Americans have often been politically divided, never more so than during the Civil War, in which we managed to kill more than 600,000 of each other. But have the divisions over how we recount our history ever been so deep? Following the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the country in 2020, at least four […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/history-bright-and-dark-hillsdale-1776-curriculum-1619-project/
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin was one of my most anticipated releases in 2023. I am a huge fan of his Passage trilogy and was excited to slip into this science fiction fantasy. While quite different from his previous works, Cronin takes us to a utopian world where all is not as it seems. With twists and surprises, I found myself caught up in the Ferryman’s fate.
The Ferryman
by Justin Cronin
Genres: Science Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process–and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming–which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.
Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group–known as “Arrivalists”–who may be fomenting revolution.
Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized–and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia–where the truth isn’t what it seems.
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Cronin takes us to the archipelago of Prospera. Created by the Director, select humans live and are reborn on these islands. They are sheltered from the outside world where natural & man-made disasters have left the world uninhabitable.
Citizens arrive as young adults and are adopted by the citizens of Prospera. They are nurtured and sent off to school. Such was the case with Proctor Bennett. He is now an employee of the Department of Social Contracts. He helps aging citizens retire and board the ferry to be re-birthed. The job is mostly comforting them as they get ready to embark, but occasionally, force is needed.
Proctor lives with his wife Elisa but has been restless lately. He is having dreams and his health monitor is dropping in numbers. When he escorts his own father to the ferry, he says something that sets off a chain of events. The story that unfolds hooked me and never let go. While I had hints about what was happening, Cronin still surprised me.
The tale is told from multiple points of view from the elite in Prospera to the workers who cross over to the island and work for them. Conspiracies, factions, upheaval and power grabs bring suspenseful moments. As cracks appeared their society mirrored more of what we see that is wrong in our current society.
The story puts forth some intriguing questions while pointing out some inherent flaws in society. An addictive, thought-provoking science fiction that you’ll ponder long after you close the book.
The story has a Matrix vibe and I could not set it down. The world-building is lush and complex and the pacing slowly builds until you grip the pages with each discovery and climatic scene.
While this appears to be a standalone and I was left satisfied, I would be curious to know what happens next. Either way, I look forward to more from this author.
Amazon | Audible
n 2010, Justin Cronin’s The Passage was a phenomenon. The unforgettable tale that critics and readers compared to the novels of Cormac McCarthy, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, and Margaret Atwood became a runaway bestseller and enchanted readers around the globe. It spent 3 months on The New York Times bestseller list. It was featured on more than a dozen “Best of the Year” lists, including Time’s “Top 10 Fiction of 2010,” NPR’s “Year’s Most Transporting Books,” and Esquire’s “Best & Brightest of 2010.” It was a #1 Indie Next Selection. It sold in over 40 countries and became a bestseller in many of them. Stephen King called The Passage “enthralling… read this book and the ordinary world disappears.” Now, PEN/Hemingway Award-winner Justin Cronin bring us the conclusion to his epic trilogy with The City of Mirrors. For the last time, Amy—the Girl from Nowhere, who lived a thousand years—will join her friends and face down the demons that threaten the last of humanity. Justin Cronin is also the author of Mary and O’Neil (which won the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Stephen Crane Prize), and The Summer Guest. Other honors for his writing include a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Whiting Writer’s Award. A Distinguished Faculty Fellow at Rice University, he divides his time between Houston, Texas, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/05/the-ferryman-by-justin-cronin.html
A memoir offers a unique perspective on a particular time in one’s life from the author’s point of view. In Where Have I Been All My Life, Lisa Benson shares her personal journey of self-discovery and transformation. The author candidly reflects on her life, admitting to making mistakes, and shares the valuable lessons she learned through therapy. This inspirational book is organized into four sections and thirty-four chapters, each addressing a specific challenge that Benson faced and the decisions she made to create a more fulfilling life. While the book may seem like a lengthy read at 300 pages, the language is clear and accessible, making it a smooth ride for readers. Benson’s experiences are thoughtfully sorted, labeled, and organized into neat units that are easy to follow.
