Description Details
There is no good war. All war is hideous. munir is a novel about Baghdad under Occupation. It is a story detailing the tragic intersection of intelligence personnel, militants, and Iraqi millennials....

Excerpt Details
“Ah!” Majid exclaimed, realizing where they were. Spying their favorite nook in the city, Majid approached the cozy concrete to kick back. Munir had noticed this quotidian wonder many years ago when he was working part-time as a delivery boy. One ‘precision’ strike in 1991, courtesy of a 35-year-old B-52 bomber, had taken out a homeless shelter. The blast had also carved the ideal reading nook out of an adjacent wall. The shelter was eventually rebuilt, but the wall remained damaged and crumbling....

Description Details
This novel is based on the plot that describes the life of a young lady having worked as Assistant Professor at the University level. These days, she is engaged by a Trust, interested in promoting `mental illumination through peace of mind and self-confidence. She is going places to deliver lectures, keep in mind the aims of the organization as well as the composition of the audiences. In fact, since her infancy she is on the move from one part of India to another, even having no idea of the identity of the couple who parented her. Having been reared up by a domestic maid, she was obliged to inherit this type of job to earn for her livelihood. The onset of puberty in the proximity of unrelated men was to be withstood with caution and care for her chastity. These tours of lecturing around, once make her find a known lady in her audience in Delhi. This incident opens her the way to meet many people in this big city and take her to the person who fathered her. Here, she also gets the truthful information about her mother. ...

Excerpt Details
Dear Madhu Ji, On my way back home I recapitulated, as my routine exercise, the discussions at the Coffee House. Can you recall the reaction of Mr Malik to Lal's outburst against the final outcome of Dhananjay Chakrovarty's legal battle to ward off the Capital punishment pronounced on him for rape and murder of a minor girl, when he himself was just 21 years? ……………..." I suppose Mr. Malik came out with some amusing retort, which made almost the entire group at the table giggle and I could not make out anything but only observe Mr. Malik move towards the toilets. Respected Sir, I clearly heard your `Guruji`, I mean Mr Malik, murmur aloud, “Is there any punishment available to your civilized society to punish an errant woman who voluntarily and actively seduces and commits rape on an innocent, uninitiated and in the prime of his youth?” “Do you mean a rape amongst a Lesbian fraternity?” Mr. Lal Singh speaks out smilingly. Mr. Malik simply hung his head down and spoke in his normal pitch, “I mean, on a companion belonging to the opposite sex.” Having uttered these words Guruji peacefully got up and moved in a gentle pace towards pu...

Description Details
A literary novel that touches on drug addiction, domestic violence and coming of age.

Description Details
Post-Gaddis, close third-person tragicomedy; linear storytelling, mise-en-scene not overexpansive.

Description Details
Having lost her mother, and virtually rendered `orphan`, in the absence of `father`, a little girl Named Bhoomika, by dint of sheer circumstances, happens to reach a virgin teacher. Here, the `blessed opportunity for education` awaits her, as she is inspired and guided by this benevolent lady towards higher education. Once, she was offered a part-time job of `a reader for a blind class-fellow` of hers at Khadi Degree College, Guhahati: and she gladly accepted it. Of course, some nascent opportunities came to her, even in Delhi, when she was staying in a Working Women’s Hostel, while doing some odd jobs to support self, economically. But the travails of life also came her way; and she coped up with every sort of situation, by way of `fine-tuning` the responses from her brain and heart, every time, with an objective to attaining a quality decision from within. Having once been requested by very senior colleague to stay with one spinster Professor, during her illness, she served the lady so dutifully that the Professor persistently requested her to live with her till the young girl is married off. Having attained some extraordinary ...

