Michael Hodge has been many things in life. A surfer. A husband. A father. A son. A business owner. A lover. Abandoned. Ever since Michael's wife, Anita, ran off leaving him to raise their child on his own, he has been struggling to pick up the pieces. And, after seven years, he's finally starting to put his life back together. He has given up his dream of surfing and now manages his own construction business, he works hard to be the best father possible to his autistic son, and he's falling for a new woman. But, when Anita returns to town unannounced wanting to be a part of their lives again, and his mother begins showing early signs of Alzheimer's, Michael's carefully reconstructed world begins to fall apart. Now, Michael must decide whether or not to give Anita a second chance or to protect his son, and himself, from being hurt yet again. With pitch perfect emotion and a beautiful portrayal of the relationship between a father and son, Stephen Metcalfe has drawn a rich and layered portrait of what it means to be a family and what it means to be truly loved.
"The scenes in The Practical Navigator don't meander, they detonate. In their sadness and joy, and in their small victories, the vividly rendered and deeply sympathetic characters of this emotionally resonant novel lingered with me long after I finished reading their story."
Seth Greenland, author of I Regret Everything: A Love Story?
"Stephen Metcalfe brings the screenwriter's eye for scene and the playwright's ear for dialogue to the story of a contemporary family struggling to find a way to love one another. Their challenges, and those of their friends, colleagues, and lovers, form a portrait of a small Southern California town in the present day; autism, overdevelopment, divorce, the cultural dynamics of immigration and economic inequality are all handled with skill and heart. Against this complicated and most recognizable backdrop, Metcalfe eschews easy resolution while creating a love story between father and son that shines."
Lacy Crawford, author of Early Decision
"Stephen Metcalfe's The Practical Navigator is the kind of up-from-the toes heartfelt, beautifully rendered, real-life-till-it-hurts novel that gives us a man at the end of his rope, handling more than he can handle, lavishing hope and despair in equal measure - all in prose so staggering in its intensity the reader may have to stop, catch their breath, and look up at the sky before diving back in again. For his unflinching, astonishing portrayal of a young boy's autism alone, Metcalfe's book will be devoured, and cherished, read and re-read by legions of readers for whom his voice, his insight, and his genius will be consolation and inspiration. And let's not forget, The Practical Navigator is a sentence-by-sentence pleasure on the page. This is a book to love."
