THE COURAGE OF A BUTTERFLY

A semiautobiographical novel covers one man’s long path to maturity.

Frank presents the story of Jeff Williams. At the outset of the book, the year is 1992, and Jeff, 45, is in the ICU. More about why Jeff is in the hospital is revealed later in the tale. The important thing at this point is that Jeff’s dire circumstances allow him to develop a personal relationship with Death. “Big D,” as Jeff casually refers to him, has much to share. As Jeff tells his story, beginning with his fraught childhood in Utah, Big D chimes in at the end of every chapter with advice to impart. This is usually geared toward taking responsibility for one’s life. Concepts include “You are the creator of your life,” and “There is nothing in your life that didn’t consciously, or unconsciously, require YOU for it to be there.” Whether it is the uncaring atmosphere Jeff experiences in an orphanage or his tumultuous time in the Army, there is extensive material for the protagonist and Big D to examine. Jeff’s tale is a distinct one. He recounts that he was adopted, lived in a number of rugged places (like Fry Canyon, Utah, and New South Wales, Australia), and although drafted into the military during the Vietnam War, he spent a great deal of his service time in South Korea. It is in these unexpected, highly personal details that the book is most engaging. Readers are given an account of issues such as why American soldiers are advised not to marry local South Korean women while serving abroad (though many, including Jeff, do anyway). Later portions are not always as memorable. For instance, Jeff explains complications at different jobs (a bad manager here, pay schedule changes there) that, while relatable, do not as fully capture the imagination the way something like being on red alert near the DMZ does. Yet the conversations with a personification of death lend an intriguing element to the narrative. The author is not simply recollecting through Jeff, he is also analyzing and learning. The opinions expressed ultimately come with a lifetime of experiences to back them up.        

An intimate, engrossing, rough-and-tumble look at what can be gleaned from life.