Excerpt Details
"In fact, I had never spoken to her even a single word, though she continued to send me signals for initiating a dialogue with her. I had to go to fetch my daily quota of water from the water-tap, provided at the back of her tenement, for all the four segments, in the vicinity. Almost every time, we had to place our buckets or utensils, in a queue, while waiting for our turn. Being shy of passing through the front lane, while approaching the water-tap, I preferred to walk along the back of the segment, in our front. God knows, how she could spot me from such a long distance that I had come out of my room, with buckets in my hands. Quite often, I marked her busy in looking towards me with furtive glances, while waiting for her turn, as she would deliberately waste her time, simply to ignore the fact of my arrival there and would thus make room for me to place my buckets before hers.” .......... It pains him to recall his last meeting with that `unfortunate girl`, who was destined to spend a spinster's life and breathe her last, while resting her head at Bihari's knee, who kept caressing her forehead, in the presence of her trusted ...

Description Details
The Analytical Sketches of the biography, titled `Jhalla` (A Silly Lad) is an exposition of the various stages, leaving behind sweet and sometimes sour reminiscences on the mind of the author. This treatise aims to provide the glimpses of the life’s journey already traversed by him for over 8 decades. Here, in this book, he jumps from one stage to another, to provide the reader of his past and the present day life. The scheme of the book is based on segments and their contents. These divisions are enumerated as under: Segment one Since birth till the demise of my mother; Segment Two from the age of 11 to the time of my marriage; Segment Three; from our marriage to the time of our first issue’s marriage; Segment Four Almost to the time we became grandparents; Segment Five From the time I joined legal fraternity as an Advocate and Miscellaneous. However, the reader would be enlightened with the details of the story of the author’s life, in the chronological order on the various topics. (i) Memoirs of Jhalla (A Silly Lad) (ii) Jhalla lands into an entirely new world; (iii) Almost decade-long-struggle for subsistence, in the off...

Description Details
This compilation of 56 fictional stories has been interspersed, with a view to categorize these independent theme-based entertaining bits of literature, created by the author for that type of readers who do not like lengthy novels/stories. However, the three sections, namely Micro Stories, Short Stories and Long Tale trifurcating the complete book indicate to the fact that the author kept in mind the immediate availability of the time at the disposal of his valued reader at that hour of the `ever-fleeing` time. It has also been kept in mind that the piquant captians should be worth the substance below thereof. The reader may choose beforehand `the captivating item` from the List of contents provided separately for every category, vis a vis Micro Stories, Short Stories or Long Tales. ...

Excerpt Details
Endowed with the personality that always remains inclined towards the truest secularism, I cannot afford to prefer one religion over the other. Therefore, it is not a difficult task for me to interact with a person of any faith. I cannot skip from my tract of `humanity before religion`. Being a firm believer in the existence of a `Supreme Power`, denoted by a variety of nomenclatures, I can adjust with followers of any mainstream of faiths. Even an atheist or an agnostic would not be treated as hostile at my hands, because I perceive every person as a human being before anything else. Nevertheless, it would be safer to understand me if the person keeps in mind that I am exposed to only those mainstreams of religion as practised in India. The Principles of Life (dear to my heart): (Formed on the basis of The experience derived through interaction since the childhood, with my parents, siblings, other kin around, my teachers, friends, schoolmates; later on with my pupils, my colleagues, friends, neighbours, co-travellers in a public transport, my clients and my colleagues at Bar and last but not the least my friends at coffee house...

Description Details
Tania's grandma has planned a surprise for her on Saturday afternoon. Tania is excited about it. But then her best friend invites her to a movie she really wants to see. And that is on Saturday too. Poor Tania does not want to hurt grandma's feelings but she does so want to go for the movie with her friend. What will she do now? Read on and find out. Suitable to be read to children of ages 3 to 7....

Description Details
These are short stories, written with minimal editing to preserve the visceral structure; Most of the stories are composed to be read and experienced in the way that dreams might present themselves....

Description Details
Armed with little more than a sardonic sense of humour and a 9mm Browning, Florida news reporter turned private eye Rex Fowler and on-again off-again love interest police officer Lara Travis set off in search of dead conmen, crooked cops and buried treasure....