One of the notable aspects of the book is the author’s artful use of flashbacks to provide context and history to the next area to be addressed. As Benson shares her story, she encourages readers to look back and evaluate their own experiences to gain insights and grow. Benson’s memoir serves as a guidebook, offering introspection and evaluation without being prescriptive. She recommends readers, particularly women, free themselves from behavior patterns that proved damaging in her own experience. The author identifies ways in which even seemingly positive habits could prove to be based on or create insecurities and pain.
Where Have I Been All My Life is a cautionary tale that readers can learn from. However, Benson’s journey of self-discovery and transformation offers valuable lessons on how to turn roadblocks into doorways for growth. It’s an informative read that anyone can benefit from.
Pages: 239 | ASIN : B0BKQR4WD3
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/where-have-i-been-all-my-life/
Brainwashed: A True Story of Psychological Domestic Abuse And The PTSD Aftermath, authored by Dr. Kashonia Carnegie, is a literary work that seamlessly blends memoir and psychological analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the aftermath of psychological abuse. Dr. Carnegie’s personal experience as a survivor of psychological abuse, combined with her extensive research in human behavior and neuroscience spanning over forty years, makes this book a compelling read. Through her personal story, Dr. Carnegie sheds light on the often-neglected aspect of domestic abuse – psychological abuse. In addition, she explains the reasons why victims remain in such relationships and how they can safely seek help and break free from the harmful cycle.
The book is a perfect blend of raw human emotions, insightful storytelling, and scientific explanations, making it a must-read for anyone interested in psychology and mental health. The book also delves into the role of childhood conditioning and attachment in shaping our lives. Dr. Carnegie highlights how early childhood experiences can impact an individual’s entire life and how parents and guardians play a crucial role in creating a secure attachment with their children. The book emphasizes the importance of creating emotionally stable children who grow up to appreciate their self-worth and form healthy relationships, thereby breaking the cycle of abuse. Brainwashed raises pertinent questions about societal issues, emphasizing that psychological abuse is a widespread problem that has been happening for centuries. The book underscores the need for awareness and changes in behavior to tackle the issue effectively. The author’s personal experience and insights make the book relatable and engaging, making it a valuable resource for professionals and students in the field of psychology and mental health.
Brainwashed: A True Story of Psychological Domestic Abuse And The PTSD Aftermath is an eye-opening memoir into the world of psychological abuse. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and impactful read that will inspire readers to take action toward creating a kinder and more empathetic society. Dr. Carnegie’s efforts in sharing her story and contributing to the lives of readers and victims worldwide are commendable.
Pages: 476 | ASIN : B0BRQMX3LT
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/brainwashed-2/
Conflict of Intrigues: The Marylebone Intersection, the first book in the Intersection series by ML Yost, introduces readers to Professor Jon Markston, a former member of the British Army intelligence corps who finds himself in an exacting position when a mysterious call signals a decade-old troubled mission. Alongside him is Katherine McKenna, an American publishing executive in London who is also struggling with a kindred dilemma. As the two former intelligencers, now professor and publisher, cross paths, they soon realize their conflicting interests could impact a broader audience than they initially anticipated.
ML Yost has managed to create a lasting impression with Conflict of Intrigues. Set in 2015, Yost has carefully curated fictional characters against the backdrop of real-life events, crafting an impeccable example of historical fiction. The story depicts the role of British intelligence during the war in Iraq, introducing characters as former intelligence officers whose past has made it difficult for them to continue down the same path. Yost has done an excellent job of creating each character’s backstory, adding depth and layers to their personalities. Additionally, the author has added fantastic side characters, such as Harold MacAlister, who gives this action-packed book a comical edge.
This psychological thriller is equally funny and thrilling, with each scene meticulously planned and written in a visually descriptive manner. Despite the unpredictable twists and turns, Yost’s straightforward writing style doesn’t overcomplicate the story. Furthermore, the author has accurately presented the events as they happened in real life, incorporating historical details at the appropriate times.
