‘One Book’ selection is from island author

Published 11:35 am Saturday, July 4, 2015

“The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving” by Jonathan Evison is Kitsap Regional Library’s One Book, One Community selection for 2015.

The idea behind One Book, One Community is that everyone across the county reads the same book to prompt discussions.

This year’s selection — which will be discussed more in depth come October — is a novel by Evison, a Bainbridge Island author, and includes Kitsap scenes throughout.

“Evison is a master at showing us that no matter how prepared you are — life rarely goes off as planned,” Library Director Jill Jean said.  “Kitsap readers are in for an unexpected treat when they join this remarkable road trip with a cast of very real flawed, but endearing characters, who find grace in unexpected places. This book will lift you up while breaking your heart at the same time.”

The book is currently available as an e-book from Kitsap Regional Library archives. Hundreds of copies of the book will be made available for the community starting in July.

Like previous years, several hundred copies of the book will be purchased using funds donated to the Kitsap Regional Library Foundation and will be distributed in the community to encourage people to read the One Book selection.

Evison isn’t new to the publishing and writing world. He is the award-winning author of “All About Lulu” and “West of Here” and the soon-to-be-released “This is Your Life, Harriet Chance.”

A film based on “The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving,” starring Paul Rudd, is now in post-production and is scheduled to be released next year.

Each year, Kitsap Regional Library’s One Book, One Community program encourages everyone in Kitsap County to share the experience of reading and discussing a single book.

This year’s book was selected by a committee made up of library staff members and members of the public. The library seeks a title that is discussable, thought-provoking and worthy of a community conversation. Whenever possible, Kitsap Regional Library chooses a book by a Northwest author and/or featuring a Northwest subject.

The novel starts out in Kitsap County and features many local places that most locals will recognize before the story sets out on a road trip through Eastern Washington and parts southeast.

“The strong connection to Kitsap makes this book special,” said Audrey Barbakoff, adult program manager for the library. “The story and characters come to life so vividly when you can see them driving through the intersection of Bond and Little Valley Road in Poulsbo, or sitting in the Abundant Life Foursquare Church in Bremerton.

“I think this will encourage all of us to have conversations about how the themes of the book apply to our own lives and community,” Barbakoff added.

As Evison describes the story, his lead character, Ben Benjamin, has lost everything and, hoping to find a new direction, has enrolled in a night class to become certified as a caregiver. But nothing in the class fully prepares him for his first client, 19-year-old Trevor, who is in the advanced stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Over time, the relationship between Ben and Trevor evolves into a close friendship, and the traditional boundaries between patient and caregiver begin to blur. The bond between them strengthens while on a road trip to visit Trevor’s ailing father. By the end of that journey, Trevor has had his first taste of love, and Ben has found a new reason to love life.

“The weekend of my sister’s 16th birthday, she took a road trip with some friends and was killed in a freak car accident,” Evison said of the genesis for the book. “To this day, my family is still feeling the shockwaves. I’m still walking around with this sister-shaped hole in my heart.”

The author added, “There are holes in our lives that can never be filled. And yet, we have no choice but to try to fill them. I’ve lived with this idea since I was 5 years old. I wrote this book because I needed to. Because my sister went on a road trip 39 years ago and never came back. And my family has yet to heal from this terrible fact. This novel is about the imperative of getting in that van, because you have no choice but to push yourself and drive on, and keep driving in the face of life’s terrible surprises. It’s about the people and the things you gather along that rough road back to humanity.”