Bopper's Progress

by John Manderino

Winner of Wundor’s 2017 International Short Fiction Contest. Bopper is a directionless young man who has found himself on a month-long retreat at a Zen Buddhist monastery in upper-state New York. The novel fluctuates between revealing the reasons Bopper ended up there (including his girlfriend falling for her Zen-centric tennis instructor) and the predicaments, mostly self-inflicted, that he navigates while he’s there (including his lemon drop-sucking roommate/nemesis). The story is told over the course of Bopper’s day at the monastery, from morning wake-up to the day’s end, through complicated meals, surprising whacks at meditation, conflict-filled group chores, and tiny moments of grace.

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2018

About the author

JOHN MANDERINO lives in Maine with his wife Marie, where he teaches college writing and provides coaching and editing services to other writers. He has published three novels, a collection of short stories and a memoir with Academy Chicago. John has also written plays that have been performed at theater festivals and other venues. A stage version of his memoir Crying at Movies was recently produced."

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bopper's Progress" was a fast, fun read! The writing is good and the material entertaining! Both my husband and I enjoyed this read enough to purchase several more books by John Manderino.