Ascension: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Rising Above
Review: Steven Galloway has written a remarkable book. "Ascension," is the story of Salvo Usari, the family he leaves behind, and the family he gathers around him. It's also an account of the persecuted Rom, or gypsy culture, the metaphors and techniques of tight-rope walking, and the lives of "circus people." The story starts with a hair-raising account of a tight-rope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and as I wondered where the author could possibly go from chapter one, I found myself traveling the world with the extended Usari family from one adventure to another. Mr. Galloway seasons the telling with stories within the story, and it matters not whether they sprang full blown from his imagination, or are, in fact, the secret tales of the Rom. They are marvelous inventions that root the family in an ancient culture, and help explain the vicissitudes of their time on earth.

Other than its obvious details, "Ascension," is an aptly titled meditation on rising to the heights of your abilities, and maintaining your balance once the height is achieved. All the characters, none more than Salvo Usari, climb above their circumstances, but one solid rule of physics wins out - what goes up, must come down.

"Ascension," is a book for everyone. It belongs on any adult, young/mature, or family reading list, and I hope, like the Usari family, it finds the audience it deserves. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Book of the year
Review: This is one of the most gripping books I've ever read. The first chapter is breathtaking. I read a lot of books, and this is the best one I've read this year, one of the best I've ever read. An unknown author whose work I highly recommend.