Ransom Seaborn

by Bill Deasy

Book Overview

It's Dan Finbar's freshman year and he's struggling to find his proper place in Harrison College. When he finally breaks through into the world of notorious loner Ransom Seaborn, their friendship is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1482543281
• ISBN13: 9781482543285
• Release Date: February 2013
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Evocative

I loved this book. It beautifully captures that time in a young person's life when first love can grab you so hard that you ache all over; when everything--or nothing--can be drenched in meaning; when a book or a song can change your life. Bill's writing, like his music, gives you a heightened sense of the world around you. This is the type of book you buy for all your friends and family.

Great debut!

Ransom Seaborn is a brilliantly crafted novel about life and death, love, madness and ultimately, the gift of seeing through. In reading this, it's hard to believe this is Bill Deasy's first effort at writing a novel! I highly recommend this beautiful work and can't wait for the next one!

Exceeded Expectations

As a faithful fan of Bill Deasy's musical career, I had the bar raised high as I prepared to read Ransom Seaborn. At first I thought, he wrote a book? After listening to his songs/lyrics for 10 years+, it makes complete sense that he would be a successful author. Once again, he does not disappoint. He writes from his soul and you truly feel as if you "know" Finbar and Maggie. You can picture the setting and feel the emotions. You can't put it down, but you want to save it for later. It's like a delicious dessert that you eat slowly, savoring every morsel.

One for the ages

I went to see Bill Deasy's band the day Ransom Seaborn was released. First thing I did was to buy a copy. Bill signed it and as he handed it to me he said he wanted a review. As I walked away I thought, "What if I don't like it? What if it isn't any good? What do say then?" By the time the crowd arrived for the show I was through 30 pages. I stopped reading it only to talk to friends and to listen to the band. I couldn't wait to get home and read more and cursed the fireworks display that closed the exits and the police who made me turn off my lights. When I got home I continued to read. I woke up with it laying on my chest, picked up where I left off and stopped reading only long enough to make coffee. That should answer the first question. There's a passage early in Ransom Seaborn where a professor asks his lit class. "What is good writing?" He offers no answer but reads an example. Let me try to answer. To me good writing whether it be poetry, prose, song, or theater draws its reader, listener or viewer into another world. The people, places, sights, smells and sounds are clear in the minds eye. Ransom Seaborn does just that. The characters are real I now know them all, I've been to Harrison College and Pembrook. I won't give any plot details, that would spoil it for you. It can most easily be described as a coming of age tale. As with all good writing it plays with your emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes but breaking out in a laugh before the tear could fall over the course of a few paragraphs. The difference between good writing and great writing is the test of time. If there is any literary justice in this world 20 years from now a young author will write a coming of age tale about a loner whose backpack contains a copy of Catcher in the Rye and Ransom Seaborn. Yeah I liked and it is that good.

blow me away

What I liked most about the book is that as soon as I finished it I came to the realization that I would have liked it even if I had never heard of Bill Deasy before opening the cover. It's a captivating story, told in a generous, thoughtful & thought provoking manner. At times playful, at times breathtaking, at times disturbing, and not for a moment disappointing.