Next

“Next” is comparable in time and place with John Grisham’s, A Painted House with a writing style like The Thread That Runs So True, Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men.

“Next” provides a reassuring message about the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of kindness. Jim’s mother died. His father left him with people living in a shack next to a ditch. Jim was passed from one place to the next. Most of the places were dangerous, and with few exceptions, the people there had little interest in his presence. The skills and strength he gained along the way would serve him throughout his life. “Next” is richly visual and emotionally compelling.

Hensen March (pseudonym) is a private-practice psychotherapist with a Ph.D. and license in clinical psychology. Grief fueled his desire to write this book. His son was a writer. He began writing “Next” the day he buried him.