As Time Goes By by W. Royce Adams

Author W. Royce Adams delivers a unique and intimately drawn reflection on a fictional life well-lived in As Time Goes By.

Recounting his “whale story without the whale,” the protagonist named Old, with wisdom to match his name, invites readers into his philosophy-forward memoir, laced with humor and potential answers to some of the biggest questions we face. From early childhood head injuries and illicit afternoons in barrooms with his grandfather to early missteps in romance, cliff jumping, and the looming clouds of war, it doesn’t take long for readers to forget that they aren’t reading an autobiography, propelled forward by Adams’ engaging narrative voice.

Early on in the book, Old reflects on a horrific lynching he had witnessed eight decades earlier, and the consequent shift in his understanding of society and his place within it. Later, he details his own moment of violence, and the punishment he is forced to undergo. Echoes of history and the present blur in the nostalgic and philosophic eyes of the protagonist, making this book a thematic exploration of America, justice, growing up different, and finding purpose in a world seemingly driven by chaos.

The writing is thought-provoking throughout, but there is a heavy reliance on self-referential questions, and the prose is occasionally dense and redundant, slowing the pace. All told, however, the author’s powers of description are impressive, and Old is a fascinating lead character and storyteller; his eventful life and perspective are engrossing, and despite being a fictional memoir, his continual insight resonates as deeply as real-world experience.