Behind Picketwire

by M. Day Hampton

Recipient of the 2021 IndieBRAG Medallion Award, National Indie Excellence Award and the Independent Press Distinguished Favorite. Finalist, in Best New Fiction and Best New Cover for The International Book Awards, www.intlbookawards.com.

Behind Picketwire is the book readers are calling “one of the best books I've read,” and raving, “this book draws you in and doesn't let go.”

Red Johnson is a cantankerous sixty-eight-year-old man. After suffering a fall, he wakes to find himself alone in the world with no evidence of human existence other than his house and his dog, Jake. Desperate to find a way back to his family and the world he knew, Red journeys across the country in hopes of finding someone, anyone to help him. As he searches the vast wilderness and struggles for survival, he reflects on the life he took for granted. Meanwhile, his own history begins to unfold before him in the form of strange memories and hauntingly vivid dreams. They make him yearn for what he had, and fall in love with his wife all over again. As Red struggles alone through the wilderness, he comes face to face with a hidden family history that completely changes his past...and his future.

We are all on a journey to find meaning, and Behind Picketwire is one man’s struggle through the wilderness to know himself and to finally see his life in stunning clarity.

Genres: Fiction

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2020

Reviews

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your usual love story

This book is going to be complicated to review, for the simple fact that it is too easy to give away spoilers. Indeed, especially towards the end, even the tiniest detail is a spoiler!

But I will start with this – as soon as Red had his fall, this was one of the few times that I wanted to skip to the end, to see what happened to him. I resisted the urge and in many ways I’m glad I did, as the ending is too strong and would have spoilt the rest. Instead, I stuck with it, with Red and the dog(s) (minor spoiler), on their journey through the wilderness.

In some ways, this could be classified as Dystopian – a world where people, law, order, the modern world, has all disappeared. It’s like a One Man and His Dog version of The Land Before Time. There’s just the wilderness, with all of nature as it once was and could be again.

So, considering it all, even before starting, we know that Red has to be in some dream-like state. Is it a coma? Is he already dead? Will he wake up? All those questions are hard to tell, as the book trundles slowly on. And yes, I did find it a slow read. I think probably because for the first part of the book, it did move slowly. It makes it hard in that the only dialogue is between Red and his dog, or random into the wilderness, or memories. Yes, there are many flashbacks, that help us understand Red better as he starts to understand himself better, too, from his childhood to more recent memories. He sees his triumphs, but he also sees his faults, and wonders why he couldn’t have been a better person at the moments when it mattered. He knows that he cared in those moments, yet was unable to show it better. Regrets, yet rediscovering the love that he moves forward to refind.

Not everything goes to plan in the wilderness. When he does finally set off, with such certainty of where he has to go, where he will find his wife again, between disasters and durability, he somehow finds his way forward.

Once you get into the final thirty percent of the book, the ending can be seen coming. Yet, somehow, you still hope for more.

So, we know what happens to Red, right at the end, yet what about Jake? And who was his coyote companion, he named Lady?

Another note is that there are Christian elements throughout, but in such a casual way as to not be overbearing. I appreciate a book that can give insights into someone’s religious, or semi-religious life, without trying to preach to you or force it down your throat (unfortunately I’ve had a few of the bad kind of late). This is pretty safe for anyone, no matter their spiritual- or non-beliefs.

On the whole, this is a book that deserves forbearance. When the emotional moments come, they are overpowering. In between is a journey that is far more than it first seems.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up. I thought I knew what was going on, but I wasn't sure until the very end. I loved how all the separate details of the story came together at the end. My only complaint is that it switched a little too easily from present to past and didn't always signal that it was doing it - but each time it was pretty obvious as soon as it happened. I will definitely be reading Hampton's next book!

