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Revolver
As the 1970s end, two star-crossed high-school lovers from Long Island go on a mystical journey that takes them deep into the heart of rock ‘n’ roll — and puts them on a collision course with their hero, John Lennon.
Suspenseful, funny, and emotional, REVOLVER deftly combines a coming-of-age story, a deep dive into rock history, and an exploration of the enduring power of music. All set to a soundtrack of the breakthrough albums of the era.
This big-hearted debut novel from Evan I. Schwartz serves as a resonant reminder of John Lennon’s enduring legacy, and inspires us to reimagine a better world.
Suspenseful, funny, and emotional, REVOLVER deftly combines a coming-of-age story, a deep dive into rock history, and an exploration of the enduring power of music. All set to a soundtrack of the breakthrough albums of the era.
This big-hearted debut novel from Evan I. Schwartz serves as a resonant reminder of John Lennon’s enduring legacy, and inspires us to reimagine a better world.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 8, 2020
2 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Evan I. Schwartz
9 books8 followersEvan I. Schwartz writes about history, innovation, tech, music, and media.
He is the author of The Last Lone Inventor: A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television (HarperCollins), named by Amazon Books as one of “100 Biographies & Memoirs to Read in a Lifetime.”
His book Finding Oz: How L. Frank Baum Discovered the Great American Story (Houghton Mifflin) is a narrative about the origins of a cultural icon, The Wizard of Oz.
His first book, Webonomics, was the #24 bestselling book on Amazon.com for the year 1997 (when only geeks bought stuff on the Internet), and his second book, Digital Darwinism, was a New York Times bestseller. Both are published by Broadway/Random House.
His 2021 book, REVOLVER: a novel, was issued as a free paperback, direct by mail, from the Concord Free Press, a 501c3 that promotes generosity through reading.
Schwartz has taught writing at Boston University and Tufts University.
He is the author of The Last Lone Inventor: A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television (HarperCollins), named by Amazon Books as one of “100 Biographies & Memoirs to Read in a Lifetime.”
His book Finding Oz: How L. Frank Baum Discovered the Great American Story (Houghton Mifflin) is a narrative about the origins of a cultural icon, The Wizard of Oz.
His first book, Webonomics, was the #24 bestselling book on Amazon.com for the year 1997 (when only geeks bought stuff on the Internet), and his second book, Digital Darwinism, was a New York Times bestseller. Both are published by Broadway/Random House.
His 2021 book, REVOLVER: a novel, was issued as a free paperback, direct by mail, from the Concord Free Press, a 501c3 that promotes generosity through reading.
Schwartz has taught writing at Boston University and Tufts University.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 3, 2021
This is book #2134
I picked up this book free at my local bookstore as part of a really rad project through Concord Free Press (concordfreepress.com) - essentially, they ask you to read the book, make a donation or help someone in need, and then pass the book on. the copies are numbered so you can go on their website and share where you donated, and what book you had. the publisher keeps track of how much money the book has raised. it's really awesome and i'm excited to be a small part of it with this book!
That being said, unfortunately that is the best part of this book experience for me. i found myself regularly lost while reading this book, and there was no noticeable difference between the voices of Charlie and Shayla, which added to my confusion pretty often. there were too many gimmicky song references as well ("and then he said 'we're not gonna take it!'", "I realized i had brass in pocket," etc). And yet, despite being confused most of the book, i totally saw the 'twist' coming. I think this book was going in too many directions, and it left me feeling underwhelmed.
I am down to keep track of what Concord Free Press does next, though.
I picked up this book free at my local bookstore as part of a really rad project through Concord Free Press (concordfreepress.com) - essentially, they ask you to read the book, make a donation or help someone in need, and then pass the book on. the copies are numbered so you can go on their website and share where you donated, and what book you had. the publisher keeps track of how much money the book has raised. it's really awesome and i'm excited to be a small part of it with this book!
That being said, unfortunately that is the best part of this book experience for me. i found myself regularly lost while reading this book, and there was no noticeable difference between the voices of Charlie and Shayla, which added to my confusion pretty often. there were too many gimmicky song references as well ("and then he said 'we're not gonna take it!'", "I realized i had brass in pocket," etc). And yet, despite being confused most of the book, i totally saw the 'twist' coming. I think this book was going in too many directions, and it left me feeling underwhelmed.
I am down to keep track of what Concord Free Press does next, though.
Currently reading
November 17, 2020I'm thrilled to let you know that my debut novel REVOLVER is available in paperback starting today. And like all Concord Free Press books, it's FREE to readers in exchange for your generosity.
Click on request-a-book here:
Postage is included.
Be generous however and wherever you choose. Just donate any amount to a charity, cause, or someone in need, and log it at the website, so we can keep a tally. Concord Free Press books have inspired $3.6+ million in generosity so far.
REVOLVER will also be available in December at over 50 independent bookstores across the U.S., also for free in exchange for generosity. (FYI, there's no catch.)
I hope you enjoy the book and review it here on GoodReads.
Click on request-a-book here:
Postage is included.
Be generous however and wherever you choose. Just donate any amount to a charity, cause, or someone in need, and log it at the website, so we can keep a tally. Concord Free Press books have inspired $3.6+ million in generosity so far.
REVOLVER will also be available in December at over 50 independent bookstores across the U.S., also for free in exchange for generosity. (FYI, there's no catch.)
I hope you enjoy the book and review it here on GoodReads.
September 14, 2021
Didn't pass my 50-page rule.
December 15, 2021
I'm a music guy. I'm also a Long Island kid who grew up out east in the 60's & 70's. You don't need to be from Long Island to love this book but loving music and the power it has to build bridges to community may be a requirement! Evan I. Schwartz has written a loving tribute to growing up with a best friend that you could summon at anytime, just by listening to music. The high school experience resonated with me as well. I was a band geek and we had a much more low key school newspaper but the clubs and connections, fear and fights were my experience too. Charlie's scars were especially poignant. The scars of growing up are still something I am recovering from. Some scars we carry on the outside, some scars we carry on the inside.
I so love this book that I started "binge reading" it. After a few days, about half way through I started reading a handful of pages a couple of times a day so I could saver the experience. I also listened to a lot of the music that Evan includes to give me a better sense of time. The Peter Jackson Documentary "The Beatles - Get Back" was released during my reading and that also took me back.
A wonderful story, written by a great story teller. Well done Evan! Enjoy it and Rock On!
Chuck Vosganian
Rochmon Record Club
I so love this book that I started "binge reading" it. After a few days, about half way through I started reading a handful of pages a couple of times a day so I could saver the experience. I also listened to a lot of the music that Evan includes to give me a better sense of time. The Peter Jackson Documentary "The Beatles - Get Back" was released during my reading and that also took me back.
A wonderful story, written by a great story teller. Well done Evan! Enjoy it and Rock On!
Chuck Vosganian
Rochmon Record Club
April 9, 2021
Revolver was a time travel machine back to the best of late 70s rock ‘n’ roll and my time spent on Long Island. I fell hard for the characters, hung on every plot twist, and marveled (albeit enviously) at the author’s innate writing talent. Having been a kid who worked on the school paper and yearbook, it didn’t occur to me until reading this book how fundamental that experience was to my future career. And the romantic collisions of those late-night teenage bullpens brings back nothing but nostalgic good times. I loved everything about this book. I was surprised and emotional over the ending. The avant garde publishing model is a nerdy bonus. A+ all the way. Order it, read it, and keep it going.
December 31, 2021
I received this book free from The Concord Free Press in exchange for a charitable donation and a promise to pass it along.
This is a novel about music loving teenagers living in the late 1970’s to 1980 on Long Island NY. The book itself is basically an ARC and is in dire need of editing. That being said, the cover design is fabulous and carries the atmosphere of the story. The author writes as a teenage boy would write, which adds to the flavor of the novel. Whether he meant to do that or not is the question.
The big draw of this book though is the music, the artists, and the memories from that time. Even though this is a work of fiction, the reader has no reason to question whether or not the events played out this way. Until the end of course!
This is a novel about music loving teenagers living in the late 1970’s to 1980 on Long Island NY. The book itself is basically an ARC and is in dire need of editing. That being said, the cover design is fabulous and carries the atmosphere of the story. The author writes as a teenage boy would write, which adds to the flavor of the novel. Whether he meant to do that or not is the question.
