  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2016 Never tell anyone the whole truth. Don’t talk to people you shouldn’t be talking to, or your wandering time will be up. When it’s time to leave, leave. Benjamin Putter learns these rules for wanderers (really runaways) from the bold and enigmatic Noni as the two eleven-year olds make their way from Ben’s tiny Alabama town to Augusta, Georgia. Though the two at first make uneasy companions, Noni emboldens the cautious, sensitive Ben, and the two soon are hopping trains, “borrowing” pickup trucks, and relying on the kindness of strangers to achieve their missions: Ben believes his late father’s voice is telling him to spread his dad’s ashes on famous course at the Augusta National Golf Club, and Noni seeks a miracle regarding the father she lost. Noni doesn’t doubt that Ben’s father is talking to him from the beyond, urging him on to Augusta and reminding him that golf and barbecue are microcosms of life-a sore spot given that his daddy always wanted him to be a golfer or take over the family barbecue business, dismissing Ben’s artistic talents in the process. Lawson makes skillful and powerful use of magical realism to approach a host of topics, from father-son relationships to the racial dynamics of the early 1970s Deep South, with plenty of golf wisdom and trivia thrown in. The journey to Augusta and its accompanying perils will keep readers turning the pages, while Ben’s inner journey to making peace with his father packs an emotional wallop and Noni’s backstory-revealed with an effective twist-is poignant and memorable. The only thing missing is an author’s note about the golfers and the hallowed course treated so lovingly here-even golf naysayers will want to know more. Insightful, humorous, and deeply moving, this novel is one for a kiddo needing a miracle, or just a really meaningful read. AA - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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