What do you think?
Rate this book
Lucian Wing #1
All That I Have
A small gem of a novel with big ideas – ‘A small miracle’, Nick Cave
Lucian Wing is an experienced, practical man who enforces the law in his corner of Vermont with a steady hand and a generous tolerance. But when local tearaway Sean ‘Superboy’ Duke starts to get tangled up with a group of major league Russian criminals, things start to go awry in the sheriff's small, protected domain.
With an ambitious and aggressive deputy snapping at his heels and a domestic crisis of his own to confront, Wing must call on all the personal resources he has cultivated during his working life: patience, tact, and - especially - humour.
Can Wing’s low-key approach to law enforcement prevail?
Praise for Castle Freeman's novels:‘A small miracle – sharp, sly, moving and full of heart.' Nick Cave
‘Part comic romp and part nail-biting thriller ... Castle Freeman writes with both wit and a deep understanding of the human psyche, and he does not cheat us out of a dramatic climax.’ Guardian
‘Shares many small-town, big-crime themes with Cormac McCarthy... it is impossible not to appreciate this.’ The Times
'Wonderful... every paragraph a gem. Freeman – like Cormac McCarthy, like Annie Proulx – shows us the awkward realness of lives, and does it with humour, with wry perception, with great style.' R. J. Ellory
‘Extremely funny... streamlined storytelling, dead-on dialogue and lyrical descriptions of the bleak, woodsy landscape. This is a meticulous New England miniature, with not a word wasted.’ Oprah Magazine
‘A fast, memorable read gooey with atmosphere … a gem that sparkles with sly insight and cuts like a knife.’ Boston Globe
‘Freeman has a flawless ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for quirky detail … Superb.’ People Magazine
‘A brilliant book – laconic, spare, stylish and exciting.’ Al Alvarez
‘A small masterpiece of black comedy and suspense … If all novels were this good, Americans would read more.’ Kirkus Reviews
177 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
13 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Castle Freeman Jr.
15 books42 followersCastle Freeman Jr. is an American novelist and writer who lives in Vermont.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
May 15, 2015
There should be a term for novels that reflect life in the hills and valleys of the eastern United States just as we have a term for novels set on the plains and mountains of the West. Of course, the term "western" encompasses a sense of yearning for new and undiscovered terrain while "eastern," if this book is any guide, might carry a sense of holding in and holding on to old ways of doing things.
The cover copy on this book tells us that Castle Freeman, Jr. is the author of three books but the website Goodreads tells different story. Freeman has been spinning yarns for years and many of his stories get published one way or another…in magazines, in collections, between covers all his own. One thing is sure: Freeman’s the real deal, the genuine article. Backwoods eastern is laconic as the day is long and it takes that long sometimes for someone in his novels to come up with a retort to something said, inferred, or done.
Lucian Wing is the sheriff of a small town—small collection of towns, I should say: seventeen towns with a few people and lots of trees, hills, and room for maneuver. Wingate, Wing’s mentor and sheriff before him, picked Wing as deputy in the time-honored way—by promising a wage cut and little excitement. Wingate sensed Wing was a sheriff at heart; that is, Wing knew the difference between being a sheriff and being a cop.
Freeman paints so well the collection of folks one finds in small eastern towns and gives them words to speak that have us choking with laughter and recognition. Some kids are dumber n’ rocks and will always be that way—figuring the world is there to confound them. They’ll get themselves in trouble for sure but the sheriff’s job is to keep them out of trouble, which is why the sheriff has to be ahead of them every step of the way. People are going to do what they are going to do. Sheriffing is about letting people do what they’re going to do and then clean up afterwards.
Lucian Wing is married. He loves his wife and his wife loves him, but sometimes things get a little off track. At those times, his wife shows him her back and Lucian sleeps on the couch. This little book tells us about the man who can weather those nights on the couch and what he thinks about as he’s doing it. It’s a little like sheriffing.
A portrait photographer comes to town and takes pictures of the local bad boy. Lucian sees the portraits the woman has taken and realizes that the bad boy could be anywhere, in any situation, and he would always carry the same understanding about the world. Which is to say, nothing. The portrait photographer draws a line from the local bad boy to Sheriff Wing and claims they are similar types of “internal” men. Wherever you go, there you are.
This is a slim novel big with ideas and that deep humor that comes with knowledge of the human condition. One could place it beside the work of another author who writes about a sheriff in a town with few people, Craig Johnson writing the Longmire series set in Wyoming, and see parallels and consistencies. This has less action but just as much sheriffing going on.
Castle Freeman, Jr. came to my attention when his novel Go With Me was published. I bought several copies of that book and passed them out to friends and family. I still consider it a classic of its type. Almost all dialogue, it resembles this novel for its observations of humans in their habitat—doing what they’re going to do. I have just learned that that book was recently made into a film starring Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta, and Hal Holbrook and is due out this year. Read the book. See the movie. It doesn’t get much better than this.
The cover copy on this book tells us that Castle Freeman, Jr. is the author of three books but the website Goodreads tells different story. Freeman has been spinning yarns for years and many of his stories get published one way or another…in magazines, in collections, between covers all his own. One thing is sure: Freeman’s the real deal, the genuine article. Backwoods eastern is laconic as the day is long and it takes that long sometimes for someone in his novels to come up with a retort to something said, inferred, or done.
Lucian Wing is the sheriff of a small town—small collection of towns, I should say: seventeen towns with a few people and lots of trees, hills, and room for maneuver. Wingate, Wing’s mentor and sheriff before him, picked Wing as deputy in the time-honored way—by promising a wage cut and little excitement. Wingate sensed Wing was a sheriff at heart; that is, Wing knew the difference between being a sheriff and being a cop.
Freeman paints so well the collection of folks one finds in small eastern towns and gives them words to speak that have us choking with laughter and recognition. Some kids are dumber n’ rocks and will always be that way—figuring the world is there to confound them. They’ll get themselves in trouble for sure but the sheriff’s job is to keep them out of trouble, which is why the sheriff has to be ahead of them every step of the way. People are going to do what they are going to do. Sheriffing is about letting people do what they’re going to do and then clean up afterwards.
Lucian Wing is married. He loves his wife and his wife loves him, but sometimes things get a little off track. At those times, his wife shows him her back and Lucian sleeps on the couch. This little book tells us about the man who can weather those nights on the couch and what he thinks about as he’s doing it. It’s a little like sheriffing.
