A Song for the Asking

From the drama of the High Sierra to the beaches of Malibu and the gritty, crime-ridden streets of Los Angeles, A Song for the Asking tells the story of a family struck by tragedy . . . and of the courage each member must find to survive.Filled with candor, compassion, and humor, Steve Gannon's A Song for the Asking is a deeply moving novel that celebrates the enduring strength of the family spirit. From Publishers WeeklyThe classic psychological roles assumed by the children and spouses of alcoholics surface in this affecting, if maudlin, debut novel about a family held hostage to a parent's alcoholism, and about the son who must stand up to his father's tyranny in order to make them whole. Futilely defended by Catheryn, his gifted cellist mom, Travis Kane, a 16-year-old piano prodigy, is a distant second to his older brother and a football hero, Tommy, in the battle to win the affection of theirs hard-drinking father, macho LAPD Detective Dan. Over the summer preceding Tommy's departure for college, the situation deteriorates as the obsessive-compulsive detective tries to play superhero on the job and?in an atmosphere charged with animosity over the Rodney King incident?finds himself in hot water over accusations that he used excessive force. The family endure one melodramatic crisis after another, precipitated by Dan's rapidly degenerating behavior. One particularly unlikely event occurs when Tommy's nine-year-old brother, Nate, shoots dead a young punk who is raping his 15-year-old sister, Allison. Incredibly, the younger siblings not only conspire to keep the rape secret but agree to let Allison shoulder the blame for the shooting. Also troubling is the absence of insight into Dan's childhood and the abruptness of the act of disobedience that leads to the final tragedy. Although this novel makes a sincere effort to render the insidious impact of alcoholism, Dan's final plea for forgiveness will impress readers as only the last in a series of notes struck off-key and with too much stridency. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library JournalYA. The father in this novel about one family's summer makes Pat Conroy's Great Santini look like Ward Cleaver. He is a tough-as-nails, bullying LA detective; his wife is a concert cellist with a vein of resolve to make the marriage and family work. Although Dad treats all the kids equally badly, it's clear that his favorite is the oldest, a jock who's due to go off to college on a football scholarship. The next oldest is the chief character, Travis, 16, a talented classical pianist with, predictably, a special bond to his mother. His father is determined to toughen Travis up and make him macho. Allison, 15, sells her first story to a science fiction magazine. Last is Nate, nine, who retreats under the porch of their Malibu house when his father causes trouble. Each of them undergoes a crisis of huge proportion that sends the last half of the book almost over the top and into melodrama. Even the family dog has a crisis. The good writing and well-drawn characters that involve readers from the beginning are what save the story. These two factors plus an exciting plot make this a real page-turner for teens, who will also enjoy the dialogue and the family dynamics. Be forewarned that there is a stomach-churning rape scene necessary to the story.?Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.