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Greyhound
Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Steffan Piper
Question: What is Greyhound about?
Steffan Piper: Greyhound is the story of an 11-year-old boy named Sebastien Ranes who is abandoned by his mother. As the book opens, we find her dropping him off in the Stockton, California Greyhound bus station to travel across the country, unaccompanied, to live with his grandmother in Altoona, Pennsylvania--over 2,500 miles away. Most of the experiences that are in the book are events that actually have taken place in my life. I’ve been working on Greyhound, both in my head and on paper, for about 25 years. I have boxes of journals in my garage detailing many of the stories that are in the book, thoughts I had back then when I was travelling back and forth by bus, and other small details. Writing about my experiences within the confines of 300 pages wasn’t so easy, but I felt compelled to write about those days. Those years were a very difficult time for me, and pulling a lot of those feelings forward again brought out a lot of emotions that I had buried.
Question: Is the Marcus Franklin character based on a real person?
Steffan Piper: Marcus was a real person that I met on the bus. I’ve thought quite a bit about my encounter with him and the conversations that we had into the middle of the night. When you’re young, it’s the simplest and kindest of gestures that have the most effect and create the most lasting memories. A bag of pretzels can be the equivalent of much more over the passage of time. Not having good role models growing up, I often found myself reaching outward for a guide. Those are often the most dangerous because they have a limit as to what they can give back to you. Those limits are not always visible, especially when you’re young.
Question: Why did you set the book in 1981?
Steffan Piper: I set the book in 1981 because it was a period where life was very different than it is today, and is different in more ways than can be imagined in books or through culture. Some people may not remember it that well, or may not have lived through it, but many have. The most important facet of that time was that it was the beginning of the modern world as we now know it. The eighties was an era of "analog communication" versus what we have today, which is digital. From telephones to records, everything was analog. People were forced to make more direct links with each other; to reach out, touch and feel the world around them. There was a need to verify the space in front of them. Today’s world seems to ask us repeatedly to do the opposite and not verify our world at all.
Question: Some of the material in the book is pretty heady for an 11-year-old boy turning 12. Got anything to say about that?
Steffan Piper: I grew up in England and I’m the product of the British educational system, so that will always have an influence on everything that I write. When I was ten, Sherlock Holmes was my all-time hero. Maybe it was the ease in how he held himself that I found appealing. I think it was the same for Dickens's Twist as well. These were themes I very quickly recognized and latched onto at that age. Shortly after that, when I was 12, reading Carlos Castaneda's books definitely changed my life. The idea of releasing and letting go of your self-image, during a period of my life where I was supposed to be finding that out, was alluring. I gripped onto Castaneda for dear life for about four or five years. I read those books so many times, I probably scared a few counselors at school. I think when we start thinking as adults that we need to limit material to what we believe young people are capable of, or is normal to them, we immediately have done them a disservice, because most of them would probably shame us in regards to what we know, or think we know.
Question: What is Greyhound about?
Steffan Piper: Greyhound is the story of an 11-year-old boy named Sebastien Ranes who is abandoned by his mother. As the book opens, we find her dropping him off in the Stockton, California Greyhound bus station to travel across the country, unaccompanied, to live with his grandmother in Altoona, Pennsylvania--over 2,500 miles away. Most of the experiences that are in the book are events that actually have taken place in my life. I’ve been working on Greyhound, both in my head and on paper, for about 25 years. I have boxes of journals in my garage detailing many of the stories that are in the book, thoughts I had back then when I was travelling back and forth by bus, and other small details. Writing about my experiences within the confines of 300 pages wasn’t so easy, but I felt compelled to write about those days. Those years were a very difficult time for me, and pulling a lot of those feelings forward again brought out a lot of emotions that I had buried.
Question: Is the Marcus Franklin character based on a real person?
Steffan Piper: Marcus was a real person that I met on the bus. I’ve thought quite a bit about my encounter with him and the conversations that we had into the middle of the night. When you’re young, it’s the simplest and kindest of gestures that have the most effect and create the most lasting memories. A bag of pretzels can be the equivalent of much more over the passage of time. Not having good role models growing up, I often found myself reaching outward for a guide. Those are often the most dangerous because they have a limit as to what they can give back to you. Those limits are not always visible, especially when you’re young.
Question: Why did you set the book in 1981?
Steffan Piper: I set the book in 1981 because it was a period where life was very different than it is today, and is different in more ways than can be imagined in books or through culture. Some people may not remember it that well, or may not have lived through it, but many have. The most important facet of that time was that it was the beginning of the modern world as we now know it. The eighties was an era of "analog communication" versus what we have today, which is digital. From telephones to records, everything was analog. People were forced to make more direct links with each other; to reach out, touch and feel the world around them. There was a need to verify the space in front of them. Today’s world seems to ask us repeatedly to do the opposite and not verify our world at all.
