A Howl for Mayflower

Dan Gilmore
Imago Press (2006)
ISBN 9780972530385
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (12/06)

"A Howl for Mayflower" is a humorous, yet somewhat melancholy, story that will appeal to all adults.  In this book author Dan Gilmore effectively demonstrates how one person can influence the lives of others and how that person's life becomes enriched in the process.

Who could have known that three people who seem so different from each other - Tobias, Mayflower, and Naomi - could form so tight a bond?  Tobias essentially has to take on the role of friend and father figure to an aging woman with Alzheimer's and a pregnant teenager while having to deal with his own problems.  Seeing the transformation of Tobias Seltzer from a grouchy widower into a man filled with loyalty, commitment and selflessness towards others was extremely heartwarming to me.  After he finally was able to put his wife's death behind him by scattering her ashes throughout the city and cleaning out her closet, he was able to freely experience many different forms of love that he never imagined possible.  He also finds himself getting caught up in other people's personal business, putting him in the unenviable position of deciding how to best divulge the information he has obtained.

Throughout this long and often tumultuous journey, Tobias realizes the importance of living life to its fullest because there is no way of knowing what the future holds.  Ultimately he learns that only being interested in his own life is much simpler, but a lot less rewarding, than sharing it with those around him.

This book focuses on how one human being can transform the lives of others if he or she is willing to put in the effort.  It also centers on the theme of letting go of the past, because often the past, as we remember it, is not entirely accurate.  The author grabbed my attention with the first hilarious chapter and held it until the very end.  I had a hard time putting “A Howl for Mayflower” down because I could not wait to see what unusual situation Tobias would find himself in next.  Through his intricate development of the characters, I could actually feel the joy and pain they experienced.  I found myself laughing aloud and, at times, on the verge of tears.  Gilmore allows the reader to see into each character's thoughts and feelings, thus allowing us to identify better with them and to make them seem so real.

Make comment on weblog