The Ha-Ha

THE HA-HA (2005) is one of the best reads I've run across in many years, and it was Dave King's first novel too. (And his only one, so far as I can tell.) I vaguely remember reading about it when it was new, but then I forgot about it until I saw it on a library sale table last month for half a buck. What a bargain! It was apparently a minor bestseller and I'm not surprised. It's the story of a brain-damaged mute whose humdrum life as a grounds keeper at a convent is totally changed, enlivened and enriched when he is tasked with looking after his former girlfriend's nine year-old son for a couple months while she goes into drug rehab. Howard Kapostash is a Vietnam vet who has been unable to speak, read or write for nearly thirty years show more after stepping on a land mine. And yet, as the unlikely narrator of this frank and touching story, he can still think, reason and understand. He lives in the large Victorian home of his now deceased parents with three tenants: Laurel is the Texas-raised child of Vietnamese refugees who makes and sells gourmet soups, and Steve and Harrison are a pair of house painters. This disparate group becomes gradually closer and forms a family of sorts after the biracial boy, Ryan, moves in. As Howard becomes increasingly attached to the boy, getting him onto a ragtag summer baseball team, numerous memories come flooding back, of his high school romance with Sylvia, and of his long and difficult rehabilitation and his parents' unstinting help and loyalty, even as Sylvia drifted off into other affairs and drug addiction, something Howard got into too for a time. But the memories he can never quite bring into focus are the ones from his very short-lived - just sixteen days - tour in Vietnam and the months and years of fruitless attempts at recovery - of speech, reading and writing. Because this is a war story, make no mistake. Despite the warm and fuzzy elements of Howard's newfound, makeshift family, the horrors and devastating, lifelong effects of war are never far from his mind, and, consequently, loom large in the reader's mind too. Author Dave King is not a veteran, but with THE HA-HA he has somehow managed to climb inside the mind of a severely damaged victim of that long ago war and tell a story that will resonate with readers for a long time. Put this book on your War Lit shelf, because that's where it belongs. Bravo, Mr King. Bravo! My very highest recommendation.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

Gosh I loved this book! It was well written, unique and thoughtful.This is a character driven novel by a first time novelist. The main character, Howard, suffered a traumatic head injury 16 days into his tour in Vietnam and hasn't spoken since. King does a tremendous job having a character who doesn't speak say so much and I really felt the frustrations and moments of sadness that would come from dealing with people who can't or won't try to understand you. The relationships are fraught and tender and so very compelling. I think this novel is a little gem and think it was mostly overlooked when released in 2006.

3.5 stars

Howie was in Vietnam for the war. He was injured and came home unable to talk. He has not been able to since, nor did he re-learn to read and write. His best friend (and former high-school girlfriend), Sylvia, calls on him to take care of her 9-year old son, Ryan, while she is off to rehab. Lucky for Howie, he has three other people living in his house. Laurel lives there without paying rent, but she helps Howie out. Two other rooms are rented out to young men, Harrison and Steve (he calls them Nit and Nat: he doesn’t like them much!).

This was good. There was a lot of “guy” stuff in the book, but with Howie and Ryan as main characters, becoming almost like father and son, one should expect that. It was nice how the show more household came together to help out with Ryan (though none were used to having a kid around the house!). I didn’t like Sylvia much, but then Howie did some stupid things, too. show less

This was surprisingly solid read, with more depth than I had anticipated. The main character Howard struggles out of his solitary existence-- just to get kicked in the teeth for his trouble. But we come to accept that the crappy real world and its disappointments are better than going through life disconnected. The one fault I have with the work is the formulaic method of creating instant depth- add one troubled at-risk child and stir. Poof. Emotional live wire. But when you get into the nitty-gritty angst of the real story, King delivers a degree of emotion that is gut-wrenchingly believable.

Although the title might lead one to think that it's funny, this book was described to me as "depressing." In fact, the title refers to a type of hidden retaining wall, rather than laughter. Either way, though, I wouldn't describe the book as depressing myself, aside from the steep slide downward toward the end.

Rather, I'd say this book is astonishingly hopeful. Our main character has overcome a great deal of adversity, and managed to make a life for himself despite an injury that has left him unable to speak or to read easily. He has overcome addiction and the death of parents. He has made a life for himself, and achieved an equilibrium largely characterized by his detachment from the people around him.

But when his high school show more sweetheart asks him to take in her 9-year-old son, Ryan, while she goes to rehab, he finds that they are able to form a bond. But perhaps this emotional reawakening is not all that Howard thinks it will be. Inevitably, though, Ryan must return to his mother, and Howard finds his newly constructed world unraveling.

This is the depressing part of the book, which perhaps is more drawn out than it needed to be. Again, Howard must struggle, but this time, instead of finding solace in solitude, Howard is able to turn to the relationships he formed through Ryan and find comfort in companionship. show less

LOVE the character, the mute Vietnam vet. The best thing King does is just pile on the problems for poor Howard, until things look beyond hope. Sylvia is so deliciously evil, and Ryan is believable AND loveable even though he is a kid. I haven’t felt so close to a character in a long time.

I must say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. As I was telling Jill the other day, I can't seem to get interested in books with main male characters. Who knows why. But Even though I couldn't relate to Howie, the mute handicapped war veteran who is taking care of a 9 year old, I found myself being taken in by the story. At the end I was ready to throw the book across the room, but I found that I didn't have to.