Published by Dreaming Big Publications
About the Book:
A Paper Pauper on the Whistle Perch is a heart-rending sensitive, moving story of fear and danger, pain and struggle, futility and immorality in American democracy, which, like all other democracies throughout history, is destroying itself.
Franklin Jefferson Adams represents the rank and file American - a non-politician who wants all Americans to be able to pursue "the American dream" and to be able to vote in a system in which he is no longer forced to vote for "the lesser of two evils."
Adams is the average American caught in a deteriorating government and society. In his fantasies, which are complete vignettes, he suffers the agonies of almost all social and religious problems in American today.
My Review:
4 ½ stars. One needs to walk into this thinking of this work as a short story or novella, with the type of ending that leaves the reader reflective rather than give a definite end that wraps the whole plot up in a nice little bow. If you don’t, you might come to the end and find yourself disappointed. That being said, where this work lacks in a concrete ending, it makes up for with a beautiful introspection of the human character, specifically the human character of a person placed-willing or not- into a position of power.
The reader explores the main character’s fears, desires and utter confusion as he tries to balance what is best for his shambled home life as much as what is best for the country he finds himself forced to take care of. Throughout the work he is locked in a constant moral and emotional battle with which would be the lesser of two evils, losing his grip on the country or losing his family.
If you don’t generally read political based works, I encourage you to check this one out. While politics reign front and center, you focus more on the character’s demons than you do on anything else.
The one thing I felt was a bit long winded was the sheer amount of nightmares or daydreams. It felt like the work would have been just fine with one or two of them cut out, but other than that, a solid work with a great plot.
About the Author:
The author had 37 years as a newspaperman, teacher, and public relations official. He taught English and journalism for 22 years on the university level, and taught as Wallace Pack II prison, Windham School System, Texas Department of Corrections, and part-time in English at Blinn College.
His B.S. degree was in english-journalism and government-economics, his M.A. was in English, and his work for the Ph.D. was in communications with a minor in political science.
He attended the following universities: Texas, Stephen F. Austin, Oklahoma, Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Southern Mississippi.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.