The Annunciations of Hank Meyerson, Mama’s Boy and Scholar

by: Scott Muskin

Published by: Hooded Friar Press

Reviewed by Linda Lee

Hank Meyerson is concerned about remodeling the bathroom. Since it’s the only one in the house. it requires Hank and his wife to shower in the basement. His wife doesn’t complain about the inconvenience so he must be doing a good job. Just out of graduate school, Hank is all consumed by things other than his wife. Her affair with another man comes as a surprise to only Hank.

Moving in with his brother seems like the best solution since their mother passed away in a car accident before he married. Living with his older, wiser, more successful brother means getting closer with his brother’s wife and this changes everything. Initially you can’t decide if June, his sister-in-law, actually cares about him–or is amused by her ability to manipulate him. Either way, she takes up residence in his brain and he can’t seem to evict her.

Muskin tells a good story. The story is full of reality and reality checks, with hurt feelings, insecurities, and a dagger-to-the-heart pain that must be survived. Laugh-out-loud humor in some places and in others the sound affect would be the snickering of eighth-grade boys. Hank’s humor is a bit over the top and distracting at times, but helps to identify the reason for his pain. Coarse language, sex and drug use are spoken often and casually, and sometimes seem to block the artery leading to the heart of the story. Hank Meyerson is an emotional journey with a manic depressive’s regulator on the throttle.

Muskin has written and published short stories but this is his first published novel. He won the first Parthenon Prize for Fiction with this book. Watch for future works from a man with the nerve to touch upon genuine feelings in an authentic way.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

Author’s Web site: http://www.ScottMuskin.com