Dear Redhead by the Side of the Road,
You are such a sweet break from reality and into a new parallel universe. I enjoyed a simple story fill of everyday life. Thank you for the joy of a couple ours listening to Micah share his life with us.
With Love,
Hannah
P.S. Book Details
Author: Anne Tyler
Book Length: 178 pages/5 hours
Book Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publication Date: April 2020
Awards: Booker Prize Nominee for Longlist (2020)
Synopsis: Micah Mortimer is a creature of habit. A self-employed tech expert, superintendent of his Baltimore apartment building, cautious to a fault behind the steering wheel, he seems content leading a steady, circumscribed life. But one day his routines are blown apart when his woman friend (he refuses to call anyone in her late thirties a “girlfriend”) tells him she’s facing eviction, and a teenager shows up at Micah’s door claiming to be his son. These surprises, and the ways they throw Micah’s meticulously organized life off-kilter, risk changing him forever. An intimate look into the heart and mind of a man who finds those around him just out of reach, and a funny, joyful, deeply compassionate story about seeing the world through new eyes, Redhead by the Side of the Road is a triumph, filled with Anne Tyler’s signature wit and gimlet-eyed observation.
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Looking for a lighthearted, contemporary novel? Look no further. “Redhead by the Side of the Road” was sort of like, “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” or “Britt-Marie was Here”. It was sweet in a mundane way. I could see myself meeting a man like Micah, or calling him for tech support. Each character was real, a protagonist in his own right, yet relatable to the masses.
I find my reading habits can go into some deep emotional turmoil or heady information, so I enjoyed a book where I got to read about a new friend. I can see some of the criticism about it meandering, or being a little slow, however I was invested in the character, so it felt as if I was experiencing life with him. I was also listening to the book, and when a book is slow reading, I find the audiobook keeps me invested.
The narrator in the version I listened to was quite engaging. His voice was soft, without being lulling, and it brought me further into the story. In some ways, the narrator made the book better for me, because I would close my eyes and could see everything that was going on as he read to me. This would be a great audiobook to listen to for house chores or even in place of a nightly movie or tv episode. It left me feeling refreshed and satiated with a good story in my head. It is not a long read at all!
To Books, With Love 