Please Don't Come Back from the Moon

The summer Michael Smolij turns sixteen, his father disappears. One by one other men also vanish from the blue-collar neighborhood outside Detroit where their fathers before them had lived, raised families, and, in a more promising era, worked. One man props open the door to his shoe store and leaves a note. "I'm going to the moon," it reads. "I took the cash." The wives drink, brawl, and sleep around, gradually settling down to make new lives and shaking off the belief in an American dream that, like their husbands, has proven to be a thing of the past. Unable to leave the neighborhood their fathers abandoned, Michael and his friends stumble through their twenties until the restlessness of the fathers blooms in them, threatening to carry them away. Hailed as "a triumph" by O, The Oprah Magazine, this haunting, unforgettable debut novel is for anyone who has ever been left longing.

the Summer Michael Smolij Turns Sixteen, His Father Disappears. One By One Other Men Also Vanish From The Blue-collar Neighborhood Outside Detroit Where Their Fathers Before Them Had Lived, Raised Families, And, In A More Promising Era, Worked. One Man Props Open The Door To His Shoe Store And Leaves A Note. I'm Going To The Moon, It Reads. I Took The Cash.

 

the Wives Drink, Brawl, And Sleep Around, Gradually Settling Down To Make New Lives And Shaking Off The Belief In An American Dream That, Like Their Husbands, Has Proven To Be A Thing Of The Past. Unable To Leave The Neighborhood Their Fathers Abandoned, Michael And His Friends Stumble Through Their Twenties Until The Restlessness Of The Fathers Blooms In Them, Threatening To Carry Them Away.

hailed As A Triumph By O, The Oprah Magazine, This Haunting, Unforgettable Debut Novel Is For Anyone Who Has Ever Been Left Longing.

elissa Schappell

by Deftly Welding Magic Realism With Social Satire, Bakopoulos Captures The Dark Side Of The Working-class Dream. Maple Rock Is Stuck In A Nightmare, And The Lure Of Walking Away Still Draws Its Young Men. Mikey, Like His Father And Like His Friends, Must Decide To Resist Or To Heed The Call Of ''no More, I'm Heading For The Moon.''— The New York Times

The summer Michael Smolij turns sixteen, his father disappears. One by one other men also vanish from the blue-collar neighborhood outside Detroit where their fathers before them had lived, raised families, and, in a more promising era, worked. One man props open the door to his shoe store and leaves a note. "I'm going to the moon," it reads. "I took the cash." The wives drink, brawl, and sleep around, gradually settling down to make new lives and shaking off the belief in an American dream that, like their husbands, has proven to be a thing of the past. Unable to leave the neighborhood their fathers abandoned, Michael and his friends stumble through their twenties until the restlessness of the fathers blooms in them, threatening to carry them away.This is a haunting, unforgettable debut novel for anyone who has ever been left longing. Please don't come back from the moon Some memories of my father Summer, 1992 The calming effect of jelly doughnuts A newcomer's guide to Ann Arbor The boy with the backward chakra Capable of love Knights of labor The warning signs and symptoms of depression Please don't come back from the moon (reprise). When his father disappears along with several other men from their blue-collar Detroit neighborhood, sixteen-year-old Michael Smolij witnesses the effects of large-scale abandonment on the community's wives and mothers. When his father disappears along with several other men from their blue-collar Detroit neighbourhood, 16-year-old Michael Smolij witnesses the effects of large-scale abandonment on the community's wives and mothers.