[Stacey Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Read

Truly wonderful read on the many faces of love that touches ones life and the extraordinary gifts of the ordinary

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are all on a journey to find meaning, and Behind Picketwire is one man’s struggle through the wilderness to know himself and to finally see his life in stunning clarity. Red Johnson, a cantankerous sixty-eight-year-old man, suffers a fall. When he wakes up, he finds him alone, the only human on earth. With his dog, Jake, Red begins a journey toward his beloved wife. As he navigates the vast wilderness and struggles for survival, strange memories and hauntingly vivid dreams reveal secrets about his past and make him yearn for what he has taken for granted.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book. It is a bit dry in areas, and I wasn't always sure if Red was in the present or in a memory or dream.
This book includes plenty of wilderness survival tips and outdoor adventures that are interesting, but some of the content and profanity that can be challenging for sensitive readers.
I appreciated the author's note at the end which explained the inspiration for this book. While I thought initially that it was a fantasy, it's ultimately a beautiful love story that has left me feeling haunted and inspired to hug my loved ones closer.

[Michelle Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal. It’s rare for me to read a really good and engaging book that doesn’t use immense amounts of action or romance or etc. Following Red through the wilderness of the United States, I felt as if I couldn’t read fast enough to keep up with him. Putting the book down to cook dinner or take care of the kids was difficult because I wanted to know what was next. I wanted him to reach his destination. In the end, his ending was appropriate for the story, however I couldn’t help wishing for a different ending for him.

[Maura Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ordinary life

It was a slow start getting into this book. Once I got about a quarter of the way through it got interesting. You follow along as the main charter relives his life through his dreams. He didn’t realize his ordinary life was really wonderful until he was about to die. It’s a book about taking pride in being a good son, daughter, husband, wife and person - that’s a good life.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have used some editing to tighten up the story... about 50 pages too many. And although I understand (I think) the author's wish to keep the storytelling slightly surreal, the flashbacks needed to be separated by ~~~~~. It was just too confusing to try to note when we were traveling with Red and when Red was traveling in his mind.

Good story, satisfying conclusion.

[Laurie Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Older man, Red Johnson, falls and is knocked unconscious. When he wakens, nothing is the same - his house remains - but he is alone except for his wife's dog, Jake. Everything beyond the end of his driveway has returned to a time before man's development. Johnson begins a journey to find his wife, his children, the world he knew before falling. At times he questions his sanity - at times he feels cognitively impaired.

The novel covers Johnson journey, his unusual dreams, his memories. He reflects on his life - his anger, his selfishness, his stubbornness, events he wished he could change - was he the man he wanted to be or a shallow imitation.

Maybe it's because I am older. Maybe it's because I am an introvert. Maybe because I often "ponder". Whatever the reason, this was a novel I with which I became completely absorbed. When I had to stop reading, I could hardly wait to return to the story. Will be one of my favorites for 2022.

[Jaana Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Behind Picketwire is a story about how significant and precious a seemingly ordinary life can be.'

I'm using the author's own words here to help my review. It's impossible to explain this book without giving everything away. Just take my word for it, pick up this book and go on Red's journey with him.

The only issue I had with this book was the dips into memory often had no warning. You'd be in the middle of something and suddenly you're in a memory without realising. I'm not sure if it was meant to be this way, or if the author realised how disconnecting it could be, but it does improve as the book goes on and it becomes easier to discern where you are at. A beautiful book with an amazing back story to why it came about.

[Mackenzie Albrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a unique story that was easy to get absorbed into! It was a real page-turner because I always wanted to know what would happen to Red and his dog Jake next. I loved receiving the little nuggets of information along the way in the form of Red’s flash-backs and dreams. Reading about Red’s resourcefulness and survival skills was very interesting and that along with the author’s descriptive writing, particularly about the scenery, made me want to go spend time in nature. The writing was thought-provoking, reflective, and emotional without being too sad. There were also some really funny scenes! I’d recommend Behind Picketwire to anyone who likes reading about the main character’s reflection of their life, nature, survival, or just something unique!

[Amanda Crumpton Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that the flashbacks were hard to distinguish from his current situation at first. It did get easier to tell when they were occurring as you read. I think putting the flashbacks in a different font would have helped tremendously. I liked how the author was able to describe the scenery so you could picture it. The story was well written. It was a little slow in the beginning but once Red finally sets out on the big trip it gets a lot more engaging. The ending is "happy" like you would expect a happy ending to be, but it was happy in its own special way. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to fellow readers.

