|
|
 |
 |
Hold Fast
Kevin Major
Price: CDN$9.95
ISBN 0-7736-7438-1, Stoddart
(Not Currently Available for Purchase)
|
About this Book - Hold Fast by Kevin Major
After his parents are killed in a traffic accident, Michael and his younger brother
are split up. Michael must now now live with relatives in a city far from his
home.
It looks as if he might adjust to his new surroundings in spite of his uncle, who
rules with an iron hand. But when his uncle's fist comes down hard once too
often, Michael decides to run away, and his cousin Curtis joins him.
The two struggle to survive as they wander through the harsh, magnificent
landscape of Newfoundland.
Excerpt
By the time I got near to the house from the beach that night in June, I was
pretty well ready to face up to Aunt Flo and anything she might say to me.
But then I seen it wasn't just Aunt Flo I'd have to face, but a whole crowd
of others, all ganged up there, just waiting for me to get back. I was in no
mood for that. After the funeral and everything, and then have to come
back into my own house and run headlong into all them glaring eyes. I knew
a good lot of what was inside had no business there in the first place. Some
of them hardly set foot in the house before, except when they wanted to
borrow something. I had a good mind to tell them to get lost. I didn't want
any of their stupid pity.
I came in and took off my shoes in the porch. My socks too, because I
didn't want to be trailing water all over the place. The ones inside heard me.
I knew what I was going to have to listen to, as soon as I went through the
porch door. Where was you? And all that. And I knew too that give them
either bit of a chance atall and they'd be blaring out their sympathy. "That's
all right, my boy," and "It must be hard on a boy that age." I could just see
it. Every one of them wanting to get in their two cents worth. Trying to
make out they was going to be some help. Well, I didn't need them. I got
along good enough before without their help. I could darn well do the same
now. "Don't say anything. Just leave me alone." And I took off up the stairs
to my room.
Reviews
"...a landmark in Canadian writing for young people...a stunningly perceptive novel." Saturday Night
"...a unique product of recent Canadian literature. Michael contains a bit of Holden Caulfield and a bit of Huckleberry Finn, but there is also something authentically Newfoundland about him...it speaks honestly from a regional consciousness." (Robert Fulford)
"Major's Newfoundland novel is a little gem that depicts adolescent sorrow, stubbornness, and joy, and it can be read with profit by adults as well as younger readers." Books in Canada
Excerpt
By the time I got near to the house from the beach that night in June, I was pretty well ready to face up to Aunt Flo and anything she might say to me. But then I seen it wasn't just Aunt Flo I'd have to face, but a whole crowd of others, all ganged up there, just waiting for me to get back. I was in no mood for that. After the funeral and everything, and then have to come back into my own house and run headlong into all them glaring eyes. I knew a good lot of what was inside had no business there in the first place. Some of them hardly set foot in the house before, except when they wanted to borrow something. I had a good mind to tell them to get lost. I didn't want any of their stupid pity.
I came in and took off my shoes in the porch. My socks too, because I didn't want to be trailing water all over the place. The ones inside heard me.
I knew what I was going to have to listen to, as soon as I went through the porch door. Where was you? And all that. And I knew too that give them either bit of a chance atall and they'd be blaring out their sympathy. "That's all right, my boy," and "It must be hard on a boy that age." I could just see it. Every one of them wanting to get in their two cents worth. Trying to make out they was going to be some help. Well, I didn't need them. I got along good enough before without their help. I could darn well do the same now. "Don't say anything. Just leave me alone." And I took off up the stairs to my room.
More Books by Kevin Major
|
|
All Prices are in Canadian Dollars
