Life and Life Only is the debut novel by Dave Moyer. In this book, the main character, Dan Mason, grows up in the Chicago suburb of Barrington and is drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers, but instead attends the University of Georgia, where he hopes to further develop his skills and get drafted in a higher round for more money. While at Georgia, he meets the love of his life, southern belle, Anna Jean Simpson.

A successful summer in the Cape Cod League following his sophomore year at Georgia, leads young Dan to believe that he is on the cusp of achieving both of his lifelong dreams--pitching in the major leagues, and conquering the affections of a beautiful woman. However, as Dan's dreams mercilessly unravel and his life quickly turns from seemingly idyllic to utter chaos, he must make sense of the world around him, his place in it, the troubled relationships with the women in his life, and find the inner strength to keep moving forward.

Dan was born in 1974, the year that Bob Dylan reunited with the band for the fabled Tour '74. His father, Don, was at the opening Chicago concert. Born into the Watergate era, the music of Bob Dylan becomes the background against which the story takes place and accentuates the societal conditions that today's generation has faced.

Throughout the story, Dylan's endless touring is the allegory for the need to continue to move forward with one's life despite its ups and downs and the turmoil that exists around them.

In the book, Moyer takes on complex issues, including mother-son relationships, political corruption, unethical financial instututions, foreign policy, the Catholic Church, rampant sex, an irresponsible media, and obsession with warped pop culture. As Dan is ravaged by fate, he continues to get back up, and Moyer manages to leave the reader with a vision of hope at the end of the story.

All told in a sparse 188 pages, this brisk jaunt through time takes on the myth of the American Dream, and is a perfect summer read and ideal for any baseball or music fan. The book is a wonderful first effort, and has received positive reviews, most notably from Joseph's Reviews (see "Tangled Up in Blue"), and the Midwest Book Review, which gave it a 5/5.

The book is available through amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or other major bookstores or online outlets.