Upright Piano Player - we have winners!

This is a very unique character study.  David Abbott writes in a very clean and concise prose that allows the reader to enter into the depths of loneliness, despair, and unhappiness being experienced by Henry, the main character.  The story is a non-story, the only plot the day to day plodding life of Henry who must deal with an ex-wife dying of cancer, a son from whom he is not quite estranged, a grandson who died tragically and for whose death Henry may or may not feel some guilt, and a stalker who appears to want to make Henry's life as miserable as possible.

Throughout all this dark tragedy, Henry seems unable to rouse enough "get up and go" to do anything to change his circumstances.  It is impossible for this reader to even get a grip on whether Henry even cares.  I suppose one could play amateur psychologist and diagnose severe deep depression, but no one in Henry's life seems to be able to bring him to that realization.

It's not a book for everyone, but if you like dark character studies, if you can handle a book that gives you the ending at the beginning, and you like slow, steady prose with no exciting moments, this is the book for you.  Abbott writes well, and I'd be willing to read one more book of his, but I don't think I could take a steady diet of Henry.

Now, it's time to give two loyal readers a chance to see how they felt about Henry's story.  Random.org has chosen our winners, and they have been notified by email to get me their snail mail address by Wednesday the 3rd.  The winners are

Karen B and Sandra K

Congratulations to both of them!