Customer Reviews

The Bow Tie Gang

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

What Ben Reed writes here is a story about how a person must come to grips with who they actually are. Normally, this is done from the top down (president figures out he's really a criminal, criminal figures out he's really a machine, blah-blah-blah). The protagonist is normally in a position of authority and relative access, only to learn that they never really deserved it to begin with and it gets taken away.

Clap, clap. Clap.

Ben's story moves in the reverse. He uses two weeks in the life of a kid who just got out of high school, who wants to stay with his beloved racing gang (none of the other members will ever amount to much), remain with his loose-legged girlfriend (who goes wherever the attention is thickest), and remain for the rest of his days on the unimaginably small island of Alameda, south of San Fran. The character really does think that they want to live that way forever.

But his environment and circumstance fix that for him. Through several eureka moments, he realizes that he was just fooling himself, and that he was traveling the easy path for no good reason. And he decides to trade up in a very believable way. He uses solid descriptions and well structured prose to lead the reader through. Even if you don't see the overriding concept of this story, you will be entertained by the characters and the plot that is handed to you. A great first novel for what will be a writer worth watching.

But that's just my humble opinion.

This story will hold water many, many years to come. Your kids could read it and understand (if they're the "reading comprehension" type). The man could use a little copy editing though.

I was just blown away. Though I've never really been that interested in drag-racing culture, California, or the fifties, I thoroughly loved this book! I don't remember the last time I came across something so profound that kept a sense of beauty as well as one of humor. I laughed out loud so hard that I had to put the book down easily a dozen times. Anyone who doesn't read this book, is deluding themselves into thinking they could actually do something better with their time.

As a man who loves all things SF, this book captures with tactician skill the nuances of post WWII SF youth/outlaw culture. Quick, go go read as well. Reminds me of Fante if that works for you. Highly recommended.

What you have here is a rough idea of the Great American Novel. Not in any cliche sense, but in a real, gritty, bruised knuckles, broken-heart kind of way. For a young author, Reed has a firm grasp of imagery and illusion. He'll give you poetry when he can, but will always deliver the flesh of the story. He is a butcher artist. There are typos all over this text, like some hastily printed underground book banned by daylight and stranger to sanity. But in the story, there are no mistakes. No lapses. Several times I got the feeling that Wil, the novel's unwilling hero, doesn't even know for sure if he's living his narrative, or peering in from the outside. If you give this book a chance, neither will you.

One of the best books I've read in years. I fell in love with the main character (and the author). Full of raw emotion, moving descriptions and lots of action, the book is definitely hard to put down.

A poetic exposition of the transformation of adolescence to adulthood. A story composed of definite and bright images that, at times, carry the story with unstoppable momentum. Historically detailed and showing of the author's extensive research and could easily stand up against Kerouac's On the Road. There are very strong stylistic influences of the Beat Generation, but the author maintains his true and individualistic voice cover to cover. A story about people trying to find the life in everything.

An engaging and poignant story. Characters have depth, wit, and flavor. The descriptions of Alameda and the hotrods are thorough and fun. The author has obviously done his research about Alameda and the culture of the 1960's. Buy it! Read it! You know you want to!