Description Details
Five year old Gabe runs away from home. While in the forest he meets Lep and Elita and climbs a rainbow. On Top of the Rainbow he must make the decision to cross over to a land of delight or go back to his family that he loves. Come and visit with Gabe, Lep and Elita as they discover the importance of family love....

Description Details
This book is about a cow that is a spy and has to save the world.

Description Details
Why does the fox only come out at night? Is he a sly thief? Or just a misunderstood little creature? This is a magic story that involves the birth of a lakemaid, a lonely fox and a blind owl that can see more than most of us. A short fable with a fairytale attitude and some social critisism. For kids and mostly for people who never grew up....

Excerpt Details
The word of one deer was worth more than thousands of truths. Only because ist antlers were so impressive?

Description Details
Synopsis Madhu and his mistress Mala were poisoned and Pravar, Mala’s brother, implicates Madhu’s wife Radha in the double murder. Radha seeks Dhruva’s help even as Kavya, rescued by him, takes to her kidnapper Pravar. The series of death by poisoning that follow puzzle Dhruva no end....

Excerpt Details
That June evening, the crimson sun gave in to the dark monsoon clouds to let them end its long summer reign over the Deccan skies. What with the thickening clouds thundering in triumph, Dhruva woke up from his siesta, and by the time he moved into the portico of his palatial bungalow at 9, Castle Hills, the skies had opened up to shower its sprawling lawns. It was as if the eagerness of the rainfall matched the longing of the parched soil to receive its fertile mate in an aroma of embrace, and in the ensuing echoes of that seasonal union, the roots of the garden plants devoured every raindrop, that is, even as their leaves shed the overburden to accommodate the new arrivals....

Table of Contents Details
Agenda for Revenge 1. Prey on the Prowl 2. Shakeel’s Fixation 3. Ranjit’s Predicament 4. Rags to Riches 5. Dhruva’s Dilemma 6. The Gatecrasher 7. Operation Checkmate 8. Foul on Pravar 9. Stockholm Syndrome 10. An Aborted Affair 11. Psyche of Revenge 12. Victim of Trust 13. Backyard of Life 14. Cuckoo’s Nest 15. ‘Untried’ Crime 16. Kavya’s Quagmire 17. Murders to Mislead 18. The Other Woman 19. Shakeel’s Demise 20. A Perfect Murder 21. Deaths in Spandan 22. Arraigned in Remand 23. Depressing Discovery 24. The Red Herring 25. Wages of Abuse 26. Decoding the Crime 27. A Poignant End ...

Description Details
Two 21st century men travel through time and alternate universes recovering UFO debris from the 1947 Roswell crash.

Excerpt Details
The air pulled out of his lungs, a moment of breathlessness and it is over. The lyrics to a Pink Floyd song fill his head. “home, home again” "Home.." AM Lincoln said as he steps through the wormhole, older but not aged, his gray-green eyes betray his youth. A sense of weightlessness fills his body every time he rips. The cube glows a florescent green. The journey although less than 5 seconds is 13 years across 1 universe. He looks at the familiar beige wall that stands before him. Water dripping into one of the many drains that kept the labyrinth from flooding and the hum of traffic above ground were the last things he heard when left and were still here to welcome him back. Quake, his cousin, would be waiting in the safe-room. The entry back to his present time left him feeling airy, almost light on his feet as it always did. The sensation you might feel after a long flight on a airplane, AM didn't feel queasy, not a bit, just a little off. Although not the first rip back in time, this rip had given him the years that would never show on him. He put the Q pad back in his backpack. Quake and AM purchased a half dozen 2...

Table of Contents Details
Table of Contents Chapter 1:2002 Chapter 2:2010 Chapter 3:2011 Chapter 4:1829 Chapter 5:1993 Chapter 6:1992 Chapter 7:1993 Chapter 8:1992 Chapter 9:1993-2011 ...

