennial Hale readers, that Addison will take you places where Hale's vignettes and non-fiction books never did.

[Coogs7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the first person to post a review about this book. This is a book for the masculine type, several times I was laughing out loud from the brash behavior, the camaraderie, the numerous fights that occurred in the story. It's a real page turner, I couldn't seem to put it down. The style that it is written is ideal for a quick and entertaining read. The story is set out in the desert region of a small town in Texas, four men who joined the Army share a tent on a base. At times the dialogue can be crude and sexist, almost like a sophomoric review of stories swapped by men from half a century ago. My favorite part has something to do with frying bacon...I'll leave it at that. This book is relatively hard to find, the copy that I read belonged to my great-grandfather. Addison is true to Leon Hale's Texan tradition and is just as good as Bonney's Place in my opinion if not better. Stories like these are true gems.