Pendulum's Path

by Dave Shields

David Shields has crafted a brutally honest novel of family, religion, and relationships. This story transcends the boundaries of the Salt Lake Valley where it's set, ultimately soaring above and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401030270
• ISBN13: 9781401030278
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Tragic Yet Triumphant

An intensely enjoyable novel about family, religion and the majesty of Utah. An exhilarating and moving story. Dave Shields shows that even when things look hopeless, you can be determined to make it better.I recommend this book highly.

Perfect for the Oprah crowd

This novel is, in the time-honored tradition, the quintessential ?slice of life? story. The first impression one receives is that of careful craftsmanship in the writing, none of the sequential lapses or non-linear aberrations so common in even the best novels. The dialogues are realistic, not overdone, yet have the ring of honesty, obviously the work of a dedicated author who cares a great deal about his calling. The story is both simple and complex. On the surface, it is obviously the chronology of a man in an early mid-life crisis brought about by the startling revelation that his mother is really his aunt, his estranged uncle is his father, his grandfather was a hypocritical, mean and abusive tyrant that had affairs, yelled a lot and created an environment that screwed up the lives of all in his family and the women all had dark secrets. Wait, you?re thinking, isn?t this the Sopranos? No, believe it or not, it is about Mormons, which no doubt will not please all members of that faith since many of the characters within are ?Jack? Mormons, including the main one, Tom, who drinks beer, doesn?t tithe and tells lies, but that is to be expected since he is also a mortgage broker. However in his defense, he hates his job and tries many times to work up the gumption to do something about it. I must admit this genre isn?t my normal reading fare, so my interest in Tom and his problems was lukewarm at best due to the fact he was such a wimp, having great difficulty making decisions or sticking to them, crying at the drop of a hat, which he did frequently, and whining about his oh, so hard office job lifting that heavy phone. A year on the green chain at the sawmill would have done wonders for his attitude. Despite this, his obsession with his father, new baby, and the complicated issues with all the members of his immediate family including his amazingly understanding, almost angelic wife, Sara, subtly drew me in, hooked by wondering how this loser was going to end up. In a mental ward? Rooftop sniper? Serial killer? Guest on Jerry Springer? I won?t spoil it for you, you have to read it to find out. Another interesting character, Tom?s biological father, Martin was just eccentric enough to be enjoyable. He could have easily upstaged everyone in the book with a little help and if Shields ever writes a book with Martin as the main character, I?ll buy it. Being also a compulsive-obsessive of sorts, I related to him quite well and thoroughly liked the author?s creative concept of a story within the story as Martin relates his significant memories from childhood to adulthood in his above average-dysfunctional family. The last two chapters were my reward, they actually had some genuine physical action and danger, a perfect wrap to this ingenious look at this clan from the Great Salt Lake City, which apparently only has ?rusty? colored cars, no doubt due to the proximity of so much salt. You will learn much about the Mormon mindset, (Don?t care how you b

Great read that thoroughly satisfies

I'm glad I read this novel. The characters were well developed and highly varied, keeping things interesting. The writing is strong. The story is something I easily sunk into, and I enjoyed staying in the world the author created. An important criterion for recommending a novel is the ending. I want to feel something, see a resolution, and understand why this novel was written and what it was leading to. I want to close the cover feeling grateful that I invested the time to read it. I got all that with The Pendulum's Path. An easy five star rating for me.

Gripping, page turner

The Pendulum's Path is a beautifully written family saga that is impossible to put down. It is one of those books in which you come to know and relate to the characters as actual people. The story of the past and the present lives of the family intertwine in a fascinating and gripping tale. If you like Pat Conroy, you will love Dave Shields!!! His writing style is beautiful and detailed and his story is richly woven. A definate 5 star book.

Fascinating

Dave Shields is a natural storyteller who has written a wonderful story about the complexities of family relationships, skillfully demonstrating how the same circumstances can affect and shape people in so many different ways. I felt Tom's shock, anger, frustration--and courage in unraveling the tangles--when he learned that his entire life had been a lie.