Story Behind The Book
From the New York Times Sunday Review: Vincent Eaton's dark, angry and intense first novel uses police documents, psychological evaluations, interviews, straight narration and interior monologues to chronicle the self-destruction of Tim Buckles. At 28, Buckles appears at first to be leading a normal life. He has a steady job as a lifeguard, a bungalow in Los Angeles and a loving girlfriend named Alisa. The problem is, he feels as if he's living someone else's life. When Alisa becomes pregnant, she encourages him to take a job in her father's business. Tim's feelings of alienation escalates. A drowning and then a disastrous visit to his elderly parents, who have become more miserable with the years, push Tim over the edge. ** “...striking first novel.... ...the devastating consequences of Tim's traumatic family dynamics, captured powerfully in dialogue and brief vignettes, provide a powerfully destructive counter force, with devastating consequences. Eaton's harsh, unsparing tale jolts the reader, holding us uncomfortably close to Tim's commingled criminal insanity and humanity. o Publisher's Weekly From Publisher's Weekly “...striking first novel.... The devastating consequences of Tim's traumatic family dynamics, captured powerfully in dialogue and brief vignettes, provide a powerfully destructive counter force... ...unsparing tale jolts the reader, holding us uncomfortably close to Tim's commingled criminal insanity and humanity. From Bridgeport Post Mr. Eaton concocts a puzzle out of a depraved childhood, multiple murder mysteries, flashbacks, hallucinations, a love story and self-analysis. ...a brave literary debut about an intelligent man who, struggling to understand and control his rage at his past, ''realizes himself away”.
Media Links
Reviews
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;">From the New York Times Sunday Review:</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;">Vincent Eaton's dark, angry and intense first novel uses police documents, psychological evaluations, interviews, straight narration and interior monologues to chronicle the self-destruction of Tim Buckles. At 28, Buckles appears at first to be leading a normal life. He has a steady job as a lifeguard, a bungalow in Los Angeles and a loving girlfriend named Alisa. The problem is, he feels as if he's living someone else's life. When Alisa becomes pregnant, she encourages him to take a job in her father's business. Tim's feelings of alienation escalates. A drowning and then a disastrous visit to his elderly parents, who have become more miserable with the years, push Tim over the edge.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;">**</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">“<em>...striking first novel.... ...the devastating consequences of Tim's traumatic family dynamics, captured powerfully in dialogue and brief vignettes, provide a powerfully destructive counter force, with devastating consequences. Eaton's harsh, unsparing tale jolts the reader, holding us uncomfortably close to Tim's commingled criminal insanity and humanity. </em> </p> <ul><li><p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><em>Publisher's Weekly</em></p> </li> </ul><p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left">From Publisher's Weekly</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left">“...striking first novel.... The devastating consequences of Tim's traumatic family dynamics, captured powerfully in dialogue and brief vignettes, provide a powerfully destructive counter force... ...unsparing tale jolts the reader, holding us uncomfortably close to Tim's commingled criminal insanity and humanity.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left">From Bridgeport Press</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;" align="left">Mr. Eaton concocts a puzzle out of a depraved childhood, multiple murder mysteries, flashbacks, hallucinations, a love story and self-analysis. ...a brave literary debut about an intelligent man who, struggling to understand and control his rage at his past, ''realizes himself away”.</p>