Evan Branko

by William Creedle

He knows he's unlovable. You don't have to tell him... In 1976, Evan Branko was the one kid in high school everybody hated. And no one at school hated him more than Dean Johnson, the 'king of football' in their small town. Choosing art over sports in the land of Fran Tarkenton was an unforgivable sin, a sin Dean punished Evan daily for over 4 very long years. Flash forward to 1986 and Evan is still stuck in small-town Minnesota, coasting by on a diet of silly movies, Smiths albums, a pretty girlfriend and dreams of art school; while Dean has gone on to college, sunny Los Angeles and the NFL. But when Evan's girlfriend has had enough of hearing about the ghosts of high school and dumps him, he decides to take a stand and confront Dean at their ten-year reunion. After all, Dean can't possibly pummel him in front of all those people, can he? Much to his surprise (and relief), when the big moment arrives, Dean beats him to the punch and apologizes. Now that Evan can no longer blame Dean for his last ten years, will he be able to grow up and live his own life defined by him? Will Dean be able to escape the role of the sports hero shouldering the hopes and dreams of an entire town and be the free-wheeling guy he wants to be? Grab a coffee and a Winchell's fritter and find out what happens when the world you want and the world you deserve meet halfway.

287 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2016

Reviews

[cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

very sweet, accessible, and thoughtful coming of age story. some highly witty observations on the make psyche, the midwest, and the 80's. give this one a try.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways, I loved this book. In other ways, I hated it. I hated reading how Evan was beaten up in high school, taunted, ignored, isolated, singled out, forgotten, etc. He was just an ordinary kid who had done NOTHING to deserve it.

Fast forward a decade...the 10 year high school year reunion is here. He'd rather vomit than go. (And really who can blame him?) At the reunion, he runs into the bully responsible for those four years of high-school hell.

It is a story of deep love and forgiveness. It is a story of shock, anger, hurt, misunderstandings, and coming to terms with the past and present in order to enjoy the future. It is a story about learning that you are in control of your destiny. You either let these events define you....or you can let it REFINE you.

[Jo Notary]

227p In 1976, Evan Branko was the one kid in high school who everybody hated. No one hated him more than Dean Johnson, the king of football in their small town. Ten years later, Evan still hasn't gotten around to leaving Minnesota, while Dean has gone on to the NFL. But when these two collide at their high school reunion, Dean's startling revelations to Evan force an unlikely bond of friendship between the two. Now that Evan can no longer blame Dean for his last ten years, will he be able to grow up, or find love? Will Dean find acceptance? Grab a coffee and a Winchell's fritter and find out.