Brian Payton

While reading Brian Payton's 2001 novel, HAIL MARY CORNER, I wondered if, like me, he had studied John Knowles' classic coming-of-age novel, A SEPARATE PEACE. Because the books are similar, and yet they are not. The Knowles book was set during WWII at a private boys' school in New England. Payton's is set in the early 80s at a Catholic seminary on Vancouver Island. Yet both are equally poignant in their treatment of struggles with emerging sexuality and the guilt and confusion that often show more accompany that period of adolescence. And this matter is perhaps even more confusing when it is being dealt with in a repressive all-male environment closely watched by the priests and brothers who are in charge at St John the Divine Abbey and Seminary. Payton's book is much more representative of its time, with specific references to the music and culture of the early 80s, as well as other music (the Beatles). And whereas A SEPARATE PEACE was mostly about just Gene and Finny and their unspoken love-hate relationship, Payton's story concerns a small group of best friends at St John's, although Bill and Jon are the central figures, with the same kind of competitive relationship and confusing welter of feelings.

Payton's book gives a wonderfully realistic and intriguing look at the cliques and everyday life of a Catholic seminary. And I can say this with some confidence because I spent my 9th grade year at such a school. Granted, my own experience was in the late 50s, but I quickly found that things had not changed all that much. Although narrator/protagonist Bill seemed to have much easier access to the neighboring town - and the local girls - than I and my fellows had in 1958. In fact our seminary was completely enclosed by a high fence and a screening row of trees and shrubs through which we could only occasionally glimpse members of the opposite sex on our evening walks around the perimeter of the grounds. But I remember the overbearing dominance of upperclassmen that Payton describes, and other things too, like the importance of sports and the silence in the refectory during meals while an upperclassman read from an "approved text." Payton mentions an outdated book of etiquette being read. I remember hearing the entire text of Jim Bishop's THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT, a fascinating book.

There is comedy here - Payton shows a wonderfully sly sense of humor - and there is certainly tragedy. But no spoilers from me. Brian Payton's first novel is simply a beautifully written and wonderful read. I hated to see it end. But of course it did, and its closing line once again brought to mind the Knowles book -

"Now when I reach into that top drawer of my mind, that place where I keep my most cherished regrets, I find an empty space. It is the room I save for peace."

HAIL MARY CORNER is, in many ways, A SEPARATE PEACE for the 21st Century, and even more. This is a funny, poignant, beautiful book. I will recommend it highly. Well done, Mr. Payton. show less

Canadian journalist John Easley is despondent over the death of his younger brother in WWII. As a reporter, he thinks he can best pay tribute to the soldiers by covering the real news from the war front. He lives with his wife in Seattle and decides to report on the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands in 1943. Due to censorship issues and fear that Americans will be jittery about knowing how close the enemy troops are, no journalists are permitted anywhere near the Alaskan conflict. show more John puts on his brother’s uniform and pretends to be a Canadian officer. While accompanying a plane load of soldiers near Attu Island, the plane is shot down and John observes the Japanese army from his hiding spot in a frigid cave. Meanwhile back in Seattle, Helen feels guilty about an argument she and John had before he left. She realizes she hasn't heard from him and begins to search for information on where he could be. She joins a USO troupe going to Alaska where she believes she will be able to track him down.

John has the far more compelling story here. He must struggle to survive in the hostile environment and the things he does, as well as things that are done to him, are horrific in many cases. It was easy to visualize the bleak and bitter cold of the island. John and Helen may not physically be together but in flashback we get to see how dynamic their love story really is.

I thought this was a fascinating and beautifully written story about a period of American World War II history that is largely unknown. show less

This is an incredible story - a story that stayed with me long after I read the final page. I laughed, I cried and I prayed that Helen and John would find each other again. John really surprised me at times, and the strength he found to survive against all the odds was inspiring. I liked the fact that Helen and John weren't painted as a perfect couple - they had their fair share of disagreements but Helen didn't hesitate in setting off across the country to find John. You could even feel show more that she was close at one point - they perhaps saw the same eagle and I felt that their meeting was just around the corner but Helen got shipped out of Alaska and I began to despair again. But like the Easley's, I didn't give up hope.

The beautiful writing paints a vivid picture of a desolate landscape and Brian Payton really gives a voice to the people of the Aleutian Islands, a place I'm ashamed to say I'd never heard of. He also shows a different side to the Japanese soldiers as we're often so quick to think of their brutality in prisoner of war camps.

An amazing story of love, survival and the tragedy of war.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less

Brian Payton's novel, THE WIND IS NOT A RIVER, is set in Seattle and Alaska's Aleutian Islands during WWII. I've been fascinated by that remote island chain ever since my first hitch in the US Army back in the early sixties when I 'almost' was assigned to Shemya. (Instead I went to northern Turkey.) But that 'close call' was enough to arouse my curiosity about that remote and frigid island and its far flung neighbors of Adak, Attu, Kiska, and others that stretch hundreds of miles across the show more Bering Strait towards Japan and Russia.

So the setting and era alone were enough to pique my curiosity. What I was not prepared for was the stunningly beautiful writing and the heartbreaking and riveting love story that forms the core of the novel. I finished reading Payton's novel last night and cannot stop thinking about John and Helen Easley and their incredible story, one of separation and survival, all in gorgeous writing that one rarely finds in today's fiction.

The love story is blended seamlessly with the factual and historical, and that part of the novel will surprise many readers who knew little or nothing about the war with the Japanese that played out in the Aleutians. Because journalist John Easley's part of the story is one of freezing privation, starvation and survival on the barren shores of Attu, one of two islands (the other was Kiska) invaded and occupied by the Japanese in the spring of 1943. The other half of the story, Helen's, is equally mesmerizing, as she joins a USO troupe of entertainers to travel north in search of her missing husband. You could say this is one hell of a good yarn, and it is, but it is raised to a much higher level by the quality of Payton's writing.

I can't begin to convey the intensity of the story or the beauty of the writing, so I'm gonna cop out and tell you to read the "Advance Praise" on the book's back cover - from authors Ron Rash, Julia Glass, David Vann and Wayne Grady. And, once you've read those words of praise, I will add, "Yeah, what they said - all of 'em."

"Greathearted, beautiful, riveting, gripping, heart-rending, lyrical, elegiac, triumphant, heartbreaking, stirring, etc." All those words, yes! Like Prego sauce, "it's all in there." Read this book! It is just such a beautiful damn book. I give it my highest Booklover recommendation.

P.S. If you're as interested in the Aleutians as I am, then let me recommend one more terrific book, Charles Bradley's ALEUTIAN ECHOES, a memoir of his own time there during WWII, decorated with photos, drawings and water colors. A visually beautiful book. show less