In Pursuit of the Speckled Gumball

Book excerpt: In Pursuit of the Speckled Gumball is a heartrending and hilarious recounting of the quest for recognition and acceptance by a young boy amid the chaos of alcoholism, abuse, and deceit. Henry, a gentle old Black man, takes the boy into his heart and with words inspires him to overcome the forces trying to destroy him. His father, a handsome philandered, is transformed into a demon by alcohol. The mother’s weakness allows abuse and violence to dominate the boy’s life. His sister, six years older, is assigned responsibility for his care at too early an age; her resentment explodes into rage. Finally he faces the obstacles initiated by a tyrannical school administrator. “ . . . I found Myers’ story telling as compelling as the hard fiction of Walter Mosley . . . and Barbara Hambly . .. And even equal to Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings . . . I laughed and I cried as he masterfully unfolded the twists and turns of his life. . . .” —Deborah Wright, Port Saint Joe, Florida. “I loved the book . . . . (In Pursuit of the Speckled Gumball) . . . reminded me of Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes . . . . hooked me from the start . . . How profound that just a few simple words can keep a child going.” —Gwen Hewitt, Canton, Oklahoma. “Those of us who from time to time deal with troubled children particularly ought to read this book . . . a reading experience in which I could hardly wait to get back to . . .” —Briefcase, Book Notes, Oklahoma City “What a magnificent book it (In Pursuit of the Speckled Gumball) was. . . . “ —Kathryn Rager, Waco, Texas. . “I read the whole book before I put it down . . . loved it! . . .” —Linda Royal Bridges, Harrah, Oklahoma.