Praise for Flat Water Tuesday
Rob Carrey, the son of a working-class cabinet maker, arrives at the Fenton School with a scholarship to row and a chip on his shoulder. Generations of austere Fenton men have led the rowing team, known as the God Four, to countless victories - but none are as important or renowned as the annual Tuesday-afternoon race against their rival, Warwick. But first Rob must complete months of preparation driven by their captain, Connor Payne's vicious competitive nature. As the race nears, the stakes rise, tempers and lusts are fueled, and no one can prevent the horrible tragedy that befalls one of them.
Fifteen years later, Rob returns home from a film shoot in Africa to end a heartbreaking relationship with his girlfriend, Carolyn. But when a phone call from one of the God Four compels him to attend the reunion at Fenton, no part of Rob's past remains sequestered for long and nothing about his future is certain.
"A biting, beautiful novel about the cost of winning and the lessons of loss."—Jennifer Miller, author of The Year of the Gadfly
"It's compelling, moving and often heart-breaking - all of the things we want good novels to be."—Joe Schuster, author of The Might Have Been
"Flat Water Tuesday is more than just a wonderful coming-of-age novel, it's a gripping and beautifully drawn portrait of a man coming to grips with his demons. His unforgettable story will take you through heartbreak and back, where resilience can teach you not just about achievement, but also about love."—Elizabeth Percer, author of An Uncommon Education
"The opening scene of Ron Irwin's lovely debut novel left me breathless. Irwin writes astutely about finding one's place in the world, testing the limits of our endurance, and how we find the strength to carry on."—Amanda Eyre Ward, author of Close Your Eyes
"More than just a wonderful coming-of-age novel. His unforgettable story will take you through heartbreak and back."—Elizabeth Percer, author of An Uncommon Education
"Written in the tradition of Dead Poets Society, Ron Irwin’s story is a must for anyone who loves rowing, sports, or just a darn good read."—Susan Saint Sing, author of The Wonder Crew
"In Ron Irwin's capable hands, past and present fuse into a haunting meditation on class, guilt, and the perils of victory. You don't need to have set foot in a scull to be swept along by this affecting book. Flat Water Tuesday is the debut of a deft and talented new voice."—Eric Puchner, author of Pen/Faulkner Award-finalist, Model Home
"Ron Irwin’s hero is not only a prodigious oarsman but the lover of two memorably realized women."—J.M. Coetzee, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature
"The debut of a deft and talented new voice."—Eric Puchner, author of Pen/Faulkner Award-finalist, Model Home
"A gripping read."—Tom McNeal, author of To Be Sung Underwater, USA Today Best Book of the Year