Description Details
Story of an orphanage for girls, their miserable life under a warden. Finally the Church realize their folly and appoints a new warden, who is young and energetic. The reforms he made changed the atmosphere so drastically that the countenance of the inmates changes. The Church is happy with him, but then the new warden has his share of problems and the priest helps him solve it....

Excerpt Details
Sir, it is Jisy’s turn tonight. I came because she’s not well.’ ‘Turn?’ She nodded. ‘Turn for what?’ ‘Today is Tuesday, and it is her turn to come to you, Sir. The old Warden Sir had made it like that. Tuesday it is Jisy, Thursday me, Saturday Deepa and if in between he wants somebody he will tell it. ‘What for?’ The moment it was blurted out he understood the absurdity of his question. In a moment a lot of things rushed into his mind, like standing in front of a bursting dam and being swept away with the torrent. He was tired. He was thinking of the hapless animals that are forced to go to the animal king one a day as his prey. Today is the turn of this fawn, or she is substituting for a fellow being....

Description Details
Rough Justice is both a thriller and love story in which two young men in subtropical Australia discover that love is about more than sex. In his new school, Robert has trouble conforming to the expectations of his peers and is severely provoked by a fellow student; an acolyte of the fundamentalist Headmaster whose dogmatic Old Testament beliefs have led him to the brink of insanity. Relationships, morality, values, courage, friendship and what it takes to be a ‘man’, are but some of the themes explored in this gripping tale. When he falls in love, Robert's life falls into place - until attempts on both young men’s lives force them to take extreme measures, the consequences of which pose an ethical dilemma that could destroy their new found happiness. ...

Excerpt Details
With brain and conversation on autopilot, Robert didn’t realise until Aaron thumped him on the shoulder, thrust a bit of paper into his hand and said, ‘That’ll be extra-shagabodacious, Rob me boy! Phone number’s there in case you come adrift,’ that he’d accepted an invitation to a party. Blood drained. Fingers froze. What the hell to do? The last thing he wanted was to go to a bloody party! Shit! Shit! Shit! He’d have to think of an excuse. A shadow made him look up. ‘I’m glad you’re going, Robert. Aaron’s parties can get a bit frantic.’ What the hell’s her name? He smiled vaguely at the thin, wide-eyed girl who asked lots of questions in class. Oh yeah, Maria. No, Marcia. What’s she on about? She hardly knows me. I could be a frigging rapist. ‘Why’re you going then?’ he asked lazily. ‘I heard you say you were going.’ ‘You’re joking!’ ‘How’d you guess?’ Marcia gave a tinkling laugh, tossed her curly black hair and joined a gaggle of girls at the jukebox. Cold sweat trickled underarm. What’s the matter with me? Why don’t I want to go to the party? Because you’re a fuckwit. Get out and have a good time like everyone else! But yo...

Table of Contents Details
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-four Chapter Twenty-five Chapter Twenty-six Chapter Twenty-seven Chapter Twenty-eight ...

Description Details
Sebastian is an intelligent look at alternative ways to live and love, presented as a thriller about the most horrific of the twenty-first century’s most lucrative human enterprises. If you're open to difference and enjoy a fast-paced thriller, then read and enjoy. ...

Excerpt Details
During dinner Sebastian’s solitary life was laid bare. Speaking distractedly as if he were talking about someone else, he told about his irritable mother of whom he was so ashamed, never inviting anyone home, his rebellious nudity and sexually promiscuous behaviour that had been encouraged by his mother, who made a healthy profit from exploiting it. When questioned, he swore he had no idea where the money came from to buy the house or to sustain their life style, especially as Desolé was only the part time manager of a small employment agency. Rex and Fee remained sympathetically silent, letting Sebastian choose his own pace to speak about Jack and the ‘guests’, the private hospital where they recovered and Sebastian’s health was tested monthly, and to wonder why, despite becoming friends, none of the young men had contacted him after leaving. Finally they learned about Guapo’s escape, Desolé’s pretence that he was with Mr. Farzdbuk, and the discovery of the porno magazines and internet videos fed by hidden cameras. ‘If I hadn’t met Reginald at high school, and Mr. Noall hadn’t been so understanding, I’d be dead by now. I was a w...

