- Paperback: 200 pages
- Publisher: Velluminous Press (10 Aug 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1905605080
- ISBN-13: 978-1905605088
- Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 12.7 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,174,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Ransom Seaborn
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Product Description
Product Description
"Nobody who knows Bill Deasy's wonderful music will be surprised to find that this book is filled with soul. Deasy quietly explores the ties that bind, and the evolution of a heart that everyone will recognize, and root for" -- Jane McCafferty, author of "One Heart" --- Ransom Seaborn is an astonishing literary debut in the spirit of Gatsby and Holden Caulfield.
From the Publisher
It's Dan Finbar's freshman year and he's struggling to find his proper place in Harrison College. When he finally breaks through into the world of notorious loner Ransom Seaborn, their friendship is brutally cut short, leaving Finbar with nothing but Ransom's old leather journal and his sometime girlfriend Maggie. As Finbar and Maggie investigate the journal--and Ransom's soul--their discoveries illuminate the dark depths of the human heart and they find that what glitters is indeed sometimes gold.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have hesitated to write this review as I'm sure I'll hit the publish button and two minutes later remember something I wanted to include. Ransom Seaborn is Bill Deasy's first novel, but he's been writing songs for years. The book clocks in at just under 200 pages and is a relatively quick read. Don't be deceived, though. This is a story that will work on you long after you've closed the book. Like his songs, this is a multi-layered story. If you are at all familiar with Deasy's music, you will recognize themes in this book that frequent his songs as well. Water, redemption, mercy and life-changing love are all here. The phrasing is vintage Deasy. Partway through the book, I grabbed a pen and started marking lines I liked. In the margin, I was writing the Deasy songs that sprang to mind when reading certain phrases. It probably doesn't help my case that I went to the same college as Deasy which fictionalized provides the setting of the story. But, I really doubt that you need to have gone to that school or have ever heard a single note that he has written to appreciate and enjoy this novel. Redemption never goes out of style. I sincerely hope that this is not the last novel-length story that Deasy has in him. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
25 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
One for the ages
9 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
I went to see Bill Deasy's band the day Ransom Seaborn was released. First thing I did was to buy a copy. Bill signed it and as he handed it to me he said he wanted a review. As I walked away I thought, "What if I don't like it? What if it isn't any good? What do say then?"
By the time the crowd arrived for the show I was through 30 pages. I stopped reading it only to talk to friends and to listen to the band. I couldn't wait to get home and read more and cursed the fireworks display that closed the exits and the police who made me turn off my lights. When I got home I continued to read. I woke up with it laying on my chest, picked up where I left off and stopped reading only long enough to make coffee. That should answer the first question.
There's a passage early in Ransom Seaborn where a professor asks his lit class. "What is good writing?" He offers no answer but reads an example. Let me try to answer. To me good writing whether it be poetry, prose, song, or theater draws its reader, listener or viewer into another world. The people, places, sights, smells and sounds are clear in the minds eye. Ransom Seaborn does just that. The characters are real I now know them all, I've been to Harrison College and Pembrook.
I won't give any plot details, that would spoil it for you. It can most easily be described as a coming of age tale. As with all good writing it plays with your emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes but breaking out in a laugh before the tear could fall over the course of a few paragraphs.
The difference between good writing and great writing is the test of time. If there is any literary justice in this world 20 years from now a young author will write a coming of age tale about a loner whose backpack contains a copy of Catcher in the Rye and Ransom Seaborn.
Yeah I liked and it is that good.
By the time the crowd arrived for the show I was through 30 pages. I stopped reading it only to talk to friends and to listen to the band. I couldn't wait to get home and read more and cursed the fireworks display that closed the exits and the police who made me turn off my lights. When I got home I continued to read. I woke up with it laying on my chest, picked up where I left off and stopped reading only long enough to make coffee. That should answer the first question.
There's a passage early in Ransom Seaborn where a professor asks his lit class. "What is good writing?" He offers no answer but reads an example. Let me try to answer. To me good writing whether it be poetry, prose, song, or theater draws its reader, listener or viewer into another world. The people, places, sights, smells and sounds are clear in the minds eye. Ransom Seaborn does just that. The characters are real I now know them all, I've been to Harrison College and Pembrook.
I won't give any plot details, that would spoil it for you. It can most easily be described as a coming of age tale. As with all good writing it plays with your emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes but breaking out in a laugh before the tear could fall over the course of a few paragraphs.
The difference between good writing and great writing is the test of time. If there is any literary justice in this world 20 years from now a young author will write a coming of age tale about a loner whose backpack contains a copy of Catcher in the Rye and Ransom Seaborn.
Yeah I liked and it is that good.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
blow me away
10 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
What I liked most about the book is that as soon as I finished it I came to the realization that I would have liked it even if I had never heard of Bill Deasy before opening the cover. It's a captivating story, told in a generous, thoughtful & thought provoking manner. At times playful, at times breathtaking, at times disturbing, and not for a moment disappointing.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Exceeded Expectations
10 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
As a faithful fan of Bill Deasy's musical career, I had the bar raised high as I prepared to read Ransom Seaborn. At first I thought, he wrote a book? After listening to his songs/lyrics for 10 years+, it makes complete sense that he would be a successful author. Once again, he does not disappoint. He writes from his soul and you truly feel as if you "know" Finbar and Maggie. You can picture the setting and feel the emotions. You can't put it down, but you want to save it for later. It's like a delicious dessert that you eat slowly, savoring every morsel.
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