Henry’s Version by Brett Shaprio

Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender

A poetic novel looking back on a life well lived

Brett Shapiro takes readers on a meaningful, touching journey about being human and looking back in Henry’s Version.

As the 70-year-old narrator looks back on his life, readers get to experience it in full—starting with growing up. From worrying about his appearance to his first crush on a boy and to and through his marriage, son, and granddaughter. Henry spares no detail the sometimes quiet, sometimes not moments of his life.

In his adolescence, Henry is an anxious boy, concerned with a wide variety of things: whether or not he was adopted, the way his red hair makes him a target at school, the crush he forms on his only friend Donny. 

He carries his anxiety with him throughout his life. His husband Len can even lovingly point out that he can be a little neurotic at times. In their story, Len and Henry adopt a son and settle into the joys of married life and parenthood. They even attend Henry’s high school reunion, where they see Donny—an interaction every reader will be dying to find out how it will unfold.

Among the best pieces of this book is Henry’s relationship with his granddaughter. The relationship is lively and mysterious. He finds himself wondering whether or not she enjoys his company, especially as he feels he knows nothing about girls, let alone growing teenage ones. I won’t spoil it for you, but I hope the idea of a firecracker teen and her straight-forward grandfather will entice you to see for yourself. It’s heartwarming to say the least.

Shapiro’s detailed, poetic prose carries the reader smoothly from page to page, memory to memory. His writing brings about an important question: What causes us to look back on our lives and focus on the details that we do? Henry’s life is dotted with little memories: fond ones, hard ones, and dull ones alike. 

In one particularly thought-provoking moment, Henry reminisces on his mother’s tapioca. He has suffered a loss, and the tapioca in the hospital makes him think back to his childhood. Sometimes, it’s the minute details in life that stick. Shapiro’s flowing reflection gave me pause to think about my own experiences and what details have shaped me, no matter how small.

Henry’s Version is a timeless story of life and memories, mistakes and reconciliations. It features a familiar inner monologue of worries, triumphs, and wonderings that makes Henry feel human. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the comfort it brings. And I think you will too.

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