Pictures of the Shark by Thomas H. McNeely

Pictures of the Shark by Thomas H. McNeely is a book of literary short stories about familial strife in the life of young protagonist Buddy Turner. The book description from the publisher describes it best: “A sudden snowfall in Houston reveals family secrets. A trip to Universal Studios to snap a picture of the shark from Jaws becomes a battle of wills between father and son. A midnight séance and the ghost of Janis Joplin conjure the mysteries of sex. A young boy’s pilgrimage to see Elvis Presley becomes a moment of transformation. A young woman discovers the responsibilities of talent and freedom. Pictures of the Shark, by award-winning Houston writer Thomas H. McNeely, moves from its protagonist Buddy Turner’s surreal world of childhood into the wider arenas of sex, addiction, art, and ambition. Appearing in the country’s finest literary journals, including Ploughshares, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Epoch, and Crazyhorse, shortlisted for the O. Henry Award, Best American Short Stories, and Pushcart Prize collections, the stories in Pictures of the Shark are gems that refract their characters’ complex relationships.”

In Pictures of the Shark, readers experience vignettes from Buddy Turner’s childhood in Texas, several from when he was a young boy spending time with his parents in Houston, and a few during his time in college in Austin. As a boy, you get the sense that Buddy is caught in the middle of his parents’ dysfunctional relationship. His parents need and desire for each other ebbs and flows erratically, and sometimes it feels as if he is set adrift. It’s hard not to feel Buddy’s heartbrokenness, but he is also an astute observer and often says or does things with both parents that are solely for his advantage. As a college student, we see how that familial dysfunction manifests into Buddy’s—now called Turner—alcoholism and abusive relationships. It’s a very sad turn of events for our protagonist whose attempts to self-medicate has disastrous effects for his girlfriends.

The stories “Pictures of the Shark” and “King Elvis” are standouts in this already excellent collection. There is a common refrain when someone reviews a relatively unknown author that states “this author should be read more widely.” But in McNeely’s case, this refrain is astute. McNeely is an astonishingly gifted writer.

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. I would give this book 6 stars if I could, but 5 stars will have to do in a five-star rating system.

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