Life at These Speeds

by Jeremy Jackson

Book Overview

In eighth grade Kevin Schuler is a popular kid with a decent, if not stellar, record on the track. Yet after fate takes him off a bus that crashes and kills his fellow students, including his girlfriend, Kevin inexplicably becomes a track phenomenon. Separated from his memory and distanced from his own life, he effortlessly smashes records and gains national attention, until he finds that he can no more remain apart from himself than he can from the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312288085
• ISBN13: 9780312288082
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Compelling, Complex Characters

My favorite novels are character-driven and Life at These Speeds is a beautiful example. Witty, sarcastic, but ultimately vulnerable, Kevin draws you into his private world. I was brought to tears as I went through the tragedies that shaped the young adult Kevin becomes. I take exception with the Publisher's Weekly review that said the book was unbelievable. I think it was meant to be more allegorical, and therefore, the characters may be extreme displays of archetypes. Jol's father is the very definition of the parent who lives his dreams through his son. Andanda is the sophisticate every high school intellectual would yearn to be. Kevin is the one grounded character who is strengthened by the good or bad relationship he has with every character he meets. When this book was first recommended to me, I doubted I'd be able to relate to a junior high track star. Although Kevin's specific struggles were unique, the overall challenges of becoming an adult he faced are universal. Jeremy Jackson's writing style drew me in with each page. I eagerly wait to read his next book.

"Go Boy! Go Ke-vin! Go Go!"

I know what I want to say, but it's hard to find the right words to describe how much I enjoyed this entertaining story by this talented new writer. I lost some sleep over this book. A riveting and captivating book that is rich with beautiful prose. It tells the story of a boy, named Kevin Schuler from Missouri, who is a gifted runner. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Jackson lets us experience every detail of Kevin's life, through his eyes, as he struggles with grief, small-town celebrity, and conflicting inner thoughts as he prepares for and wins several 800 and 1600 meter races for his high school. This is a coming-of-age story as well, as Kevin finds himself experiencing and accepting the love of a sensitive girl named Henny. If you have never been on a track team, or even if you have, you will find you know everything there is to know about being a track star and what it takes to win after reading this book. I found myself very impressed by Kevin and felt like I knew him after reading his story. This is the mark of a good author, who has had done a magnificent job in developing this character, as well as the other main characters. Kevin has a wise, witty & low-keyed way of looking at life that is really cool. What happens after the accident, the memory loss, his quick rise to fame and other unexpected events will keep you glued to the book and wondering what's going to happen next, and how it will all turn out for Kevin. Some authors have a natural born talent for writing beautiful, intelligent, and flowing prose. I think Jeremy Jackson is one of them. This is an intelligent and very enjoyable read from a writer who I hope will bring us more of his talented writing in the near future. Enjoy this book, I know I did!Joe Hanssen

So Good!

In Life At These Speeds, Kevin Schuler is swept along the surface of his life: going to high school; running, winning, and breaking records; becoming a local hero; and trying to decide about college. Meanwhile, Kevin is dwelling in the depths of his forgotten past-he is haunted by emotions he cannot confront and undefined fears. His real story unfolds somewhere in between and is punctuated by memorable conversations and occurrences that are all the more poignant because they seem so true. As a reader, I became invested in Kevin Schuler because I often knew more about him than he knew about himself. Like his family and friends, I watched with care and hope to see how Kevin would decide to live. I am so thrilled for first-time author Jeremy Jackson (and for all of us) that his debut novel should be this good.

Expectations Surpassed

I had high expectations for this first novel from Iowa Writers' Workshop grad Jeremy Jackson. (Guess that comes with the territory when one's alma mater is so highly regarded.) Fortunately, I was in no way disappointed, as I smoothly absorbed the story and surrendered to the world of the novel. After missing my subway stop once and consequently tripping up the stairs when I finally got to my destination, I came to realize the intensity of the world that Jackson has created around main character Kevin Schuler. Jackson skillfully twists the specific subject matter (running-potentially boring to some, namely me) into a beautiful metaphor and draws memorable characters and images that have lingered in my mind. I came to admire Kevin and his wise, witty way of looking at the world. Meanwhile, the plot, as well as the other characters, were thoroughly engaging. I was invested in all of them in different ways, hoping for good and happiness to prevail in the end.Getting stuck in the world of the novel you're reading is always a beautiful thing, and of course, an accomplishment of the author.

Unique voice, complete world

If you read the existing reviews and the inside jacket cover you know that the premise of the book is a narrator who is the only surviving member of high school track team after a tragic accident. One way to read the book is to see how the author uses the incident--and it is fairly quickly set up at the start of the book--and then unspools the consequences for the narrator. What such a description would leave out though is how well Jackson has created a world through his first person narrator. The voice stays. You see out of the eyes of this boy as he moves from 14 to 18. Along the way details come out about his life, the accident, his community's response. Running is the governing metaphor here. The book isn't grim, but sure rings true...well, until the end. There are really two moments of conclusion, one which does reach a logical conclusion but in just a bit too formulaic manner regarding the people around the narrator--his tragic best friend, coaches, doctors,high school teachers. But the second 'conclusion,' the one that shows the inner life of the narrator facing up to the trajedy that started it all off: that has merit and original honesty. Once I started the book, I continued until finish. The next day it stays with me. I'm going to be putting it into the hands of others.