Where the Sun Don't Shine

By Scott R. Baillie

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1410711846
• ISBN13: 9781410711847
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: 1st Book Library
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A beautiful story of an entire town's redemption through love.

In the writing styles of Sinclair and Steinbeck, Baillie submerges the reader in the worlds above and below a small mining town in Montana. Baillie's descriptions are so detailed you have no choice but to believe you're there. A quick "can't put it down read", this modern day classic keeps you riveted through a dizzying series of twists and turns. A beautiful story of an entire town's redemption through love.

Suprised

I can only say this - I love it. Its a mind blowing work. This book reads like a literary puzzle. The story is wonderful and the characters are riveting, but there is a much deeper element at work in this novel. I had to read it twice to "get it". This book is an allegory of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. At least I believe it is. A secondary character appears to really be an angel. Another's words are shadowy paraphrases from collections like the Bible. I'm sure there is much much more. You don't find novels like this very often - real literature in a commercial style. Each time I read a section, I find myself wondering "what is Baillie really saying?" Its a fun game.Lucas, the main character, is so real, his emotions, his thoughts so authentic. His love of "the girl next door" moved me to tears. His "Poorest-kid-in-town" friend Scabby broke my heart, too. The beauty inside of him, erases the tarnish on the outside. Heather, the love interest, is a complex young woman, with a burden so huge it can't be shouldered by anybody. She is an emblem of strength and fraility, blended into one. The town in this story is hellish; maybe it is Hell. I don't know. But it feels so dark and evil.This book is outstanding and Baillie has a gift. Is this the "great American novel"? Well, no. But it is far better than most of the contemporary works out there. I couldn't put it down. I recommend it highly.

A Powerful Coming of Age Story

Where the Sun Don't Shine is a powerful tale of coming of age that touches upon bravery, loss, young love, family love, and friendship all set in a town so real I felt I could step into the setting and start up a conversation with the characters. This story intrigues with little-known information on mining, it inspires laughter at the situations young adults find themselves in and it evokes tears.I found that I cared about the characters and didn't want anything bad to happen to them--this is a very enjoyable read.

Impressive

I read this book after having it be recommended by a work collegue. At first I thought that it was going to be a self-serving work since the author grew up in a mining town much like the one in the book. I was dead wrong. This is an impressive first effort, in my opinion. From the opening pages to the final sentence, I read the most moving, most introspective, most powerful book I've seen in several years. Yes, there are a few scenes here and there in the book that I thought were a little cliche', but those blend so well in the overall story, that they don't detract from the message the author is trying to convey; that message being - it sometimes takes tragedy to make us whole. The main character of the story is so identifiable, so real, I could feel his every emotion and every frustration. I did not want the story to end.I have already recommended this book to my book club and to my family. I hope this isn't Baille's only effort. He has touched a deep part of the human experience and left its impact on me. This book is from a small publisher. I believe that it could be a major book someday. Lets hope so.

Could Not Put It Down

This is a fantastic novel. Most coming-of-age stories make me weary, but this is different. This is literature, allegory, wrapped inside a fast moving story of young love, lost hope, redemption, and survival. Baillie catches the reader off guard with an ability to touch the very depths of his character's hearts, needs and pain. His familiarity with the subject, his word pictures of the bleak community, his style, his voice, his point of view, are at once refreshing, familiar and relevant. As an author, he is poised for greatness. As an observer of life, he is already a master. Buy this book, read it twice, discover its tender message. Be moved.