Ransom Seaborn [Paperback]

Bill Deasy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2006

"Nobody who knows Bill Deasy's wonderful music will be surprised to find that this book is filled with soul. Deasy quietly explores the ties that bind, and the evolution of a heart that everyone will recognize, and root for" -- Jane McCafferty, author of "One Heart" --- Ransom Seaborn is an astonishing literary debut in the spirit of Gatsby and Holden Caulfield.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Compelling prose, capturing the mood and style of classic American writing. -- girlondemand.blogspot.com

From the Publisher

It's Dan Finbar's freshman year and he's struggling to find his proper place in Harrison College. When he finally breaks through into the world of notorious loner Ransom Seaborn, their friendship is brutally cut short, leaving Finbar with nothing but Ransom's old leather journal and his sometime girlfriend Maggie. As Finbar and Maggie investigate the journal--and Ransom's soul--their discoveries illuminate the dark depths of the human heart and they find that what glitters is indeed sometimes gold.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Velluminous Press (August 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905605080
• ISBN-13: 978-1905605088
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #854,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One for the ages, August 8, 2006

By 

Richard A. Dolnack "Rick" (Greensburg, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ransom Seaborn (Paperback)

I went to see Bill Deasy's band the day Ransom Seaborn was released. First thing I did was to buy a copy. Bill signed it and as he handed it to me he said he wanted a review. As I walked away I thought, "What if I don't like it? What if it isn't any good? What do say then?"
By the time the crowd arrived for the show I was through 30 pages. I stopped reading it only to talk to friends and to listen to the band. I couldn't wait to get home and read more and cursed the fireworks display that closed the exits and the police who made me turn off my lights. When I got home I continued to read. I woke up with it laying on my chest, picked up where I left off and stopped reading only long enough to make coffee. That should answer the first question.
There's a passage early in Ransom Seaborn where a professor asks his lit class. "What is good writing?" He offers no answer but reads an example. Let me try to answer. To me good writing whether it be poetry, prose, song, or theater draws its reader, listener or viewer into another world. The people, places, sights, smells and sounds are clear in the minds eye. Ransom Seaborn does just that. The characters are real I now know them all, I've been to Harrison College and Pembrook.
I won't give any plot details, that would spoil it for you. It can most easily be described as a coming of age tale. As with all good writing it plays with your emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes but breaking out in a laugh before the tear could fall over the course of a few paragraphs.
The difference between good writing and great writing is the test of time. If there is any literary justice in this world 20 years from now a young author will write a coming of age tale about a loner whose backpack contains a copy of Catcher in the Rye and Ransom Seaborn.
Yeah I liked and it is that good.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars blow me away, August 9, 2006

By 

Betsy E. Suzio (Pittsburgh PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ransom Seaborn (Paperback)

What I liked most about the book is that as soon as I finished it I came to the realization that I would have liked it even if I had never heard of Bill Deasy before opening the cover. It's a captivating story, told in a generous, thoughtful & thought provoking manner. At times playful, at times breathtaking, at times disturbing, and not for a moment disappointing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded Expectations, August 10, 2006

By 

PT (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ransom Seaborn (Paperback)

As a faithful fan of Bill Deasy's musical career, I had the bar raised high as I prepared to read Ransom Seaborn. At first I thought, he wrote a book? After listening to his songs/lyrics for 10 years+, it makes complete sense that he would be a successful author. Once again, he does not disappoint. He writes from his soul and you truly feel as if you "know" Finbar and Maggie. You can picture the setting and feel the emotions. You can't put it down, but you want to save it for later. It's like a delicious dessert that you eat slowly, savoring every morsel.