"Evelyn in Transit" by David Guterson

 

David Guterson’s 2026 novel Evelyn in Transit is grand example of storytelling in plain, unadorned language. It contains the story of a woman from Indiana who proves you never know a person’s worth until they reach their potential. Educated in a Catholic elementary school, Evelyn, whose character is at base blameless, exhibits mild behavior problems, and is an uninterested pupil. Later on, she shows fearlessness at expressing herself in group therapy sessions for teens, and is a tireless laborer at odd jobs she takes, at restaurants, fruit picking, and helping build a sacred Buddhist peace monument on a mountain in New Mexico.

Alternating chapters deal with Evelyn and with a child Buddhist monk in Tibet, named Tsering Lekpa. Tsering is admitted to a monastery as a young boy and learns his principals well, and matures into an abbot, but accepting all the subservience and notoriety grates on him. He feels unworthy of it and much of his life seems pointless. He accordingly travels to Seattle after meeting a Buddhist professor who teaches at the university there, and goes to work translating manuscripts.  

Evelyn’s and Tsering’s stories entwine when three Buddhist monks arrive at Evelyn’s Evansville home, with the surprising news that they think her son Cliff, roughly six or seven years old, is the sixth reincarnation of a holy monk, called Norbu Rinpoche. Tsering, who had grown old and died, was the fifth. Something about this news stirs Evelyn to travel with her little boy to Nepal.

Guterson’s genius dictates that he portray both characters, particularly Evelyn, in flat, starkly mundane prose, that keeps us nevertheless reading on because of the sympathy we feel for both. He spends most of his energy and resources on Evelyn, and with excellent reason. I’ll leave you the joy of learning the reason on your own. The journey is well worth it.

Guterson’s work is straightforward, but develops a surprising depth and subtlety in its development and resolution. Evelyn inspires a deep loyalty in the reader, and she gets a confirming affirmation by story’s end. Rather than run the risk of giving too much away, I will end by confidently recommending Evelyn in Transit, an accomplished, worthy read by a superb author too little appreciated.