Table of Contents Details
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen...

Description Details
Dancing Bare is the amusing and unconventional memoir of an impossibly innocent young man who swaps the suffocating confines of middle-class New Zealand for love and liberation in nineteen-sixties London and Europe. Revelling in the freedom conferred by anonymity, Rigby becomes an actor, stripper, rent boy, lover, teacher and dedicated traveller through Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, where travellers were uncommon and countries still retained many of the differences that made travel so interesting. Rigby meets with a wide variety of people, life styles and customs, eventually settling in Paris where the state did not consider his sexuality to be a criminal offence. A moving, light-hearted and entertaining story of hope and love, sex and sexuality, theatrical showmanship and artless innocence, laced with a little philosophical speculation as he wanders the world in pursuit of true love. ...

Excerpt Details
Conceit, ignorance and optimism are the main ingredients of youth. Without a fair dollop of all three I'd never have dared turn up in the largest city on earth, the centre of the English-speaking theatrical world, expecting to land a job as an actor. I was nervous, of course, but that added spice. An existence devoid of unease would be pretty dull. Even hunger triggers exhilaration. Ignorance – some would say stupidity – sometimes propelled me into situations that later, in the light of calm reason, brought blushes and self-recrimination at my crassness. I can only blame the opiate of anonymity. Failure I can cope with – but not if there’s a witness! No one I cared about was around to witness any rebuff, so I dared. London commerce had shaken off the vicissitudes of war with a vengeance. Shops overflowing with goodies, food plentiful and varied, restaurants of every persuasion opening their doors to an increasingly adventurous public; theatres full, film studios on a roll, television had taken off, and best of all, war had exposed religious dogma to rational scrutiny. A god that allowed such a bloodbath was not a god to be f...

Table of Contents Details
Chapter 1.......... In the Beginning Chapter 2..........When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear Chapter 3...........Escape Chapter 4..........Shelter, Fashion, Food Chapter 5..........When Ignorance is Bliss Chapter 6..........Jewels Chapter 7..........Performance Chapter 8..........Farce Chapter 9..........Work & play Chapter 10..........Dance and sex and… Chapter 11..........Interviews and work Chapter 12..........Saturday to Tuesday Chapter 13..........Tuesday to Friday night Chapter 14..........Assistant Stage Manager Chapter 15..........Cruising Chapter 16..........Riviera Chapter 17..........Playing in the Parks Chapter 18..........On Tour Chapter 19..........Touring On Chapter 20..........A Winter Tale Chapter 21..........Orgy Chapter 22..........Time Out Chapter 23..........Friendship Chapter 24..........Rootless Chapter 25..........Muddling on Chapter 26..........The Grand Tour Chapter 27..........Even Grander Touring Chapter 28...........Edinburgh Chapter 29..........Of lust and learning Chapter 30.......... Shop assistant and Teacher Chapter 31..........Eureka! Chapter 32.............

Description Details
‘Time To Think’ is a collection of eight short tales about how to cope with such things as unwelcome evangelists, visitors, praise, sexual attention, living in a nursing home, relations, genetic modification and sexual urges....

Excerpt Details
Spreading the Word Sebastian gazed unseeing from the verandah into the sun filled garden. As usual a zillion thoughts jostled aside all attempts to attain a state of Zen-like relaxation. With an impatient sigh he sat up, dusted a few crumbs from the divan, rearranged the pillows then lay back with his hands at his side. Yogic breathing—that would do the trick. He managed to hold his mind still for at least three seconds before a large spider constructing an intricate web among the rafters caught his attention. He was already on his feet to get a broom when he remembered, and slumped back. ‘Your tendons will never repair if you're always on the go,’ the slim young doctor had snapped only an hour before. ‘Why can’t you just lie back and relax?’ ‘Because it’s not my nature,’ Sebastian had answered with a fetching sigh. ‘Perhaps if you were to massage me...?’ ‘And risk Reginald’s wrath? Not bloody likely.’ ‘Wouldn’t it be worth a broken arm?’ Sebastian grinned. ‘Not even you are worth that, Sebastian. Shut up and let the sounds of nature lull you to somnolence.’ But Sebastian couldn’t. Time plodded. He began to fidget. Struggled to...

