Bright Days and Dark


Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
634 Pages
Reviewed on 03/29/2019
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Bright Days and Dark by John S. Wilson is an interesting story that follows a young man’s journey towards a dream while capturing the soul and music of an era with unusual clarity. It is 1974 and seven-year-old John harbors a powerful dream — he wants to be a music star, a dream that began from the moment he received his first guitar at age five. The six years that follow transform the young John’s life from an unknown to a child prodigy in music. He writes songs and plays them. In this story, the author captures what it feels like to meet industry professionals like Jim Croce and what life was like for a young boy with a music dream in those years. Follow his early life, discover him in his family, and get to know the sensation he had when stars like John Denver called him. But why did he have to give up singing for writing?

This a great story of someone with a dream, the tale of a pop star, but it is more than just a story. In this narrative, the author captures the music culture and brings to light realities like what it takes to work with an agent, the things that aren’t written into contracts and a lot more. John S. Wilson fills the writing with insights and I particularly enjoyed how he captures the emotions he had as a young boy, the social commentaries, and what being a pop star at a very early age felt like. Readers explore his relationships, both familial and professional. The book has powerful lessons about pursuing a dream, but then what happens when we suddenly realize that the dream we have pursued with every fibre of our being doesn’t allow us to connect deeply and most intimately with ourselves? The young man who penned a song that hit the #1 Billboard “Hot Country Singles” has surprising answers for readers. The voice is sweet, eloquent, and mirrors the perspective of the young protagonist. It’s an absorbing read.