by Mark H. Parsons
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Nov 2022
384 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
A thoughtful exploration about finding oneself, learning to hope after loss, and recognizing the role that family, friends, and even strangers can play in the healing process if you are open and willing to share your experience with others.
It has been two years since his mom's death, and Jamison, his dad, and his younger sister seem to be coping, but they've been dealing with their loss separately and in different ways. When Jamison almost forgets the date of his mother's birthday, he worries that his memory of her is slipping away. To help make sense of the passing of time, he picks up his camera—the Nikon his mother gave to him.
Jamison begins to take photos of ordinary people on the street, at the same time and place each night. As he focuses his lens on the random people who cross his path, Jamison begins to see the world in a deeper way. His endeavor turns into a school project, and then into something more. Along with his new outlook, Jamison forges new and unexpected friendships at school. But more importantly, he's able to revive the memory of his mother, and to connect with his father and younger sister once again.
"Gifting readers with a wryly funny, extremely intelligent, and sweetly romantic contemporary novel full of biting sarcasm and threaded through with tender yet powerful emotions, Parsons asks them to consider questions of meaning and value in their own lives. Exquisitely drawn characters and deeply authentic emotions elevate this to something greater than the sum of its parts." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Two years after losing his mother to cancer, a Californian teenager channels his grief and loneliness into creative pursuits in this affecting literary offering from Parsons...Utilizing intimately rendered characters and introspective dialogue, Bell crafts a character-driven work that celebrates the healing power of connection and creativity, encouraging readers to take a closer look at the world around them." - Publishers Weekly
This information about The 9:09 Project was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Mark H. Parsons is a writer and musician living on the Central Coast of California with his wife (also a writer and musician). They have two sons with whom they occasionally make loud music under the name Risky Whippet. Mark enjoys the three "R's"—reading, running, and rock 'n' roll.
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