Raising Jake [Kindle Edition]

Charlie Carillo (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sammy Sullivan, a crusty old rewrite man at a New York City tabloid, and his teenage son embark on a weekend of male bonding in Carillo's witty, insightful second novel. After rough-edged Sammy is fired and his son, Jake, gets expelled from his elite private school, father and son, who've grown apart, decide to spend the weekend revisiting places that hold the key to Sammy's past and may shed light on Jake's future. Along the way, Sammy confronts painful memories of his religiously obsessive mother and introduces Jake to the boy's long-estranged grandfather while both try to figure out what's next. In this coming-of-age tale, there's often a question of who is parenting whom. Carillo, a former reporter for the New York Post, has an easy way with breezy prose and likable characters. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description

"The best kind of journey, one you don't want to end...funny, moving." --Mike Lupica, New York Times bestselling author of Heat

In Charlie Carillo's funny, insightful novel, a divorced man gets to know his seventeen-year-old son in a tale that rewrites the book on quality time together. . .

Sammy Sullivan is working his way down the ladder of success. Divorced and pushing fifty, his relationships have the longevity of a fruit fly. But how many men can get themselves fired and have their only son expelled from prep school all in one day? Now, after almost eighteen years, he and Jake may finally get to know each other. (That's if his ex-wife--the super-achiever Sammy can only dream of being--doesn't find out.) Jake knows virtually nothing about his roots. So, Sammy shows him the old neighborhood in the far reaches of Queens. But it's been thirty years. The older woman Sammy lost his virginity to now uses a walker to get around. Most of his hangouts are long gone. It's dreary, born-to-lose stuff. But Jake is on a mission. Wise beyond his (and his dad's) years, he doesn't want his father to miss out the second time around on the good things he blew the first time. And they've got a whole weekend together--a journey where Sammy will confront his, dysfunctional childhood and Jake will face a past he never knew he had.

This isn't your typical father-son story--one is still growing up. The other is his son.

"In the tradition of Tom Perotta, Carillo explores the strength of the family bond, the power of forgiveness, and the hope that comes from embracing second chances. . .truthful, and hilarious."--Alison Grambs, author of The Smart Girls Guide to Getting Even

"I don't like funny, touching novels because they make me wish I'd written them myself. I enjoyed Charlie Carillo's book from beginning to end and now I'm miserable." --Sherwood Kiraly, author of Diminished Capacity

"A literary romp through the minefields of a totally normal, and totally abnormal, family. . . I actually laughed out loud and kept turning the pages to make absolutely sure that all worked out at the end." --Cathy Lamb, author of Henry's Sisters

"Scathingly hilarious and truthful." --Sally Jenkins

Queens-born Charlie Carillo, like his protagonist Sam Sullivan, worked at the New York Post as a journalist for many years. He is also the author of My Ride with Gus and divides his time between New York City and London, England, where he works as an independent television producer.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 562 KB
• Publisher: Kensington Books (August 24, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002KS3AS4
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (153 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,931 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raising Jake: An Absolute Gem!

Reviewer: Renee S. N.Y.C., August 25, 2009

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Jake (Kindle Edition)

I ggot this book yesterday, a free download from Kindle, and read it straight through - once I started I couln't put it down.
It really was a delight! You know the cliche - I laughed, I cried... but it really is true.

the nofel takes place over one weekend, as Sammy Sullivan, a divorced father, and his seventeen year old son, Jake get to know each other as they never have before. This description is a bit deceptive since the narrative, told by Sammy, really covers both of their lives, as well as the lives of the other important people in their circle. I won't give away any more of the plot. You need to experience it yourself. And it is an experience, as you are brought to laughter and to tears by some of the incidents in the story I thought the writing was superb, and the plot extremely well-crafted and tight. At times I thought I was reading an autobiography; that's how true Sammy's "voice" was. Kindlers, buy this now, while it is still free. It's a terrific read. Highly recommended. A really great read.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read!, August 27, 2009

By 

Helen B (FL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Raising Jake (Kindle Edition)

This book has great character development, surprising but believable twists, and really puts some interesting perspectives on relationships. You can't help but care about the characters, and you laugh, you might cry, but for the most part they are likable but real. But it is by no means a chick book, the key characters are the males, they are the best developed. I bought this because it was free on Kindle and sounded interesting, but I'll look for more by this author and pay for them.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, easy read, September 2, 2009

By 

Reader (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Raising Jake (Kindle Edition)

Raising Jake is a quick and enjoyable read about a journey of self-discovery for Sammy, a divorced fifty-something tabloid reporter, and his teenage son Jake. The story starts when Sammy gets a call at work from Jake's prestigious private school needing him to come to school immediately. Despite a looming deadline, Sammy makes the decision to drop everything go - getting himself fired in the process - only to find out that Jake is being expelled from school. The remainder of the novel winds its way through a long weekend for father and son, where Sammy comes to terms with his past and opens up to Jake about the family history and mysteries that have never before been shared. In the process, both father and son discover themselves, their history, connect with the roots of their family and their past, and bond with each other for perhaps the first time in their lives.

While the novel was enjoyable, I found some of the character development shallow and some of the plot to be difficult to believe. It is unclear why Jake, a gifted student with a promising future, is willing cast it all aside and become a high school dropout. In addition, some of the flashback sequences that involve Sammy and his mother - one involving stigmata of a crucifix and one involving the suicide of a priest - are similarly unbelievable. Though the author may want you to suspend your disbelief and focus on the larger theme of the story, these pivotal scenes come across as flat and somewhat silly. Still, the book held my attention and was enjoyable. It is definitely one of the best freebie Kindle downloads I've read thus far.