Narrow the Road
A Novel

Quotes

“Author James Wade paints with words and is destined to become one of the Lone Star State’s most valued authors. Narrow the Road is the purest form of Texas literature, and Wade’s lyrical prose is as beautiful as a springtime bluebonnet. His fully formed characters spring to life, and the setting is so real, we can feel the heat, the danger and humidity of deep East Texas, the Dust Bowl grit in our teeth, and the gut-wrenching sadness of betrayal. Not since The Grapes of Wrath and a desperate family’s journey down the Tom Joad Road has an author submerged readers so deeply into the Great Depression. A must-read.” Reavis Z. Wortham, author of the Texas Red River Mysteries

“A poignant, lyrical, often funny coming-of-age odyssey set in the East Texas wilds of a century ago. James Wade has established himself as one of the Lone Star State’s best young novelists, and this tale of Dust Bowl grit and adolescent discovery is a must-read for fans of Cormac McCarthy, Charles Portis, or Paulette Jiles.” Taylor Brown, Southern Book Prize winner and author of Rednecks

“This is a haunting and lyrical journey down an uncertain path, where dangers lurk in the shadows, but friendship and courage will help us survive in a broken world.” Wes Ferguson, journalist, podcaster, and author of Running the River

“Wade’s crackling dialogue, lyrical descriptions, and old-fashioned storytelling lead the reader in a way that few modern authors can. Narrow the Road is a salve—something spiritual in a heretical time. Embrace James Wade, and wonder what hidden muse sits next to him, teasing out such magical tales of goodness, grace, tragedy, and redemption.” Sid Balman Jr., Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist and author of The Mural

“In prose of spellbinding beauty, James Wade spins a haunting, harrowing odyssey of a boy who becomes a man while searching for his father through the pines and thickets of East Texas. Suspenseful, poetic, and with characters who are not soon forgotten, Narrow the Road asks what one is willing to risk for family and friends and who one becomes when the world is at its most brutal.” Amanda Churchill, author of The Turtle House

“Narrow the Road is a saga that could be likened to other master storytellers, but Wade’s voice is his own. In this impressive, adventuresome tale with its profound sense of place, vibrant characters, and richly detailed prose, I was captured not only by Wade’s compassionate understanding of the human condition but his aptitude for striking a measured balance between pivotal and contemplative scenes. A soulful, thoughtful, and wise story I didn’t want to end.” Donna Everhart, author of Women of a Promiscuous Nature

“One of the best journey novels I’ve read in a long time. You can feel the sting of sweat in your eyes and smell the foulness of Texas’s Big Thicket. James Wade is the Western’s heir apparent to Cormac McCarthy.” Johnny D. Boggs, ten-time Spur Award winner

“Wade delivers a rewarding tale of a boy’s quest to find his father…reminiscent of Davis Grubb’s classic Southern gothic The Night of the Hunter, with its stark evocation of good versus evil. This odyssey of the West is tough to shake.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Mythic and sweeping yet intimate and humble, in Narrow the Road James Wade summons a storm of words and emotions and masters it like a prophet in the eye of his own hurricane. One of America’s greatest storytellers, he has delivered yet another memorable masterpiece.” Rudy Ruiz, author of The Border Between Us

“A compelling plot with richly drawn characters. Narrow the Road is an absolutely wonderful story!”  Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author

Awards

• Garden & Gun magazine pick
• Texas Highways Magazine Pick
• Spur Award Finalist