Table of Contents Details
•‘Spreading the Word’ • ‘Time to Think’ • ‘Free Will’ •‘A Misunderstanding’ •‘Useless Things’ • ‘I Arrived a Week Early’ • ‘Poisoned Chalice’ •‘Mens Sana in Corpore Sano’ ...

Description Details
‘Jarek’ takes a tongue in cheek swipe at the extreme elements of 'women’s liberation', while offering a serious alternative to the way we currently teach our children. ...

Excerpt Details
Chapter 1. Zeno Skinny-dipping with Raylene’s friends was not Zeno’s idea of a fun night out. He’d only agreed because he wanted to seem tough, and hoped if he felt her up in the water and fucked her afterwards her mates would stop spreading rumours he was queer. The cars screeched to a halt at the boat ramp. Everyone piled out and headed for the small beach until Bob’s girlfriend reckoned there’d be eels and leeches in the river, so she refused to go down. Then the others also chickened out, saying it was too dark, probably dangerous and a stupid idea. ‘Fuck you lot are wimps’, Raylene yelled, grabbing Zeno’s hand and dragging him down to the strip of sand. A half-moon provided enough light to see, and it was hot and humid so Zeno kicked off his sandals, dropped his shorts, jocks and shirt on a rock and ran into the water, calling to Raylene to follow. The river was wide and deep at that point with little current, so he swam upstream a few metres then drifted back expecting to meet her in the water, but the beach was empty. She’d wimped out like the others; all talk and no action. Not too many brains either. He waded out ...

Table of Contents Details
Chapter 1 Zeno Chapter 2 Stephen Chapter 3 Jarek Chapter 4 Bindi, Irma, Belle & Ari Chapter 5 Adele is Taught a Lesson Chapter 6 Marriage Chapter 7 Bindi & Adele Chapter 8 Preparations Chapter 9 Cador Chapter 10 What to Wear? Chapter 11 Eros Chapter 13 Acceptance Chapter 14 Secrets Chapter 15 National Park Chapter 16 Waterfall Chapter 17 Secret Places - Secret Thoughts Chapter 18 Philosophy and Farewells Chapter 19 Feral Chapter 20 Crime and Punishment Chapter 21 Another successful Week Chapter 22 A Proposal Chapter 23 Partners Chapter 24 Chloe Chapter 25 Refuge Chapter 26 Sebastian Chapter 27 Developments Chapter 28 Plans Chapter 29 Abduction Chapter 30 Resolution...

Description Details
Dome of Death is a slightly shocking and occasionally thought provoking romantic thriller about two young men who’d love to be as cool as James Bond in the face of extreme danger, but discover reality is not like fiction. When Max, the director of an Art Gallery in Queensland, falls to his death, Peter, the exhibiting artist who is also Max's ex-lover, unwillingly accepts the widow’s pleas to take over the job. After rescuing a strange young man from a raging sea, Peter’s suspicions about the accident and an investigation into what he thinks is an art swindle, puts him in great danger. He is raped and left for dead, but escapes, only to discover that he and his new friend Jon are wanted for murder. What follows is a hair-raising chase to clear their names. Murder, torture, cyclones, tidal surges, and snuff porn shows are but a few of the complications to be navigated in their search for justice, happiness and love....

