A Calling For Charlie Barnes

 The average person wouldn't consider Charlies Barnes' life a success.  He has been married five times and divorced four.  He has three children but only has a relationship with one of them.  He has constantly drifted from job to job, often get-rich schemes that only last a while and then fail.  

Now he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the worst kinds.  He is facing an early death at age sixty-nine and not ready to go.  He calls and informs family and friends and his youngest son, an author, rallies and comes home to take care of Charlie.  Is this Charlie's end?  When his son writes a book about Charlie's life, everything and everyone is upset.

Readers will find themselves liking Charlie in spite of himself.  Although he was a terrible husband with a roving eye, he also was always there for his children, taking them into his home without a murmur when their living situations got bad.  Although he wasn't successful in business, he tried to make sure no one else was hurt.  He is willing to do anything for his current wife, Barbara Two, even though she doesn't care for any of his children.  Charlie is a dreamer and sometimes dreams come true.  I listened to this novel and the narrator had a matter-of-fact narration that was perfect for this tale.  This book is recommended for literary fiction readers interested in family relationships.