Dave King (1) (1955–)

THE HA-HA (2005) is one of the best reads I've run across in many years, and it was Dave King's first novel too. (And his only one, so far as I can tell.) I vaguely remember reading about it when it was new, but then I forgot about it until I saw it on a library sale table last month for half a buck. What a bargain! It was apparently a minor bestseller and I'm not surprised. It's the story of a brain-damaged mute whose humdrum life as a grounds keeper at a convent is totally changed, enlivened and enriched when he is tasked with looking after his former girlfriend's nine year-old son for a couple months while she goes into drug rehab. Howard Kapostash is a Vietnam vet who has been unable to speak, read or write for nearly thirty years after stepping on a land mine. And yet, as the unlikely narrator of this frank and touching story, he can still think, reason and understand. He lives in the large Victorian home of his now deceased parents with three tenants: Laurel is the Texas-raised child of Vietnamese refugees who makes and sells gourmet soups, and Steve and Harrison are a pair of house painters. This disparate group becomes gradually closer and forms a family of sorts after the biracial boy, Ryan, moves in. As Howard becomes increasingly attached to the boy, getting him onto a ragtag summer baseball team, numerous memories come flooding back, of his high school romance with Sylvia, and of his long and difficult rehabilitation and his parents' unstinting help and loyalty, even as Sylvia drifted off into other affairs and drug addiction, something Howard got into too for a time. But the memories he can never quite bring into focus are the ones from his very short-lived - just sixteen days - tour in Vietnam and the months and years of fruitless attempts at recovery - of speech, reading and writing. Because this is a war story, make no mistake. Despite the warm and fuzzy elements of Howard's newfound, makeshift family, the horrors and devastating, lifelong effects of war are never far from his mind, and, consequently, loom large in the reader's mind too. Author Dave King is not a veteran, but with THE HA-HA he has somehow managed to climb inside the mind of a severely damaged victim of that long ago war and tell a story that will resonate with readers for a long time. Put this book on your War Lit shelf, because that's where it belongs. Bravo, Mr King. Bravo! My very highest recommendation.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER… (meer)

3.5 stars

Howie was in Vietnam for the war. He was injured and came home unable to talk. He has not been able to since, nor did he re-learn to read and write. His best friend (and former high-school girlfriend), Sylvia, calls on him to take care of her 9-year old son, Ryan, while she is off to rehab. Lucky for Howie, he has three other people living in his house. Laurel lives there without paying rent, but she helps Howie out. Two other rooms are rented out to young men, Harrison and Steve (he calls them Nit and Nat: he doesn’t like them much!).

This was good. There was a lot of “guy” stuff in the book, but with Howie and Ryan as main characters, becoming almost like father and son, one should expect that. It was nice how the household came together to help out with Ryan (though none were used to having a kid around the house!). I didn’t like Sylvia much, but then Howie did some stupid things, too.… (meer)

This story explored the themes of family and communication. Howard Kapostash is a wounded Vietnam veteran whose injury has left him unable to read, write or speak, but who is, as the card he's always reluctant to give people points out, "of normal intelligence." After Howard agrees to look after his ex-girlfriend's son, Ryan, while she is in rehab, Ryan's presence profoundly alters the lives of Howard and his three housemates. This was a very touching story and had me crying in a few places, but with a hopefully yet realistic ending.… (meer)

This was surprisingly solid read, with more depth than I had anticipated. The main character Howard struggles out of his solitary existence-- just to get kicked in the teeth for his trouble. But we come to accept that the crappy real world and its disappointments are better than going through life disconnected. The one fault I have with the work is the formulaic method of creating instant depth- add one troubled at-risk child and stir. Poof. Emotional live wire. But when you get into the nitty-gritty angst of the real story, King delivers a degree of emotion that is gut-wrenchingly believable.… (meer)