Excerpt Details
Chapter One Exposing oneself in public is not for the faint-hearted. En masse and expertly illuminated the paintings gave viewers rather more insight into the private spaces of my mind than I’d bargained for. The fact that the gallery’s patrons were also baring their souls with every critical utterance and every painting bought was scant consolation – especially as no one was buying! After an hour of eavesdropping among the usual crush of wine-sipping social scramblers, I wished I hadn’t. Stepping back, I collided with an elderly, shapeless little woman loosely wrapped in a sari decorated with mirrors. ‘Young man!’ she demanded as though I’d been caught spraying graffiti, ‘Are you the artist?’ How to respond? People who call themselves artists remind me of Napoleon seizing the jewelled cap, crowning himself and living to rue the day. Such accolades are for others to bestow. If, as frequently happens, a painter’s efforts delight no one but himself, then the labour has been little but therapy. Only those whose works impose order on the chaos of existence and reinvigorate flagging spirits by giving the viewer a glimpse of a le...

Table of Contents Details
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six ChapterSeven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-Four...

Description Details
AGAINST THE WAR follows the intertwined lives of four friends, rowing team mates, who graduate from college at the height of the Vietnam War and struggle to make decisions about the war and the military draft. Two become involved in the war, one as a combat pilot and one as a medic. The other two of the four friends, in trying to avoid the war, become involved in the “war on poverty,” the anti-war movement, and the counterculture that arises from the anti-war movement. In the course of the four and a half years covered in the novel, the four men also meet and court the women who become their eventual spouses. These women become part of the story as they position themselves with respect to the war and the women's liberation movement. In the course of this, also, the eight young people of the novel find themselves within an ever growing phenomenon involving thousands of American youths like themselves reacting to the same far-reaching dynamics of the counterculture and the war. "Menge's book reminds me of both Theodore Dreiser and John Dos Passos. It's a vast panorama with enormous attention to detail." David Willson, Vietnam War F...

Excerpt Details
234. Morris is relocated from Sam Neua to a Lao village From Sam Neua, the group that included prisoner of war James Morris headed southwest, so far as he could determine from occasional glimpses of the sun through the canopy of leaves above the road on which the caravan was traveling. Then the shield of leaves dropped away briefly and Morris saw that the wagon was moving along on a road about 400 feet above a town with narrow streets and Chinese-style pagoda roofs. Some of the buildings were demolished and others were in flame. “That is Sam Neua, the actual town,” the third passenger informed. “Where was the camp then?” “Place called Xanthon. Just a few miles away.” “The damage here is from bombing?” “Yes, American planes.” “You’re a soldier?” Morris asked. The man was an American, Morris had already decided, based on the easy informality that he had learned set Americans off from other English-speaking people overseas. “No, I’m a clergyman. Catholic priest.” “Is that so?” “Yes. I’ve been working up in the mountains north of Long Thiueu for about five years. My name is Leonard Blair.” “Well, pleased to meet you, Father....

Table of Contents Details
PART I: UP AGAINST THE DRAFT 1. Steward brings his 1-A letter to the boat club 2. Brandt and Morris argue about the Vietnam war 3. O’Rourke steps in to bring the crew on task 4. Morris offers Steward a way out of the draft 5. Brandt asks about his dad’s experience in World War Two 6. Brandt struggles to accommodate to Mary Kass’s cultural interests 7. Brandt leaves Mary behind to avoid an audience discussion 8. Mary goes after Matt; they come upon Morris in uniform 9. Brandt rescues Morris in a fight with an antiwar demonstrator 10. Steward gets some heartfelt advice from Barbara Carpenter 11. Steward visits his draft board to ask about his status 12. Steward bores Mary’s sister, Ellen; she winds up with Morris 13. Matt and Mary discuss their relationship and make a commitment 14. VISTA trainee Brandt learns about social problems, meets Dennis Kelly 15. Steward starts Air Force ROTC camp with roommate Orin Brown 16. Steward gives the Air Force camp his sincere best effort 17. Steward “orientates” with Air Force social worker Gary Hansard 18. Brandt arrives at his assigned VISTA worksite in Crabtree, Kentucky 19. B...