Captain Saturday

In the hands of many modern novelists (of the John cheever ilk) this novel of a middle-aged man losing his job, wife and self-respect would be a dreary depiction of life in the "soulness" of their America. But not here. Will Baggett, formerly lead weatherman at Raleigh's channel 7 is a man who seeks out validation and human connection in malls rather than at home, Baggett is fired when a conglomerate buys out the family-run station and decides to cut costs by hiring a younger, cheaper weather personality. Within short order Will injures himself, his wife gives him the boot, he learns that his soon is failing med school and he goes to jail for possession of marijuana. Rather than dwelling on the failure of the protagonist, Inman goes back in time to sketch Will's goofily eccentric family and in the process lets the reader figure out the man Will has become. Upon his release from jail, Will begins to remake himself and finally finds out the person he could have been.Peopled with wonderfully quirky Southern characters and imbued with a generous loving spirit, CAPTAIN SATURDAY is an affirmation of love, family, honor and generosity. A delghtful subplot is the romance between his cousin Wingfoot and a former basketball player now country singer. Read this book for an uplifting, yet honest, portrayal of a good man.

Why isn't Mr. Inman getting more attention? This is a great read,immensely satisfying on all fronts. It is most notable, I think for its finely-drawn characters, who are people one really enjoys getting to know. It's simply impossible not to care about each of them. It's also a wonderful (and credible) story, exploring a number of basic human issues- honor, integrity,loyalty,grace,and the importance of family and our sense of place. As a number of others have pointed out, it also deftly describes the collision of "Old" and "New" South and clarifies why their integration is so difficult for those in each camp. I read 35-40 works of fiction every year; this is among the very best I have come across in at least two years. Highly recommended!!

Will Baggett, the main character, is Raleigh, NC's favorite TV weatherman. But Captain Saturday is not about weather, and it's not about TV (even though you will find insights about TV news that could only be given by someone who's been on the inside). The book is about "being real", knowing one's self, and investing oneself in what is important.By any popular notion of what it means to be a success, Will Baggett is a great success. And Will is a good person: hardworking, loyal, honest, courteous, polite, devoted to community service. But in reality, he has lost his way and doesn't even know it. Someone once said, "Integrity is making the inside match the outside." That is Will's problem.Captain Saturday is intense at times, funny and full of surprises. It cost me several hours of sleep since I couldn't put it down. You'll relate to Will's plight and find yourself wanting to join his quest for integrity. Absolutely loved it, except that (as a Southerner would say after a good sermon) "Bob Inman dun quit preachin' an' went to meddlin'". The book hits home.

"Yo Will, what's the weather?"It's a phrase Will Baggett's used to hearing everywhere he goes. After all, he's the most popular weatherman in Raleigh, North Carolina. In fact, he's the happiest man in the world. Great job. Happy marriage. Healthy as can be. His son's working hard to become a doctor. Yes indeed, life is wonderful for Will Baggett. But all that's about to change. Channel Seven's been bought and Baggett's fired after 25 years on the job as a result. His wife's real estate career is taking off and she's ready to put a for sale sign on their marriage. To top it all off, his son is completely disconnected from him. Just when Will thinks things can't get worse, he gets pulled over by the police, is injured at his now-former TV station and has to be lugged through a crowd of gawkers, camera crews and police officers on a stretcher. And that's going to be his best day for a while. The life Will's worked so hard for has practically been torn down. Then cousin Wingfoot arrives and takes him back to his past so he can build a new future. Will's journey begins with his childhood. Memories he's suppressed since he was a teenager come flooding back. Ironically, what he's tried to outgrow his whole life is exactly who he decides he wants to be. Himself. Robert Inman's created a fine cast of characters. Each one grows so much from beginning to end, you'll feel like you know them. Especially the main character. There's a little bit of Will Baggett in all of us. "Captain Saturday" is nothing short of a fantastic novel, one that's worth read after read after read.