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Set in William Kowalski's signature town of Mannville, New York, The Adventures of Flash Jackson is the story of tomboyish Haley Bombauer and her ambition to bust out of the confines of her smalltown upbringing. With compassion and humor, the novel tells of her emergence into a world that, in her words, "was not designed with girls in mind," and her efforts to find a way to fit in without having to give up her beloved independence.
Introduced to a vivid and exciting imaginary life by her now-dead father, who bestowed upon her the nickname "Flash Jackson," Haley Bombauer confronts the summer of her seventeenth year with glorious anticipation. She envisions herself roaming the surrounding hillsides and forests on her beloved horse, Brother, venturing farther and farther away from her sleepy hometown and her ultracautious mother, who since the death of her husband has remained rooted firmly in the past.
But when Haley falls through the rotted roof of the barn, she is destined to spend the dog days of summer in a thigh-high cast, stuck at home with her mother, enduring visits from her spooky, unintelligible grandmother, pondering the error of her impulsive ways, and dreaming longingly of adventure. The year that follows will, in fact, transform not only her life but also the lives of those closest to her. Haley's "imprisonment" affords her peculiar grandmother the chance to see finally what the girl is made of-and to pass along some of the mysterious and mystical arts that only she remembers. As Haley comes to understand just who her grandmother is, and what the old woman can teach her, she is transformed-from a tomboy reluctant to accept her femininity to an extraordinary, powerful woman.
Steeped in imagery and lyricism, touched with the wisp of magical realism that has become William Kowalski's trademark, The Adventures Of Flash Jackson is a poignant and hilarious tale of self-discovery and the redemptive powers of love.
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About the Author:
From Publishers Weekly:
William Kowalski is the author of Eddie's Bastard, Somewhere South of Here, and The Adventures of Flash Jackson. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1970 and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. He lives in Nova Scotia with his wife and daughter.
This amusing, slightly bizarre novel by Kowalski (Eddie's Bastard) puts a supernatural spin on a familiar coming-of-age story. Seventeen-year-old tomboy Haley Bombauer lives with her widowed mother in upstate New York. Though they look much like anyone else, the Bombauer women are actually witches-or at least, Haley's reclusive grandmother is. Her mother has given up the family tradition, and Haley herself never took an interest until she breaks her leg and has to spend a summer recuperating indoors. She becomes so bored that she starts messing around with spells. At the urging of her mother, she moves in with her strict, forbidding grandmother, who teaches Haley the healing arts and some other skills. Though Haley is at first resistant, she gradually comes to embrace her special powers. When the outside world threatens to interfere with this dubious education, the old woman and her cabin vanish into thin air. Haley continues to live in the woods on her own; she eventually makes a partial return to civilization as the town healer, but not before she has an unlikely adventure with drug smugglers and a wild sexual encounter with a neighbor boy. Her exploits as a feral woodswoman are implausible even by the loose standards of this book and make for some comically absurd lines ("Note to self: When menstruating, bury used tampons very deep. Something has been digging them up lately. Something big"). Yet Haley is a winning narrator whose dry sense of humor keeps the celebration of womanhood from getting too syrupy.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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- PublisherDoubleday
- Publication date2003
- ISBN 10 0385605560
- ISBN 13 9780385605564
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages279
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 279 pages. Set in William Kowalski's signature town of Mannvi lle, New York, The Adventures of Flash Jackson is the story of to mboyish Haley Bombauer and her ambition to bust out of the confin es of her smalltown upbringing. With compassion and humor, the no vel tells of her emergence into a world that, in her words, was n ot designed with girls in mind, and her efforts to find a way to fit in without having to give up her beloved independence. Intro duced to a vivid and exciting imaginary life by her now-dead fath er, who bestowed upon her the nickname Flash Jackson, Haley Bomba uer confronts the summer of her seventeenth year with glorious an ticipation. She envisions herself roaming the surrounding hillsid es and forests on her beloved horse, Brother, venturing farther a nd farther away from her sleepy hometown and her ultracautious mo ther, who since the death