Early
in Grand Slams: A Coming of Eggs Story, one of the main characters,
Maura, says to Woody, a new employee, “You should be grateful that Grand
Slams gives you another chance in life. It saved my life.” At that very
moment in this brilliant novel by Timothy Gager, he has in two
sentences established the critical mass for the story. From that moment
in the story, Gager introduces a colorful assortment of characters who
have ended up in Grand Slams, for whatever reason, and then delves deep
into their lives and personal relationships—of all who are connected to
the restaurant.
In many ways, the restaurant itself becomes a
microcosm of life through the individual stories of these employees.
Gager is brilliant the way that weaves the stories of the employees
throughout the story and how each one is inextricably linked to other
characters in the novel. From Maura, the veteran food server who has
been with Grand Slams from the very beginning to Woody Geyser who is
only working part-time during the summer, the interactions between these
characters as they unfold are what makes this novel a treat to read.
While reading this novel, I was reminded of that classic American
cyclical novel, Winesburg, Ohio and the way that Sherwood Anderson
linked the characters and their individual stories with each other. The
same can be true about Grand Slams with each chapter having its own
title as if each one could be a stand alone story.
This is by far, Gager’s best work. He’s a writer of extraordinary talent and one we should all read.
I
do have a soft spot for pancake house centered fiction, but I also have
high standards. Gager puts together a beautiful one in this book
though. It seems so realistic of that kind of place at the time that
it's funny, tense, and even tender. I cared about these people and what
would happen to them as if they were really people I knew well. Very
well done.
Having
worked in a restaurant very similar to Grand Slams, I love how Mr.
Gager captures the lives of those poor, struggling souls, floundering
along in a nothing job yet trying to find some meaning. Mr. Gager gives
us characters we come to care about, and he brings them to life with
sparkling dialogue that is at once witty, engaging, and even poignant.
You will laugh, enjoy, and become absorbed in this story about every day
people and the stories that bond them. Well done.
Anyone
who's worked in a restaurant will recognize characters like Kayak
Kenny, as well as Gager's description of the hot stink of the
dishwashing station, among other things. This is a great book by Tim
Gager, whose novels keep getting better.
As I said last night at Dire, writers love the praise, but they really love book sales, so thank you in advance!
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