The big draw of this book though is the music, the artists, and the memories from that time. Even though this is a work of fiction, the reader has no reason to question whether or not the events played out this way. Until the end of course!
November 28, 2020
This book was an addicting trip into the music of the seventies. It was like flipping through my old albums, picking song after song and memory after memory of my teenager years. What band or song would come up next? Even if you didn’t live through all this music and history, it’s a great snapshot of some of the most important music of the time. All of this just is the backdrop to an intriguing fictional story of two teens who are wrapped up in each other, the music and John Lennon. It’s a sweet and imaginative story that pulls on the heartstrings. A must read for anyone looking for a fun escape back in time.
January 4, 2021
At its heart REVOLVER is a tender coming of age love story set in the time when your social standing was determined by which bands you listened to and whether your jeans where made by Sergio Valente or Levi & Strauss. But as our young protagonists are drawn by destiny to prevent great rock and roll tragedy, we’re taken on a musical thrill ride that makes REVOLVER hard to put down.
I am a contemporary of Mr. Schwartz and reveled
in the period details as he drops names, places and song lyrics that will invoke nostalgia for anyone of that particular time and place. But what makes REVOLVER a “good read” is the detail with which the characters and their relationships are drawn.
I am a contemporary of Mr. Schwartz and reveled
in the period details as he drops names, places and song lyrics that will invoke nostalgia for anyone of that particular time and place. But what makes REVOLVER a “good read” is the detail with which the characters and their relationships are drawn.
November 17, 2020
This book is a great read to take your mind off the current craziness. It’s a rock ‘n’ roll, high school love story set in the 70’s. The characters love of music runs through the book. John Lennon figures in the story as well. I related to the characters and the story resonated with me. I grew up in the suburbs at the same time as the characters, and I love the same music. Its got music, humor, love, and is just what we all need now. Give it a read.
January 12, 2021
This book was so enjoyable! (I read 3 books a year if I'm lucky, so finishing one in a month is like a record for me.)
It's a really great story and the use of the late 70s/early 80s time period and its music is a really solid backdrop. It even compelled me to go revisit a bunch of music I haven't listened to in a long time.
And keep your eyes out for many musical breadcrumbs dropped throughout the prose.
It's a really great story and the use of the late 70s/early 80s time period and its music is a really solid backdrop. It even compelled me to go revisit a bunch of music I haven't listened to in a long time.
And keep your eyes out for many musical breadcrumbs dropped throughout the prose.
December 12, 2020
Revolver is a fresh take on high school life from the point of view of music loving teenager, Charlie. He and his friend Shayla are budding journalists who spend much of their time listening to, discussing, and writing about competing genres of music of the late 70s/early 80s. Their star-touched, musical adventure leads to a surprising conclusion with an ultra-cool twist.
February 2, 2021
Great read for anyone for whom music provides the soundtrack to their memories. To me, this was nostalgic read. And, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I can’t wait to share this with others.
December 7, 2021
The title of this book is taken from the Beatles album of the same name, reflecting that focus this book has on music in general and the Beatles more specifically. Set in 1979-80, this novel is the story of a couple of teenagers as they grapple with the shifting musical landscape of that period. I was in middle school during those years, and my musical world was still largely confined to the scope of my parents' musical tastes. As a consequence, I was largely unaware of the conflict between fans of disco music and the fans of rock and roll who thought disco was an abomination. I would become aware of it a couple of years, but by that time, it had faded to a faint echo, and the diversity of musical choices that evolved from this period has help drive my widely eclectic musical tastes.
Charlie Mixner and Shayla Hayzlet are high school students on Long Island, and their relationship is a turbulent as the events in the world around them. Charlie has significant burn scars from an incident when he was three, and Shayla is one of the few people who sees past the scars. They bond over common tastes in music, but their shifting musical interests will also make their relationship complicated, as does their ambition to advance in the hierarchy of their school newspaper.
And Charlie has a premonition that John Lennon is in danger and desperately wants to find a way to warn him. Ultimately, he hopes to earn sufficient journalistic credentials covering music to be able to get a chance to interview Lennon, giving him his opportunity to pass on his warning. Along the way, we get a look back at the music of the period through the eyes of the teens that formed much of the market for these albums.
