August A Novel
August A Novel by Callan Wink, published by Random House Publishing Group on October 19, 2021, is a literary exploration of a boy’s coming-of-age journey in a changing American landscape. Spanning 304 pages, this novel captures the complexities of adolescence as it follows August, a twelve-year-old boy navigating life on his family’s Michigan dairy farm amidst the turmoil of his parents’ divorce. As he attempts to adapt to a new town and the challenges of teenage life, a shocking act of violence propels him into a deeper understanding of the world around him.
Readers will find a richly woven narrative that delves into themes of identity and community, set against the backdrop of rural America. As August transitions from childhood to adulthood, he encounters both the joys and traumas that shape his character. The story unfolds in a way that highlights the intricacies of small-town life, revealing the hidden secrets that lie beneath its surface. With its evocative prose and vivid descriptions, this debut novel offers a poignant reflection on the experiences that define us during our formative years.
Official synopsis Publisher
A boy coming of age in a part of the country that’s being left behind is at the heart of this dazzling novel—the first by an award-winning author of short stories that evoke the American West.
LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE • “August reads like early Hemingway, retooled for the present.”—William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Barbarian Days
Callan Wink has been compared to masters like Jim Harrison and Thomas McGuane. His short stories have been published in The New Yorker and have won numerous accolades. Now his enormous talents are showcased in a debut novel that follows a boy growing up in the middle of the country through those difficult years between childhood and adulthood.
August is an average twelve-year-old. He likes dogs and fishing and doesn’t mind early-morning chores on his family’s Michigan dairy farm. But following his parents’ messy divorce, his mother decides that she and August need to start over in a new town. There, he tries to be an average teen—playing football and doing homework—but when his role in a shocking act of violence throws him off course once more, he flees to a ranch in rural Montana, where he learns that even the smallest communities have dark secrets.
Covering August’s adolescence, from age twelve to nineteen, this gorgeously written novel bears witness to the joys and traumas that irrevocably shape us all. Filled with unforgettable characters and stunning natural landscapes, this book is a moving and provocative look at growing up in the American heartland.
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