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thePeorian.com
T
his month I review two
debut books by very
talented authors from the
Midwest. The first is a novel by
Ryan Bartelmay (Chicago) and
the second a memoir Jay Ponteri
(
Portland via Indiana). While
their stories are completely differ-
ent the writers do have a couple
of things sort-of in common: they
both are married with one child
and they both have two pets
(
Ryan has cats and Jay has pugs).
ONWARD TOWARD WHAT
WE’RE GOING TOWARD
By Ryan Bartelmay
350
pages, ig Publishing
“
Onward Toward What We’re
Going Toward” is a sprawl-
ing, epic story about the decline
and fall of an American family.
The novel itself is set outside
of Peoria, Ill., in a town called
Middleville, Ill. The story begins
in the 1950s, with Chic meet-
ing – or really, being selected
by – his soon-to-be-wife Diane.
The couple is determined to carve
out a life for themselves and their
son, Lomax, in Middleville. But
when Lomax dies at the age of
ten, father and mother search for
ways to fill the void left by the
loss of their only son. They take
refuge in food, religion, doll col-
lecting, bowling and even haiku,
with Chic taking a brief stab at
being a Beat.
Along with Chic and Diane’s
story, the novel also tells the
story of Chic’s older brother,
Buddy, and his marriage to
Lijy, an Indian-American, who,
despite their own troubles, intro-
duce the residents of Middleville
to vegetarianism and Ayurveda
massage. Both brothers are
haunted by the suicide of their
father when they were just young
children. A third (and final)
storyline involves a retired, wid-
owed bank teller, Green Geneso,
and an aging pool hustler, Mary
Norwood, who leaves Las Vegas
and move to Peoria in the early
‘90
s, hoping to find the American
dream in this All-America city.
The book concludes in the late
‘90
s, with Mary and Chic’s lives
crossing path, giving each a final
chance at happiness in life.
LITERAREA
REVIEW
By Kevin Kizer
“
Onward Toward What We’re Going Toward” Book Tour
Sept. 14 – Morton, Ill.
Blessed Sacrament Hall @ 6 p.m. (wine and cheese reception)
Sept. 28 – Peoria Heights, Ill.
I Know You Like a Book @ 2 p.m.
