Drive

Don Tassone's Drive is an engaging narrative that is also a compelling metaphor for life. Nick Reynolds is a highly successful yet deeply troubled food company executive. He is a man who is hard to deal with at work and a man who doesn't seem to have a strong sense of what is essential. He is so absorbed by himself and feared by his employees. He doesn't enjoy a strong relationship with his wife and children. When he screws up at work, his boss asks him to take some days off, so he sets off alone from his home in Chicago for Bar Harbor, Maine. What happens on the road will blow the minds of readers as Nick Reynolds discovers that the road can be the best form of intersection between his highest dreams and his deepest fears. Follow this character through a journey in which the road reveals a lot about him and prompts a journey toward self-discovery, healing, and redemption.

Nick Reynolds is not a likable protagonist at the outset. He is a bully, feared by his employees, and estranged from his family. However, as the story moves forward, Tassone masterfully peels back the layers of Nick's character, revealing the depths of his inner turmoil. The decision to send Nick on a summer road trip to sort out his life becomes a turning point, and readers are taken along for an unforgettable ride. The road trip itself serves as a metaphorical and literal journey of self-discovery. Nick's cross-country odyssey from Chicago to Bar Harbor, Maine, provides ample opportunity for introspection and growth. Along the way, he encounters strangers who offer messages that challenge his perspective and force him to confront his past actions.

Tassone's prose is elegant and he has the unique ability to capture stunning images of the American landscape, portraying the beauty and diversity of the Eastern United States. The narrative is punctuated by stories from Nick’s stops and the streams of consciousness plunge readers into the psyche of the protagonist. The road is very symbolic in this narrative and I particularly enjoyed the way the author allows the road to shape the protagonist. One quickly learns that the treasures of a journey are found along the way and not at the journey’s end. This book is a powerful story with a lot of wisdom for readers.