Question: Some of the material in the book is pretty heady for an 11-year-old boy turning 12. Got anything to say about that?
Steffan Piper: I grew up in England and I’m the product of the British educational system, so that will always have an influence on everything that I write. When I was ten, Sherlock Holmes was my all-time hero. Maybe it was the ease in how he held himself that I found appealing. I think it was the same for Dickens's Twist as well. These were themes I very quickly recognized and latched onto at that age. Shortly after that, when I was 12, reading Carlos Castaneda's books definitely changed my life. The idea of releasing and letting go of your self-image, during a period of my life where I was supposed to be finding that out, was alluring. I gripped onto Castaneda for dear life for about four or five years. I read those books so many times, I probably scared a few counselors at school. I think when we start thinking as adults that we need to limit material to what we believe young people are capable of, or is normal to them, we immediately have done them a disservice, because most of them would probably shame us in regards to what we know, or think we know.
256 pages, ebook
First published April 20, 2010
174 people are currently reading
2266 people want to read
About the author
Steffan Piper
14 books87 followersBorn in Pennsylvania and raised in California, England and various parts of Alaska. Attended school at the University of Alaska,Anchorage and the University of Los Angeles, California. Served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a Veteran of The Persian Gulf War.
Once a resident of Alaska, the Mayor of Nome asked him to 'leave and never return,' due to a minor misunderstanding.
Steffan Piper currently lives on the outskirts of Los Angeles with his family. Most of his writing occurs in the dead of night unlike the bulk of his contemporaries. Despite the rumors, Steffan remains a Best-Selling Author, Screenwriter and Poet.
Once a resident of Alaska, the Mayor of Nome asked him to 'leave and never return,' due to a minor misunderstanding.
Steffan Piper currently lives on the outskirts of Los Angeles with his family. Most of his writing occurs in the dead of night unlike the bulk of his contemporaries. Despite the rumors, Steffan remains a Best-Selling Author, Screenwriter and Poet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 631 reviews
May 13, 2012
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A lifelong reader now in my later 30’s, it’s rare that I finish something and declare it one of my all-time favorites. I mean, that is reserved for the books that I have loved for decades and have read and re-read more than I can remember. I think the last books to be added to my favorites were Sons and Lovers and The Rainbow, both by D.H. Lawrence, that entered the list in my early 20’s.
Enter the newcomer — Steffan Piper’s Greyhound. I hope it finds a wide audience and gets the recognition it deserves. This is a coming-of-age journey along the lines of Catcher in the Rye and Huckleberry Finn. I’m not sure if it’s because I can relate to the setting better (I was born in 1972 and would be only slightly older than the protagonist) or because of my own issues with one of my parents, but this novel captivated me even more than those. I know that’s a pretty bold statement, but I will stand behind it.
The writing was beautiful and not a word wasted. (I don’t know if I can explain what I mean by that, I realize, but maybe some readers will understand.) Even though some of the events were unbelievable — or rather, that the sheer number of these events happened on one trip — it never felt over the top or like reading fantasy. I’d need to write my own book just to give my analysis of the characters, so I’ll just say that the author did a superb job crafting them, and leave it at that. Well, and to say how important characters like Marcus are for showing the reader that good is not always found in the most likely places.
I think Greyhound was brilliant and I highly recommended it. I can’t wait to read more from Steffan Piper.
A lifelong reader now in my later 30’s, it’s rare that I finish something and declare it one of my all-time favorites. I mean, that is reserved for the books that I have loved for decades and have read and re-read more than I can remember. I think the last books to be added to my favorites were Sons and Lovers and The Rainbow, both by D.H. Lawrence, that entered the list in my early 20’s.
Enter the newcomer — Steffan Piper’s Greyhound. I hope it finds a wide audience and gets the recognition it deserves. This is a coming-of-age journey along the lines of Catcher in the Rye and Huckleberry Finn. I’m not sure if it’s because I can relate to the setting better (I was born in 1972 and would be only slightly older than the protagonist) or because of my own issues with one of my parents, but this novel captivated me even more than those. I know that’s a pretty bold statement, but I will stand behind it.
The writing was beautiful and not a word wasted. (I don’t know if I can explain what I mean by that, I realize, but maybe some readers will understand.) Even though some of the events were unbelievable — or rather, that the sheer number of these events happened on one trip — it never felt over the top or like reading fantasy. I’d need to write my own book just to give my analysis of the characters, so I’ll just say that the author did a superb job crafting them, and leave it at that. Well, and to say how important characters like Marcus are for showing the reader that good is not always found in the most likely places.
I think Greyhound was brilliant and I highly recommended it. I can’t wait to read more from Steffan Piper.
October 26, 2010
Greyhound is one of those books that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. It’s one of those books you hate to put down. A book you can’t wait to get back to.
