Inhabited

by Charlie Quimby

"[Inhabited] spotlights the complex forces behind the spaces we call home."
— MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

"The lives of Quimby's finely drawn characters interweave to produce a panorama as wide and full of light as the near–desert setting. Even his minor figures add significantly to the whole, and his skillful and delightful turns of phrase make reading this evocative novel a pleasure."
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review

"Quimby's descriptions of Colorado's high country show a painterly flare…an intriguing examination of people and a place in transition."
— KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Quimby's experiences as a Colorado native and an advocate for the homeless provide the novel’s backbone, but its real strength is in its cast of vivid, relatable individuals. Recommend to readers attuned to Kent Haruf, Annie Proulx, Laura Pritchett, and Bonnie Nadzam."
— BOOKLIST

"Inhabited is an outstanding novel with memorable, believable characters who deal simultaneously with the challenges of reclaiming and redeeming themselves as well as the landscapes that define their communities."
— THE UTAH REVIEW

"Charlie Quimby is a writer with a big talent, big heart, and big social conscience. In his second novel, Inhabited, characters finely drawn and memorable live amidst the crisscrossing lines of moral conscience, political juggling and economic expediency, a tough neighborhood. I was staggered by the authenticity of these people and their dilemmas."
—FAITH SULLIVAN, author of Goodnight, Mr. Wodehouse and The Cape Ann

"Charlie Quimby is the sharpest shooter in the West. Inhabited is a dramatic, honest, humane portrait of a Colorado city in the throes of great change and great choice. The characters and the setting are indelibly rendered…We're all in the mix here—rich and poor, homeless and over–housed, rancher and eco–activist, native politician and outside scoundrel. Inhabited is a vivid, compelling story delivered with 21st–century true grit."
—ALYSON HAGY, author of Boleto

"A thoroughly enjoyable novel that masterfully takes the reader on an emotionally rewarding exploration of 'home' and the power the concept has on the human psyche."
—JONATHAN ODELL, author of Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League

"Inhabited transforms a typical community 'homeless problem' into a layered drama about our responsibilities to each other and the blunders and scars we must endure. I salute Charlie Quimby for following the path of Steinbeck and Orwell in writing empathetic portraits of the ignored and the shunned."
—JIM LYNCH, author of Before the Wind

Meg Mogrin sells pricey houses, belongs to the mayor's inner circle, and knows more than she's letting on about her sister's death. Isaac Samson lives in a tent and believes Thomas Edison invented the Reagan presidency. When their town attracts a game-changing development, Isaac is displaced by the town's crackdown on vagrancy. As Isaac struggles to regain stability, Meg contends with conflicting roles of assisting the developer while serving on the homeless coalition. Isaac's quest to return a lost artifact soon intrudes into Meg's tidy world, digging up a part of her past she'd rather remained buried. Inhabited, a sister novel to Charlie Quimby's acclaimed Monument Road, returns to the Grand Valley of western Colorado to explore the dimensions of loss, the boundaries of compassion, and the endurance of love.

Charlie Quimby is the author of Monument Road, an Indie Next List pick and Booklist Editors' Choice in 2013. He began his writing career as playwright and arts journalist, veered into corporate communications and then founded a marketing agency that now purrs along without him. Along the way, he collected awards and developed the notion he had a few good novels in him. A native Coloradan and adopted Minnesotan, he is at home in both places.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2016

About the author

Overcoming social isolation within communities is Charlie Quimby's primary subject. He is the author of two novels: Inhabited and Monument Road, and he writes the Substack newsletter Small Ponds, which is a continuation and elaboration on Not So Far from Home, his account of volunteer work in homeless communities in Minneapolis and Western Colorado.

Reviews

[Jack Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Quimby has a real talent for bringing the reader into the lives of protagonists that are not your usual main characters in novels. In his excellent first novel "Monument Road", the main character is a senior citizen and after a few chapters, I realized that he was the most interesting guy that I had read about in years. Quimby's new book "Inhabited" continues in the same setting with some of the minor characters of the first book taking on the major roles. I would have never predicted that I would find a novel about a real estate agent and a homeless man, both middle-aged, so fascinating. Quimby addresses the plight of the homeless and the unseen costs of development in a book that was a pleasure to read, and left me thinking about what it takes to be a good person in today's complex society

[Claudia Putnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often, smaller towns, or largish towns that have grown from being small towns lean heavily on consensus rather than leadership for governance. This novel, set in Grand Junction, Colorado--an interesting place, historically and geographically--is built out of the tensions that arise from that tendency. Tensions between a homeless population, developers, job-creators, economic boosters of all sorts, ranchers... In the midst of all this is a real estate agent with a dark secret. And, as one of the character points out, rather savagely, real estate is a fall-back career, isn't it? What is it that this character would really rather have done? What is her failed potential? That too, is something of a secret, a grief wrapped in among her others. Grand Junction, like many smallish towns, is built on such griefs. Lovely writing.

