Crows on a High Wire is a fine example of the range of storytelling abilities of Paul John Hausleben. The author weaves a magical story of a fictional public house while the business evolves over many years. By using the publican's first person narrative of relating of the background of the infancy of the establishment, to the adventures over the many years, and by telling of the amazing cast of characters that pass through the pub, the reader feels as if they too, are in the pub sipping drinks and sharing in the experiences. The crows (patrons) sit upon the high wire of life (bar stools) in the downtown Bloomfield, New Jersey, Crows on a High Wire Public House. There, they drink, eat, chatter, pass the time and enjoy life all within a haven of an escape from the weary world. Bartender and publican, Xavier "Gilly" Gilford records it all over the next thirty years. He records the love, the pain, the joy and the sadness. The storytelling power of the novel will magically transport the reader to one of the pub's barstools to witness the journey of the many lives and to learn how each of us, as we pass through our own lives, manages to touch, love, and influence others in so many ways. This is an unforgettable novel that the author sprinkles with humor, with touches of sadness, and elements of joy, and it is a novel that will leave the reader immersed in laughter and in tears, but one thing is for sure, it will never leave the reader's mind.