The Red Kimono by Jan Morrill: ready to climb the charts!

Although The Red Kimono is the first novel by the author, Jan Morrill, I expect this eminently readable novel to quickly climb the charts. When Jan is sitting across from Conan, Leno, and Letterman, don't be shocked. Even the Sports.Junkies from 106.7 The Fan, in their new television show Table Manners, might get ahead of the curve on this one, before Jan gets her movie deal, since this story is made for the silver screen, and since it won't be a "chick movie," thankfully, but one for the whole family. Tough guys will relate to the bitter anger, the toughness, the grace in the face of gross unfairness and utter stupidity, plus themes of shame and forgiveness, so common now in a nation that has been at war continuously since 9-11.

The Red Kimono is the first novel I have read for pleasure in a long time, which is normal for men. Anything that falls outside of neuroscience or education, in my situation, I have considered secondary to my survival as a husband, father, and educator. Having dived into the first few chapters of The Red Kimono while riding the exercise bike, I am hooked. Spring break cannot come soon enough, for I cannot wait to polish this book off in a sitting, once my schedule opens up a little.

On a scale from Updike to Hemingway, Jan's style falls on the Hemingway end of the spectrum, economical, unobtrusive, just the way I like it. Confidently, the author steps aside, leaving space for the action and the characters to speak for themselves, as opposed to being a thinly veiled advertisement for just how clever the author is, which is exactly what I dislike about Updike.

Grown men will shed tears for the main characters when nobody is looking, just like we all secretly did when watching the movie Brian's Song -- a reference which decidely dates me, having just hit the big 5-0! When dogs die, such as in Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech, tough guys blame it on their allergies. We all do it.

Children will relate to this movie, as the bitter reality and coming to understanding is developed through the eyes of a child. The Red Kimono kicks a**.