Long Journey Into Manhood

Rating:
Summary: Moral Fiction: A great beginning
Review: For a first novel, this is a great starting place. Capturing the emotional entanglements of a morally consersative young man growing up into today's sexually alluring world, Gregory Day helps many of us identify with stuggles that we ourselves faced. The dramatic switch into the plot's true focus, and the growth into maturity of the lead character will keep you attention. We can all identify with both the good and the bad of this "Journey Into Manhood." This is a valuable read, done in an entertaining fashion, while trying to capture the essense of Christian spirituality in the real world.

Rating:
Summary: The story smacks of Ugly American Syndrome
Review: Gregory Day's debut novel, Long Journey Into Manhood, is a reactionary tale set mainly as a retelling of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and one man's struggle to come to terms with anger and grief. The protagonist, Garrett Taylor, is a man of good standing in both his work and the church. He has a loving family and a good relationship with God. However, he still experiences doubts about himself and regrets over past mistakes. When the World Trade Center is destroyed, he witnesses the terrifying events unfold. Friends are killed instantly, and the nation is rocked forever. Garrett begins to try to make sense of his place in this new world. He must find his courage.

I share the author's outrage at the senseless violence of 9/11. Unfortunately, Gregory Day demonstrates a vast ignorance of years of US foreign policy in the Middle Eastern drug market that encouraged and welcomed oppressive groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda. While the book spends a great deal of time exploring the very real extreme grief and loss that was felt from the American side of the attacks, devout Christian Garrett Taylor does not extend the same earnest compassion to the innocent families who were vaporized in the bombings of Afghanistan. His argument is that "they should have thought of that before they welcomed a bunch of murderers to set up shop in their country," as if those destitute farmers and goat herders had any influence over who was running the show. The story smacks of Ugly American Syndrome, pompous and demanding.

There is a telling scene where Garrett's reverend speaks out against the administration's war plans from behind the pulpit, and Garrett questions him on this. How dare the clergy disagree with a vengeful, hasty "pro-justice" stance? At the end of this scene, he considers trying a different church that won't question the authority of the American military. How sad. I felt nothing but contempt for such a closed-minded person. How are we supposed to cheer on a main character who obviously buys every whitewashed half-truth on conservative American news programs? I laughed out loud when a reference was made to the "mass produced drivel" from the al-Jazeera network. The irony was not lost on this reader, although I doubt it was intended.

In its writing style, the novel has some merit. The descriptions are exquisitely painted, and the pace makes for an engaging read. Day shows a good storytelling ability. However, if you enjoy stories about Christian values, I suggest looking elsewhere. There is much lip service paid to upholding these values and the power of prayer as a healer, but the core moral messages actually displayed here are inconsistent. If you would like to read a heart wrenching fiction about September 11, this might be okay for that. Just be sure to read it with a grain of salt and a reliable fact checker.

Review by Gretchen Olson of BookReview.com

Rating:
Summary: Gives life to our emotions
Review: I think that Mr. Day has done an exceptional job of pulling the reader into the book, right from the start. He focuses on a subject that we all can relate to - the joys and pains of becoming an adult and life in general.

Laced with true to life situations we can all relate to and unexpected twists, the book keeps you glued to your seat and looking forward to turning the page to see what happens next. With Mr. Day's descriptive writing style, you soon become engulfed in the book and begin to imagine the sights, sounds, smells and feelings his characters experience. From the gut wrenching pain of your first heartbreak, to the intense anger and fear experienced when your personal and emotional safety have been attacked, you feel it all!

Mr. Day's characters often portray the emotions and reactions that we want to express, but don't, because they may not be politically correct and acceptable in today's "Feel Good" society.

All in all, I feel that this is a well written piece of literature that lends a sense of reality to the reader's feelings and emotions and will bring a smile and a tear to their face as they look back on their personal journey into adulthood.



Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and Entertaining Book!
Review: Mr. Day's description of the events of 9/11 made me feel like I was right at that horrific scene. It is obvious that Mr. Day has a great writing ability and knows how to tell a good story. As someone who was born in Iran and raised in America, I was fascinated by Mr. Day's worldview as presented through the protagonist, Garrett Taylor. It is rare these days to find the Christian worldview presented in such a positive and honorable way. The criticism of Mr. Day's book found in a previous review ("The Ugly American") seems to spring from a political agenda. As a Middle Eastern born American, I find only beauty in this book.

Rating:
Summary: A coming-of-age saga
Review: Successful practicing lawyer Gregory Day presents his debut novel Long Journey Into Manhood, a coming-of-age saga. Long Journey Into Manhood is written in the context of the September 11th attacks, though they are not its core focus; that is the saga of its protagonist, who must untangle the lies and petty deceptions in his life in order to fully mature into strong, resilient, dependable and courageous man. Both sweeping emotion and the difficulties of coping with the thousands of duties invested in even the most ordinary of daily lives, let alone a life wracked by shockwaves from a terrible attack, permeate this story of inner and outer awakening.


Rating:
Summary: Great Book !
Review: TWO THUMBS UP! BOOK REVIEW-GREG DAY'S LONG JOURNEY INTO MANHOOD

After talking to Greg Day about his newly published novel (we work in the same high-rise office building), of course I also had to talk him out of a copy. I was about leave on my own journey...a long-awaited vacation...and wanted a good book to read while racking up all those not-so-frequent flyer miles. I didn't know quite what to expect from this new author's book, and was afraid I'd have to tell him it was "interesting" (that all-encompassing word that gets you out of things gracefully), but that definitely wasn't the case! Gripping, gut-wrenching, tearful, fist pounding, enlightening, profound...those are more aptly descriptive words to use for the pages of this book.

Long Journey Into Manhood touched me deeply, and I know it will do the same for all those who take the poignant journey through its pages. Be it manhood or womanhood, we seem to strive for, and struggle with, the same things in life. This novel entwines the common threads we all tangle and then have to eventually untangle...and it's set amid an event we all shared, and lived and wept through. From Sacramento to Phoenix to Puerto Vallarta I flew, setting off airport security alarms and having to hand over my shoes...but I wouldn't surrender the book under my arm...and at the same time I was reading "Journey," I traveled through life...mine, the main character's, yours...and landed in so much better shape and in such a happier place...both literally and figuratively. Pick up a copy of Greg's book...it's definitely a worthwhile journey...one page at a time!

Rating:
Summary: Two Thumbs Up!
Review: TWO THUMBS UP! BOOK REVIEW-GREG DAY'S LONG JOURNEY INTO MANHOOD

After talking to Greg Day about his newly published novel (we work in the same high-rise office building), of course I also had to talk him out of a copy. I was about leave on my own journey...a long-awaited vacation...and wanted a good book to read while racking up all those not-so-frequent flyer miles. I didn't know quite what to expect from this new author's book, and was afraid I'd have to tell him it was "interesting" (that all-encompassing word that gets you out of things gracefully), but that definitely wasn't the case! Gripping, gut-wrenching, tearful, fist pounding, enlightening, profound...those are more aptly descriptive words to use for the pages of this book.

Long Journey Into Manhood touched me deeply, and I know it will do the same for all those who take the poignant journey through its pages. Be it manhood or womanhood, we seem to strive for, and struggle with, the same things in life. This novel entwines the common threads we all tangle and then have to eventually untangle...and it's set amid an event we all shared, and lived and wept through. From Sacramento to Phoenix to Puerto Vallarta I flew, setting off airport security alarms and having to hand over my shoes...but I wouldn't surrender the book under my arm...and at the same time I was reading "Journey," I traveled through life...mine, the main character's, yours...and landed in so much better shape and in such a happier place...both literally and figuratively. Pick up a copy of Greg's book...it's definitely a worthwhile journey...one page at a time!

Rating:
Summary: Great Book !
Review: Within a seemingly simple story line, the main character struggled to work through a type of midlife crisis. Out of the struggle he learned how to reach one of his life's goals....to strive to be the person he always wanted to become...not necessarily a knight in shining armor, but a strong person upon whom family, friends, and community can count on.