[Kristin Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! If you have ever wondered what it would be like to walk through a pristine world full of beautiful animals and no humans, read this book. Behind Picketwire is a book about one man’s journey to find his true self. Along the way, he embraces his loves, losses and regrets. To add to the intrigue, the author has masterfully incorporated, subtle items and events which have a much deeper meaning. I escaped into Red and his dog Jake’s world and followed their amazing yet dangerous journey to reach the emotional conclusion. I can’t wait to read M. Day Hampton’s next book!

[Cyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

This was a thought provoking wonderfully written book. It takes you on a journey of survival through pristine landscapes that are long gone. I liked how the main character would reflect back to his childhood and later life on his travels. Beautiful written book very much worth five stars.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was Wild by Cheryl Strayed, meets Naked and Afraid TV Show, meets Eat Pray Love movie. It was a journey of Red, finding himself. He was accompanied on this journey his dog, Jake. The icing on the cake was the connection that the author has for her “WHY” for creating the story. You’ll have to read it to understand, but it was very moving and a wonderful way to wrap up the novel.

[Janice Quinn Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written book is part adventure story, part meditation on life with all the peaks and valleys. It's a thoughtful exploration of love, loss, family and regret. Through the snow, smoke and mist distant memories and what is most important become more clear. This wonderful book stays with you long after the final page. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Kathy Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read, but sad.

I finished this book in 2 days. I cried at least 4 times while reading Red's journey. We are asked to see our lives as others may see them. Thought provoking.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing book. The story takes you on such a rollercoaster of emotions. I was laughing one minute and bawling my eyes out the next!!! It's filled with so much detail and I learnt a lot from it, too. I cannot stress how much I love this book.

[Maxine Coz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book. It puts you in the outdoors as you have never been before. You see through this man's eyes all the wonders of nature that G-d has put out there for us to enjoy

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that BEHIND PICKETWIRE by M. Day Hampton is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Ralph Handscomb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing

Very confusing.
18 more words required? Extremely confusing and disjointed with an unsatisfying really sudden ending as if... ahhh, that'll do?

[Joanne Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

I really enjoyed this trip into the unknown with Red and his family. Totally enjoyable. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a good and touching story.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

M. Day Hampton, when I read the preview, I wondered if the character Red would remind me of my husband or my dad… Red is both: Cantankerous with an edge of bitterness, but they are loved in-spite of themselves!

Not realizing that the life Red lived was simply beautiful until he was all alone in the world except his beyond loyal dog. Red and Jake traveled through the wilderness in a Twilight Zone-like manner… trying to get back to his family. The further he travels the more he realizes he took too much for granted in his life… especially family. Do any of us truly appreciate those we love? Red caused me to ponder this…

I enjoyed seeing Red’s resourcefulness and survival skills. As a novice hiker, his experiences in the woods brought a new perspective to my day hikes!

As I followed Red on his wanderings and wonderings, it became clear that I befriended this guy! I cared for him, I laughed, I cried, I feared for him… Red‘s life tugged at my heart and soul.

I rarely reread books, but this one I will read again. I feel the second time around Red will teach me more about myself and others.

[Susanne Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of this book caught my eye ages ago, it was a book I kept meaning to read for many months, I am pleased to say that it was most definitely was worth reading and I wished I’d picked it up sooner! This beautiful story really took me on a journey of emotions, there were so many little twists and moments that captured my imagination and kept me entertained throughout the book.
I loved how the author starts you off with a gruff character that you feel rather indifferent about, then with the flashbacks and dreams you suddenly find out the true character of Red and then I soon found myself falling in love with him. Glimpses of his childhood, especially the bond with his brother really touched my heart. Seeing how he met and fell in love with wife gave me such an uplifting story and his love for her shine so brightly.
I enjoyed the nature aspect of the book too, it was thrilling and exciting seeing Red out in the wilderness, bonding with his loyal animals.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, just to say that I adored this cleverly written and emotionally charged story so much. It was an epic journey and I loved travelling with Red and his animals very much indeed!

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that stands out most about this book is the imagery used to evoke emotion in the reader. You can easily picture each step of Red’s journey. You can feel what he is feeling. The flashbacks tell a beautiful love story between Red and his wife, Addy, as well as the love Red holds for his children, parents, and brother. This is not the book for someone looking for a quick, easy read, but it is perfect for someone who wants a story that will tug at your heart and move you.