On His Own Terms, a novel by Doug Shidell
ISBN:  978-1-935372-17-2
Format: eBook

Delone Taylor didn’t belong. Raised on welfare by a solo mother in small town Wisconsin, he rebelled against the labels, the charity and the assumptions. He didn’t fit in at the University, either, where he carefully shielded his past from friends and strangers alike. He didn’t know if he belonged anywhere- even in the shell he’d built around himself.

The bicycle was his escape. It didn’t judge or ask questions, but he couldn’t ride away from his past, including an ancient past that preceded civilization itself.

When a singular woman from a wealthy family pierces his shell, Delone is forced to confront the one thing he can control; how he navigates an immovable past in a fluid present.

Bikes, glaciers, the Vietnam War, and the Driftless Area of Wisconsin come together in a coming-of-age tale that explores the relationship between forces beyond our control and our reactions to them.

Amazon reviews

November 26, 2020

On His Terms takes us beyond the secret intimacies that make up life into the journey on the land itself. We not only learn about the struggle of Delone’s life, but the range of vibrant and knowledgeable information about the landscape of his journey. Through dialog the author creates vibrant, deeply human characters and the result is an interesting and moving novel.

January 22, 2021

I really enjoyed this book! When I first began it, our main character Delone Taylor is a student in college, but then he leaves college and begin his journey on his bicycle. I can relate with him on so many levels. He has a lot of different interests- cycling, geology, people, but in the past he’s been hurt bad enough that now he lives in a shell of protection. Because of this, some people think he’s unfeeling and a loner, but that’s far from the truth. One of my favorite scenes is when Delone goes to visit his father at the hospital who he has not seen in 17 years. That part is so touching. I hope that’s not a spoiler. At times, I got a bit confused but I’m so glad I read it to the end. Though I’d say the end doesn’t really give us closure, rather the end is the beginning of how Delone will live his life. I highly recommend it.

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