Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, Gone Fishing by Wolf e Boy

Short Story.

Last year, I read From Bangkok to BC, Chasing Sunsets.  The blog post can be found here. 

Since then I have followed Wolf E Boy's blog with interest.  He writes about his life in a nice style.  There's descriptions of what he experiences and his thoughts about things that crop up.  The blog can be found here.  

He alerted his twitter followers to a story he'd written a while ago.  This story is Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, Gone Fishing.  He told me it was a true story.  I have no idea if he's one of the characters, or if he knows the characters well. 

It's a very honest, quite blunt style of writing.  You know exactly what the characters whose story is being told are thinking.  There are good descriptions of the thought processes as the story unfolds.  I think a lot of readers could find the subject matter a little shocking.  There's the rub though.  It is quite shocking but it's far more common than those who may be shocked probably realise.

I found myself thinking after I had read this story.  I couldn't help coming to, and changing, and changing again, judgements about the characters throughout the tale.  They were all characters I recognised.  I could put at least two faces of people I know to each of them.

The story had me gripped until I had finished it.  It is definitely one of the most bizarre reads I have come across.  Bizarre to see it on the page, yet not so unfamiliar in life.

I think on the whole the politics of the main characters are pretty similar to my own on the issues explored in this.  I would lay the blame less at the door of the Police though and more at pathetic, hysteria influenced governments.

One question I would ask is how reliable is the main character's account?  Have we the whole story or have things been missed/misread due to his state of mind.  My mind/memory plays tricks on me under much less strain.

The ending of the tale is the most bizarre part of the whole thing.  I wish we could find an explanation for the way things ended.  Or maybe the mystery adds to the whole thing.

I enjoyed this story.  The tension was kept up, I sympathised and I laughed too.

Book 41 of the 50 Book Challenge

From Bangkok to BC, Chasing Sunsets by Wolf E Boy, 250 pages

Started June 14th, finished June 15th.

This book is by a Twitter buddy of mine, @wolfeeboy999 I discovered he'd written it after I read about it on a blog.  

It's an account of his travels around Asia, Australia and Canada.  It's written in a much more chatty style than your typical travelogues.  Meaning that it's really easy to sink right into it.   He tells the story of his snap decision to buy an 'Around the World' ticket, then you're at Heathrow, then landed in Bangkok before you know it.  

The writing gives a great feel for the places he visits and the people he meets.  He gives us an honest account of life travelling and the things that happen with no sense of masculine bravado.  You feel like you're getting the real deal not some version to bolster an ego.  He comes across as a nice guy you'd have a good laugh with. 

I like the fact that he travelled to where and what he wanted to do.  Not some squeezing in of every sight and experience but had a damn good time.  I'd give my hind teeth to be able to spend the time he did in Canada.  Only difference being, I'd have used 2 planks of wood, not a tray ;-)

The book contains nice little bits of poetry here and there from the author and a fair few pictures too.  Both of which add to the experience.

I don't think I'd ever have the guts to up and leave for over a year and I have to admire someone who just got on with it.

4 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 41, Pages -12, 403

Next - From Bangkok to BC by Wolf E Boy