"The scenes in "The Practical Navigator" don't meander, they detonate. In their sadness and joy, and in their small victories, the vividly rendered and deeply sympathetic characters of this emotionally resonant novel lingered with me long after I finished reading their story." --"Seth Greenland, author of I Regret Everything: A Love Story?"
"Stephen Metcalfe brings the screenwriter's eye for scene and the playwright's ear for dialogue to the story of a contemporary family struggling to find a way to love one another. Their challenges, and those of their friends, colleagues, and lovers, form a portrait of a small Southern California town in the present day; autism, overdevelopment, divorce, the cultural dynamics of immigration and economic inequality are all handled with skill and heart. Against this complicated and most recognizable backdrop, Metcalfe eschews easy resolution while creating a love story between father and son that shines." --"Lacy Crawford, author of Early Decision"
"Stephen Metcalfe's "The Practical Navigator" is the kind of up-from-the toes heartfelt, beautifully rendered, real-life-till-it-hurts novel that gives us a man at the end of his rope, handling more than he can handle, lavishing hope and despair in equal measure - all in prose so staggering in its intensity the reader may have to stop, catch their breath, and look up at the sky before diving back in again. For his unflinching, astonishing portrayal of a young boy's autism alone, Metcalfe's book will be devoured, and cherished, read and re-read by legions of readers for whom his voice, his insight, and his genius will be consolation and inspiration. And let's not forget, The Practical Navigator is a sentence-by-sentence pleasure on the page. This is a book to love." --"Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight"
""Less Than Zero" meets "Catcher in the Rye" in this biting bildungsroman. Written in an insightful, frenetic tone that occasionally turns surreal. Exhilarating and indicting." --"Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Tragic Age"
The scenes in "The Practical Navigator" don't meander, they detonate. In their sadness and joy, and in their small victories, the vividly rendered and deeply sympathetic characters of this emotionally resonant novel lingered with me long after I finished reading their story. "Seth Greenland, author of I Regret Everything: A Love Story?"
Stephen Metcalfe brings the screenwriter's eye for scene and the playwright's ear for dialogue to the story of a contemporary family struggling to find a way to love one another. Their challenges, and those of their friends, colleagues, and lovers, form a portrait of a small Southern California town in the present day; autism, overdevelopment, divorce, the cultural dynamics of immigration and economic inequality are all handled with skill and heart. Against this complicated and most recognizable backdrop, Metcalfe eschews easy resolution while creating a love story between father and son that shines. "Lacy Crawford, author of Early Decision"
Stephen Metcalfe's "The Practical Navigator" is the kind of up-from-the toes heartfelt, beautifully rendered, real-life-till-it-hurts novel that gives us a man at the end of his rope, handling more than he can handle, lavishing hope and despair in equal measure - all in prose so staggering in its intensity the reader may have to stop, catch their breath, and look up at the sky before diving back in again. For his unflinching, astonishing portrayal of a young boy's autism alone, Metcalfe's book will be devoured, and cherished, read and re-read by legions of readers for whom his voice, his insight, and his genius will be consolation and inspiration. And let's not forget, The Practical Navigator is a sentence-by-sentence pleasure on the page. This is a book to love. "Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight"
"Less Than Zero" meets "Catcher in the Rye" in this biting bildungsroman. Written in an insightful, frenetic tone that occasionally turns surreal. Exhilarating and indicting. "Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Tragic Age""
"Metcalfe ("The Tragic Age") deftly tells the story of a man struggling to cope with a life out of control." "Library Journal" (Starred Review)
"This is Metcalfe s first adult novel, and his talent as a screenwriter is evident in every suspenseful scene and exchange of witty dialogue. Fans of Jonathan Tropper and Matthew Norman will enjoy this delightful and sympathetic story of a nontraditional family making its way in the world." "Booklist"
"Metcalfe's experience writing movies and plays is on full display in this novel [with] its powerful short scenes...an engaging read." "Kirkus Reviews"
The scenes in "The Practical Navigator" don't meander, they detonate. In their sadness and joy, and in their small victories, the vividly rendered and deeply sympathetic characters of this emotionally resonant novel lingered with me long after I finished reading their story. "Seth Greenland, author of I Regret Everything: A Love Story?"
Stephen Metcalfe brings the screenwriter's eye for scene and the playwright's ear for dialogue to the story of a contemporary family struggling to find a way to love one another. Their challenges, and those of their friends, colleagues, and lovers, form a portrait of a small Southern California town in the present day; autism, overdevelopment, divorce, the cultural dynamics of immigration and economic inequality are all handled with skill and heart. Against this complicated and most recognizable backdrop, Metcalfe eschews easy resolution while creating a love story between father and son that shines. "Lacy Crawford, author of Early Decision"
Stephen Metcalfe's "The Practical Navigator" is the kind of up-from-the toes heartfelt, beautifully rendered, real-life-till-it-hurts novel that gives us a man at the end of his rope, handling more than he can handle, lavishing hope and despair in equal measure - all in prose so staggering in its intensity the reader may have to stop, catch their breath, and look up at the sky before diving back in again. For his unflinching, astonishing portrayal of a young boy's autism alone, Metcalfe's book will be devoured, and cherished, read and re-read by legions of readers for whom his voice, his insight, and his genius will be consolation and inspiration. And let's not forget, The Practical Navigator is a sentence-by-sentence pleasure on the page. This is a book to love. "Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight"
"Less Than Zero" meets "Catcher in the Rye" in this biting bildungsroman. Written in an insightful, frenetic tone that occasionally turns surreal. Exhilarating and indicting. "Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Tragic Age""
