The Glass Forest

Paul Stein
Ho Logos Press (2006)
ISBN 9780970209863
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (05/07)

 

Reading Paul Stein’s “The Glass Forest” was a little bit like picking at a scab when you are a child. Sure, it hurts; sure, it is ugly – but somehow you can’t stop. Stein’s book is powerful and immensely engaging. In it we follow a boy, growing into a man, who is perennially divided between various emotions and thrown into turmoil time and again.

When Harry was growing up in working class environment in Pittsburgh in 1950 and 1960, the turmoil came from both his high-strung Catholic family with an abusive, yet powerless father and highly disturbed and self-pitying mother as well as from the highly chaotic environment of his Catholic school. The only one of his siblings, who was any support to Harry, died at an early age after being pretty much forced to leave their home if he wanted to survive. The rest of the motley crew members are no more stable than their parents and taunt Harry mercilessly. Harry himself is not really sure what he wants to achieve in his life. Does he want to be a football player? An artist? Or simply an Indian?

Once Harry marries, it does seem that his life has changed for the better. But even there Harry finds no real contentment and no safe harbor. His marriage falls apart – and in a very ugly way. His child is taken away from him and Harry’s life is once again in shambles.

Harry moves to Arizona and starts working at a service station. He goes through a series of bizarre phases, each one a bit stranger than before. Then he meets Ellen, and it seems that life could finally have some meaning again. Will it finally all come together for Harry?

Well, the question really is – will it all come together for Harold, Harry and Happy; the three people inhabiting Harry’s body and soul?  The book is namely written in three parts, each of them a gospel according to one of those personalities. Through them we learn how immensely shattered Harry really is and how huge are those issues he is trying to deal with.

Paul Stein does not preach and moralize. He simply writes and lets the reader make his or hers own conclusions. His prose is beautiful and flows wonderfully. His characters come alive on the pages. A reader could not help but feel immense compassion for every character in the book, even for the bullies themselves.

This was not a happy book, not even a very hope inspiring book, yet I would highly recommend it to anybody who loves a well written and emotionally engaging novel.

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