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The Driving Lesson

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Arrives Wednesday, Aug 27
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Format: Kindle


Description

Charlie Dunbar had big plans for the summer break, but becoming a fugitive was nowhere on the list. Even more unexpected, his partner in crime is his own ailing grandfather. Now they're on the run, trying to make it across the country to see a special kind of doctor, while the world becomes mesmerized by their journey. They are the subject of heated debates on cable news channels. Thousands of people voice their support on Facebook fan pages. And Charlie's own parents appear on live TV to plead for him to come home safely. But Charlie isn't ready yet. He's determined to get his grandfather to Seattle. The only question is, will the police stop them first? Recommended for age 13 to adult. REVIEWS FOR THE DRIVING LESSON: “Critics have compared Central Texan Ben Rehder to Carl Hiaasen for his darkly comic series of mysteries set in Blanco County. Now Rehder is following in Hiaasen’s footsteps once more by penning a young-adult title: The Driving Lesson. The story follows Charlie Dunbar, on a road trip-cum-getaway with his cancer-stricken grandfather. Charlie wants to get his beloved Opa to Seattle to see a specialist, but there’s just one problem: They have to elude the police. Rehder infuses Lesson with his trademark dry wit, yet there’s a sweetness at the heart of this road caper.” —Austin American-Statesman “The Driving Lesson is Rehder’s first young adult novel, but hopefully not his last. Rehder is best known for his comic crime novel series set in Blanco in the Hill Country and featuring a game warden as the lead character. That series could be coming to TV — stay tuned.” —Abilene Reporter-News Read more


Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2012


Language ‏ : ‎ English


File size ‏ : ‎ 401 KB


Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited


Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled


Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported


Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled


X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled


Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Love this book!!!
After I started reading I realized I had already read this story once but worth a second read. An emotional story about a boy and his Opa (grandfather) taking a final trip together. Decisions to be made. Everyone has an opinion but when it is your final decision Ops will make his own.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 30, 2023 by sue b
    • Ben Rehder Hits a Home Run with The Driving Lesson
Fourteen-year-old Charlie Dunbar adores his grandfather, Opa, and the feeling is mutual. When classes are dismissed on the last day of school for summer vacation, Charlie is surprised to find Opa outside waiting for him. The old man wants Charlie to drive him to a doctor's appointment. After expressing his reluctance because he didn't have his learner's permit yet, Charlie finally agrees to drive him. Before he realizes it, Opa has directed him to the interstate. With each mile travelled, Charlie becomes a little bit more nervous. Finally, after an eighteen wheeler rumbles up beside Opa's car, Charlie asks how much further to the doctor's office. That's when Opa tells him that they were headed for Seattle. Just a few days earlier, Charlie had overheard his parents talking about Opa. They mentioned hospice, an unfamiliar word to him. During a driving lesson with his father the following day, Charlie learns that Opa is terminally ill with cancer. Charlie knows instinctively that the doctor's appointment in Seattle has something to do with Opa's condition. By the time Charlie and Opa reach Lubbock, Charlie is feeling comfortable behind the wheel. His mom has been leaving numerous, frantic voicemail messages on his phone, but Opa isn't particularly concerned. When they get to Amarillo, Opa asks Charlie to stop at a motel. Once inside, Charlie confronts his grandfather and demands to know what is going on. Opa explains his choices in facing terminal cancer: do nothing, follow the doctor's treatment plan, or take control of the situation and deal with his impending death on his own terms. "All I wanted to do was spend some time with my favorite person in the world. That's you," Opa tells him. "The truth is sometimes none of your choices in life are good. Sometimes you're faced with a terrible problem, and the only thing you can do is pick the least objectionable solution. Sucks, Huh? Believe me, I wish I had a fourth option, or ten more options, but I don't." Before they leave Amarillo, Charlie and Opa visit Cadillac Ranch, a sprawling auto museum/junk yard for deceased cars. In Tucumcari, New Mexico, they stop at a local café for a bite of lunch and when Charlie glances at the television he does a double-take. "It was so totally unexpected, like when you suddenly catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror, except you didn't know there was a mirror there. . .that's what was happening now, because there, on the TV screen, was a photo of me in my football uniform." By the time Opa and Charlie get to the west coast, they've ditched their credit cards and cell phones, disguised their appearances, visited the Grand Canyon, driven through the breathtakingly beautiful Kaibab National Forest, and had their car burgled. They have observed their own faces in every corner they've traversed--television news in motel rooms, cafes, and restaurants and splashed across newspapers at every convenience store. Ben Rehder's new young adult novella, "The Driving Lesson," chronicles the cross-country journey of a young man and his grandfather. Like Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley," it's the road trip and the companion that elevate the story. While Rehder is best known for his Blanco County mystery series, "The Driving Lesson" shows his depth and breadth as a writer. He skillfully and with great sensitivity weaves a difficult subject--mortality and loss--into a heartwarming, poignant story filled with humor, hope, and love. This is a story that will have you shedding tears and cracking smiles at the same time. Although it is marketed as a young adult novel, "The Driving Lesson" is a compelling read that adults will also enjoy. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 4, 2013 by Anita Belles Porterfield
    • A difficult subject handled gracefully
In the past few years watching loved ones die from diseases that weren’t curable I have decided that people have a right to die with dignity. This book, graciously and thankfully, addresses that head one with a well written story. Even though it’s intended for readers younger than myself, I found it reassuring. I also agree that there are two opinions on this subject but as someone with more of life in the rear view mirror than the windshield, I’m thankful Ben Rehder wrote this including the humorist and reality portions. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 22, 2022 by Kip
    • Beautifully and knowledgeably written.
Excellent book. It's about a good-kid teenager whose terminally ill grandfather whisks him away on a road trip he'll never forget. This book paints a very real picture of a dying man; it's not depressing or bitter, and there's certainly none of the melodramatic "racked with pain", "clutching his chest", or other cheap, uninformed cliches. Instead you've got a man who's lived life to its fullest, being steadfast and yet honest in spite of what he's going through. All he wants is to hang on to some semblance of control over his own life. He's got all the physical characteristics of a cancer patient too, things a lesser writer would either have missed or overemphasized: suddenly craving food he never eats; "good days" and "bad days" in spite of pain; full of energy that his body can't quite keep up with; struggling with normal functions. From my own experience, I truly felt that the author fully understood where Henry was coming from. Along the way, Charlie's getting more than driving practice. He's learning life lessons, none of which come in the form of lectures. Rather, he's experiencing life through his grandfather's eyes, and it's awe-inspiring. There are a few moral issues involved here, which Rehder has drawn with a loving and respectful hand. While I can't condone in good conscience the idea of assisted suicide, I could still appreciate Henry's reasons for it, and I never felt like my own values were being attacked. There are no cliched characters; every person in the story is heartfelt enough to be respected, and flawed enough to be real. There are no editing issues, which was a welcome change from other ebooks in this price range. It's relatively short, but not starved for content; honestly, if it were longer, we might lose the point of the story. Brilliantly done, Mr. Rehder. I look forward to reading more of your work. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 10, 2013 by Aurie
    • Well written and emotional story!
On fourteen-year-old Charlie Dunbar’s last day of school before the summer break, his grandfather, Opa, met him at the school gate. Charlie couldn’t work out why Opa was there, but he put his pushbike into the back of Opa’s car and joined him on a long, unexpected and completely eye-opening and emotional journey. As they travelled across the country, Opa explained to Charlie that he was heading to his doctor; the only thing was, that doctor was in Seattle. The journey attracted the attention of the media; Charlie’s parents were worried and wanted him home - as they travelled and visited famous tourist spots, including the Grand Canyon, Charlie and Opa talked while sharing the driving. But would they make it? The police had to be aware of what they were driving – probably had a way of working out where they were… The Driving Lesson is my second by Ben Rehder and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Told in Charlie’s voice, the young man who would do something for the grandfather he loved, something that meant the world to the old man – it’s a well written, emotional story. Highly recommended. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 16, 2019 by Brenda Telford

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