Jamie Garner is the scale model thirty-something struggling creative-type from San Francisco who has flirted with success, both personally and professionally, but just can't seem to form a lasting relationship on either end.Author K. M. Soehnlein introduces Jamie, some time in the mid-90s, en route to his New Jersey hometown for the funeral of his father, whom he hadn't spoken to in the last five years. In spite of their tumultuous relationship, Jamie remains connected to his sister, Deirdre, who cared for their father in his final days. As teenagers, Jamie and Deirdre lost their mother accidentally during a routine hospital visit, an event from which their dad never recovered emotionally.While going through his father's belongings, Jamie discovers evidence, in the form of letters to and from former acquaintances, that his father was a beatnik in the early 60s and rubbed elbows with the likes of Kerouac, Burroughs and Ginsberg. There also appears to be a connection between his father and his sister Katie's brother-in-law, Danny--better known as B-movie actor, Dean Foster. Jamie is determined to find out more about the actual nature of his father's relationship with Dean--was it sexual, perhaps?Jamie's quest to learn more about his father, which he believes will somehow help him better understand (and perhaps, forgive) him, turns self-destructive, and has a detrimental effect on his finances, employment prospects, and above all, his two-year relationship with Woody, a dot-com lackey mired in the belief that his company's IPO will provide instant security.The novel is readable and there are enough twists and turns to keep you interested. I found the characters from his father's life to be more interesting than those from Jamie's life, with the exception of his sister, Deirdre, whose personality is the most realistic and relatable. Throughout the story, Jamie has moments of epiphany or spiritual reflection that are either completely unfounded or simply (for lack of a better word) hokey. Otherwise, while Jamie isn't altogether likable, his struggle with family and identity is familiar and worthy of the reader's empathy.
While Soehnlein's novel can be enjoyed on many levels, say, as the story of a man trying to come to grips with the death of a father with whom he was estranged, or as an adroit comparison of life in mid-90's San Francisco with that of the early 60's. By the novel's end, the reader realizes that Soehnlein had even great ambitions with his work, to explore that exciting period in their twenties when many people leave home in hopes of change. This fantasy is often met with hard reality, but some at least partially succeed in breaking away from their past life, their past upbringing. There are a variety of characters in "You Can Say You Knew Me When" who have tried or are still trying to make that break with the promise of a better, more rewarding life ahead. Some are drawn to other cities; some are just drawn to a place that is different. Soehnlein successfully works this theme throughout his novel, leading up to a surprisingly moving ending. Recommended.
Do You like book You Can Say You Knew Me When (2006)?
This is a really awesome book. Soehnlein is a writer with a good style. Not unique, just...good. The plot is well-crafted and the story moves along at a steady pace. There's one or two chapters that are jusssssst a bit redundant, but for the most part it's a really enjoyable read. Soehnlein is a LAMBDA award-winning author for his book "The World of Normal Boys" (which is marked on my "to read" shelf) and I'd have to say, judging from this novel, that it's well deserved. "The World of Normal Boys" will be my next purchase.
—Jack
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—Munteeomibe
It’s a lovely story that enfolds itself slowly which is a big plus. I love the images of the San Francisco in the dot-com era (early 90-ies) but even more I love SFO in beatnik era when Jack Kerouac was there. Btw, ”On the Road” is definitively my next tbr. There are so many references to that book; it’s kind of homage to Kerouac’s book as well as Kerouac’s America. Not being there, not being an American I’ve found this totally captivating, even exotic.It’s deeply personal story about (mostly) father/son relationship but also story about pre AIDS America from the 60-ies (and earlier) when the fight for today’s liberties started.
—Milan/zzz
