A new decade is about to begin, and Gabriel DeMarco can't seem to get it right - not at home or in school and not with sports or with girls. Gabriel has grown up in turbulent times, beginning with the assassination of an American president when he was only eleven. Now, seven years later, he finds himself in the midst of civil rights and war protests, and he's not quite sure how he fits in.
Stuck in an awkward limbo between boyhood and manhood, he attempts to navigate the world of romantic relationships without a rudder while also contending with his strong-willed father. To make matters worse, Gabriel experiences repeated loss, leaving him disillusioned and directionless.
In his innocence, Gabriel decides that meeting a favorite recording artist will inspire him and help him to get on track. After a trip to a concert at Carnegie Hall proves fruitless, Gabriel stumbles upon a new opportunity while on a summer road trip when he finds out about an outdoor folk festival, and his goal suddenly seems within reach. Of course, meeting a celebrity is easier said than done, and Gabriel has spent the last few years learning the hard way that, in life, we don't always get what we want.
Will the road from Connecticut to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina be an adventure that leads Gabriel to his goal, and can he overcome the obstacles standing between him and the object of his dreams?
The answers to these questions lie in the pages of Still Life.
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Sometimes funny and other times dramatically poignant, Gary Scarpa's newest novel, Still Life, is a hero's journey toward independence and self-realization. It is a story about the importance of music, art, and creativity in helping us to cope with our unique vulnerabilities. It is a lesson in not needing to have all the answers, but rather in having the willingness to face life's uncertainties with fortitude and hope.