“Adam’s Story”
by Jack Weyland
Deseret Book, 227 pages, $14.95

Reviewed by
Michele Ashman Bell

You’d have to make a concerted effort not to like Jack Weyland’s books.  No one in the LDS market can match his ability to throw humor, quirky characters, simple but gripping plot lines, realistic situations, and deep emotions into a bag and pull out novels like this guy can. 

Adam’s Story is the long awaited follow-up novel to “Charly” and “Sam”.  If you aren’t familiar with those books, “Charly” especially, then welcome back to the planet, because outer space is the only place you could have been to miss the book and/or the movie. 

During the seventies, when Brother Weyland wrote a short story fiction piece for the New Era each month, I became a devoted fan.  He always seemed to write about something teens could relate to and laugh about. His writing diffused difficult situations with humor and faith.  I liked that and I appreciated it, as a teen and even now, as an adult with teens of my own.

Those traits translated beautifully into Brother Weyland’s numerous novels, which decorate the shelves of countless fans spanning the globe. 

Classic Weyland

Adam’s Story is, once again, classic Jack Weyland.  Here we have Adam, the son of Charly and Sam, who is on a mission in New Jersey.  As he nears the end of his mission he decides it’s time to track down and meet his grandparents, Charly’s parents.  Through the years he has lost contact with them and the separation between Utah and New Jersey has made it even more difficult to have his grandparents in his life.

Up until now Adam hasn’t felt a great yearning to know his grandparents.  But that has changed and he feels it is vital to his own personal growth that he know more about his mother and his grandparents, and thereby learn more about himself.

Practically dragging his companion with him, since they have to leave their assigned area to go to the grandparent’s home, Adam knocks on the door and waits anxiously to meet these people who are like strangers to him, not knowing what kind of reception to expect.

The grandparents, Claire and Eddie, are shocked at first to see Adam on their doorstep, but warm quickly to their only grandson.  The awkward meeting becomes a joyful reunion and Adam fully realizes that he needs these people in his life and he wants to know everything he can about his mother. 

With the help of the sister missionaries assigned to the area where Claire and Eddie live, Adam and his companion help teach the gospel to his grandparents.  The events in Clair and Eddie’s lives, especially the loss of their daughter, has helped prepare them for the messages the missionaries bring and eventually the grandparents accept the challenge of baptism.  However, due to a misunderstanding with one of the sisters, Adam is transferred far enough away that he isn’t able to attend the baptism.  Still, his joy is full as he realizes the role he played in bringing his grandparents the gospel and he knows his mother had her hand in it, too.

Real Life Challenges

When he returns home, post-mission life adjustment is difficult for Adam.  He is no longer as interested in the family business as he was before his mission.  He also feels a strain in the relationship he has with his step-mom.  She has always been loving and kind to him, treating him as her own son, but he feels the need to do things his own way, not the way she suggests.  This causes a strain in their relationship and the turmoil and unanswered questions inside Adam continues to grow, causing him to do things that aren’t like him at all, one of which is opening himself up to the influence of internet pornography.

Luckily he has the strength and integrity to seek help from his bishop and his father, after he realizes how powerful and evil pornography is.  Adam decides to make some changes in his life, one of which is accepting the offer from his grandfather to come back to New Jersey and live with them and help his grandfather as a fix-it man for some apartment complexes.

To his surprise, when he gets back to New Jersey he meets the sister missionary who caused him so much grief on his mission, Brianna Doneau.  Before her mission she graduated from law school and now that her mission is done, she’s come back to work for a law firm in New Jersey.

Brianna has a steady boyfriend, also an attorney, but Adam and Brianna’s friendship begins to blossom and they enjoy spending time together. 

The relationship grows until Brianna finally has to make a choice between her boyfriend, who’s proposing marriage, and Adam.

Adam’s Story is a simple, yet powerful story of healing, self-discovery and faith.  Brother Weyland’s remarkable talent of weaving humor and insight into his character’s actions keeps the reader constantly engaged in the story.  I loved the secondary characters, who didn’t just fill up space on the page, but actually added to the story, another of Weyland’s strengths.

There were moments that were tender, moments that were “laugh-out-loud” funny and moments that brought great insight and poignancy to gospel principles. 

Overall I would highly recommend this book to mature teens and adults, due to the mature content of the story.  Even if you haven’t read “Charly” or “Sam.”  When you start reading the book have a tissue handy just in case, but most of all reserve plenty of uninterrupted time so you can enjoy and get lost in this wonderful story.