Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Bad Ground by W. Dale Cramer
An AtHomeDaddy Review

Last month I sent up a review of Summer of Light, by W. Dale Cramer. And yesterday, when I was cruising Dad websites I happened across an add for the book. I was a little flattered to see that most of that review was published online on the authors website.

I woke up early this morning and remembered the whole stack of books I checked out at the library. Since bringing them home I have not touched any of them. I picked up the first one on the pile, another Cramer book, Bad Ground.

Like his newest book, Bad Ground was an easy read. This story follows Jeremy, a high-school dropout on a trek across country to find his estranged uncle, just days after his mother dies.

The scarred and tough uncle, appropriately nicknamed, Snake, has answers about the accidental death of Jeremy's dad ten years earlier. But it is up to the boy to get the hard rock miner to share what he knows. And through it all Jeremy has held onto a child-like faith that Snake sorely needs.

Though I have never been in a mine, the characters in this book all seemed very real. And I think there are a lot of days I have just as much in common with Snake, a burned and battle weary miner as I did with Mick, the Stay at Home Dad character in Summer of Light.

Next up, either another Cramer book, Levi's Will or John Grisham's The Broker.

3 comments:

LID said...

Seriously Mike, Thanks. I have been too absorbed in my action/mystery genre. I will get Summer of Light -- didn't even know it existed. Thanks for the heads up and the review -- I went over and read it!
I read The Broker -- Good! His typical stuff though!
P.S. Yeah the "Shop Vac" line just availed itself... That Angel's a good straight man for us!

Mike said...

I just like a quick, eay read. Grisham is about my speed, even if he isn't the most creative writer out there.

If it takes me more than a day or two to get through I'll probably drop it like a bad habit.

Angel said...

You are just reminding me of the copy of "A Mid Summers Nights Dream" and "Alls Quiet on the Western Front" I've been meaning to read. Keep up with the reviews as I think it will inspire me to pull back from writing my new short story to read a work by a real author. LOL.

Long island dad...what? me? I'm a what? *quirks brow*