Will Leitch

Daniel is a twenty-something guy living in a southern college town and working at-home for a regional airline’s customer service department. He only has a couple of friends and doesn’t get out too much, with the exception of tailgating on football game days. Overall, though, he considers himself a lucky guy, despite the fact that he has a degenerative and eventually fatal disease that has left him wheelchair-ridden, Stephen Hawking style. Then one day he sees a college student accept a show more ride from some dude in cowboy boots and a ballcap for a defunct team, and when she is reported missing, he’s pretty sure he was the last person to see her, except for her kidnapper, of course. But what, exactly, can he do about it? Honestly, more than you’d think.

This Rear Window-esque novel is like a fun, slightly wild ride on a motorized wheelchair (and I’m convinced Daniel would happily take readers on such a ride if requests were made). The mystery itself isn’t anything earthshattering and there are no big or shocking twists, which threw me off a bit, if I’m honest. But Daniel himself, and the more-than-half of the book devoted to his life story, more than make up for whatever the actual plot lacks. He's a fantastically created character, who rings 1000% true, and he’s one that you’ll want to be friends with for life. show less

I really like the simple unassuming cover of Will Leitch's new novel How Lucky. But the real reason I picked it up was Stephen King's blurb - "A fantastic novel. . . . You are going to like this a lot." And yes, I really, really did!

Daniel lives in Athens, Georgia, works for an airline answering customer issues online, goes to football games on the weekend and hangs out with his best friend Travis. One morning while out on his porch, he sees what he thinks is a kidnapping of a student who show more walks by daily. But did he? She seemed to get in willingly. But then Ai-Chin is reported as missing. Daniel attempts to let the police know about what he's seen, but....

And a lot of that but has to do with the fact that Daniel has a degenerative physical disability - SMA - Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The police officer sent to talk to him, can't seem to see beyond the wheelchair. Daniel's concerns and information are blithely explained and written off.

What a fabulous lead character! I loved Daniel's voice, his sense of humor and his refusal to define himself with his condition. The supporting cast is just as great - everyone needs friends like Travis and Marjani.

I learned so much about SMA through Daniel. The hard, cold facts but also the human emotions, attitudes, strengths and joys that Daniel embodies. He considers himself to be lucky. You'll need to have a tissue handy in more than one chapter. And maybe see your own life through his lens.

Back to Ai-Chin - she's still missing and Daniel decides to investigate online. And I'm going to leave it there.....

I chose to listen to How Lucky. With such an engaging lead character, the reader needed to be just right. I'm happy to say that Graham Halstead was the perfect choice. His voice is clear and both easy and pleasant to listen to. His voice matched the mental image I had created for Daniel. There's lots of movement in his voice, capturing Daniel's thoughts, emotions and interactions and bringing them to life. Halstead captures the overall tone of the book easily. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I find myself more drawn into a tale by listening. And that is definitely the case with How Lucky. show less

I flat-out loved this book. Will Leitch grew up in Mattoon, which about 30 minutes south of Champaign. He's a Cardinal fan (the fool), but is as devoted to his team as I am to the Cubs. He attended the University of Illinois, as did I, although in different decades (I'm older). And he and his dad bonded over baseball, just like I did with my dad.

I also liked the structure of the book, which unfolds by half-innings of the 2008 Cubs' division-clinching win over the Cardinals. Each chapter show more opens with sights and sounds of the game in progress, then move into ruminations about fathers and sons, Albert Pujols, steroids, growing up in small town Central Illinois, and writing sports for the Daily Illini. It's laugh-out-loud funny in spots and made me cry at least once. The only chapter I skimmed was Leitch's journey through his collection of scorecards.

My boss lent me this book, but I plan to buy my own copy so I can reread it often, especially in the middle of winter when baseball season seems very far away. show less

Totally unexpected. I picked this book up as the cover review said, "funny." I figured it would be a nice change from so many that are intensely sad. Parts made me smile with other sections being totally serious about a disease which can overwhelm and consume someone's life.

Daniel is 26 years old living in Athens, Georgia and was diagnosed as a young toddler with Type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). His entire life span is expected to be short and everyday he knows that death is around the show more corner if his body doesn't adjust with specific requirements. He is surrounded by care takers paid for by Medicare.

He notices people on his neighborhood street more than most. He watches a girl that looks familiar get into a car. She looks nervous. He wonders if she has been kidnapped. Then he sees a news report of a missing girl and he wants to help. The story is full of twist and turns with his health and trying to contact the police which isn't easy as he has to use a machine to assist him with speaking. It's a wild ride until the end.

The author touched on real life events from other people with disabilities making the story believable. The words flowed smoothly with some humor mixed in making it a book that I finished in a day. There was one chapter without words that caught me by surprise: 25. I wonder if that was intentional.

Nevertheless, it was one of my favorites this year with some of the things Daniel said. "I have loved and I have been loved." Yes, that's what we all want. show less