Half a Reason to Die

by Chip Duncan

Half a Reason to Die is a collection of eight original short stories based on real life events in the author’s life as a writer and documentary filmmaker. The stories span the globe, from a military doctor in Afghanistan to a homeless Vietnam vet. First person narratives supplied by storytellers with journalistic backgrounds provide a unifying thread that runs throughout the collection.

Chip Duncan is a writer and documentary filmmaker with a penchant for overseas assignments. His professional journeys have taken him to many extraordinary places including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Myanmar. His previous work includes Enough to Go Around: Searching for Hope in Afghanistan, Pakistan, & Darfur and The Magic Never Ends: The Life and Work of C. S. Lewis, as well as numerous films broadcast worldwide.

Genres: Short Stories

224 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2017

Reviews

[Fictionophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read the entire book of eight stories, not because I didn't want to, only because my TBR is quite frankly 'out of control'.  I did however want to read at least one of the stories before publishing this review.

My review of "Death on a harvest moon" (the seventh story in the book)

This is the story of a journalist who has corresponded with a prison inmate for years.  The latest letter he receives is somehow - a game changer.  The prisoner, Jack Degatano, has been incarcerated since 1979 and is serving three consecutive life terms. While in prison he has earned his master's degree in sociology. His guards consider him to be a loner who is quiet, unassuming, and polite.

"Prison smells like death"

This most recent letter causes the journalist to ponder on what it must be like to live within the confines of a small prison cell without having any view of the outside world. For the first time in their many years of correspondence, he wonders if Jack Degatano could indeed be innocent...

Chip Duncan's prose is skillfully wrought, not surprising as he makes his living through the magic of words and images.  Current affairs and modern technological advances are mentioned with the purpose, I assume, to bring home the point that the prisoner's life is completely devoid of everything the common citizen takes for granted daily. Journalistic ethics and the vagaries of fate are just some of the themes running through this eminently readable short story.  If this story is any indication of the other seven stories contained within "Half a reason to die", I believe that the book will be relished by those who enjoy literary short fiction.

My 5* rating is for the story "Death on a harvest moon".

[Krystle · Rating 4 out of 5]

8 wonderfully written stories in one book. These stories are emotional and very well written.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each of these unrelated short stories is outstanding. The characters stayed with me long after I'd finished forcing me to wait a bit and process before moving to the next piece! With the exception of Waiting to Live, the vignettes are readable in one sitting and are hard to put down. My favorite was: 88 Chunks, which takes place in a hospital room with people who are complete strangers and uncomfortable family experiencing the awkwardness that dying brings. Yet in this story, Chip Duncan also explores the freedom of telling a stranger truths that no one else can hear and the profound grace that can come from an acquaintances heart.