Five Ferries

It’s 1978, college is done and Stephen Kylemore is on track for the next phase of an ordered life: a job, a wife, hopefully a dog. But he believes adventure must still be possible and sees one chance to wander like the heroes in the novels he loves. His father erupts; his girlfriend dumps him; he has no money or any real plan. But what’s an odyssey without obstacles? He packs a tent and buys a one-way ticket to London. He hitchhikes and sleeps in the woods while he looks for work and sees the sights of Europe from the cheap seats. His companions on the road are paperbacks and the ghost of a lost brother. He learns resilience. Instinct guides him through scary moments until chance eases the way and introduces friends and romance. But he knows he must inevitably confront the tension and passion he left behind. “Full-hearted. This debut novel captures the naiveté of a young, wide-eyed American traveling overseas for the first time. Ried has created a believable and likable first-person narrator that speaks with a simple sincerity. An emotionally engaging travel novel that will prove difficult to put down.” – Kirkus Reviews “Another world. I found myself a new traveling companion. In a book about physical and life-travel, I found comfort and friendship through characters that blended reality and fiction... it is part travel guide, life-guide, food for the soul, fantasy. Vivid imagery, fluid writing, captivating—more than once I sat on the bench in the subway, letting yet another train stop and go on without me so that I could continue exploring Europe's back roads and adventures.” – Amazon Reader Review “Put down you smartphone and enjoy this book. This is a story for those who yearn for timeless memories before the digital and GPS world took over our lives. A wonderful journey crafted in exceptionally well written prose leaving the reader anxious for every new chapter.” – Amazon Reader Review “Riveting European Backpack Adventure. One reason I became engrossed in the book was that I was living through the author's post college European adventure that I never took by myself.” – Amazon Reader Review