A portrait photographer comes to town and takes pictures of the local bad boy. Lucian sees the portraits the woman has taken and realizes that the bad boy could be anywhere, in any situation, and he would always carry the same understanding about the world. Which is to say, nothing. The portrait photographer draws a line from the local bad boy to Sheriff Wing and claims they are similar types of “internal” men. Wherever you go, there you are.
This is a slim novel big with ideas and that deep humor that comes with knowledge of the human condition. One could place it beside the work of another author who writes about a sheriff in a town with few people, Craig Johnson writing the Longmire series set in Wyoming, and see parallels and consistencies. This has less action but just as much sheriffing going on.
Castle Freeman, Jr. came to my attention when his novel Go With Me was published. I bought several copies of that book and passed them out to friends and family. I still consider it a classic of its type. Almost all dialogue, it resembles this novel for its observations of humans in their habitat—doing what they’re going to do. I have just learned that that book was recently made into a film starring Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta, and Hal Holbrook and is due out this year. Read the book. See the movie. It doesn’t get much better than this.
April 26, 2015
A novella gem. The first 30 pages put me into some confusion but also intense interest. Our male protagonist, the Sheriff (Lucien Wing), is musing about his wife, Clemmie, in the early morning before departing for work. More accurately, posing upon her back which seems to be the emotional and relationship yardstick. He speaks and thinks in phrases, majority non-sentence in observation thoughts, inquiry or retort. Think, for those of you who know ancient and vintage cinema, Gary Cooper.
Also I could not denote location easily. It's rural, it's wooded, it's sparsely populated, it's U.S.A. With some dialect words and a "from away" thrown in there a few times, I figure it has to be New England. It took me about 30 more pages to focus down to Vermont.
Every character is sculpted to perfection in this one. Castle Freeman Jr. has chiseled their wit, their ambition, their attraction, their physical appearance, their motive perceived. And he does it with such savvy and humor that his 5 word intro may equate a 30 paragraph chapter in other recent read tomes. It's absolutely phenomenal and incredibly rare, IMHO.
No plot summation. No world view reveal. Get ready for humor, fine male psychological address to components of a "bad boy" (even rarer to be so sublimely on target)- and some deep thoughts about job ambition, small town elections, and other stuff. All of which, btw, are totally more engrossing than you would believe if you've never experienced them.
There is a Russian gang, high economic class conflict, philosophy of law interpretation, and attitudes to contemplation of possible or actual marital infidelity over and above superb local language. The mix was completely delightful and I hope to revisit Wing and his Deputy Timberlake again soon. It was a 5 star in enjoyment for me. Not knowing enough about land-locked Vermont left me a bit out of the picture until I got to about page 50- but it's nearly perfect.
And for me, who almost entirely negates cover influence because I know marketing ploys accurately; this cover was 5 star perfect.
Also I could not denote location easily. It's rural, it's wooded, it's sparsely populated, it's U.S.A. With some dialect words and a "from away" thrown in there a few times, I figure it has to be New England. It took me about 30 more pages to focus down to Vermont.
Every character is sculpted to perfection in this one. Castle Freeman Jr. has chiseled their wit, their ambition, their attraction, their physical appearance, their motive perceived. And he does it with such savvy and humor that his 5 word intro may equate a 30 paragraph chapter in other recent read tomes. It's absolutely phenomenal and incredibly rare, IMHO.
No plot summation. No world view reveal. Get ready for humor, fine male psychological address to components of a "bad boy" (even rarer to be so sublimely on target)- and some deep thoughts about job ambition, small town elections, and other stuff. All of which, btw, are totally more engrossing than you would believe if you've never experienced them.
There is a Russian gang, high economic class conflict, philosophy of law interpretation, and attitudes to contemplation of possible or actual marital infidelity over and above superb local language. The mix was completely delightful and I hope to revisit Wing and his Deputy Timberlake again soon. It was a 5 star in enjoyment for me. Not knowing enough about land-locked Vermont left me a bit out of the picture until I got to about page 50- but it's nearly perfect.
And for me, who almost entirely negates cover influence because I know marketing ploys accurately; this cover was 5 star perfect.
May 29, 2010
Let me start saying I love this author! He's a great talent, which I discovered by chance in 2009. I read 'Go with Me' last year, such a surprising, extraordinary story, and already suspected this would be a favorite of mine. Yes, this one also is a gem of a novel (description of other reader) indeed, I love the writer's story telling, his language, his short, to the point descriptions, the humor in it, his characters. I see he is compared with Cormac McCarthy (yes, the sheriff does make me think of No country...) and Annie Proulx, both favorites of mine, so that makes sense. I'm a big fan and highly recommend this author.
July 30, 2012
I liked the minimalism of a few well sketched characters and the quirky humor in this tale told by a small town sheriff in Vermont, Lucian Wing. He takes satisfaction in resolving problems without resorting to violence or arresting the miscreants of his community. A challenge to peace comes when one of the town's youths steals something from the home of a Russian gangster, for which an arrest by his eager deputy would jeopardize the kid's life. Wing is also facing suspicions of infidelity on the part of his wife, whom he cherishes. His pathway out of this mess was very satisfying to me. �
December 13, 2020
I loved All That I Have. It’s involving, shrewd, witty and above all has the most wonderful narrative voice in Sheriff Lucian Wing.
Wing is Sheriff in a rural part of Vermont; he knows the people he polices and has a thoughtful, flexible approach to “sheriffing,” as opposed to that of his deputy; as another character puts it “All he does is run around arresting people. That’s not what anybody wants.” Wing’s contemplative, laconic style is tested when a local tearaway becomes involved with some very serious Russian gangsters; the plot moves quite gently and plausibly, interesting things happen without resorting to overblown action or violent sequences and it kept me interested throughout. The real joy of the book, though, is Wing’s voice and his take on things. These couple of examples give a flavour:
“Fact is, Wingate’s barely making it. After all, he’s eighty-three or -four. I go visit him every so often, but Clemmie don’t come. Wingate don’t want her. He don’t want Clemmie to see him broken down the way he is, it looks like. If you’re Wingate, you don’t show weakness, or anyway you don’t show it to women, or anyway you don’t show it to women of an age to be your daughter. Wingate’s old school.”
or
“Addison’s what you could call a pillar of the community, though he’s the kind of pillar where the side facing out gets a little more paint than the side facing in.”
and this typical little comment on his own role:
“I sat there and thought things over – didn’t get far with it, though. I decided I didn’t yet have quite enough to think about to make thinking worthwhile.”