Conflict of Intrigues is a well-crafted book that stands out for its excellent storytelling, historical accuracy, and well-rounded characters. Yost has expertly blended elements of history, psychological thrillers, and humor, making this an engaging read that leaves readers wanting more.
Pages: 302 | ASIN : B0BN4SBK11
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/conflict-of-intrigues/
Eltanin: Worldmaker of Yand continues the saga of Yanara and her family as they rebuild a life on the new moon. What were some themes that you felt were important to highlight in this story?
In Polaris, the prequel, recovery from the trauma of war, was the prominent theme, and also resilience, courage, and perseverance in rebuilding their lives in a new environment with unknown dangers. In Eltanin, as the family looks forward to a new future with their new baby, that future comes crushing down on them: the enemy assaults their descendants in a far-away galaxy! The main theme becomes the pursuit of durable peace, and the change of paradigm it requires to achieve it.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
My approach is to integrate supernatural powers with the character’s total being. They are not a separate thing that turns on or off. The character behaves a certain way because of who they are in this paradigm. The null between worldmakers (celestial benders) is a natural limit of excessive use of world bending so that Yanara doesn’t inadvertently destroy the universe.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Yes, plenty. I’m a war refugee. Although I didn’t experience space battles with dragons and flying humanoid archers, the emotions, aftermath, and trauma of a violent invasion are not so different. I also had to rebuild my life as a displaced child—like Yanara’s young kids and grandkids. And I still pray for that elusive durable peace.
I hope to see some of these characters in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
I’m so excited about my next book! It is adjacent to the Worldmaker of Yand trilogy and delves into the backstory of what happened on the planet Phe’lak that precipitated the events of Eltanin. I am writing the last chapter right now. The book will be called Queen of Highwings. Non-stop action with the beloved characters of Asimia and Snowfox starring, along with George, Hrysa, and of course, Silvia. Oh, and Alex, the Shibal. I also expanded the K’tul POV to make for hair-raising narration of action scenes through their eyes. You’ll love to hate K’nista and Mn’ianka. Launch in three months, fingers crossed.
Sneak peek.
Author Links: Website | Author Twitter | Book Twitter
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/62298/
Stranger on the Shore follows a grieving man who finds love, intrigue, and danger when he encounters two captivating women with mysterious pasts while navigating a treacherous web of revenge and deceit. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
For me, the beauty of writing is that you can write about any topic that happens to be rolling around in your brain at any point in time. The majority of writing instructors always say you should write about what you know best from your personal experiences. However, for this story I decided to step out of my comfort zone and rely on my imagination and general life experiences.
The one trigger for me was a song from a long time ago entitled “Stranger on the Shore”, a beautiful, somewhat haunting melody that was very popular in the early 1960s by Acker Bilk. Typically, it would cause one to think about a romantic walk along a beautiful shoreline setting. I originally thought about writing a short story, possibly about a brief romantic interlude.
As I was in the early stages of writing about the main male character Chris I decided to go in the opposite direction as I don’t fancy myself a romance author and wanted to go with a mystery. Rather than Chris meeting some beautiful young woman strolling along the Jersey shoreline, I decided to go with an anonymous upscale, youthful, attractive, lifeless figure lying on the garbage-strewn rocky shoreline of the East River in NYC. This would be my Stranger on the Shore and my mystery was born. The problem now was I had no clue at the time where to take the storyline from there. Was she the victim of a lover’s quarrel, a possible rape victim, or the victim of some random attack by a roving gang, etc. There were a lot of possibilities.
This became an iterative process for me. I had no idea in what direction this story would go; over time it just kind of took on a life of its own. I would write a couple of pages and then revisit it the next time I had the urge to write and either expand on what I just wrote, or sometimes, completely trash it and go in a different direction. My best thinking was late at night in bed trying to determine the best course of action that made sense. I had many sleepless nights working out all the twists and overall storyline. It was a real challenge.