The story follows 11 year old, Sebastian, as he embarks on a solo cross country bus trip. His mother has shipped him off to his grandparents so she can begin life again with a new husband and no baggage.
Sebastian meets a number of Greyhound employees, bus drivers, and passengers, some good, some not so good, along the way.
The novel is evocative, tugging at a range of emotions as you journey through Sebastian’s travels. I felt a sense of loss and abandonment as Sebastian is dropped at the bus station with his luggage and a few bucks to get him to the east coast. I felt relief whenever he met a kind soul and I feared for his safety numerous times during the book. The novel is uplifting as well as tragic, amusing as well as thoughtful.
I loved how the author built Sebastian’s relationship with fellow rider, Marcus. Marcus took it upon himself to become Sebastian’s guardian along the way. But Marcus needed Sebastian as much as Sebastian needed him. There’s was a supportive and touching friendship.
This coming of age story was brilliantly crafted, with authentic voices and unique, believable characters. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It made me think and feel. It’s resonant.
The story follows 11 year old, Sebastian, as he embarks on a solo cross country bus trip. His mother has shipped him off to his grandparents so she can begin life again with a new husband and no baggage.
Sebastian meets a number of Greyhound employees, bus drivers, and passengers, some good, some not so good, along the way.
The novel is evocative, tugging at a range of emotions as you journey through Sebastian’s travels. I felt a sense of loss and abandonment as Sebastian is dropped at the bus station with his luggage and a few bucks to get him to the east coast. I felt relief whenever he met a kind soul and I feared for his safety numerous times during the book. The novel is uplifting as well as tragic, amusing as well as thoughtful.
I loved how the author built Sebastian’s relationship with fellow rider, Marcus. Marcus took it upon himself to become Sebastian’s guardian along the way. But Marcus needed Sebastian as much as Sebastian needed him. There’s was a supportive and touching friendship.
This coming of age story was brilliantly crafted, with authentic voices and unique, believable characters. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It made me think and feel. It’s resonant.
February 6, 2018
dnf @ 20%
It's 2018 and I have less reading time and I've decided that I'm going to be better at dnf'ing things I'm just not interested in.
Sorry Greyhound but you didn't keep my attention. This started out decent with an 11 year old Sebastien Ranes being put on a bus by his mother to travel from California to Philadelphia so that she can run off with yet another Mr. Wrong in a long line of Mr. You'll Do For the Moment.
This is a journey story and I probably just wasn't in the mood for one of those right now that doesn't involve elves, dragons or magic. I was thinking it might be a little like Secondhand Lions but to this point it has just had some random situations on a bus including a passenger beating up the bus driver for being a jerk and taking over the bus.
Not really in the mood for this so I'm off to read something a little more fantastical.
It's 2018 and I have less reading time and I've decided that I'm going to be better at dnf'ing things I'm just not interested in.
Sorry Greyhound but you didn't keep my attention. This started out decent with an 11 year old Sebastien Ranes being put on a bus by his mother to travel from California to Philadelphia so that she can run off with yet another Mr. Wrong in a long line of Mr. You'll Do For the Moment.
This is a journey story and I probably just wasn't in the mood for one of those right now that doesn't involve elves, dragons or magic. I was thinking it might be a little like Secondhand Lions but to this point it has just had some random situations on a bus including a passenger beating up the bus driver for being a jerk and taking over the bus.
Not really in the mood for this so I'm off to read something a little more fantastical.
October 26, 2010
Loved this book - easy read but a real feel good. Great for YA and book clubs. A coming of age story that shows how one person can make a huge difference in the life of another. Don't want to give too much away!
NWE!! Our book club selected this book to read. Two of our members, Melanie and Cheryl were posting about the book, and all of a sudden the author chimed in! He left a detailed message about the story that was very enlightening. The story is very autobiographical, and he did have a Greyhound experience, complete with a "Marcus". He is now raising his son in California. It was wonderful to hear his story, and it makes the book even more heartbreaking!
NWE!! Our book club selected this book to read. Two of our members, Melanie and Cheryl were posting about the book, and all of a sudden the author chimed in! He left a detailed message about the story that was very enlightening. The story is very autobiographical, and he did have a Greyhound experience, complete with a "Marcus". He is now raising his son in California. It was wonderful to hear his story, and it makes the book even more heartbreaking!
September 17, 2012
What do you do once you've sat in your seat on the airplane, and you're either sitting next to someone who has similarly been slid into the seat with a shoe horn, or you're waiting for the person to take the seat next to you? A majority of the people who have been seat mates on an airplane have immediately put their nose in a book, or pulled out their crescent shaped pillow and closed their eyes. But I have had some of the most amazing conversations with people who were willing to engage with another human being who happened to be only an armrest away.
