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The Palisades
The Palisades revolves around family, the search for sustainable love, our place in nature and how it revives us and the threads of our past lives that inform our current ones.Marjorie and Nicholas, mother and son, come together during one traumatic night in Big Sur, the place where their lives separated decades before. Nicholas has been in a fitful relationship with his partner, Matt, for some time, but the ensuing events, after uniting with his mother, open up familial wounds that threaten them.He begins investigating what happened to his mother, which takes him deeper into the darkness of his family. His mother, Marjorie, comes back to the world slowly with Nicholas' help and begins to reveal her side of the story and how she ended up living out of her beloved van in and around Big Sur. The Palisades delves into the aftermath of a person vanishing from their loved one's lives and the ripples it causes in their character. After all is revealed, Nicholas and Marjorie must ultimately choose which path to take to transform their lives.
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2010
1 person is currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Tom Schabarum
4 books8 followersTom Schabarum was born in Los Angeles, CA. His novels include, The Palisades, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Best Gay Debut Fiction and a collection of stories including the novella, The Narrows, Miles Deep, which was listed as a 2011 Best Book by Lambda Literary Foundation.
He is recipient of the 2010 Creekwalker Poetry Prize and has published poetry online and in Poet Lore, Flights and other journals.
His chapbook of poems titled, Swimming With Michelangelo, is now available.
He holds an MFA in creative writing and literature from Bennington College He's a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
He's been a professor of film and video studies and is currently a creative director for live events. He's an avid sailor and hiker and currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
He is recipient of the 2010 Creekwalker Poetry Prize and has published poetry online and in Poet Lore, Flights and other journals.
His chapbook of poems titled, Swimming With Michelangelo, is now available.
He holds an MFA in creative writing and literature from Bennington College He's a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
He's been a professor of film and video studies and is currently a creative director for live events. He's an avid sailor and hiker and currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 3, 2011
Twenty-something gay man comes to terms with his dysfunctional family and makes peace with his long-estranged mother.
I read this because it was a finalist for the Best Debut, Gay Fiction Lambda Literary Award. Bob the Book won (five stars). Probation by Tom Mendicino, which I read last year and thought was terrific, was also nominated. Unfortunately, The Palisades was not up to the caliber of the other two.
I read this because it was a finalist for the Best Debut, Gay Fiction Lambda Literary Award. Bob the Book won (five stars). Probation by Tom Mendicino, which I read last year and thought was terrific, was also nominated. Unfortunately, The Palisades was not up to the caliber of the other two.
October 23, 2014
I'm more a "who done it" type so I wasn't sure this story would capture my interest but from the 1st page I could not put it down. The author took a complicated premise and masterfully wove it into a story that flowed seamlessly from past to present and back again. It became a great "who done it" as you discovered each character's surprising contribution to the mystery. You get to know each person intimately as you are drawn into the psyche of each individual. Being a child of the 60's, I particularly enjoyed the trip back to that time. I thought this was masterfully written. It would make a great movie. It is already a great book.
May 31, 2011
I received this book as part of a GoodReads FirstReads GiveAway. This is about a man processing his past after talking to his mother for the first time in years. It is told alternating from the perspective of the son and the mother, allowing the past and present stories to unfold. The story was good, but I found the writing to be awkward at times. I didn't like the boyfriend, found him unsupportive.
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April 1, 2011The Palisades was recently made a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Debut Fiction. Very excited. www.tomschabarum.com
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews