Kenedy, Randy. Presidio. New York: Touchstone 2018. Print
First Sentences:
Description:
There are a few more items Troy Falconer records in his "Folder for the Police" left in an abandoned car in the opening sentences of Randy Kenedy's Presidio. Right away, we getr a picture of, and maybe even like, this audacious man -- at least, I did. The reference to the police finding these notes in an abandoned car was a bit ominous, probably foreshadowning that this man might not be a person worthy of affection. But that's what pulled me into this character and plot.
Turns out, Troy is a car thief traveling through the desert expanse of the Texas Panhandle region in the 1970s. He is a man who loves cars and is quite good at taking them from unsuspecting people, usually fellow travelers staying in cheap motels. He loves driving, too, especially "full-size automatic sedans with electric windows and bench seats, upholstered in breathable fabric, not vinyl." He has his standards.
With the police right behind them.
Part diary entries (remember, the notes left in the glove compartment for the police?), part stream-of-consciousness narrative of his history, and part meditations by Troy, Presidio offers non-stop tension and personality for the travelers. These are really "alive" characters, vivid in all their faults and dreams. Beautifully written, the story also throws in fascinating details about cars, car stealing, cheap motels, and the flat Texas desert that they blow past on their drive.
First Sentences:
Later, in the glove box, the police found a folder of notes. It said:
Notes for the police: (Or anybody else who finds this and wants to read it.): My name is Troy Alan Falconer. These are the things I love most: I love checking into a motel room on a hot afternoon, when the cool air inside smells of freon and anonymity. (They always leave the A/C running for you.) I love checking out at dawn, my hair combed wet to meet the world. I love hard-shell luggage and Swiss-made watches...I love driving cars down empty highways in the middle of the night, listening to the music of sincere-sounding country singers like Wynn Stewart and Jim Reves....I love these things for their own sake. But I can enjoy them only when they posses a certain additional quality...of belonging rightfully and legally to comeone other than myself.
Description:
There are a few more items Troy Falconer records in his "Folder for the Police" left in an abandoned car in the opening sentences of Randy Kenedy's Presidio. Right away, we getr a picture of, and maybe even like, this audacious man -- at least, I did. The reference to the police finding these notes in an abandoned car was a bit ominous, probably foreshadowning that this man might not be a person worthy of affection. But that's what pulled me into this character and plot.
Turns out, Troy is a car thief traveling through the desert expanse of the Texas Panhandle region in the 1970s. He is a man who loves cars and is quite good at taking them from unsuspecting people, usually fellow travelers staying in cheap motels. He loves driving, too, especially "full-size automatic sedans with electric windows and bench seats, upholstered in breathable fabric, not vinyl." He has his standards.
I'd like you to believe that I started out with some kind of justification, a reason better than anger and want. But that was mostly it -- same old story. It wasn't until later that it changed from a profession into a way of life, a calling that felt almost religious if I'd been inclued that way.
If I had, I would have been its reverend. Preaching my message of freedom through loss from my pulpit behind the dashboard.Troy returns after many years away to his bleak hometown to help his estranged brother, Harlan, find his wife and get back the money she took when she ran away. Of course, they first steal a car before setting off after the woman. Unfortunately, they inadvertantly make off with something else hidden in the stolen car. When the brothers discover their unexpected cargo, they realize their plans must change and they head on backroads towards the Mexican border town of Presidio.
With the police right behind them.
Part diary entries (remember, the notes left in the glove compartment for the police?), part stream-of-consciousness narrative of his history, and part meditations by Troy, Presidio offers non-stop tension and personality for the travelers. These are really "alive" characters, vivid in all their faults and dreams. Beautifully written, the story also throws in fascinating details about cars, car stealing, cheap motels, and the flat Texas desert that they blow past on their drive.
The land no longer seemed actively hostile. It just seemed like one of the places on the earth that had long ago stopped bothering to hide its indifference.This is a debut novel by Randy Kennedy, so I sincerely hope this is the first of many more stories to come from him. I'll be right there ready to read them all.
____________________
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Lutz, Lisa. The Passenger.
Tonya, the narrator, takes to the open road to avoid police who might question how her husband ended up dead after a fall down the stairs. Tonya changes her name, cars, living accomodations, jobs, and lifestyles on her odysee for a new, anonymous life away from pursuit. Gripping and unexpected on every page. (Previously reviewed here)
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