If you like those, you’ll like the book. Don’t expect a high-octane mystery full of Twists; for me this was far more involving with its quiet, thoroughly engaging view of the complexities of ordinary lives – and it made me laugh out loud several times. Castle Freeman is a wonderful discovery for me and I have immediately bought the next two in the series. I can recommend this very warmly indeed.
Wing is Sheriff in a rural part of Vermont; he knows the people he polices and has a thoughtful, flexible approach to “sheriffing,” as opposed to that of his deputy; as another character puts it “All he does is run around arresting people. That’s not what anybody wants.” Wing’s contemplative, laconic style is tested when a local tearaway becomes involved with some very serious Russian gangsters; the plot moves quite gently and plausibly, interesting things happen without resorting to overblown action or violent sequences and it kept me interested throughout. The real joy of the book, though, is Wing’s voice and his take on things. These couple of examples give a flavour:
“Fact is, Wingate’s barely making it. After all, he’s eighty-three or -four. I go visit him every so often, but Clemmie don’t come. Wingate don’t want her. He don’t want Clemmie to see him broken down the way he is, it looks like. If you’re Wingate, you don’t show weakness, or anyway you don’t show it to women, or anyway you don’t show it to women of an age to be your daughter. Wingate’s old school.”
or
“Addison’s what you could call a pillar of the community, though he’s the kind of pillar where the side facing out gets a little more paint than the side facing in.”
and this typical little comment on his own role:
“I sat there and thought things over – didn’t get far with it, though. I decided I didn’t yet have quite enough to think about to make thinking worthwhile.”
If you like those, you’ll like the book. Don’t expect a high-octane mystery full of Twists; for me this was far more involving with its quiet, thoroughly engaging view of the complexities of ordinary lives – and it made me laugh out loud several times. Castle Freeman is a wonderful discovery for me and I have immediately bought the next two in the series. I can recommend this very warmly indeed.
April 29, 2015
Brilliantly written character study of Lucian Wing, Sheriff of a rural Vermont county comprising 17 small towns. "Sheriffing", as Lucian describes it, is totally different than State or big city policing in that the Sheriff is elected and keeps the peace in the context of doing what's right, not necessarily to the letter of the law. Sometimes that means looking the other way or cutting slack to otherwise good people. Lucian's laconic style is exemplified by his appearance; no gun, no uniform and no official police cruiser. His demeanor masks a sharp mind that people don't initially recognize because he asks a lot of simple questions and listens closely to the answers as a kind of a rural Colombo.
What makes this altogether too short novella so compelling is how Lucian deals with the introduction of Russian bad guy residents, his gung-ho deputy, county bad boy Sean "Superboy" Duke and his enigmatic wife Clemmie. All represent a challenge to Lucian's quietly effective approach to "Sheriffing" and his life in general. A truly unforgettable read that should have been 400 pages instead of 165. Very highly recommended.
Thank you Jeanette.................Ed
What makes this altogether too short novella so compelling is how Lucian deals with the introduction of Russian bad guy residents, his gung-ho deputy, county bad boy Sean "Superboy" Duke and his enigmatic wife Clemmie. All represent a challenge to Lucian's quietly effective approach to "Sheriffing" and his life in general. A truly unforgettable read that should have been 400 pages instead of 165. Very highly recommended.
Thank you Jeanette.................Ed
April 30, 2015
A whole lotta story in 165 pages! Lucian Wing is a pretty laid back sheriff in a small county in rural Vermont and he has a laid back way of tackling things. No matter what it is. . . his wife, his father-in-law, big crimes, little crimes, and people in general. One of my favorite paragraphs out of the whole book -
"Your bad boys . . . Let your bad boys come to you. The idea is that you give them a little cover, so they have a little room to screw up, a little time to figure things out and come around. What your aiming for is a taxpayer with a few good stories, a few memories that today make him shake his head, and not a convict sitting in a jail cell somewhere."
I guess you can do that in a small county with a laid back sheriff.
"Your bad boys . . . Let your bad boys come to you. The idea is that you give them a little cover, so they have a little room to screw up, a little time to figure things out and come around. What your aiming for is a taxpayer with a few good stories, a few memories that today make him shake his head, and not a convict sitting in a jail cell somewhere."
I guess you can do that in a small county with a laid back sheriff.
May 5, 2015
The Russians are coming. An uncomplicated story of a burglary of the Russian mob in Vermont. The crime takes place in a small county and the laid back sheriff investigates. The story is unusual, not in the crime, but in the manner in which the sheriff conducts the investigation. He is laid back and in lieu of a tactic of heavy handed police methods he uses common sense and patience to effect the resolution of the case. A well written book that deals into what the author believes are the essential qualities needed by a law enforcement officer in a rural community to conduct his job. The description of the two main characters, sheriff and superboy, is great as is the supporting cast. A fun book to read and a great break from the heavy crime novels.
February 18, 2018
Sheriff Wing ist ein entspannter Typ: Auf gemächliche Weise bewahrt er Ruhe, beobachtet und wartet, bis sich die Dinge von selbst klären.
Selbst als sich die Russenmafia in dem kleinen Nest Fayetteville niederlässt und ein nackter, gefesselter Russe auftaucht, gondelt er gelassen mit seinem Pick-Up durch die Provinz. Alles ganz easy. Hier in Fayetteville.
Trotzdem liest sich der Provinzkrimi nicht nur entspannend, sondern hat durch diese Gelassenheit eine Besonderheit. Als Leser lässt man sich nieder, taucht ab in dieses Provinznest, lässt sich von den Dingen mittreiben und muss dabei nichts machen, außer die Füße hochzulegen und zu genießen. So viel anders ist der Job eines Sheriffs anscheinend auch nicht als der des Lesers.
Zudem zaubert Freeman schöne Bilder herauf, verpackt den Provinzkrimi mit trockenem Humor und entführt in ein staubiges Provinznest. Das ist fast ein bisschen wie Urlaub. Schön gemacht, gut zu lesen, bitte mehr davon.
Selbst als sich die Russenmafia in dem kleinen Nest Fayetteville niederlässt und ein nackter, gefesselter Russe auftaucht, gondelt er gelassen mit seinem Pick-Up durch die Provinz. Alles ganz easy. Hier in Fayetteville.
Trotzdem liest sich der Provinzkrimi nicht nur entspannend, sondern hat durch diese Gelassenheit eine Besonderheit. Als Leser lässt man sich nieder, taucht ab in dieses Provinznest, lässt sich von den Dingen mittreiben und muss dabei nichts machen, außer die Füße hochzulegen und zu genießen. So viel anders ist der Job eines Sheriffs anscheinend auch nicht als der des Lesers.