This book is about two people who decided to engage each other in an ongoing conversation cross country on a Greyhound bus. I wonder how many opportunities we are given when people cross our paths, to have an impact on each other like Marcus and Sebastien did on the bus. And I wonder how many of those opportunities we miss, or don't take advantage of.
The themes of this book are clear: how many young boys grow up unmentored by their father? How many fathers fail to show their boys how to become men? "Either a man or a coward." Why do boys have to find their mentor and protector in a stranger?
Also, there is evil in the world. Sebastien encounters it. But he also encounters amazing, random acts of kindness along his journey. Those people go on with their lives, and may forget about the 12 year old boy they did something nice for, but he will never forget. That's why we do random acts of kindness: not so we can remember what we did, but that others who were the recipients will never forget, and smile when they think of them.
This was a great book, most of which happens within a greyhound bus. It's amazing what all can happen on a bus. This book almost motivates me to take a bus ride someplace and find out for myself.
This book is about two people who decided to engage each other in an ongoing conversation cross country on a Greyhound bus. I wonder how many opportunities we are given when people cross our paths, to have an impact on each other like Marcus and Sebastien did on the bus. And I wonder how many of those opportunities we miss, or don't take advantage of.
The themes of this book are clear: how many young boys grow up unmentored by their father? How many fathers fail to show their boys how to become men? "Either a man or a coward." Why do boys have to find their mentor and protector in a stranger?
Also, there is evil in the world. Sebastien encounters it. But he also encounters amazing, random acts of kindness along his journey. Those people go on with their lives, and may forget about the 12 year old boy they did something nice for, but he will never forget. That's why we do random acts of kindness: not so we can remember what we did, but that others who were the recipients will never forget, and smile when they think of them.
This was a great book, most of which happens within a greyhound bus. It's amazing what all can happen on a bus. This book almost motivates me to take a bus ride someplace and find out for myself.
Read
November 30, 2017DNF
Widely appreciated as a touching, enjoyable story about a young boy alone on a cross country bus trip. Sounds promising enough. Many reviewers have best-book-ever feelings about this one. Some think that if you don’t appreciate this one you have no heart or soul.
It’s that kind of book. So much there to feel muchly about.
Unfortunately that’s not my kind of read—being neatly, predictably set up with everything that I MUST feel about. After the first couple of paragraphs I felt I could tell this story without reading it, and I was going to be continually hit over the head with all the things about which I should feel heartstrings plucked and compassionate, motherly outrage. A few chapters in and I kept being right.
This one isn’t for me. I lack the heart and soul :)
Widely appreciated as a touching, enjoyable story about a young boy alone on a cross country bus trip. Sounds promising enough. Many reviewers have best-book-ever feelings about this one. Some think that if you don’t appreciate this one you have no heart or soul.
It’s that kind of book. So much there to feel muchly about.
Unfortunately that’s not my kind of read—being neatly, predictably set up with everything that I MUST feel about. After the first couple of paragraphs I felt I could tell this story without reading it, and I was going to be continually hit over the head with all the things about which I should feel heartstrings plucked and compassionate, motherly outrage. A few chapters in and I kept being right.
This one isn’t for me. I lack the heart and soul :)
October 6, 2010
I've survived a few long-distance Greyhound trips (though fortunately never cross-country, ouch!), and some family angst (though fortunately not to the degree of young Sebastian, ouch again!), and picked this book off the new releases shelf on a whim. I figured it would be a quick read to pass some free time on a weekend retreat. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did. The synopsis on the back makes it sound like it's going to be a series of amusing encounters along the voyage, but it really is a deeper study of making our way in the world, deciding how we will be shaped by the events of our past - we all have baggage (be it in a suticase or black garbage bag stuffed under the bus), but it's how we carry it onward that determines our futures.
January 15, 2013
Sweet and heartfelt. There are so many perfect descriptions of the 80's here. The author balances humor and heartbreak as his character discovers that his mother simply does not love him enough. Rather than try to win her love, Sebastian realizes that others can fill this void if he lets them. A touching and memorable story.
January 23, 2018
Greyhound is the story of Sebastien Raines, a timid white boy about to turn twelve who is abandoned by his Mother who drops him off at a Greyhound station in Stockton, CA with thirty bucks and a ticket to his father's parents in Altoona, PA. Very soon after leaving Sebastien meets Marcus, a young black man recently released from prison travelling to visit his mother in New York City. Marcus will become a profound influence upon Sebastien, teaching him about Langston Hughes, respecting others while not being a victim, and how to be a man and not a coward.
"You’ll never need to look too far for friends if you just be yourself. And don’t forget that it’s easier to be a man than it is to be a coward. It’s just harder to be an honest man than an honest coward. You can always lie to yourself, even if you never lie to others."
