Review Of 'Four Years From Home'

I've posted reviews of Larry Enright's Kindle bestseller Four Years From Home where one should--Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Goodreads. Below is what I said in those reviews:

You could call this book a humorous look at the familial bonds between a self-described bully and his siblings. You could call it a wrenching tale of loss and discovery. You could call it a story of twists and turns that both entrances and shocks. You'd be right on all counts. The author seems purposed to not only share the story of bully/brother Tom Ryan, but to put us in Tom's head as his world is turned upside down, and as his grasp of it is peeled away bit by bit. We don't just follow Tom's journey--we inhabit it as he seeks out answers to his brother Harry's death while away at college. What we get from this masterfully told tale is always touching, frequently worthy of chuckles born of our own memories of childhood, and also impossible to anticipate. I did not see coming what transpired. Highly, highly recommended. You will be hooked from the first paragraph of this tale that should be treasured.

But more needs to be said. I met Larry by chance on Twitter. We've struck up what I think I can call a friendship. We've put excerpts of our novels in each other's books in a move at cross promotion. He's a genuinely funny guy.

But Four Years From Home demonstrates something else about Larry: he's a natural storyteller. He doesn't rush, or give short shrift to the intricacies which make every human being unique. By the time you finish the first chapter, you're pretty sure his main character, Tom Ryan, should be hit by a train. Why? Because Larry allowed us to feel, in Tom's own words, what it was like to be one of his siblings when they were younger. He didn't allow Tom to even attempt an infusion of sympathy. Which is why, when all is said and done, we don't necessarily feel sorry for Tom, but we understand how much of the bravado he extolled was paper thin. We understand that not only was there a heart within the brash exterior, there was a kinship with those siblings he'd bragged about lording over.

Tom Ryan is a magnificent character, and Larry Enright was skilled enough to let us come to know him with harsh and loving detail. Larry sells the Kindle edition of Four Years From Home for just 99 cents. Yes, less than a dollar. He could--and should--charge more.

And you definitely should buy this book. And read it. And savor it, as I did.