Sam Hell is inspiring and aglow with the promise of redemption

According to Booklist, Robert Dugoni, bestselling author of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, is a coming-of-age narrative that "nestles in close to the border, if it doesn't cross entirely over into John Irving territory." Sam Hill had a unique perspective on the world at all times. His classmates nicknamed him "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" because of his crimson pupils at birth; his mother referred to his ocular albinism as "God's will." Her comments offered little consolation, but Sam persisted because of his father's practical knowledge, his mother's fervent faith, and his two other oddball pals. Sam thought that Ernie Cantwell, the only other African American student in his class, was sent by God to be the companion he much needed. And that Sam's whole worldview of boys and girls was turned upside down when Mickie Kennedy stormed into Our Lady of Mercy like a cyclone, all because it was God's plan. Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer confident that anything was intentional forty years later—especially not the catastrophe that made him leave his friends, his community, and the life he had known all his life. Shutting your eyes and running away from the agony didn't really help. Sam sets off on an adventure that will take him halfway across the globe while he reflects on his life. This time, his eyes are wide open, revealing everything that shaped him, scared him, and altered him before he could finally see what really mattered. Winner of the Crimson Scribe Award from Suspense Magazine. Review A Suspense Magazine Crimson Scribe Award Winner A Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, Historical Fiction An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Literature & Fiction Category “This is the bestselling Dugoni’s masterpiece, the book by which his work, and that of others, will be measured for years to come.” —Providence Journal “Dugoni has produced a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border…Told in two separate time lines (Sam as a boy, and Sam as a man) that eventually come together, and written in a gentle, introspective yet dramatic style that is very different from that of Dugoni’s crime fiction, this is an inspirational story of a man who spends a lifetime getting to know himself.” —Booklist “Sam Hell is inspiring and aglow with the promise of redemption.” —Kirkus Reviews “Robert Dugoni has a rare and brilliant talent for infusing his characters with complex emotions. It is very hard not to ache for young Sam…Frankly, this might be the best book of the year.” —Bookreporter “Distinctly different in style from Dugoni’s typical fare, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, is a captivating and poignant journey of strength and the power of finding your true self. Without a doubt, this is Dugoni’s best yet.” —Suspense Magazine “Dugoni’s writing is compellingly quick, simple, and evocative; readers will immediately empathize with young Sam and will race to discover how his story ends. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell is a heartwarming novel that celebrates overcoming the unfairnesses of life.” —Seattle Book Review Past Praise for Robert Dugoni: “Dugoni is a superb storyteller…” —Boston Globe “Dugoni has a gift for creating compelling characters and mysteries that seem straightforward, but his stories, like an onion, have many hidden layers.” —Associated Press