of her husband has remained rooted firm ly in the past. But when Haley falls through the rotted roof of the barn, she is destined to spend the dog days of summer in a th igh-high cast, stuck at home with her mother, enduring visits fro m her spooky, unintelligible grandmother, pondering the error of her impulsive ways, and dreaming longingly of adventure. The year that follows will, in fact, transform not only her life but also the lives of those closest to her. Haley's imprisonment affords her peculiar grandmother the chance to see finally what the girl is made of-and to pass along some of the mysterious and mystical arts that only she remembers. As Haley comes to understand just w ho her grandmother is, and what the old woman can teach her, she is transformed-from a tomboy reluctant to accept her femininity t o an extraordinary, powerful woman. Steeped in imagery and lyric ism, touched with the wisp of magical realism that has become Wil liam Kowalski's trademark, The Adventures Of Flash Jackson is a p oignant and hilarious tale of self-discovery and the redemptive p owers of love. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly This am using, slightly bizarre novel by Kowalski (Eddie's Bastard) puts a supernatural spin on a familiar coming-of-age story. Seventeen- year-old tomboy Haley Bombauer lives with her widowed mother in u pstate New York. Though they look much like anyone else, the Bomb auer women are actually witches-or at least, Haley's reclusive gr andmother is. Her mother has given up the family tradition, and H aley herself never took an interest until she breaks her leg and has to spend a summer recuperating indoors. She becomes so bored that she starts messing around with spells. At the urging of her mother, she moves in with her strict, forbidding grandmother, who teaches Haley the healing arts and some other skills. Though Hal ey is at first resistant, she gradually comes to embrace her spec ial powers. When the outside world threatens to interfere with th is dubious education, the old woman and her cabin vanish into thi n air. Haley continues to live in the woods on her own; she event ually makes a partial return to civilization as the town healer, but not before she has an unlikely adventure with drug smugglers and a wild sexual encounter with a neighbor boy. Her exploits as a feral woodswoman are implausible even by the loose standards of this book and make for some comically absurd lines (Note to self : When menstruating, bury used tampons very deep. Something has b een digging them up lately. Something big). Yet Haley is a winnin g narrator whose dry sense of humor keeps the celebration of woma nhood from getting too syrupy. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Info rmation, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailabl e edition of this title. From Library Journal Kowalski's new wor k is not so much a coming-of-age as a coming-of-gender story. On the eve of her 17th birthday, Haley Bombauer falls through the ba rn roof and breaks her leg-a singular occurrence that changes her life and sets us all on an unusual journey. Early on, Seller Inventory # 798aa
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Doubleday, London
(2003)
ISBN 10: 0385605560
ISBN 13: 9780385605564
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: As New. First Edition. 310 pages. Book appears to have hardly been read and is in As new condition throughout. Returning To The Quirky Small Town Of The Acclaimed Eddie's Bastard, Kowalski Introduces Haley Bombauer (a.k.a. Flash Jackson) A Girl Who Is Longing To Burst Out Of The Confines Of Her Provincial Upbringing. With Compassion And Humour, The Novel Tells Of Her Emergence Into A World That Was Not Desgned With Girls In Mind. Seller Inventory # 127814
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. Returning to the quirky small town of the acclaimed EDDIE'S BASTARD, Kowalski introduces the unforgettable Haley Bombauer - a truly offbeat and endearing heroine - as she teeters on the brink of womanhood.'On my very last day of being 16 years old, I fell through the roof of our barn and broke my leg in three places. I was just in a climbing mood I guess - the kind of mood that can overtake a girl sometimes on a hot July day, thinking that if something glamorous doesn't happen soon, right that minute, she'd go crazy.'Haley Bombauer, a.k.a 'Flash Jackson' seems doomed to spend the summer in a cast, absolutely bored out of her skull. But in a strange twist of fate, Haley's 'imprisonment' gives her peculiar grandmother the chance finally to see what the girl is made of - and maybe pass on to her some of the mysterious and mystical arts that only she knows. As Haley comes to understand just who her grandmother is, and what the old woman can teach her, she is transformed - from tomboy to extraordinary woman. Light fading on cover, pages lightly tanned. 279 pages. Seller Inventory # 1536116
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Seller Inventory # CHL9465335
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