“Dirt Road” by James Kelman
Regular visitors to our shop know of my favourite book of the year listing, which now covers some 17 years. I have been asked several times when I would be reviewing my book of 2016. Now, at long last, it is available in paperback.
James Kelman is a Scottish author with a back list which includes back in 1994, Booker winner “How late it was, how late”, and several volumes of short stories. He is not however one of the big British names, but is more recognised the other side of Hadrian’s wall.
This novel starts up in Scotland where 16 year old Murdo lives with his father Tom. His mother has recently died of cancer, as had his sister, a couple of years earlier, of the same rare strain. They are both damaged individuals and to help them recover they set off to the States to stay with relatives in Alabama.
The storyline is about Murdo’s holiday in America; a book about a Scottish lad, who loves music, plays the accordion and his adventures and experiences in the States.
After landing in Memphis they make their way, via bus, across to their relatives, but en route they miss a connection and end up having to stay overnight in a predominantly black town where Murdo, taking an early morning stroll, stands out, especially as he listens in to a family musical get together. He is soon invited to join in and is happily playing, alongside a renowned jazz lady, when his Dad tracks him down and insists he packs up so they can catch their connection. Murdo infatuated with grand daughter Sarah, is invited to join them in a few weeks time, and share a gig in Lafayette.
Murdo and Tom relax with their relatives but all this time he is working out how to keep this rendezvous, only to discover that it is Lafayette in Louisiana that is his ultimate destination.
The story unfolds gently as Murdo endures quiet days in his Uncle’s house, but he creates a plan to get to the gig, and the book provides a lovely read as Murdo makes his way to the musical event, and how that trip helps him start to recover from his loss.
This book just clicked with me, the soft Scottish dialect provides a smoothness to the text. The music drifting through the pages accompany the descriptions of American rural life seen through a teenager’s eyes. There is something very special about this novel, like a rare malt – it should not be hurried!
