Upfronts:Minister Without Portfolio

By Michael Winter

Henry Hayward is a drowning man. With a soured long-term romance finally at an end, no family, and no refuge to be had in work, his days are progressively spent in the solace of alcohol and his nights with a series of interchangeable partners. In a quest to simultaneously recover from unrequited love and find meaning in what is becoming an increasingly emotionally arid life, Henry attempts to enlist in the army for posting to Afghanistan – and is refused. Undaunted, he applies for a citizen’s observatory post on an arts grant from the government and is accepted. When Henry becomes embedded in the regiment, he doesn’t have time to think about his fixation on Nora or the fragments of his old life – a life he wasn’t really living anyway. But everything changes during a tragic roadside incursion; a routine patrol suddenly turns fatal. And Henry, who survives, knows in his heart that he is responsible. Upon his return home, now tormented by guilt in addition to ennui, Henry begins to feel even more rootless and restless than before until the question of his deceased friend’s summer home arises. Soon Henry finds himself trying to bring meaning back into his life and make posthumous amends by planning to buy and repair his friend’s dilapidated family house. But he hasn’t factored family history into the picture – and his deceased friend’s girlfriend has a revelation of her own, which may change everything.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Mar 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9780143189541

Michael Winter

Michael Winter is the author of many works of fiction, including The Big Why (winner of the Drummer General’s Award and a finalist for the Trillium Book Award) and This All Happened (winner of the Winterset Award and nominated for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize). He lives in Toronto.

Book preview

2477.

ONE

She told him there wasn’t another person. Henry watched her stand up from her kitchen table and push things around on a counter. She peeled up the foam placemats that made that satisfying sound. She was busying herself and of course he was in her house, he was the one who would have to physically leave. For three hours they talked it over and she told him how it was and he fled through the spectrum of emotions and they were both cleansed but she returned to what was not an ultimatum. I’m leaving you now can you please leave.

But I love you, he said.

He was quite proud of how he said it. He did not know he would begin a response with the word but. He hadn’t punched a piece of furniture or raised his voice and now he said this short sentence with mercy and with confidence and honour. It might have been the voice of a messiah, the little messiah that runs each of our lives. The statement was reassuring and he could tell it had some effect. But they were broken and she knew he was a good man but who can push through the hard times of the mundane life any more? The idea of not enough on the line, he could absorb that. But she had dismounted from the horse they were both riding. One of the things she said was she wanted to live a dangerous

Reviews for Upfronts:Minister Without Portfolio

[amandawelling · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an enjoyable, short book but I had some issues getting through it. It had short chapters which was nice, but I honestly think that it could have used more editing. Some of the descriptions of character actions were unnecessary to the plot and it made the book drag, especially in the beginning. It took me far longer than I would have liked to finish the book and that's highly unusual for me. It doesn't help that there is little action to keep readers entertained, but it wasn't a bad book. It's just not going to be everyone's cup of tea.I like how well-developed the characters were. That's the real highlight of this book, in my opinion. They are fully-fleshed out, but not necessarily likable at all times. However, the writing itself is kind of stuffy and that really takes away from the good in this book. Every book has it's market and I'm just not entirely sure this one worked for me. I'm curious to see how other readers react to it as more reviews start to appear. I'm giving it three and a half stars and I feel like that's a little bit generous.

[0315_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Henry is a unique character...Story takes full devotion to get intoo...A lot of tragic relationships on different levels.....I'm more of a happily ever after girl......

[maggieflo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was enjoying this book until about half way through and the story wandered off into the wilderness. It's about three friends from Newfoundland (Henry, John and Tender ) who end up working on a government contract for another friend Rick near Kabul in Afghanistan. Tender (Patrick Morris) is in the militia and is the only one who is qualified to work with weapons. Many rules are stretched and the three friends head out in a military Jeep which is hit by a suicide bomber. Tender is killed and John and Henry are mildly injured. Henry, the narrator, heads home because he feels responsible for his friend's death. Henry is likely suffering from ptsd and decides to live near and in Tenders old aunt's house near Reveres, NFld. The story is filled with odd characters, odd relationships and odd dialogue which I could not always follow. He ends up with Tender's former girlfriend who gives birth to Tenders baby. There are no physical descriptions of any of the characters so I could not visualize their physiques. I can't figure out what the story is about: guilt, atonement, confession, family, revenge... I would not recommend this.

[misses_london · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The protagonist's story in "Minister Without Portfolio" is largely defined by the tragic death of a soldier-friend in Afghanistan, itself the result of an attack he witnessed all the bloody details of and the consequences for which he felt himself partly to blame. Henry, the protagonist, had gone there for work and a change after a painful break-up, not as a soldier and never expecting to come face-to-face with death. Most of the characters in this book have known each other since childhood, and, although we accompany Henry from Canada to Afghanistan and back, most of the story takes place in small, windswept villages along the coast of Newfoundland. After returning home to Canada, we follow Henry as he sets off for work in Alberta, where a work-related accident occurs, which ultimately leads him back to Newfoundland where his journey began. He is inadvertently drawn to the life that his friend in Afghanistan might have returned to had he lived. Henry struggles with this, particularly with the role he believes he played in his friend's death, and he also confronts his own issues, some of which led to the failed relationship from his past. Ultimately this book is about acceptance and healing.The author is exceptional in the details. I could almost smell the sea and feel the sting of Arctic winds. I was impressed by how artful and insightful the dialogue is between characters, as well as the way the author composed Henry's thoughts and perceptions as they occurred, particularly how convincingly it was written. I did find it occasionally difficult to distinguish between spoken dialogue and Henry's awareness, however much I appreciate the stylistic approach. This novel demands some investment, but it is very lyrical and beautifully written. Anyone who appreciates the artistry of elegant prose should enjoy this book.I received this book as an Early Reviewer, but that did not influence my review.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story of belonging, of how our past shapes us. Henry Hayward has no family, has just lost a long-term girlfriend, and feels responsible for the death of his friend, Tender Morris. He is searching for meaning in his life, trying to put down roots and find his "100 people" whom he can be connected with.The writing style is beautifully descriptive of both the Newfoundland geography and culture. And, it contributes to excellent character development as we are able to see Henry's thoughts as they are forming. I enjoyed this book, although I found it hard to relate to Henry. I worry that he has simply assumed Tender's life and has yet to find his own.

[jec27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At first confused by the writing style, by the second page I was very interested in Henry Hayward and his struggle for meaning, all the while unaware that he was simply a good guy doing his best to meet others' needs. Rejected by the woman he believes he loves because his life is too mundane and she wants a dangerous one, he goes off in a ho-hum willingness to accept and face danger himself. His friend is killed and he blames himself, then returns to their homeland to take on responsibilities for the ones left behind. The story rolled along like a drive in the countryside where there is so much to see and enjoy, the reader moving from side to side looking out windows on life and love as time passes unnoticed until arriving safely at destination but just a little too soon.

[knittingmomof3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A deeply moving and compelling story. I would not hesitate to recommend Minister Without Portfolio by David Winter, especially to book discussion groups.

[rentie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Nice quick fast read

[nubian_princesa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

***NetGalley Giveaway***Sadly this is not a favorable review. The book was hard to follow, at times I had no idea who was even speaking. The writing style may work for some but not for me. The story was rather slow and uninteresting. Not a Good read

[lit_chick_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Henry Hayward, a hard-working, hard-playing Newfoundlander, is a drowning man. With his long term romance gone south, no family, and no refuge to be had in work, he seeks solace in alcohol and promiscuity. Eventually, in an attempt to both recover from unrequited love and find meaning in what is becoming a useless, arid life, he travels to Afghanistan as an army-affiliated contractor. There, tragedy strikes when a crew member is killed in a roadside attack, and Henry knows he is responsible. He returns to Newfoundland, desperately seeking to re-establish, or perhaps establish for the first time, a solid footing in life. He must shed his reputation of minister without portfolio: "You're not committed to anything but you got a hand in everywhere." (33)Winter creates, in Minister Without Portfolio, a wonderful sense of place in the small communities of Newfoundland’s south shore. The eclectic assortment of characters who inhabit the shore are as rugged and real as they come. That said, I found the writing style, with its profusion of short, fragmented sentences, somewhat grating; and the story itself is something of a plod. However, it’s genuine Newfoundland, so if that’s your pleasure, by all means.