Blue Door, Red Bowl, (Paperback)

A true Bukowskiesque depiction of the coming of age of a young man and his friends. Set in the sun and sand of Southern California in an area along the border of Los Angeles and Orange County where the border is marked by the San Gabriel River and its namesake freeway. On one side is a seemingly utopian suburb and on the other a large urban metropolis both of which draw the protagonist in and out throughout his journey into adulthood. As someone who is likely of similar age to the author and main character I can certainly relate to the life before Lyft and Uber where cabs were called and when communication and collaboration occurred in person at one's home or in the dive bar rather than via Zoom or over text. Though Forehan's written prose is quite powerful and continued to draw my attention I was most profoundly moved by the moments that occurred in-between the inked words when I would reflect on my own upbringing. If you are looking for a fun and engaging read you have found it but please be warned Blue Door, Red Bowl will have you seek out your old high school yearbooks and that dust covered shoebox of pictures and reminisce of the days gone by. Forehan's ability to weave in how a seemingly inanimate object such as a bowl is much more than something just for things or change but rather a larger symbol is nothing less than genius. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel and am looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.