Zudem zaubert Freeman schöne Bilder herauf, verpackt den Provinzkrimi mit trockenem Humor und entführt in ein staubiges Provinznest. Das ist fast ein bisschen wie Urlaub. Schön gemacht, gut zu lesen, bitte mehr davon.
March 24, 2019
Just loved this novella which said so much in so few words. I was taken with the character of Sheriff Wing, who breaks the rules for the sake of the good. Interested in the concept that the police are there to solve crimes and lock up the baddies, while the Sheriff is there to keep the community humming along smoothly. There were enough twists and turns to keep me keen and I ended the book feeling sorry that I couldn't just pick up the phone and invite him over for a cuppa.
March 4, 2025
Castle Freeman schreibt einfach so gut. Es geht hier um die Russenmafia, um Kleinstadtvibes (die sind allerdings selten cozy), um moralische Ambiguität und um die Frage, wir man mit den geringstmöglichen Mitteln den größtmöglichen Effekt erzielt.
Ich könnte ewig weiterlesen. Leider gibt's von der Reihe nur noch einen weiteren Band.
Ich könnte ewig weiterlesen. Leider gibt's von der Reihe nur noch einen weiteren Band.
January 6, 2023
Reread 2022; first read 2010
March 15, 2020
I loved this novella: great character writing, funny as hell and a well-paced plot. I will be reading more from Castle Freeman. Recommended.
August 9, 2024
Short book, short chapters, not many characters to keep up with. Fast interesting read.
August 25, 2009
For such a short book, this novel is densely packed with imagery and pathos. Told from the perspective of local sheriff Lucian Wing, this tale of small town crime with big city implications is a deft character study. I was reminded of No Country for Old Men, but this tale was less dark (though no less gripping) and used wry humor to soften the building tension. As Wing unravels the crime, local troublemaker Sean makes waves in both the community, Wing's marriage, and in the case itself. The ending is superb, the writing crisp, and the characters deep- highly recommended with a definite 5 star rating.
May 26, 2015
ALL THAT I HAVE
Castle Freeman Jr.
Not only did I not find a lot of humor I have to say I was quite untouched by the characters or the plot.
So Sorry Jeanette, we usually agree on most books, but I may have been out to lunch with this one!
Castle Freeman Jr.
Not only did I not find a lot of humor I have to say I was quite untouched by the characters or the plot.
So Sorry Jeanette, we usually agree on most books, but I may have been out to lunch with this one!
May 21, 2015
I enjoyed the characters of this story more than the story - since there really wasn't much of one - but it didn't stop me from page turning.
September 22, 2019
What stands out for me in Castle Freeman Jr.’s “All That I Have” is the wonderful main character, Sheriff Lucian Wing, and the humor that runs throughout the book.
Set in a small town part of Vermont (though at times I kept moving that town to the south in my mind, given the manner of speaking of several characters), this book is a slice of life piece. True, there is a story arc and a climax…but there’s an overlying day to day-ness of it that suggest that the events, while memorable, are all part of a way of life.
That way of life is embodied in Lucian Wing – who turns his profession into a verb. Everything he does is part of “sheriffing” – a job passed on to him by his mentor, the previous Sheriff Wingate.
More than a job, though, it’s learning and knowing people. Or “getting” people.
“Well, it’s changing times, ain’t it? The way I said before, we’ve got different kinds of people passing through here from what there used to be. Take the Russians. Take Morgan Endor. People you never do get. But you can get them partway. The Russians? I get them. They’re evildoers. Morgan Endor? Don’t know. I could take you all the way, Sheriff. I doubt it. I doubt it like hell. But I don’t know.”
Being in the first person, being in Lucian’s mind is wonderful, a treasure trove of brilliant things thought in the simplest of ways. (At times his voices dances right up to the line of too folksy for me, but never quite crosses.) Even though his world is small, he’s seen a great deal, thought about even more…yet isn’t jaded. Well – except for the part of his mind that is closed off from the reader. And from himself. You know it’s there, but it’s never spoken of.
Wing sees his small world with clear eyes and through a lens of humor.
“The door had been broken in. It had been destroyed: glass all over the porch, all over the room inside, busted woodwork….He’d more than shattered the glass and the woodwork. He’d ripped the door and the upper hinge right out of the frame.”
“Cat burglar, here, it looks like,” I said.”
Though he left his part of the world for the navy, it was a brief interlude before returning, and with the knowledge that people are the same the world over, and maybe with a few more skills with which to handle them.
“In the shore patrol, I found out that I have a talent for talking to people that are very, very drunk. And I learned that if talking don’t work, you can do about anything you like with a drunk by grabbing tight hold of his nose and twisting. You won’t do permanent damage, but he will come along, plus he’ll put out quite a lot of blood, which changes the subject, makes him think, and impresses any friends of his who might want to join in the fun.”
And there are the usual small town characters in Lucian’s world…but they don’t come off as stereotypical. There’s something there, some depth that keeps them as a character and not a caricature.
“Addison’s what you could call a pillar of the community, though he’s the kind of pillar where the side facing out gets a little more paint than the side facing in.”
This small book is a story about a place, a people and a man. A life that is like many others, where drama comes in, dusts things up a bit, and then leaves…and the dust settles down again. It seems a funny, yet thoughtful example of the saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Set in a small town part of Vermont (though at times I kept moving that town to the south in my mind, given the manner of speaking of several characters), this book is a slice of life piece. True, there is a story arc and a climax…but there’s an overlying day to day-ness of it that suggest that the events, while memorable, are all part of a way of life.
That way of life is embodied in Lucian Wing – who turns his profession into a verb. Everything he does is part of “sheriffing” – a job passed on to him by his mentor, the previous Sheriff Wingate.
More than a job, though, it’s learning and knowing people. Or “getting” people.
“Well, it’s changing times, ain’t it? The way I said before, we’ve got different kinds of people passing through here from what there used to be. Take the Russians. Take Morgan Endor. People you never do get. But you can get them partway. The Russians? I get them. They’re evildoers. Morgan Endor? Don’t know. I could take you all the way, Sheriff. I doubt it. I doubt it like hell. But I don’t know.”
