4.5 stars. I am not sure I can explain exactly why I liked this book so much. It's about a 20+ year old man, who suffers from OCD, living in Butte, Montana, working at an old mining baron museum. He is the product of a broken marriage, with an Egyptian father, who deserted his family with a crushing gambling debt. Khosi Saqr goes to Cairo to track down his father, and discovers much. It has elements of fantasy (ghosts), culture and cooking, deep familial love, regrets, physical and mental illnesses, and humor. Kudos to Toutonghi for writing such a richly rewarding book. Also, a spectacular cover -- should have been a 2012 award winner. Highly recommended. What a great combination for a novel: obsessive-compulsive son (Khosi) of an Egyptian father and Irish-American mother, a rare genetic disorder (one of the symptoms of which is hallucinations - thus the ghost of Khosi's grandfather), Evel Knievel festival, and a journey to Egypt to find a long-lost father!So many threads come together for a very creative and well-written novel. One of the best in a long time. The author is a professor at Lewis and Clark college in Portland.
What do You think about Evil Knievel Days (2000)?
Excellent writing, but some of the plot elements were a stretch for me.
—selinala
Terrific tale of self-discovery and the importance of family.
—elle9801
