The Truth Now

Caplan's The Truth Now is a unique and beautiful portrait of Sid, a traumatized man trying to understand his place within our flawed society.  Sid's perspective on his freedom after nineteen years in prison is sometimes warped, sometimes crystal clear, but always thought provoking as he sets out on his journey and meets an extraordinary cast of outcasts on the way. It's impossible not to root for Sid through all his agonizing efforts to make sense of his past and present.

Caplan's prose is descriptive and succinct. There are many twists and turns in this book that kept me engaged throughout The Truth Now. But most of all, I truly empathized with Sid even in his worst moments when I knew he was capable of the unspeakable. At his darkest, Sid is reminiscent of Bigger Thomas in Native Son, but, his best self reminds me of Odysseus, carrying on despite the low odds of a successful outcome.

I couldn't help but be pulled into this dark, melancholy world that is also strangely laced with light. The beautiful images and descriptive phrases scattered throughout The Truth Now made the decrepit spaces Sid sometimes inhabited shimmer with an otherworldly aspect.

The Truth Now was a captivating read, and I highly recommend it.