Calling Home

by Michael Cadnum

Overcome with guilt when he accidentally kills his best friend Mead, Peter, an alcoholic teenager, hides the body and embraces the fantasy that Mead still lives, even going so far as to impersonate him.

Genres: Young Adult

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

Michael Cadnum has had a number of jobs over the course of his life, including pick-and-shoveler for the York Archaeological Trust, in York, England, and substitute teacher in Oakland, California, but his true calling is writing. He is the author of thirty-five books, including the National Book Award finalist The Book of the Lion. His Calling Home and Breaking the Fall were both nominated for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award. He is a former Creative Writing Fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts. Also a poet, he has received several awards, including Poetry Northwest's Helen Bullis Prize and the Owl Creek Book Award. Michael lives in Albany, California, with his wife Sherina.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hang onto something sturdy and remember to breathe. This book is one helluva ride. Peter, an alcoholic teenager who accidentally kills his best friend, Mead, covers the death by impersonating his "runaway" friend and calling home to Mead's parents. Impersonating Mead becomes more pleasurable than living his own guilt-drenched and booze-thickened life. Michael Cadnum's poetic prose, while stunning for its texture and emotive qualities, at times detracts from the believability of the protagonist's first-person voice. The poignancy of this story and its captivating yet disturbing progression will haunt readers long after the ride ends.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

******SPOILER ALERT*******This is the story of Peter and Mead 2 high school best-friends who like to sit around getting drunk and hanging out with their friends Angela and Lani. Mead is describes as a flake but everyone considers him the best kind of friend (whatever the hell that means). One night when Peter and Mead were suppose to get drunk on some really good cognac, Mead is late because he gets distracted by a lightening strike that caused a big commotion in town. Peter is upset by this because he just wants to get drunk and thinks Mead dissed him and decided nit to show up. When Mead finally arrives Peter is upset and wants to know where he was. Mead explains and thinks nothing of it but the alcohol Peter has already consumed makes him belligerent. Mead wants a drink of the cognac and Peter doesn't want to give him the bottle. Mead accidentally makes Peter drop the bottle and it breaks. Peter is so angry he punches Mead and Mead dies. After this Peter goes along and pretends to be Mead calling his family from a payphone.

I have no idea how to respond to this book. I stumbled across this YA novel at a youth book sale at my library and the description on the back was completely right up my alley, or so it seemed. This book is not likeable in the traditional sense so in that way I thought it was just OK. The strange thing is that the book is well written. If I was an English teacher I would give kudos to my student for the superb imagery, similes and metaphors used. I just feel like I had no connection to Peter and he never became sympathetic enough for me to "get with what the book was selling".

[Denise Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in a box I was unpacking. It may have belonged to a student or one of my children. I sat down with a cup of tea and finished it in an evening. Well written and actually kept my attention.
I would recommend it for Jr. High aged kids, maybe even high school for a quick but engaging read.