The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving

June 11, 2012
Benjamin Benjamin, the narrator of Evison’s tragicomic third novel (after West of Here), describes himself as an “unemployed stay-at-home schlub whose wife gives him an allowance.” He’s actually even more pathetic, which is one of the problems with this picaresque: at 39, getting divorced, Benjamin is haunted by an immense unspecified loss and eking out a living as a caregiver to teenage Trevor, who suffers from muscular dystrophy. He’s good at the job, his first after a long stint as a full-time dad. He and Trevor construct a map pinpointing odd Americana (“Mystery houses, vortexes, crop circles, and other unexplained phenomenon”), more of an imaginary itinerary, given Trevor’s condition; Ben and Trevor do finally end up on the road, however, allowing Evison to demonstrate his considerable comic gifts, despite the grimness of the situation. Flashbacks reveal Ben’s past (a wife; two kids) and Evison builds a palpable sense of doom, but Ben’s heartbreaking personal tragedy is revealed too late to make a meaningful impact. Still, Evison is a skilled, perceptive writer: one girl Ben and Trevor encounter en route notices them “with the expert dispassion of the teenage misfit.” 50,000 first printing, 5-city author tour. Agent: Mollie Glick, Foundry Literary + Media.

June 15, 2012
Evison manages to find considerable humor in this plaintive story of care giving and receiving. Narrator Ben Benjamin is greatly in need of caregiving himself, so he doesn't have much left for Trev, his adolescent charge, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair. Ben has learned everything about his job from The Fundamentals of Caregiving, a book generous in providing acronyms meant to be helpful (for example, ALOHA: Ask Listen Observe Help Ask again) but scanty in providing practical advice. He takes the job of caring for Trev because--well, frankly because he's broke, he's responsible for a family tragedy, and his wife has left him, so the minimum wage job has a desperate appeal. Ben finds that providing care for Trev helps give his life some purpose. Trev's father, Bob, had deserted his family years before, shortly after the diagnosis of MD was made, but he's now making some attempts to get back in touch with his son, though Trev resolutely rebuffs him. Then Elsa, Trev's mother, finds out that Bob has been in a car accident in Salt Lake City, and against her wishes, Ben decides to take Trev on a road trip to see him, a trip that becomes more an end in itself than a means to see how Bob is doing. Along the way from Oregon to Utah they pass through towns, pick up Dot, a punky but goodhearted girl, befriend Elton and his acutely pregnant girlfriend, Peaches, and are followed by a mysterious man in a Skylark. Ben expects the mystery man to be a private detective his estranged wife has set on him, but he turns out to be someone quite different. A lively narrative with a poignant core and quirky, lonely characters.

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March 15, 2012

No word yet on the plot of this latest from the author of the award-winning All About Lulu and its well-regarded follow-up, West of Here, but as suggested by an essay of the same name Evison wrote, it will deal with caregiving quandaries in a sharp-tongued and forthright way.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 29, 2012
To avoid facing his past, Benjamin Benjamin sets to helping others as a caregiver. After taking a class called the Fundamentals of Caregiving at a local church, his first job lands him with Trevor, a 19-year-old with advanced muscular dystrophy who has disengaged from the world. But a road trip and a series of exploits find the two men returning to worlds they thought were lost. Narrator Jeff Woodman’s portrayal of Benjamin captures his contradicting self-awareness and self-deceit as well as his vulnerabilities. But his rendition of Trevor’s voice is the most impressive. Woodman avoids the pitfall of trying to portray the character’s disability, instead using a minimalist approach that captures Trevor’s essence. Additionally, Woodman lends the supporting cast distinct, vibrant voices and provides narration that will keep listeners engaged until the very end. An Algonquin hardcover.

July 1, 2012

Evison's follow up to West of Here is a personal, focused work rather than a sweeping epic. Benjamin Benjamin Jr. is a former stay-at-home dad. His two young children died in a tragic accident after which his wife left him. Broke and grieving, Ben signs up for a caregiver class and lands a job tending Trev, a teenage boy with muscular dystrophy. The unlikely duo set out on a cross-country road trip to take in as many bizarre highway attractions as possible en route to visiting Trev's estranged father. They pick up Dot, a runaway, and Peaches, a pregnant farm girl, and learn about forgiveness, especially about forgiving oneself. VERDICT Evison injects some levity with Trev's horny commentary and Ben's wry retorts, blending humor, sharp dialog, and a rich and detailed backstory into a sympathetic, bittersweet novel. This is one of the more successful entries in the "Sad Dad Lit" subgenre (think Thelma Adams's Playdate, Greg Olear's Fathermucker, or Emily Jane Miller's Brand New Human Being). A worthy purchase. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/12; this title was highlighted at the Fourth Annual Shout & Share at BookExpo America 2012 ow.ly/buYSD--Ed.]--Christine Perkins, Bellingham P.L., WA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.