Matt McAvoy Book Review

I’m becoming a big fan of John Bauer’s writing, and this acerbic coming-of-age drama is another good one from him.  He is a sharp author, with a great professional style and a wry sense of humour.  The interaction between the characters is entertaining and nostalgia-inducing; you remember talking that way with your buddies at their age (boys, that is; girls I can’t really speak for).  More than that, though, Bauer has a knack of creating lead characters with multiple layers of humanity, as well as well-developed supporting characters; with this particular talent, he really does set an example to other authors.  His stories are not suspenseful or action-packed; they are more slice-of-life, with the intent not only to entertain, but to engage emotively.

In All the Bay’s Clams… Bauer treats us to a wonderfully endearing and soul-filled tale about a group of young people in 1969, clamming in the bay off of Long Island, to pay for their way through college, whilst at the same time trying not to tread on the toes of the angry professionals (and, of course, as is customary with books about this age group, trying to get laid).  This is all told against the subtle backdrop of a country going through big changes and the Vietnam War, though thankfully Bauer resists the urge to dwell on the latter and make it the focal point of the book, as I thought momentarily that he might.  Instead, at the midway point, the timeline jumps forward forty years, and the book suddenly and gradually becomes an altogether more melancholy offering than others of his work I have read; as it begins to set a sombre mood, a tale of regret and remorse develops.  Amid the loves and friends lost over the years, the biggest regret for Peter, the protagonist, is ultimately of a more material nature as, now a successful senator, he reflects on the emptiness which has accompanied his ruthless pursuits of wealth and power.  All of this Bauer constructs tremendously well, and I got the distinct feeling that this is a very personal book for the author. 

Another very good piece of work by John Bauer, which is far more a layered character study than exciting melodrama.  A nice read, engrossing and likeable, despite the melancholia underpinning it.  For those who like to read poignant, intelligent and well-crafted character drama, I recommend All the Bay’s Clams… very much.