Being in the first person, being in Lucian’s mind is wonderful, a treasure trove of brilliant things thought in the simplest of ways. (At times his voices dances right up to the line of too folksy for me, but never quite crosses.) Even though his world is small, he’s seen a great deal, thought about even more…yet isn’t jaded. Well – except for the part of his mind that is closed off from the reader. And from himself. You know it’s there, but it’s never spoken of.
Wing sees his small world with clear eyes and through a lens of humor.
“The door had been broken in. It had been destroyed: glass all over the porch, all over the room inside, busted woodwork….He’d more than shattered the glass and the woodwork. He’d ripped the door and the upper hinge right out of the frame.”
“Cat burglar, here, it looks like,” I said.”
Though he left his part of the world for the navy, it was a brief interlude before returning, and with the knowledge that people are the same the world over, and maybe with a few more skills with which to handle them.
“In the shore patrol, I found out that I have a talent for talking to people that are very, very drunk. And I learned that if talking don’t work, you can do about anything you like with a drunk by grabbing tight hold of his nose and twisting. You won’t do permanent damage, but he will come along, plus he’ll put out quite a lot of blood, which changes the subject, makes him think, and impresses any friends of his who might want to join in the fun.”
And there are the usual small town characters in Lucian’s world…but they don’t come off as stereotypical. There’s something there, some depth that keeps them as a character and not a caricature.
“Addison’s what you could call a pillar of the community, though he’s the kind of pillar where the side facing out gets a little more paint than the side facing in.”
This small book is a story about a place, a people and a man. A life that is like many others, where drama comes in, dusts things up a bit, and then leaves…and the dust settles down again. It seems a funny, yet thoughtful example of the saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
August 3, 2017
In eine Villa wurde mit roher Gewalt eingebrochen und der Sheriff und Deputy Keen wissen auch ganz genau, wer den Safe hat mitgehen lassen, doch während der Deputy den junge Superboy hochgehen lassen will, verfolgt der Sheriff seine ganz eigenen Pläne in seiner ganz eigenen Vorgehensweise, die ihn entweder zum Ziel führt - was auch immer dieses sein mag - oder ihn den Sheriffstern kosten wird...
Bei meinem Erstling von Freeman 'Männer mit Erfahrung' bereitete mir der Einstieg ein paar Probleme, aber dieses Werk fesselte mich von der allerersten Zeile an und ließ mich nicht mehr los. Ich hatte das Buch innerhalb von zwei Tagen gelesen und konnte es danach nicht aus der Hand legen, sondern blätterte noch einmal durch, um noch nicht gänzlich in meinen Alltag zurückkehren zu müssen, sondern eine Weile länger in dem des Sheriffs Lucian Wing zu bleiben, der uns als Ich-Erzähler an seinem Leben teilhaben lässt. Dieses Leben in Vermont bestreitet er mit seiner Ehefrau Clemmie (Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine :) ), mit deren Vater er oftmals nicht ganz einer Meinung ist.
Lucian Wing hat sein Handwerk von Sheriff Wingate gelernt - ein Name, auf den man bereits in 'Männer mit Erfahrung' stößt, denn wir befinden uns wieder in Vermont. In jener Gegend, in der die Uhren langsamer zu ticken scheinen und in der Dialoge, ja, ganze Beziehungen, mit wenigen Worten bestritten werden, die dafür umso passender sitzen.
"Das war typisch Wingate. Wenn's um das Sheriffsein ging, veranstaltete er regelrechte ... Wie heißt das noch, wenn alle herumsitzen und Fragen stellen und keiner je eine Antwort gibt? Seminar."
Lucian glaubt, er sei nicht der Hellste (Wie heißt das noch...?) Ich hingegen bemerkte schnell, dass er so einige Weisheiten über das Sheriffsein auf Lager hat, die man auch auf das Leben im Allgemeinen anwenden kann. Er wächst einem unweigerlich ans Herz, schon im ersten kleinen Kapitel, in dem man erkennt, dass es nicht nur um den Einbruch und das Drumherum gehen wird, sondern in gleichem Maße um den liebenswerten Sheriff höchstpersönlich. Ich verfolgte jeden einzelnen Gedankengang Lucians mit gespanntem Interesse und wurde von der ein oder anderen Wendung sehr überrascht. Besonders hervorzuheben ist die Beziehung zu seinem Schwiegervater - da brachte mich das ein oder andere zum Schmunzeln. Auch das Verhältnis zu seiner Ehefrau ist anrührend und hat einen bittersüßen Nachgeschmack.
Castle Freeman sorgt schlichtweg für ein köstliches Lesevergnügen, das man so schnell nicht vergessen wird. Er weiß, wie man ohne viel Worte großen Eindruck schindet.
Mein Fazit:
Mit diesem Werk überzeugte mich Castle Freeman von seiner Genialität - und zwar von der ersten Seite an. Sheriff Lucian Wing bringt einen zum Grübeln, zum Schmunzeln und dazu, ihn bedingungslos in sein Herz zu schließen. Erstklassiger Lesestoff voller Weisheiten, Vermont-Lakonie und trockenem Humor! Ein wahres Meisterwerk, das man gelesen haben sollte!
Bei meinem Erstling von Freeman 'Männer mit Erfahrung' bereitete mir der Einstieg ein paar Probleme, aber dieses Werk fesselte mich von der allerersten Zeile an und ließ mich nicht mehr los. Ich hatte das Buch innerhalb von zwei Tagen gelesen und konnte es danach nicht aus der Hand legen, sondern blätterte noch einmal durch, um noch nicht gänzlich in meinen Alltag zurückkehren zu müssen, sondern eine Weile länger in dem des Sheriffs Lucian Wing zu bleiben, der uns als Ich-Erzähler an seinem Leben teilhaben lässt. Dieses Leben in Vermont bestreitet er mit seiner Ehefrau Clemmie (Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine :) ), mit deren Vater er oftmals nicht ganz einer Meinung ist.
Lucian Wing hat sein Handwerk von Sheriff Wingate gelernt - ein Name, auf den man bereits in 'Männer mit Erfahrung' stößt, denn wir befinden uns wieder in Vermont. In jener Gegend, in der die Uhren langsamer zu ticken scheinen und in der Dialoge, ja, ganze Beziehungen, mit wenigen Worten bestritten werden, die dafür umso passender sitzen.
"Das war typisch Wingate. Wenn's um das Sheriffsein ging, veranstaltete er regelrechte ... Wie heißt das noch, wenn alle herumsitzen und Fragen stellen und keiner je eine Antwort gibt? Seminar."