Greyhound is a wonderful coming-of-age novel set in 1981. Having spent a few days on a Greyhound for a round-trip from Greenville, SC to Boston and back long ago I can speak of the novel's authenticity. It's one of the best literary novels I've read in quite a while. It is currently free to borrow on your Kindle if you have an Amazon Prime membership.
"You’ll never need to look too far for friends if you just be yourself. And don’t forget that it’s easier to be a man than it is to be a coward. It’s just harder to be an honest man than an honest coward. You can always lie to yourself, even if you never lie to others."
Greyhound is a wonderful coming-of-age novel set in 1981. Having spent a few days on a Greyhound for a round-trip from Greenville, SC to Boston and back long ago I can speak of the novel's authenticity. It's one of the best literary novels I've read in quite a while. It is currently free to borrow on your Kindle if you have an Amazon Prime membership.
September 13, 2018
Emotionally satisfying story of a lonely boy who is put on a Greyhound bus to travel alone across the country to live with his grandparents. His mother, a failure as a parent, has a habit of taking up with men and shipping him off and out of the way.
On the bus he finds himself befriended by an ex-con who speaks honestly with the boy and something no adult has ever done before, listens to him. I loved that this black man stayed with this white child and protected him over the three day trip. It was similar to the situation in Bryce Courtney's The Power of One where an English South African child travels alone on a train, and finds himself looked after by a black man who changes his life.
It's just lovely to read about good people learning to care about each other as they are confronted by one traumatic situation after another. On this trip the man and boy work as a team. To find a guide like this when you're eleven and life is not so pleasant .... it just couldn't be better.
I'm giving it five stars just because I loved
it.
I’m on a quest to read a novel representing each of the 50 states. This one is for Pennsylvania, the destination of the bus.
On the bus he finds himself befriended by an ex-con who speaks honestly with the boy and something no adult has ever done before, listens to him. I loved that this black man stayed with this white child and protected him over the three day trip. It was similar to the situation in Bryce Courtney's The Power of One where an English South African child travels alone on a train, and finds himself looked after by a black man who changes his life.
It's just lovely to read about good people learning to care about each other as they are confronted by one traumatic situation after another. On this trip the man and boy work as a team. To find a guide like this when you're eleven and life is not so pleasant .... it just couldn't be better.
I'm giving it five stars just because I loved
it.
I’m on a quest to read a novel representing each of the 50 states. This one is for Pennsylvania, the destination of the bus.
March 12, 2022
Love a good coming of age horror story. Wait! This is a non-horror coming of age story. Mmmmmm……. how would it fair? Damn good!
Love that cassette cover and the story features a Walkman. The classic portable audio player. How I miss my Walkman!
It’s 1981 and 12 year old Sebastien Ranes has been sent by his mother to travel across the US alone on a Greyhound coach to go live with his grandmother.
Marcus is a young black ex-convict on his journey home.
They meet on the Greyhound and are drawn together as their journey is more then just a journey on a coach. It is about life. How some people are good and kind while others are less so. There are several events on the Greyhound that the two of them must deal with and which shows the many different sides of human nature. Their friendship grows on the Greyhound coach journey.
While reading this book I could not help but think how it needed to be set in 1981. Just before the mobile phone took over. Sebastian must wait for the Greyhound to stop on it’s travels to get access to a payphone.
Love that cassette cover and the story features a Walkman. The classic portable audio player. How I miss my Walkman!
It’s 1981 and 12 year old Sebastien Ranes has been sent by his mother to travel across the US alone on a Greyhound coach to go live with his grandmother.
Marcus is a young black ex-convict on his journey home.
They meet on the Greyhound and are drawn together as their journey is more then just a journey on a coach. It is about life. How some people are good and kind while others are less so. There are several events on the Greyhound that the two of them must deal with and which shows the many different sides of human nature. Their friendship grows on the Greyhound coach journey.
While reading this book I could not help but think how it needed to be set in 1981. Just before the mobile phone took over. Sebastian must wait for the Greyhound to stop on it’s travels to get access to a payphone.
January 31, 2011
I have to say that I really found a great deal of this story to be as grey and depressing as the title mode of transportation. The main character is a young boy who is incredibly neglected and abused. How sad to spend your 12th b-day alone on a crumby cross country bus... I actually almost put the book down as I was so expecting a crushingly ugly ending. I am glad I didn't, because, despite the disappointing realities, the saving grace of the story was the kindness and downright decency of many strangers, which, in the end, left me in a hopeful place.
July 7, 2011
The cover is the best part about this book, and even it isn't very good. Full of cliches, words and descriptions a 12-year old would never use, and all without a compelling story. Barely even has the super-saccharine ending I was expecting and it attempts. Oof. Interested to see how the book discussion group feels about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2017
Oh, god. This was such a beautiful, charming story. It's hard to use those words with the conditions Sebastian endured, but the love and care shown to him by strangers gives love back to humanity. This story is the careful portrayal of the Human spirit.
