Lost in Seattle is the story of William Brenner. An educated male in his mid-fifties, Willie retains a dry sense of humor and a sharp perception of reality and hope, after being downsized out of a lucrative job and losing his home, marriage and lifestyle. Relocated to a small apartment in a rundown neighborhood south of Seattle, Willie struggles to survive, yet retains his self-respect. Lost is the fictional equivalent of Nickel and Dimed, painted against a post 9/11 contemporary background and a government less trusted every day.
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1– GEORGE & ME
It’s almost 4 a.m. Three hours of clean-up left to go. Lunch time’s about to end, but I can’t eat. I’m totally exhausted, covered with white flour dust and stink of lard that we’ve been wiping off the ovens, ductwork, and conveyors. It was a mistake to take this temp job—an act of desperation, but who knew? It’s hard to find a decent job at my age. I turned fifty-three last April and regaining my once middle-class existence won’t be easy, but I will. I’ve got to. I slug down another cup of weak machine-made coffee.
Roger pokes his head into the bleak, white-latex lunchroom flooded with fluorescent light. “Yo! George Hampton, Mister Brenner! Time for blow-down. Fun, fun, fun!” Roger’s the senior baker here at Grannies’ Cookies. Grannies’ is a part of the much larger Endorf Corporation. I once held some Endorf stock. Life is ironic.
I suspect Roger isn’t happy that I’m so much older than the other temporary workers. Probably worried I won’t work as hard or fast as they. He’s probably right. I’ve got a masters—engineering. Roger might have graduated high school . . . might have.
Now the temp I’ve been paired with, George, is struggling to his feet. We get along okay. He’s an old hand at this—a big dude, taller than my own six-feet, an African American, well-muscled, and quite possibly on drugs. He won’t stop talking. I suspect he’s using uppers of some kind. Working with him’s like having a transistor radio beside me. There’s no way to turn George off, but I don’t mind. We follow Roger to another section of the building, passing by a white board listing lost-time accident reports: one fractured arm, a broken toe. George sees me looking.
“Got to watch your ass in here,” he warns. “Shit happens.”
Professional Reviews
Lost In Seattle - Kindle
By windborne
Format:Kindle Edition
Lost in Seattle is the story of a regular guy who finds himself caught up in a twist of bad luck in an even worse economy. Although it was written at a different low period in the US economy, it speaks to the economic realities so many Americans face today. Dodson's strength is his ability to use the details of daily life to speak of much broader concerns. With incite, compassion and a sharp eye for hypocrisy, Dodson brings out his characters' shared humanity as they face individual challenges. The characters are skillfully drawn, people we all might know if our observations were keener and our lives more interesting. The characters haven't lost their spriit or sense of adventure, despite their unlucky lives. Lost in Seattle is at times funny, at times heartbreaking and always entertaining. It is a look at ourselves in the way all good literature makes us look at ourselves through the humanity of others. I look forward to Dodson's next book.
ByShimonZon
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
There are so many new books out there, that it’s hard to keep up, and harder still to choose from the list of new publications. But in the last few years, I’ve been reading quite a lot. What I’ve been looking for, is a story that relates to the challenges and the values of society today. In this book, which I discovered more or less by accident, I found just that. The hero has earned a good place in society, and enjoys the famous benefits that are offered to those who work in high tech. But while still at the height of his prowess, he finds himself dispossessed because of the cynical use of manpower in these top level companies, and has to start afresh. The book is well written and entertaining. I recommend it. It keeps the reader’s interest, and challenges us with ethical questions. It’s more than just a story. It offers a very serious point of view on the nature of today’s society. For those who wish to know more about the plot and the characters, I recommend the review by Tahlia Newland.
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