Lucian glaubt, er sei nicht der Hellste (Wie heißt das noch...?) Ich hingegen bemerkte schnell, dass er so einige Weisheiten über das Sheriffsein auf Lager hat, die man auch auf das Leben im Allgemeinen anwenden kann. Er wächst einem unweigerlich ans Herz, schon im ersten kleinen Kapitel, in dem man erkennt, dass es nicht nur um den Einbruch und das Drumherum gehen wird, sondern in gleichem Maße um den liebenswerten Sheriff höchstpersönlich. Ich verfolgte jeden einzelnen Gedankengang Lucians mit gespanntem Interesse und wurde von der ein oder anderen Wendung sehr überrascht. Besonders hervorzuheben ist die Beziehung zu seinem Schwiegervater - da brachte mich das ein oder andere zum Schmunzeln. Auch das Verhältnis zu seiner Ehefrau ist anrührend und hat einen bittersüßen Nachgeschmack.
Castle Freeman sorgt schlichtweg für ein köstliches Lesevergnügen, das man so schnell nicht vergessen wird. Er weiß, wie man ohne viel Worte großen Eindruck schindet.
Mein Fazit:
Mit diesem Werk überzeugte mich Castle Freeman von seiner Genialität - und zwar von der ersten Seite an. Sheriff Lucian Wing bringt einen zum Grübeln, zum Schmunzeln und dazu, ihn bedingungslos in sein Herz zu schließen. Erstklassiger Lesestoff voller Weisheiten, Vermont-Lakonie und trockenem Humor! Ein wahres Meisterwerk, das man gelesen haben sollte!
April 9, 2020
"The sheriff brings law to people who don't need law. He enforces the law for people who don't break it - or not much."
"I was sitting at the breakfast table behind Clemmie, looking at her back - her morning back. We'd had another of our go-rounds the night before..."
"Look Sheriff...Somebody broke in here and robbed us. Maybe you know who it was, maybe you don't. It doesn't matter. We want him caught..."
"All That I Have" is three stories in one fairly short story; three relationship essays, you might say.
1. The relationship between what Sheriff Wing thinks "sheriffing" is, and what the people of the county (including Wing's deputies) think "sheriffing" ought to be.
2. The relationship between Wing and his wife Clemmie - they also have slightly different views on life (married life) and "sheriffing:"
"Clemmie said I think I'm the Law. I'm not the law. I'm the Sheriff. The 'law'
was almost the opposite of sheriffing, it was what you got to when sheriffing
failed."
3. The relationship between "right" and "wrong:"
The people of the county (right?) and Sean Duke (wrong?)
Mix in the Russian mob, the Vermont State Police, county government, and several other colorful characters (carefully painted in black and white) and you've got a mystery - cleverly disguised as a treatise on the best way to maintain order and "law."
This is my first introduction to the work of author Castle Freeman Jr., who has among his other writing credits a nearly 40 year stint as an essayist for "The Old Farmers Almanac." I'm definitely intrigued now to locate and read some of those "Almanac" columns.
"All That I Have" won't take you long to read, but it may take considerable time to digest, as it raises several contemplative issues:
The pitfalls of jumping to conclusions, which our main character Wing ordinarily doesn't do
in his professional life as a "law"-man, but finds himself doing here - against his better
judgement.
What do we do with the "Seans" of this world?
Is the "Inspector Harry Callahan" quick iron fist the best way to handle such violators?
Is the old adage "give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself" a more effective method?
Or maybe none of the above...
Do we really understand how difficult the job is that our Law Enforcement professionals
have?
I finished reading this book several days ago and because of these contemplations I'm just now writing this review - to suggest giving "All..." a read, more for what it may give you to think about than what it will give you as a simple piece of mystery fiction.
"I was sitting at the breakfast table behind Clemmie, looking at her back - her morning back. We'd had another of our go-rounds the night before..."
"Look Sheriff...Somebody broke in here and robbed us. Maybe you know who it was, maybe you don't. It doesn't matter. We want him caught..."
"All That I Have" is three stories in one fairly short story; three relationship essays, you might say.
1. The relationship between what Sheriff Wing thinks "sheriffing" is, and what the people of the county (including Wing's deputies) think "sheriffing" ought to be.
2. The relationship between Wing and his wife Clemmie - they also have slightly different views on life (married life) and "sheriffing:"
"Clemmie said I think I'm the Law. I'm not the law. I'm the Sheriff. The 'law'
was almost the opposite of sheriffing, it was what you got to when sheriffing
failed."
3. The relationship between "right" and "wrong:"
The people of the county (right?) and Sean Duke (wrong?)
Mix in the Russian mob, the Vermont State Police, county government, and several other colorful characters (carefully painted in black and white) and you've got a mystery - cleverly disguised as a treatise on the best way to maintain order and "law."
This is my first introduction to the work of author Castle Freeman Jr., who has among his other writing credits a nearly 40 year stint as an essayist for "The Old Farmers Almanac." I'm definitely intrigued now to locate and read some of those "Almanac" columns.
"All That I Have" won't take you long to read, but it may take considerable time to digest, as it raises several contemplative issues:
The pitfalls of jumping to conclusions, which our main character Wing ordinarily doesn't do
in his professional life as a "law"-man, but finds himself doing here - against his better
judgement.
What do we do with the "Seans" of this world?
Is the "Inspector Harry Callahan" quick iron fist the best way to handle such violators?
Is the old adage "give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself" a more effective method?
Or maybe none of the above...
Do we really understand how difficult the job is that our Law Enforcement professionals
have?
I finished reading this book several days ago and because of these contemplations I'm just now writing this review - to suggest giving "All..." a read, more for what it may give you to think about than what it will give you as a simple piece of mystery fiction.
December 29, 2018
One of my favorite books last year was Freeman's Go With Me, so I grabbed this new book from him with pretty high expectations. Unfortunately, it's not nearly as gripping as that was, but it's still a sturdy novella that should appeal to fans of his other novels. The story revolves around Sheriff Wing, who is responsible with maintaining law and order for 19 Vermont townships, in cooperation with the state police. His approach to "sheriffing" is a kind of laissez faire one, preferring to give people and events the space and time to work things out naturally, rather than intercede at the drop of a hat. The problem is that this approach (learned from his 80+ year-old mentor) may not be as effective in today's America as it was back when he first started policework in the '70s.