[Mark Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proud to help get this one out there.

[Karima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quimby has great insight into human nature and his power of observation made for an excellent read. Character development was strong and the topic of homelessness was addressed with a unique perspective. Good, solid book.

[Jonathan Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a marvelous sense of place, that place being Grand Junction, Colorado, which is not exactly the most glamorous setting for a novel. Quimby captures its history and its quirks and its downsides wonderfully. More than that, he gives us honest insight into homelessness, and his homeless characters, especially, were well-developed and real. (I was a little less impressed by the other main characters, particularly Meg, the real estate agent).

If you're looking for an edge-of-your-seat thriller, this may not be your cup of tea. That said, it does have a strong plot that keeps the reader wondering what happens next.

[Rebecca Lawton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dude can write. And he's a NOVELIST in all caps. Quimby creates situations, characters, conflicts, and heartbreaking twists that feel as real as the world in which Inhabited is set. This is a book that kept me up at night--both because I couldn't put it down and then couldn't stop thinking about it after I did. His unlikely (for me) protagonist--a realtor in today's Grand Junction, CO--is a woman full of strengths, smarts, doubts, and endurance, and I believed every choice she made, mess she tried to dodge, and loss she grieved. Not since I last read Tony Hillerman have I felt in the hands of someone who can write fiction about the West's underbelly and everyday heroes and heroines with such authenticity. On to Monument Road, far too long on my to-read shelf. Thank you, Mr. Quimby, and write on.

[Laura (booksnob) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhabited is a book that looks at the spaces in our lives that we inhabit. We each have a space we call home, it could be you live in a big house, or a apartment or in a tent by a winding river. Each of us needs shelter and dignity.

Inhabited tells the intersecting stories of a Colorado real estate agent who has many personal struggles living in Grand Valley and the homeless population. She must deal with the grief on the death of her sister and marriage and the homeless population who clash with the community as they look for a place to call their own. Inhabited is very well researched and the issues surrounding the homeless will educate the reader. I learned so much.

Quimby is a beautiful writer. His words evoke a beautiful landscape of poetic prose. Inhabited is a book to savor, to read slowly and enjoy the language.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very contemporary semi-fiction, more or less local, and the killin' at least occurs off-stage.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not care for his writing style.

[Diana Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new western author for me, sited in Grand Junction. A different type of mystery, well developed characters. Will look for more of Quimby's work.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this one. It's not the most action packed but the writing is beautiful and it touches on important themes like class, politics, the environment, interpersonal relationships, mobility.

[Gerry Cragun]

Great story of Grand Junction.

[Steven Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very interesting but complex book. It focuses on variety of problems and issues facing modern society today including mental illness, the plight of the homeless, the sometimes sleaziness of the real estate business, big business versus the little guy, local politics, and most of all, the importance of being honest.

This book has many characters with interesting backstories. As I said, their histories are quite complex and, after reading about eight percent, I had to start over to make sure I had all the facts straight in my mind. So if you decide to read this book, pay attention right from the start or you may miss something.

Grand Junction, Colorado, and the Colorado National Monument are the setting for this book and the author's previous offering "Monument Road." (also an excellent book) Whether you have been to the area or not, I believe readers will appreciate its history and beauty.

[Kathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I could push to a 3-star because of the writing, but if you're looking for a 'page-turner', in my opinion, this book would not be it. Good writing. Eloquent prose: Hopi culture, greed, small town politics. Insightful and thoughtful philosophical commentary on homelessness, mental illness, regrets, and life choices and challenges. Appreciated the history of and setting in Grand Junction. I just couldn't find the"story" in this novel. Interesting, flawed characters searching for answers, redemption, and independence, but I never quite felt the emotional draw to care about them or their contrived connections to each other. Outstanding turns-of-phrase: "Meg handed off the leaflets but she felt responsibility sticking to her fingers." "...where two bleak trading posts stood apart from each other, as if to avoid catching what had killed the neighboring Chevron." "These changes solemnized the month when Helen fell and Meg forever after called the season autumn."

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, challenging and entertaining. From the chapter headings to the characters. The character of Isaac, the homeless man with mental health issues to Meg, realtor and sister--it is a great read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Social justice, commercial development, mystery in the Southwest.