Lethologica

If you have not read Life at These Speeds, you really should it is amazing. The author Jeremy Jackson has really created something unique. I would have to say it falls in the top of my picks for contemporary fiction and first novels.

When I read the back of the book I thought, “Holy man, that sounds cheesy. There is no way that could be anything but sappy.” Oh how wrong I was.

The premise: An eighth grader who goes to a small town school is on the track team. After an away track meet his parents drive him home while all his team mates careen off a bridge and die in the school van. Almost all of his classmates (out of the entire grade) were in the van, I said it was a small school. He basically goes into shock, does nothing but run and become a great runner in the process. Told ya it sounded cheesy, right?

Well it is not.

The book describes his process of waking up from grief induced amnesia in such an amazing way. He slowly becomes aware of himself, begins remembering his life with the kids that died, and starts to live his life again. It is heart wrenching. The author describes the process sort of like the unfolding of a flower. The story blooms. I am not going to explain much more, because you need to read this book for yourself. It is incredible.

It is handled so beautifully.

Other themes in the book that are interesting in their own right. The parental equation. How do parents insert themselves into their children’s emotional lives. Running. Running plays a huge part of this book, and the author captures the solitary world beautifully.


My one complaint about the book is that the kids have better emotional insight and speak at such a high level there that it can be unbelievable at times.

Just so I don’t end on a bad note, I want to re-iterate this book is well worth reading. Do yourself a favor and read it.