This bubbles up when he faced with a local young troublemaker who seems to have broken into a fancy vacation home and stolen a safe. It seems this particular home belongs to some kind of Russian mafiya boss, and the Russians aren't too particular about how they get their safe back. Sheriff Wing sets out to track the troublemaker down, get the safe back, and get him out of town -- without letting the Russians unleash their thugs on him. Meanwhile, Wing's gung-ho deputy is baying for the blood of the troublemaker, while accusing the Sheriff of not doing his duty and being too soft for the times.
The story is narrated by Wing in a kind of folksy deadpan voice that drifts off at times to explain how he got into sheriffing, how he met his wife, and other such background. And while reading this, it's awfully hard not to be reminded of the old-time Sheriff Bell of Cormac McCarthy's excellent book, No Country For Old Men. The books share many of the same themes, some of the same deadpan tone (although this one isn't anywhere near as violent), and both authors have an excellent ear for dialogue. Unfortunately, this feels just a shade more ethereal in some way, and thus isn't as gripping -- still, a good read.
This bubbles up when he faced with a local young troublemaker who seems to have broken into a fancy vacation home and stolen a safe. It seems this particular home belongs to some kind of Russian mafiya boss, and the Russians aren't too particular about how they get their safe back. Sheriff Wing sets out to track the troublemaker down, get the safe back, and get him out of town -- without letting the Russians unleash their thugs on him. Meanwhile, Wing's gung-ho deputy is baying for the blood of the troublemaker, while accusing the Sheriff of not doing his duty and being too soft for the times.
The story is narrated by Wing in a kind of folksy deadpan voice that drifts off at times to explain how he got into sheriffing, how he met his wife, and other such background. And while reading this, it's awfully hard not to be reminded of the old-time Sheriff Bell of Cormac McCarthy's excellent book, No Country For Old Men. The books share many of the same themes, some of the same deadpan tone (although this one isn't anywhere near as violent), and both authors have an excellent ear for dialogue. Unfortunately, this feels just a shade more ethereal in some way, and thus isn't as gripping -- still, a good read.
March 18, 2021
Lucian Wing is County Sheriff, has been for some years; he learned wisely from his old boss and predecessor, among the many things he learned: wait for things to come to you. Lucian pretty much applies that attitude to his whole way of life. He is laid back, easy going, patient, non-confrontational, let things work themselves out he believes; unfortunately his deputy sees things differently, his deputy, Lyle Keen, is young, wants results and thinks you must chase them; he wants Sheriff Wing's job.
A young tearaway, Sean 'Superboy' Duke, popular with the ladies, takes on more than he bargains for when he helps himself to something of value belonging the same unscrupulous big time Russian criminals resident in Sheriff Wing's county. Wing's way of handling the matter does not meet with his deputies approval, the old ways don't work today according to Keen, and with the next election for Sheriff looming, maybe Lucian should be worried.
It's a good story, but really it could be any story, for there is so much more to this than a good story. From the very first page Lucian, as he begins his tale, draws the reader into his private world and wins him over. Immediately one can hear the sound of his voice, easy, slow, gentle, it is almost impossible to read this fast, it would completely miss the point. Add to that the convincing dialogue, conversations comprising a string of short single line mild retorts; again one can hear the voices, the pace, so clearly.
Lucian is full of little snips of wisdom, he, by his own admission is not an educated man, but you don't need to be educated to be wise, and Lucian is a wise man. He also has very dry, droll humour and wit, and the pages of this little book are filled with all this and much more. If there is a complaint about this book it could only be that it is that it is too short! One could listen to Lucian without ever tiring, whatever it is he has to say. One could learn a lot from this little book, one will certainly be entertained.
(pre-publication review copy)
A young tearaway, Sean 'Superboy' Duke, popular with the ladies, takes on more than he bargains for when he helps himself to something of value belonging the same unscrupulous big time Russian criminals resident in Sheriff Wing's county. Wing's way of handling the matter does not meet with his deputies approval, the old ways don't work today according to Keen, and with the next election for Sheriff looming, maybe Lucian should be worried.
It's a good story, but really it could be any story, for there is so much more to this than a good story. From the very first page Lucian, as he begins his tale, draws the reader into his private world and wins him over. Immediately one can hear the sound of his voice, easy, slow, gentle, it is almost impossible to read this fast, it would completely miss the point. Add to that the convincing dialogue, conversations comprising a string of short single line mild retorts; again one can hear the voices, the pace, so clearly.
Lucian is full of little snips of wisdom, he, by his own admission is not an educated man, but you don't need to be educated to be wise, and Lucian is a wise man. He also has very dry, droll humour and wit, and the pages of this little book are filled with all this and much more. If there is a complaint about this book it could only be that it is that it is too short! One could listen to Lucian without ever tiring, whatever it is he has to say. One could learn a lot from this little book, one will certainly be entertained.
(pre-publication review copy)
August 27, 2025
In einer abgelegenen Villa in einem abgelegenen Ort in Vermont stehlen Einheimische einen Safe. Der gehört leider der Russenmafia. Das setzt eine Reihen von Entwicklungen in Gang, die Sheriff Wing gehörig beschäftigen. Es gilt, Eskalation zu vermeiden und Idioten vor ihrer Dummheit zu beschützen
Von der Anlage her ist der Roman ein Country Noir, aber mit ein paar Besonderheiten. Zwar kann man dabei zusehen, wie Locals und Mafia in einen Strudel von Eskalation und Gewalt zu geraten drohen, befeuert durch Fehleinschätzungen und Kurzsichtigkeit. Aber Freeman verzichtet darauf, das auf die Spitze zu treiben. Auch Sarkasmus und schwarzer Humor kommen eher nicht vor. Statt dessen versucht ein erfahrener und äußerst besonnener Sheriff die Wogen zu glätten und zu verhindern, dass die Dinge komplett aus dem Ruder laufen.
All das hebt sich herrlich ab vom üblichen Drama und Aktionismus vieler Romane, ohne dabei auch nur das kleinste bisschen in die Beschaulichkeit abzugleiten. Als Beispiel Bonus erfährt man noch viel über das Sherrif-sein (so heißen tatsächlich auch zwei Kapitel) und über die eigentümliche Rolle, die ein Sherrif (der ja gewählt wird) im Netz der lokalen Sicherheitsbehörden spielt.
Freeman ist klug genug, sein Thema nicht totzureiten und belässt es bei sehr lesenswerten 192 Seiten, genau der richtige Umfang. Der Roman hat alles, was ein gutes Buch ausmacht: Eine gute Geschichte, markante Charaktere, eine atmosphärisch gut rübergebrachte "location" und Einblicke in ein bestimmtes Milieu, hier eben das ländliche Vermont und seine Bewohner. Auch lesenswert, wenn man üblicherweise nicht zur Kriminal- und Spannungsliteratur neigt.
