I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for I Am the Light of This World by Michael Parker! I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Michael Parker for letting me be a part of the tour!
Author: Michael Parker
Published by: Algonquin Books
Released: November 15, 2022
Source: Review Copy Provided by Publisher
Synopsis: Acclaimed author Michael Parker tells the searing and unforgettable story of one decision that irrevocably changes the course of a young man’s life.
In the early 1970s, in Stovall, Texas, seventeen-year-old Earl—a loner, dreamer, lover of music and words—meets Tina, the new girl in town. Tina convinces Earl to drive her to see her mother in Austin, where Earl and Tina are quickly separated. Two days later, Earl is being questioned by the police about Tina’s disappearance and the blood in the trunk of his car. But Earl can’t remember what happened in Austin, and with little financial support from his working-class family, he is sentenced for a crime he did not commit.
Forty years later, Earl is released into a world he can barely navigate. Settling in a small town on the Oregon coast, he attempts to establish a sense of freedom from both bars and razor wire and the emotional toll of incarceration. But just as Earl finds the rhythm he’s always sought, his past returns to endanger the new life he’s built.
Steeped in the music and atmosphere of the 1970s, I Am the Light of This World is a gritty, gripping, and gorgeously written story of loss, redemption, and the power of the imagination, perfect for fans of Ron Rash, Rachel Kushner, and Laird Hunt. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
My Thoughts: A really interesting story that I enjoyed reading. The synopsis captured my attention right away. Did he do it? What happened to Tina? Was he put in prison for a crime that he didn't commit?
It's fascinating following Earl's story. He was a really well written character. All the stuff that happened in his life, and then seeing him having to navigate the world after 40 years in prison. It was such a compelling story to read.
I liked it and would definitely recommend giving it a read.
The author of seven novels and three collections of stories, Michael Parker has been awarded four career-achievement awards: the Hobson Award for Arts and Letters, the North Carolina Award for Literature, the R. Hunt Parker Award, and the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Prize. His short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, Oxford American, Runner’s World, Men's Journal, and others. He is a three-time winner of the O. Henry Prize for his short fiction and his work has appeared in dozens of magazines and several anthologies. He taught for twenty-seven years in the MFA Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and since 2009 he has been on the faculty of the Warren Wilson Program for Writers. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for I Am the Light of This World by Michael Parker! Thank you to Algonquin Books and Michael Parker for letting me be a part of the tour! This is definitely one to look out for and add to your TBR pile.
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