April 18, 2017
I have not been reading many young adult novels, but I am so pleased that I spent time with this one. The description pulled me in. I liked the idea of a cross country trip. I liked that the final destination was Altoona, PA.
There is a deceptive innocence to this novel. There are crises and chaotic situations that occur during the narrative that are appropriate for the era (1981), but they are not overdone, nor are they easily resolved as if this were a half-hour sit-com that grew a conscience. Still, this is a coming of age story and we see Sebastian navigate through the events on a three day journey on a Greyhound bus. Sebastian has been sent (abandoned) by his mother on the bus to go live with his paternal grandparents. On his trip, he meets and befriends an older male named Marcus. Marcus is from the ghetto and recently paroled from prison. As they ride together, Sebastian finds proof positive that the world can acknowledge him, unlike his parents. I love both of these characters. I love the growing pains of their friendship and trust. I love how real they seem.
One of the highlights for me of the book is that Piper creates such different voices for the characters. As I said, they seem real and it largely due to the distinct patter that each character carries. Whether it is a bossy teen in a store or a prejudiced cook in a diner, everyone seems distinct. I am pleased to see that Steffan Piper has more books for me to enjoy.
Many years ago, I studied psychology. One of the topics that enthralled me was the nature of resilient children. Why, when children grow up in the most destructive environments, do some of them survive? One almost universal trait is that they all had at least one adult who was an anchor point. This adult never let the child down. That is what Marcus provides in this story. I wish I had a Marcus when I was 12. I could really use a Marcus now.
We all deserve a Marcus. Thanks to Steffan Piper, I got a glimpse. Proof positive that there is good in the world and I get to have a share.
There is a deceptive innocence to this novel. There are crises and chaotic situations that occur during the narrative that are appropriate for the era (1981), but they are not overdone, nor are they easily resolved as if this were a half-hour sit-com that grew a conscience. Still, this is a coming of age story and we see Sebastian navigate through the events on a three day journey on a Greyhound bus. Sebastian has been sent (abandoned) by his mother on the bus to go live with his paternal grandparents. On his trip, he meets and befriends an older male named Marcus. Marcus is from the ghetto and recently paroled from prison. As they ride together, Sebastian finds proof positive that the world can acknowledge him, unlike his parents. I love both of these characters. I love the growing pains of their friendship and trust. I love how real they seem.
One of the highlights for me of the book is that Piper creates such different voices for the characters. As I said, they seem real and it largely due to the distinct patter that each character carries. Whether it is a bossy teen in a store or a prejudiced cook in a diner, everyone seems distinct. I am pleased to see that Steffan Piper has more books for me to enjoy.
Many years ago, I studied psychology. One of the topics that enthralled me was the nature of resilient children. Why, when children grow up in the most destructive environments, do some of them survive? One almost universal trait is that they all had at least one adult who was an anchor point. This adult never let the child down. That is what Marcus provides in this story. I wish I had a Marcus when I was 12. I could really use a Marcus now.
We all deserve a Marcus. Thanks to Steffan Piper, I got a glimpse. Proof positive that there is good in the world and I get to have a share.
February 10, 2011
This is a totally different take on a cross country road trip and while it is at its heart a coming-of-age tale, it's like none I've ever read. I loved the main character, Sebastian and was blown away by his youth, yet wiser in years personality. His inner dialogue was engaging, and I loved his oberservations and descriptions of the world around him. I loved the detail in defineing his mother, her aloofness, her selfishness and neglect. I was routing for Sebbie all the way. I also appreciated the pop culture references of the 80s, the Walkman, the Hall and Oats tape, and the landscape of the trip. I was a little worried with the introduction of Marcus but the development of his friendship with Sebbie, his older brother-esque behavior really added to the journey.
August 16, 2014
This book is really worth reading. It is a tale of an 11 year old boy named Sebastien who is crossing the country alone on a series of Greyhound buses in 1981. His unfeeling mother put him on the bus in California with $35, and told him he was going to live with his grandmother in Pennsylvania. Along the way, he runs into numerous characters - good, bad, and in-between - and has to deal with situations no child ever should. But he makes a special friend on the second leg of the journey, Marcus, an older black man who helps Sebastien learn about traveling, about human nature, and most importantly, about what it means to be cared for by an adult.
Aug.15, 2014 ~ I just reread this book, and fell in love with it all over again!
Aug.15, 2014 ~ I just reread this book, and fell in love with it all over again!
June 9, 2019
Can you imagine sending your twelve year old son on a two thousand mile bus trip, on his own, because your new boyfriend doesn’t want him around?
Sebastian’s mother thinks this is ok....so he boards the Greyhound and sets off on a journey to deliver him to his Grandmother, a journey in which he meets people who will show him the many sides of human nature.
Help and friendship, evil intention, several other reversals and problems, including a tragic death, all affect Sebastian on his epic trip, but it’s the friendship, kindness and understanding he receives from a brilliantly described character that I found really made this book something special.
As he is transported across America, there was a coming of age for Sebastian, and a reading experience well worth the time for me.
Sebastian’s mother thinks this is ok....so he boards the Greyhound and sets off on a journey to deliver him to his Grandmother, a journey in which he meets people who will show him the many sides of human nature.
Help and friendship, evil intention, several other reversals and problems, including a tragic death, all affect Sebastian on his epic trip, but it’s the friendship, kindness and understanding he receives from a brilliantly described character that I found really made this book something special.
As he is transported across America, there was a coming of age for Sebastian, and a reading experience well worth the time for me.
June 19, 2011
Was looking forward to this, having traveled many, many days on Greyhounds myself, often with a Walkman...there's a special fatigue and malaise you can only get from riding coach for hours at a time. But the protag's dialog was just too precious and wise and articulate for me and when he ran into what some genius on Goodreads called "the Morgan Freeman character", I started flipping pages, I wanted the journey to end.
October 5, 2012
I love coming of age stories. There's something about seeing a character 'become' that makes everything in my body down to my bones cry 'yes!'. I especially loved following Sebastian and watching him 'become'.
I've taken the Greyhound a few times, and man does it take years off of your life (or in Sebastian's case, put years on it). But there is something magnetic about the Greyhound that brings all of these fascinating, scary, and wonderful people together in one place for a concentrated, saturated experience that is your bus ride. In Sebastian's experience, which the author notes is mostly from his own personal experience, so many things happen to him that Piper would have wasted it if he hadn't written a book about it. As much as you hate Sebastian's mother, all of the grandmother-ish protectiveness in you as the reader is personified into the truly wonderful people Sebastian meets, namely Marcus.
This is definitely a book that I will be thinking about for a while - especially because many of these things did happen to the author. Mostly: Did he write Marcus back? Did he and Marcus keep in touch? And also, it makes me happy that all this happened, mostly because it meant Sebastian could finally be separated from his mother and just be happy. Living with his grandparents, playing Scrabble, and just being a kid.
I'm looking forward to more from Piper, this was an excellent debut.
I've taken the Greyhound a few times, and man does it take years off of your life (or in Sebastian's case, put years on it). But there is something magnetic about the Greyhound that brings all of these fascinating, scary, and wonderful people together in one place for a concentrated, saturated experience that is your bus ride. In Sebastian's experience, which the author notes is mostly from his own personal experience, so many things happen to him that Piper would have wasted it if he hadn't written a book about it. As much as you hate Sebastian's mother, all of the grandmother-ish protectiveness in you as the reader is personified into the truly wonderful people Sebastian meets, namely Marcus.
This is definitely a book that I will be thinking about for a while - especially because many of these things did happen to the author. Mostly: Did he write Marcus back? Did he and Marcus keep in touch? And also, it makes me happy that all this happened, mostly because it meant Sebastian could finally be separated from his mother and just be happy. Living with his grandparents, playing Scrabble, and just being a kid.
I'm looking forward to more from Piper, this was an excellent debut.
January 20, 2015
When the book ends, and you consider all the trials and tribulations that young Sebastian Ranes endured while just on a series of Greyhound buses over a relatively short amount of time, there's really only one thing you can do: Roll your eyes.
For a book that could've done so much with such a simple concept, the potential feels squandered after a series of nigh-unbelievable circumstances, characters and interactions. I literally said "Are you [expletive redacted] kidding me right now?" on more than one occasion.
The book is not without its merits. I didn't mind Sebastian's precociousness, though its possible it was only because the unbelievability of his environments made his character more believable. And, for what its worth, Steffan Piper does an amazing job in crafting a villain out of a character (his mother) that isn't even present in 97% of the novel.
In the end, though, I just felt increasing annoyance at each ridiculous hurdle thrown before Sebastian. This would've been a nice setting for a nice coming-of-age story for Sebastian, but he walks out of the end of this book with little self improvement, leaving me wondering why I even attempted to care in the first place.
For a book that could've done so much with such a simple concept, the potential feels squandered after a series of nigh-unbelievable circumstances, characters and interactions. I literally said "Are you [expletive redacted] kidding me right now?" on more than one occasion.
The book is not without its merits. I didn't mind Sebastian's precociousness, though its possible it was only because the unbelievability of his environments made his character more believable. And, for what its worth, Steffan Piper does an amazing job in crafting a villain out of a character (his mother) that isn't even present in 97% of the novel.
In the end, though, I just felt increasing annoyance at each ridiculous hurdle thrown before Sebastian. This would've been a nice setting for a nice coming-of-age story for Sebastian, but he walks out of the end of this book with little self improvement, leaving me wondering why I even attempted to care in the first place.
March 1, 2015
I've read as much of this awful book as I'm going to. I just cannot go on. The plot is boring and predictable--and yes, you'd probably expect that in a road trip story, but it goes beyond that. Nothing new and interesting is being said. It feels like the main character is just repeating, "well, I'm on a bus, now I'm at a diner, now I'm on the bus again." Another detractor is the large amount of time this book spends inside the protagonist's head. The protagonist is mean and critical, yet "innocent." Constantly whining. Nothing deeper is really revealed about the kid's character, and he comes off as petty and worthless. At least in *good* books, the authors highlight those traits for a reason that enhances the story. That was not done here. It felt more like the writer was weakly trying to justify his own flawed views without having the depth to notice them as flawed. I think this book should come with a genre warning... you might like this book if you also enjoy Nicholas Sparks novels or Lifetime movies. (Not to hate on Sparks or Lifetime, as both feature far more talent that is present here).
December 31, 2012
Ugh. I really wanted to like this book. The story is good--poor kid with a negligent mother is sent to live with his grandma across the country, and travels three days aboard a Greyhound bus, making new friends, having adventures, and learning life lessons. Two main problems: one, Piper is (to me) an annoying writer. I personally love the word SAID, as in, "Hello," I said. Piper HATES the word SAID but LOVES dialogue, which goes like this: "Thank you," I uttered, "Hello," I stated, and "Good morning," I spoke. I started playing a game trying to find the beautiful little non-distracting SAID in the large chunks of dialogue, but it usually wasn't there. The second problem was the stupid ending. The main character didn't change as much as Piper wanted me to think. Another main character revealed some personal tragedy that was unexpected, unconnected to the story, and pointless. All in all, this was a disappointing read and I'm happy it's over with!
October 21, 2013
Unexpectedly fabulous. A 12 year old boy is essentially sent to travel across the US to go live with his grandparents because his mother and soon-to-be stepfather can't be bothered by having a kid. They also forgot to tell the grandparents he was on the way, too.
The unlikely friendships he makes along the way and life lessons learned (some thanks to Langston Hughes) was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking.
As a teenager in the 80's, I had to do a lot of shuffling between parents via Greyhound. This book brought back a lot of not-so-keen memories, but the book itself is well worth the read.
The unlikely friendships he makes along the way and life lessons learned (some thanks to Langston Hughes) was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking.
As a teenager in the 80's, I had to do a lot of shuffling between parents via Greyhound. This book brought back a lot of not-so-keen memories, but the book itself is well worth the read.
April 4, 2014
A nice travel and coming of age story, as an 11 year old is sent across the country by himself in the 1980s and makes his first real friend.
This is how public transportation still feels, if you open yourself to the characters you'll find there. (Well, people aren't as openly racist now, thank goodness.)
My only critique of the book: the dialogue tags. No other book has ever used the word "rejoined" so frequently. And that's such a small thing. [update: Though now I see there are more books about little Sebastien once he's grown up, and where those books seem to be headed, I hope I haven't overlooked something here.]
This is how public transportation still feels, if you open yourself to the characters you'll find there. (Well, people aren't as openly racist now, thank goodness.)
My only critique of the book: the dialogue tags. No other book has ever used the word "rejoined" so frequently. And that's such a small thing. [update: Though now I see there are more books about little Sebastien once he's grown up, and where those books seem to be headed, I hope I haven't overlooked something here.]
February 7, 2016
I'm so happy that this book came across my radar because otherwise I would've missed out on a wonderful story. Who would have thought reading about a cross country trip on a bus could be so interesting??
Some people should never be mothers and Sebastien's mother is one of those people. I liked the cast of characters and many were so vivid: Marcus, Monty, Harley Earl, the waitresses, the bad guys!
I would have liked an epilogue years in the future where Sebastien runs into Marcus but other than that, this was a wonderful story.
Some people should never be mothers and Sebastien's mother is one of those people. I liked the cast of characters and many were so vivid: Marcus, Monty, Harley Earl, the waitresses, the bad guys!
I would have liked an epilogue years in the future where Sebastien runs into Marcus but other than that, this was a wonderful story.
April 3, 2016
Loved this book! The relationship between Sebastian and Marcus was beautiful and I appreciated Marcus's words of wisdom to Sebastian. Piper packs a lot into this four day bus trip. There's never a dull moment. While some of the content might be a little rough for teens (parents might want to preview), I think that both adults and young adults will enjoy the story.
April 23, 2013
This is such a sweet story. Sebastian is loveable and his relationship with Marcus is extraordinary. I never expected a book set on a Greyhound bus to be so interesting.
June 20, 2013
I just really loved this book. I would love to know more about the "real" story too.
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