Customer Reviews

More Like Not Running Away: A Novel (Mary Mccarthy Prize in Short Fiction)

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I was completely swept away by this book. The voice is so smooth, and the characters so endearing, I found myself going along for the ride. The way the novel enters a child's point of view, and you see Levi's absorption of his father's values (doing things well, building a strong house, not shirking work or duty) as well as sheltering (and sometimes shuddering from) his father's overwhelming, almost epic, temperment, created an all too realistic picture of the vulnerable imprint of parent to child, as well as the ways in which economic hardship wreaks its own damage on families. In the same way the movie My Life as a House explored the connection between intact home and family, this book takes you through intimate domestic territory while it opens you up to stunning vistas from rooftops to the blank slate of the open road. A great book about fathers and sons, about belief, about will, about money and honor, and about the quiet heroism of simply being there when no one else has the fortitude to do so.

Despite being an avid reader, this is the first time I have been moved to post a review on Amazon which in itself says something. To put it succinctly, this is a wonderful first novel and it makes me wonder what the author will do for an encore. Unlike some modern fiction, there is a plot to "More Like Not Running Away" (which I won't reveal here) and Mr. Shepherd's love of architecture and the art of building a house/home are evident throughout but what got me most of all was the sheer beauty of the language. It all flows, not a word or phrase out of place, no jarring or discordant notes (other than those intended by the author). Some other reviewers have used the words "poetic", "lyrical", "elegant" and "graceful" to describe the writing -- they all apply in spades. At the risk of costing the author some sales, though not particularly long this is not a quick beach read but a book to be savored without hurrying. You won't regret the time spent. I even found the ending remarkably uplifting and affirmative of life in an unexpected way.

Having read this book, I can assure you that your only regret will be reaching the final page. These are characters you will never forget. Moments in this book will remain with me forever, such as Levi driving with his Father. Like the others who reviewed this novel, I cannot wait to see where Paul Shepherd will take us next.

Shepherd reveals to us with an almost unnerving eloquence those feelings that we have all had in childhood. My breath is literally taken away and I have to pause after a passage, remembering how it was. There are moments in your life when you are let down as you are growing up, Shepherd describes this as a cool feeling... as though a hand that has been over your heart is now removed. You will want to savor this wonderfully written book. I am eagarly awaiting Paul Shepherd's next work.

I enjoyed this book so much. It's not what I normally would read but after meeting Paul at the local library, I was intrigued enough to buy his book. He's an excellent writer, and I would love to read more of his work. The story of Levi is told with such compassion that I even felt sorry for the lad by the end of the story. He truly had an incredible life that seemed almost real.

Barbara Joe-Williams
author of "Dancing with Temptation"

The overall style of this book is very unique, because while the majority of it is written from an adult's point of view of events that happened to him as a child, there is virtually no retrospective of these events. While the ending feels a little rushed, it fits the overall tone of the novel, and leaves the reader with a sense of what happens as this child grows into an adult. Very fast read, would be great for a plane trip.