Willy Vlautin

Charley Thompson hasn't had many good times; his mom skedaddled before he can remember, and his dad isn't worth much when he even bothers to come home. At the age of 15, Charley knows how to fend for himself, so when he loses his dad too and life gets even tougher, he has a skill set to get by with. He can run, he can drive, he's good at shoplifting, and he doesn't mind eating cold soup or chili right out of the can, missing baths, or sleeping rough. Just the same, he's an innocent. He isn't show more any good at lying, though he sometimes tries it when the truth would serve him better. He never has a half-way believable excuse or alibi ready when he inevitably gets in trouble. As he sets out on a road trip with his only friend, a broken-down race horse named Pete--stolen, technically--he takes a lot of chances, usually because he has very few options. He rests all his meager hopes for the future on finding an aunt he vaguely remembers being kind to him when he was a "little kid". All he knows about her is her name, and that she used to live in Rock Springs, Wyoming, over a thousand miles from his home in Portland, Oregon. You can't really call this a coming-of-age story, because Charley starts out older than a lot of people ever get. If ever a boy needed a mother, here he is. You'll want to give him hot soup and a big hug. show less

Two beautiful characters in unlovely circumstances. This book depicts loneliness better than maybe anything I've read. I loved Horace and Mr. Reese, as well as Mrs. Reese. The story offers hope but also breaks hearts. I never would have thought I'd like a book about boxing, but Vlautin makes it interesting and meaningful; probably boxing is a metaphor.

This book is also special because it comes with an instrumental soundtrack (which is country, not heavy metal, despite Horace's taste in music show more - ha!) It would make for good discussion. There are some R-rated scenes but they sure do not glorify drinking or prostitution. show less

I absolutely loved Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin. Charley Thompson is a 15 year old boy who despite his rough and neglected up-bringing is a likeable, sympathetic character. He and his father have recently moved to Portland, Oregon and Charley is patiently waiting for school to begin and football season to start. In the meantime he meets an older race horse trainer at a second rate race track, Del agrees to pay him for doing chores around the stable. Unlike many teens who work to buy show more themselves treats, Charley uses his money to buy food as his father often doesn’t come home and forgets to buy groceries.

Del is not a particularly nice man, he drinks too much and takes advantage of Charley’s good nature, but Charley finds himself bonding with one of Del’s race horses, Lean on Pete. When tragedy strikes and Del decides to have Lean on Pete sent to Mexico to be killed, Charley steals Del’s rickety truck, trailer and Lean on Pete and heads out to Wyoming with the hope of finding his aunt. There are many ups and downs as Charley strives to get to Wyoming and locate his aunt. Many events are heart breaking as we root for Charley to find a safer, better way of life.

Lean on Pete depicts Charley’s lonely, depressing condition of life in a stark, plain manner. Most of the people Charley meets are drug addicts, alcoholics and living in poverty, some show Charley some kindness but being totally alone in the world, Charley is also often a victim. The author’s sparse and beautiful prose draws the reader into the story and I was reminded of John Steinbeck with it’s desperate and painful tone. I thought that the author was able to totally capture the spirit of a fifteen year old boy who is so often put in a position where he has to decide whether to run or to stay. Reading Lean on Pete, I was at times heart broken and moved, yet always enthralled. show less

In this brief novel, we spend nearly all our time inside the head of Al Ward, a mediocre musician and songwriter, who has some luck over the years, but never manages to make the most of it. He's drunk or hungover a lot, and as he puts it, his nerves give out. He doesn't have a passion for music any more than he has a passion for tequila, but he can't leave either of them alone. So much of the narrative revolves around Al's song-writing, but all we get of it are recitations of show more titles...sometimes 20 or 30 of them in a row. I googled a few of them--some are actual song titles from the author's own bands. But even if I knew and loved the output of Richmond Fontaine or The Delines, I wouldn't see the point of filling paragraphs with nothing but the titles. Unless the fact that the music is missing is the point, in which case the book could have been even shorter. The ending seemed unwarranted by everything that led up to it, but at least it didn't wreck me. Vlautin has talent, and it's evident here, so YMMV. But I wasn't moved, or enlightened, by living in Al's head. show less