How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets
by Garth Stein
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Book Summary Information
Author: Garth SteinEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-01
ISBN: 1569474982
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Soho Press
Book Reviews of How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets
Book Review: Understanding the Truth
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this earlier novel after finishing Garth Stein's" The Art of Racing in the Rain." I find the two novels to be very different yet still sharing wonderful similarities. Two character-driven tales conceived and penned by the same sensitive hand.
"How Evan Broke his Head and other secrets" is the story of Evan Wallace, 31-years old, a brilliant rock guitarist and musician living alone in his late grandfather's small apartment (with a terrific view). Evan is the son of a prominent Seattle heart surgeon and his obedient wife, and is the older brother to Charlie, a seemingly over-achieving attorney on the partner track. Evan is damaged - he has suffered from epilepsy since age 12 when, on a dare, he ran in front of a car, was struck and nearly killed. Evan's epilepsy -- its cause and its symptoms -- is a major aspect of Evan's character. I am very affected by its full burden here and the steady courage Mr. Stein has discovered in Evan, the hero of this story.
In this novel, Evan discovers friends, family, love and opportunity hovering just out of reach. He finds a 14 year old son lost to him shortly after birth and chooses to embrace and care about him. He finds a woman who sees his worth. Great responsibilities accompany parenthood; fear and confusion precede commitment; forgiveness accompanies a life that is not solitary. Evan faces the fact that he has terrible secrets and must choose to understand and reveal them lest he leave them only half-buried. As shown in The Art of Racing in the Rain, Mr. Stein's prose is dialogue-driven, visual. I find his writing completely engaging and satisfying.
To quote the wise philosopher Enzo (from The Art of Racing in the Rain): "understanding the truth is simple; allowing oneself to experience it can sometimes be terrifically difficult."
All in all, a very cool book.
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