An Alabama boy’s innocence is shaken by murder and madness in the 1960s South in this novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of Swan Song. It’s 1964 in idyllic Zephyr, Alabama. People either work for the paper mill up the Tecumseh River, or for the local dairy. It’s a simple life, but it stirs the impressionable imagination of twelve-year-old aspiring writer Cory Mackenson. He’s certain … writer Cory Mackenson. He’s certain he’s sensed spirits whispering in the churchyard. He’s heard of the weird bootleggers who lurk in the dark outside of town. He’s seen a flood leave Main Street crawling with snakes. Cory thrills to all of it as only a young boy can.
Then one morning, while accompanying his father on his milk route, he sees a car careen off the road and slowly sink into fathomless Saxon’s Lake. His father dives into the icy water to rescue the driver, and finds a beaten corpse, naked and handcuffed to the steering wheel—a copper wire tightened around the stranger’s neck. In time, the townsfolk seem to forget all about the unsolved murder. But Cory and his father can’t.
Their search for the truth is a journey into a world where innocence and evil collide. What lies before them is the stuff of fear and awe, magic and madness, fantasy and reality. As Cory wades into the deep end of Zephyr and all its mysteries, he’ll discover that while the pleasures of childish things fade away, growing up can be a strange and beautiful ride.
“Strongly echoing the childhood-elegies of King and Bradbury, and every bit their equal,” Boy’s Life, a winner of both the Bram Stoker and World Fantasy Awards, represents a brilliant blend of mystery and rich atmosphere, the finest work of one of today’s most accomplished writers (Kirkus Reviews).
more
It’s like “The Twilight Zone” meets TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Beautifully written and compelling. I loved this book!
This is the first book that I have read by Robert McCammon and I absolutely loved it.
Set in the 1960’s in Zephyr, Alabama, the story focuses around a boy (Cory) and his father (Tom) who witness an out of control car plunging into a lake. When the father tries to rescue the man inside the sinking vehicle, he discovers that the man is already …
I read this book many years ago, but I want to read it again very soon! There are only a handful of books I’ve loved so much I want to re-read them again and again. This is one of them!
I read “Boy’s Life” years ago, but still remember it as the book that introduced me to Robert R. McCammon. The book will keep you guessing until the very end.
As a fan of Mr. McCammon’s werewolf novels, I was intrigued to read some of his other works. Though this was not at all what I first thought it would be, ultimately it was much better and didn’t take long before I was hanging onto every word from the narrator. I found his character of Cory easy for me to relate to with his imagination and wild …
Wow! Where has this book been all my life? Apparently, it was first published in 1991, when I was 19 years old and avidly devouring Stephen King and Sidney Sheldon novels during my weekends at the beach. How did I not know about Robert McCammon until I was in my 40’s? A written photo album of a 1964 idyllic small town boyhood – bicycle adventures, …
I read this book a long time ago but still remember the premise of it. It was a real edge-of-your-seat, scary, and page-turning novel. I must have given it away years ago, but just purchased it to re-read again.
I loved this book! The characters are written so well. You really care about what happens to them. This author has the knack for making you feel like you are there. That is fantastic writing!
Enjoyed reading this book. It was very different
I’ve read this book several times since it first came out. It’s about young boys and friendship in a Horror setting. You really care about what happens to them. This is among my favorites! I highly recommend it. Each read is savored and never rushed! I don’t want to give away anything. But it’s a book I keep in various formats. It’s that …
I really couldn’t put this book down. I have never read anything by the author and after reading Boy’s Life I will read many more. I didn’t want the story to end. It is magical, funny, heart-warming and heart-breaking . It is one of the best “stories” I have ever read!…..Drew B
One of the best books I have ever read. This story is about a young boy in Alabama in a time past where life was much more simpler than today. If you are of a certain age it will bring back fond memories. The book is in my top five along with To Kill A Mockingbird. A thick book, but I was sorry when it ended. The author writes so clearly that I …
This is a hard book to categorize. It’s part mystery, part southern lit, part coming of age, all with a sprinkling of magical realism. If I had to pick one, I’d pick coming of age.
Coming of age stories are not my favorite genre, but this book is special. The story feels like it has a lazy pace. That’s not to say it’s boring; it’s more that the …
There are certain books that become tentpoles in a reader’s literary life, and this is one of mine. An endearing coming-of-age story mixed with some light fantastical elements and McCammon’s usual creative, sharply-written characters, Boy’s Life is one of my very favorite novels.
I write Clean & Wholesome novels as well as inspirationals, but I love to read any genre except for erotica and sci fi. Robert McCammon is an incredible author and I’ve enjoyed almost all of his novels. This one captivated me from the beginning. Read this one, then read Swan Song!
This is one of the very few books I come back and visit again and again.
Would have given it five stars, but it was a long read and some of the weakness was in the length, but I kept turning pages to see what would happen next. The plot was believable and the character loveable, so even though it was a long read, it was worth it.
Boy’s Life is one of my all-time favorite books. Need I say more?
Fantastic descriptive writing and excellent weaving of multiple story lines. While there are magical elements in this story, it’s not what I think of as a horror novel because the magic is from a boy’s view of life and we know from the introduction that he lives to tell the tales. It’s a book for everyone.
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read