This book is full of great details about the music and the performers, as well as reminders of the cultural conflicts of the late 70s. No spoilers, but the ending was a surprise, not at all what I was expecting. While I liked the book, I did find the pacing a little slow for my taste, but otherwise, this was an entertaining trip down a musical memory lane.
Charlie Mixner and Shayla Hayzlet are high school students on Long Island, and their relationship is a turbulent as the events in the world around them. Charlie has significant burn scars from an incident when he was three, and Shayla is one of the few people who sees past the scars. They bond over common tastes in music, but their shifting musical interests will also make their relationship complicated, as does their ambition to advance in the hierarchy of their school newspaper.
And Charlie has a premonition that John Lennon is in danger and desperately wants to find a way to warn him. Ultimately, he hopes to earn sufficient journalistic credentials covering music to be able to get a chance to interview Lennon, giving him his opportunity to pass on his warning. Along the way, we get a look back at the music of the period through the eyes of the teens that formed much of the market for these albums.
This book is full of great details about the music and the performers, as well as reminders of the cultural conflicts of the late 70s. No spoilers, but the ending was a surprise, not at all what I was expecting. While I liked the book, I did find the pacing a little slow for my taste, but otherwise, this was an entertaining trip down a musical memory lane.
September 21, 2022
This coming-of-age first novel by tech reporter Evan I. Schwartz is interesting for several reasons. First, there's no tech in the book, which takes place on Long Island between 1978-1980 and is narrated in alternate sections by high school student Charlie and his on-and-off girlfriend, Shayla. If the book is about anything, it's about the importance of music plays in our lives. For Charlie, it starts with a particular record album, the Beatles' "Revolver," that provides a mystery Charlies needs to solve. Music is what brings Charlie and Shayla together -- and what pushes them apart when their tastes in bands changes over the course of this novel.
The writing, including its depiction of New York and Long Island from that period, along with its knowing reference to rock lyrics from that period, is accurate and clever. Schwartz weaves real people, especially rockers like the Stray Cats, Pat Benatar, Liberty Devito (Billy Joel's longtime drummer) who have a connection to the town of Massapequa. (Alex Baldwin and Jerry Seinfeld also grew up in the town that Seinfeld said is "Native American for 'near the mall,' but neither shows up in this novel because I don't think they hit it big until after the time covered in the book.) Some people not from Long Island make an appearance, including Elton John and, especially, John Lennon, who Charlie and Shayla meet several times, trying to warn him of imminent danger. (It's not a spoiler to say it's connected to solving the mystery behind the connection Charlie has to "Revolver," after all, it's the title of the book.
The writing, including its depiction of New York and Long Island from that period, along with its knowing reference to rock lyrics from that period, is accurate and clever. Schwartz weaves real people, especially rockers like the Stray Cats, Pat Benatar, Liberty Devito (Billy Joel's longtime drummer) who have a connection to the town of Massapequa. (Alex Baldwin and Jerry Seinfeld also grew up in the town that Seinfeld said is "Native American for 'near the mall,' but neither shows up in this novel because I don't think they hit it big until after the time covered in the book.) Some people not from Long Island make an appearance, including Elton John and, especially, John Lennon, who Charlie and Shayla meet several times, trying to warn him of imminent danger. (It's not a spoiler to say it's connected to solving the mystery behind the connection Charlie has to "Revolver," after all, it's the title of the book.
December 19, 2020
Revolver is the story of Charlie and Shayla, two teenagers who develop a relationship based on their mutual love of all things music. The story is set in the late 70's. The friends journey takes them from Massapequa LI to Manhattan, in a quest tomeet and warn a world famous musician of what they see as imminent danger. Evan Scwartz's excellent character development makes this book a Great read.
February 3, 2021
Warm and nostalgic, funny and touching, a reminder of the passion that teenagers feel for the music in their lives. I went to high school with the author, and it's hard to separate my memories of the real world places and events name-checked in this novel from the story it tells, but that just adds to its emotional impact for me, and the love letter to rock n roll it delivers.
Nicely told, Evan.
Nicely told, Evan.
July 7, 2022
The ending surprised the hell out of me. Can't wait to pass this on.
March 5, 2023
It’s a nice light read. Actually, I liked it more after reading the author’s bio.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews