Scratch Beginnings

Starred review from February 27, 2012
Shepard, a business management major from Merrimack College in Massachu­setts, woke up one morning and decided he wanted to be homeless. He would set out with the clothes on his back and a couple of bills in his pocket and try to prove that, without drawing upon his education, it was still possible to become a success in the land of opportunity. Narrator Peter Berkrot delivers a stellar performance, embodying Shepard during each stage of his captivating journey and delivering an intensely intimate performance that is as subtle as it is unabashed and raw. Berkrot’s tone is that of a hardworking man who refuses to be broken down by society no matter what life throws at him. It’s compelling and earnest, hilarious at times, while devastatingly sad at others. Berkrot ably steps into Shepard’s shoes as the author steps into the shoes of the poorest of the poor in America today. A Harper Perennial paperback.