Drawers & Booths (Paperback)

by Ara 13 (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
While a Marine Corps corporal acts as a liaison between an island nation and the U.S. Army, his story is hijacked by a displaced narrator seeking a suspected criminal. The disruption causes the characters to become aware of their role in a novel, even rebelling against the author's intent, in this layered, metafictional journey; poignant, hilarious, and utterly unique.

From the Publisher
An "Outstanding Book of the Year" Bronze Medal "Storyteller of the Year"

About the Award: Drawers & Booths won an IPPY--the world's largest international book awards competition, independent or otherwise. Ara 13 competed against releases from production houses such as, Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Yale, and other university presses, as well as Pulitzer finalist Dave Eggers' production house, McSweeney's, and Barnes & Nobles' alliance press, iUniverse. Ara 13's novel was selected from 3,175 entrants representing 16 countries: Trinidad to Thailand, Croatia to Czech Republic, and France to Finland. Drawers & Booths was one of 32 books to receive the moniker, "Outstanding Book of the Year," and Ara won a Bronze Medal as "Storyteller of the Year."

According to 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Ara 13 exhibits "the courage and creativity to take chances, break new ground, and bring about change, not only to the world of publishing, but to our society."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: CovingtonMoore, Inc. (September 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979863600
• ISBN-13: 978-0979863608
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #988,788 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Drawers and Booths, October 23, 2007

By	P. McCalla (East Bernard, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Drawers and Booths is completely unique and original. Just when you think you know where it's going, everything shifts and goes, not just in a different direction, but to an entirely new reality. The book challenges traditional beliefs, certainly, and promotes self-examination, which we can all use. But what really gave me a kick about Drawers and Booths was the humor and daring. Some of Ara 13's antics in this book had me laughing out loud with delight. Don't let the gruesome first chapter stop you. This book is fun!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What do you get . . ., October 20, 2007

By	Timothy E Thompson "Bookstore Owner" (Galveston, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What do you get when you mix a military thriller, a courtoom drama where You-Know-Who is on trial, a philosophical discussion on determinism v. free will, Darwinism, a bit of metafictional playing around with characters (even the narrator is a character in this book) and narrative a la Borges, Calvino (If On A Winter's Night A Traveller), Auster and perhaps even Barthelme, and throw in some sharp satire and witty humor? Ara 13's first novel, what else did you expect? Drawers and Booths is an enjoyable and unique book, quite unlike any you've ever read before. It will quite likely tick off some folks who don't like having their beliefs challenged but that's one of the things books SHOULD do. Do you dare try tackling this book?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A disjointed journey into and through morality, November 25, 2007

By	Freeman "The last bastion of freedom is insid... (Ranger, Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

Drawers and Booths is an unpredictable and often startling romp that is purposely mistitled. It's a self-introspective journey into the mind of the author that also takes a hard look at a number of fairly interesting and possibly important questions. Intentional discordance is the rule of thumb as the reader is abruptly ripped out of one scene and dropped into a completely different environment without any segue way whatsoever.

Drawers and Booths is a highly complex and often subtly witty piece of prose that will tax the mental faculties of many readers and leave others scratching their heads. If you already have a firmly cemented worldview anchored by Judeo-Christian belief systems it is likely that Drawers and Booths will irritate you and possibly enrage you. How dare the author put God on trial!

I will be reading this novel again - it is one of those that needs to be chewed over a few times. My rating may go up or down, but probably will go up. The jury is still out. One promise I can make is that Drawers and Booths is unlike anything you or I have read before. Highly recommended, particularly for those of you who like to introspect and question reality.

Disclaimer: I know the author and we have a long-standing friendship. If you ever meet him ask him about why he changed his last name to 13.