One-Match Fire

Intergenerational novel about fatherhood and place

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.

“One-Match Fire” by Paul Lamb is a novel about three generations of men and a little cabin in the Ozarks, USA. Moving back and forth through time, the book explores the lives of Joe, his son David and grandson Curt. Joe, who became a father later in life, is hero-worshipped by David and the time they spend together at the cabin is treasured between the two of them. However, despite being thoughtful and considerate, David never quite feels like he measures up to his father. When he becomes a father himself to bright and quick-witted Curt, David tries his best to give him the same upbringing he had. However, Curt never idolises his father the way David idolised his own, and as he grows older, so does the distance between them. When Joe dies, and the future of the cabin is uncertain, can David and Curt find a connection?

This is a gentle, unfurling book that examines fatherhood and what it means to be a man. David is a real everyman character; and Lamb shows that someone who isn’t the smartest or the most athletic or the most successful, can nevertheless be a good person and a good father. This book has strong themes of legacy and place, and the cabin is somewhere the men create and share memories, build self-esteem and maintain a sense of family identity. I especially liked the character of Curt, and how his relationship with and respect for David changes and grows over time. I feel like it isn’t often that books can explore masculinity and vulnerability without a backdrop of trauma, and the softness of Lamb’s writing belies the strength beneath.

A subtle and emotional novel that straddles and unites generations.