Chris and Marisa are intriguing and well-developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As several family and friends have mentioned there is a lot of my personality in Chris, so he was easy to develop as a character. I loved the idea of turning his life upside down with the death of his fiancé at the height of both their careers. It was easy then to take his character and turn him into a potential drunken recluse and then select someone or a trigger that would pull him out of his funk. Enter Arielle, the catalyst who would pull him from the depths of despair to re-energizing his life and at a key turning point in the whole story challenge him to completely change his life.
Marisa was much more of a challenge because her transformation in becoming one of the most charismatic and formidable women of her time is the basis of the book. Manipulating her character by having her at first inhabited with the spirit of the deceased Theresa was something I borrowed from the movie Heaven Can Wait with Warren Beaty and James Mason from the mid-seventies. That was the key, however, for her to meet with Chris, and the start of their relationship and eventual love affair.
Chris continues to challenge her athletic skills and groom her business acumen as he is working to awaken or trick her into awakening her real identity. This is all useful for Marisa as it builds her confidence and awareness that she is somebody special. Moreover, all these activities and travel all over the globe serve as the perfect vehicle to develop this torrid love affair and bond that the two of them were always meant to be together, or as she calls it, divine intervention.
Once Marisa breaks out of her cocoon and transitions into the majestic butterfly that is Ana, she was the most exciting character to write about and the whole story falls into place now, once her background is revealed. Developing the final storyline of her being the “warrior princess” from Colombia was the most fun in writing this story and bringing all the lingering questions to a final resolution in her battle with Baka.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
You can take this story on two levels if you take the time to really think about what you just read. The highest level is a fight of Good versus Evil as Arielle points out to Chris and one Ana eventually realizes in her conversation with Arielle at the end.
The other theme at a more detailed level is we are all on this planet for a very short time and what we do with our lives during this brief time is our decision or part of a bigger plan that has been pre-determined by some higher power or spiritual advocate. There are forks in the road on the journey of life and which road you choose (free will) is up to you or are you being led by some positive force to choose one road over another and all the challenges you will face because of that decision.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have started writing about a serial murder spree during 1968 in the Village of NYC. The focus is on two detectives and the turbulent times of that unique era serve as a very colorful background.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Chris, grieving the loss of his fiancé Theresa, meets the enigmatic Arielle on the beach and agrees to meet her at a party. However, when he arrives at the party, he finds no sign of Arielle, but instead meets Marisa, a waitress who bears an uncanny resemblance to Theresa and even possesses her complete memory. Chris is stunned by the coincidence and wonders if everything is part of some greater plan orchestrated by Arielle.
As the story unfolds, Marisa’s identity is revealed and her destiny to face one of the most notorious cartel leaders in a deadly battle becomes clear. Along the way, Ana and Chris develop a tumultuous love affair, which ultimately leads Chris to fight by Ana’s side as she battles the cartel leader. But the story takes a twist when the mysterious Arielle appears at the most critical moment in the fight, adding another layer of mystery to the tale. Will Chris and Marisa triumph over their foes and find happiness together, or will the forces against them prove too strong? Follow along as Stranger on the Shore unravels these mysteries and more.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/we-are-all-on-this-planet-for-a-very-short-time/
Tyriek White’s debut novel is a triumph; it’s a gorgeous book about loss and survival that gives and gives as it asks us what it means to be part of a family, of a community.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/27/1172399913/book-review-tyriek-white-we-are-a-haunting-debut-novel
While set in Boston’s Southie in 1974, the story is incredibly timely. It’s at once a crime novel, an unflinching look at racism, and a heart-wrenching tale about a mother who has lost everything.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/28/1172426738/book-review-dennis-lehane-small-mercies
Kushner, whose words provided solace to millions of readers about life’s most difficult questions, died on Friday while in hospice care in Canton, Mass.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/29/1172903236/rabbi-harold-kushner-author-of-when-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-dies-at-88