The heartfelt and touching story of two men or should I say a man and his stepson. This is the story of Spooner and Calmer two different people yet two of the same, who are in search of who they are and how they fit into the world.  The story begins with Calmer and how he is a successful Military man who has an entire career ahead of him, but that was about to change with an encounter with a women named lily.  Calmer’s life goes through ups and downs and shows how he becomes a wanderer in search of his place in life and somehow it comes full circle back to Lily and that is where Spooner comes in. 

Spooner is a troubled boy who has a lot to live up to with a intelligent sister and the fact that he is considered special, he goes through life wondering how he can become more than who he is.  When Calmer is introduced into the family and eventually becomes his stepfather, Spooner is determined to become part of his life but for some reason no matter what he does it seems just out of his reach.  Calmer is also in a struggle although it is not seen on the outside, he is struggling within at trying to be the best that he could possibly be and everything that Lily wants from him but that too seems just out of his reach.

Over the years Spooner and Calmer encounter different obstacles that help shape them both as a man and a father two goals that neither of them had expected to accomplish, even though they did not see it they were becoming closer to each other.

This book takes you through the years and lives of both Spooner and Calmer, what they encounter and how they feel and how they overcome.  It takes you through the school years into adulthood of Spooner and how he was shaped into a man with the help of Calmer.  Pete Dexter was amazing in how he shows you that life does go in a full circle and in the end it is the children that take care of the parents and yet there still seems to be more no matter how hard you try.