Von der Anlage her ist der Roman ein Country Noir, aber mit ein paar Besonderheiten. Zwar kann man dabei zusehen, wie Locals und Mafia in einen Strudel von Eskalation und Gewalt zu geraten drohen, befeuert durch Fehleinschätzungen und Kurzsichtigkeit. Aber Freeman verzichtet darauf, das auf die Spitze zu treiben. Auch Sarkasmus und schwarzer Humor kommen eher nicht vor. Statt dessen versucht ein erfahrener und äußerst besonnener Sheriff die Wogen zu glätten und zu verhindern, dass die Dinge komplett aus dem Ruder laufen.
All das hebt sich herrlich ab vom üblichen Drama und Aktionismus vieler Romane, ohne dabei auch nur das kleinste bisschen in die Beschaulichkeit abzugleiten. Als Beispiel Bonus erfährt man noch viel über das Sherrif-sein (so heißen tatsächlich auch zwei Kapitel) und über die eigentümliche Rolle, die ein Sherrif (der ja gewählt wird) im Netz der lokalen Sicherheitsbehörden spielt.
Freeman ist klug genug, sein Thema nicht totzureiten und belässt es bei sehr lesenswerten 192 Seiten, genau der richtige Umfang. Der Roman hat alles, was ein gutes Buch ausmacht: Eine gute Geschichte, markante Charaktere, eine atmosphärisch gut rübergebrachte "location" und Einblicke in ein bestimmtes Milieu, hier eben das ländliche Vermont und seine Bewohner. Auch lesenswert, wenn man üblicherweise nicht zur Kriminal- und Spannungsliteratur neigt.
May 29, 2019
Okay, so, yeah, I'm likely biased as the book is set in Vermont, but, hey! I've disliked many a book set in Vermont. But Freeman gets Vermont. Someone asked me the other day why anyone at all lives here (or , I suppose places like North Dakota). I don't know why anyone would live in North Dakota, but I know I live here because I like the attitude that, so far has continued to prevail despite pressures. That is an unlikely mix of respect for the individual and a reliance on community. Not logical, definitely not quite rational, this attitude could even be described as inconsistent, contradictory or paradoxical. So here we have the county sheriff, Lucian Wing, a man trained in the old school style, that in a small community where you really know everyone you take each person as they come. If something is not as it should be you don't slam the law down, you wait to see what develops, and if you stretch the law here and there in order to give a rambunctious youth a second (or third) chance, well, it ain't broke, merely stretched. State police enforce law, sheriffs, according to Wing, have a different mandate. When people come in (in this case Russian criminals stowing money in real estate) who don't respect the locals or the local ways, when their mansion is robbed and they are angry, and you all know who did it, you wait them out too, coldly and determinedly, and like a coyote (we have lots of them), you outwit them, even surprise them into respecting you. Anyway it's a great story, well told. *****
February 13, 2023
I read this based on my mom’s recommendation. A sheriff in a rural county in Vermont is trying to solve a case while dealing with family issues and with younger deputies pushing for a more aggressive style. I’m not the best reader for this kind of book, but I enjoyed it as something different. A couple lines I particularly enjoyed:
“Look, Sherriff, says Logan Tracy. …When you hear that “Look,” be careful. Go slow. Because the fellow who’s telling you to look don’t want you to. He wants you to think he’s an honest, plain-talking straight shooter who… is getting ready to level with you. He ain’t. He never is. He says look, but he means don’t look.”
“The past is different now. The past has changed. That’s what I can’t get used to. You expect change in the future, but you reckon the past is set, it’s permanent. No, it ain’t. …All those years, we haven’t been having the life I thought we’d been having.”
“Look, Sherriff, says Logan Tracy. …When you hear that “Look,” be careful. Go slow. Because the fellow who’s telling you to look don’t want you to. He wants you to think he’s an honest, plain-talking straight shooter who… is getting ready to level with you. He ain’t. He never is. He says look, but he means don’t look.”
“The past is different now. The past has changed. That’s what I can’t get used to. You expect change in the future, but you reckon the past is set, it’s permanent. No, it ain’t. …All those years, we haven’t been having the life I thought we’d been having.”
February 29, 2024
This book scratches an itch. Well, not for everyone--but it does for me. It owes a lot to Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. McCarthy's book gets a hard R rating, and Freeman's gets a hard PG (almost PG-13). But I've read the former once and the latter three times now. Freeman's is much the gentler book. We see the modern world for the ugly and decadent thing it is... and a lot of people here do Very Bad Things. But Freeman's county sheriff, Lucian Wing, is calm, perceptive, and has an authentic rural wisdom. Maybe the back-country voice does 'chew the scenery' in one or two places. But the novel has the rare and invaluable charm that comes with looking, without flinching, at chaos while never giving voice to despair.
November 22, 2016
Now this one was very good. Castle Freeman, Jr. has written an altogether enjoyable and compassionate book about a sheriff of a rural county in Vermont, whose marriage is faltering and a rival is threatening his position in an upcoming election. Lucian Wing holds to the principles he's been using since he joined local law enforcement and he sees no reason to alter course, despite Russian gangsters and home-grown threats.
The strength of All That I Have centers on Wing's voice. He's careful and thoughtful and has a dryly humorous way of expressing himself that makes every page a delight.
The strength of All That I Have centers on Wing's voice. He's careful and thoughtful and has a dryly humorous way of expressing himself that makes every page a delight.
September 22, 2018
In his talk to the Wardsboro Book Club, Castle described discovering the voice of his protagonist while walking his two dogs in Newfane. This unique voice took over and shaped this tale about a young man who committed a crime with no idea of how significant the consequences would be. A fun, entertaining read.
January 10, 2020
This is a quick read, only 165 pages. The first word that comes to my mind to describe this book is strange. The writing style is weird. I wondered throughout the book if it would come together and make sense at some point. I personally didn’t think that the story came together well at all, but the book was readable.
December 20, 2020
Kein Krimi, sondern eher Entspannungsliteratur. Sheriff Wing ist jemand, der Wu wei (Handeln durch Nichthandeln) verinnerlicht hat. Das macht beim Lesen ganz angenehm ruhig, auch wenn am Ende eine Prise Würze fehlt.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews