Austin Nights [Kindle Edition]

herocious (Author)

Book Description

Bridget has a fierce desire for survival which makes her a fighter. Michael has a hankering after immortality which makes him a useless dreamer. And that is the great difference between these two Austin transplants who love each other so well.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Davidson was born during a thunderstorm on Mars. He enjoys long runs on the beach, poetry, and candlelight dinners. Once, he tipped a homeless window washer with spiritual enlightenment. He can be reached at [e-mail]

Product Details

• File Size: 390 KB
• Print Length: 166 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 145654165X
• Publisher: Tiny TOE Press (July 7, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004M8S60C
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,398 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars This is Good June 14, 2012

By Review Alias

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is good. It edges on great. The prose is tight and engaging. You get drawn into the lives of this innocent couple in the midst of a tidal change in their lives. Having lived in Austin for 16 years, I can say that their description and experiences are authentic. The people they meet, the places they go, the feelings they get from the growing metropolis is one that you only get by living it. In the end, you are left with this profound feeling of adoration for them and can easily see why Michael so loves Bridget.

The way the story is told, by jumping scenes through time and space works great. It was unnerving at first but then you understand, this is how we hold our memories, they are jumbled up and never recalled chronologically. It also pulls all of Michael's existence to the point in time from when this is being told. You are taken to the precipice of what you feel will be a great life for this couple. This shows brilliance on the part of the author. Well done, sir.

That said, I hesitate in giving this a five, because the work does have some faults. I found myself skipping chapters and storylines because they were uninteresting. All scenes set outside of Austin and outside the road to Austin were not needed and simply break up the flow (but perhaps this is a piece of brilliance that flew over my head, it's hard to tell with good art). The seemingly random musings on existence and the universe were not fully fleshed out and wholly unnecessary. Also I couldn't get over the authors use of the term "cancer stick." It was annoying the first time and downright ludicrous the 15th time. Just call it a cigarette

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Literary Convergence of Pi June 15, 2012

By MIT Grad

Format:Paperback

A great read for anyone looking to give their brain a stretch, not take themselves too seriously, and have a few laughs. Whether you're into fate, destiny, or just like thinking of our lives as misshapen, inward spirals, this is definitely a read for you! I'm glad I got a first edition, as I am sure this will definitely be one of our generation's classics.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sincere December 6, 2012

By Beach Sloth

Format:Kindle Edition

`Austin Nights' is one of the sincerest Valentines one can give a city. The story focuses on the emotions of moving, growing older and wondering `What now?' For there's a lot of there's a lot of that happening. In order to avoid a complete descent into cut and dry storytelling the parts are rearranged. Michael breaks up the narrative into pieces that flow emotionally not linearly. Michael and Bridget share duties in the story. Between them a fuller picture of their reality is shown. Bridget is ambitious with a discernible career path. Michael makes cheese with pinto beans for himself. With each of their different personalities they manage to care the other, in a way that shows off their disparate personalities.

What ties the story together is the sense of disorientation. Right from the beginning road trip, nicely chopped and sprinkled throughout the story, there is this competing conflict of inertia versus stasis. They avoid sleep. Michael cleverly buys pills at a gas station to keep him awake. Is this a good idea? No not really but this is the same person who takes a detour to find Jack Kerouac's house, a nondescript nothing in the middle of nowhere in Florida. Michael appears saddened with the experience knowing that he's close yet can't find it. They literally don't have any signs up.

Michael's parts are focused on the past and present. The future remains in outline form. A few bullet points are there but nothing concrete. Usually Michael is speaking with others about the past. Whether it is his old friends from school, from Miami Beach, or even a fellow resident from his new building, the conversations are all about the past. Kind nicknames are exchanged (`bum' for one) even as it becomes clear that one is the bum (Michael) and the other has a 2,500 square foot house in a desirable part of Texas. Aspects of politics are discussed by Michael as he remembers the 60s with Abe, who goes on about how beautiful America is from the ground, not from the sky. Like Abe, Michael feels the same way, willing to borrow a car and drive from Miami Beach to Austin to experience it firsthand.

Bridget with reddish gold hair takes a different perspective. She studies autism. In fact the move is thanks to her blossoming future. Michael's previous work (for Google, in Florida real estate) has taken a tumble. Much of his story deals with the pains of writing, of getting thoughts down. Her parts focus intensely on Michael's behaviors: how he treats Honeyed Cat, his unemployment, lack of direction, etc. She comes across as a form of discipline for Michael's travels into his own mind. Compared to Michael Bridget is completely clear-headed and thoughtful. By analyzing everything Michael risks getting caught up in history rather than creating a future.

The story is fragment, beautiful, like little rays of light. While the disjointed nature at first befuddles it makes more sense this way. Little side characters are explored with empathy. Clearly the characters love each other and want to help others. Multiple instances show this to be the case. And in their own small way they succeed on a small scale which is all anyone can really expect.

More About the Author

Michael Davidson was born during a thunderstorm on Mars. He enjoys long runs on the beach, poetry, and candlelight dinners. Once, he tipped a homeless window washer with spiritual enlightenment.

Get to know him more at http://herocious.tumblr.com/ or @herocious