Run For the Hills, by Kevin Wilson, 4.5 stars

[NancyJ]

I first learned about Kevin Wilson in an Ann Patchett memoir a few years ago (they are friends). He is an original. I really loved Nothing to See Here, and Now Is Not the Time to Panic. This is another great summer book that doesn’t follow the beach or romance tropes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I will want to read a Kevin Wilson book every summer.

Imagine if you discovered that you have several half siblings in the world. Would you want to find them? Rueben Hill’s dad walked out on the family 30 years ago in Massachusetts. After his mother died, he hired a detective, and discovered that his father did the same thing with several other families. Rueben finds his first half sibling, Madeline Hill, running an organic farm in Tennessee. The story is primarily told from her point of view. The two continue the road trip in a PT Cruiser to meet their other siblings and maybe confront their dad. The siblings and their mothers are all interesting and unique characters with very different lifestyles and interests. The psychological aspects of the story are fascinating but not too heavy. Their brother in Utah was probably my favorite, but the father will be hard to forget too. I enjoyed this road trip book so much, I want to read more.