A story about growth, failure, and redemption, Ghosts of Tom Joadtraces the rise of the working poor and the don’t-have-to-work-rich as it follows the fortunes of the protagonist Earl. A product of the post–Korean War era, Earl witnesses his parents’ kitchen table arguments over money—echoed in thousands of other Rust Belt towns—experiences bullying, relishes first kisses, and comes of age and matures as a man before the economic hardships of the 1980s and 1990s wear on his spirit. Earl takes his turn at a variety of low-paying retail jobs in the new economy before becoming mired in homelessness and succumbing to meth, alcohol, and destitution. As he takes a final, metaphorical bus ride, Earl reflects on his past, considering the impact of the war on his father—and, subsequently, on himself—his own demise, and the romance between himself and Angel, which ultimately redeems him. This is a tale about the death of manufacturing, the deindustrialization of America, and a way of life that has been irrevocably lost. Anyone interested in the impact of political and business policy on the American Dream will be drawn to this profound, humorous, and moving novel.
PRESS RELEASE
January
15, 2014
Media
Contact:
Brian Buerkle, Publicist
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Van Buren
Autopsies the
American Dream in a
Stunning New Novel
An absorbing look into
the death of manufacturing,
the deindustrialization
of America,and a way of life lost for generations
Carmel, IN—“The longest day of my life started when accidentally I
shot myself, went
downhill
from there” is how Earl begins his story in Ghosts of Tom Joad, A Story of the
#99Percent (Luminis Books, Spring 2014). It is Peter Van
Buren’s newest project—
a fictionallook at
the new American economy.
Ghosts of Tom Joad is about growth, failure and redemption. It is Earl’s story,
tracing the rise
of the Working Poor, and the don’t-have-to-work
rich. It is funny and serious,
Holden and Joe Dirt. It’s a question about how
to still own something—your labor,
your self-respect—you’d sold.
The story takes place during Earl’s final
metaphorical bus ride. Most of the folks who get on
the bus with Earl have been long missing. Now
they are coming and going, even talking to him,
“just as if it was no big deal.” As Earl
laments, “imagine running into both your mom and
your old girlfriends in living color.”
With notes of Woody Guthrie,
John Steinbeck and their more modern counterparts Bruce Springsteen, Tom
Morello and Rage Against the Machine, Ghosts of Tom Joad tells the story
of a working class abandoned, still trying to create a better life for themselves,
unaware that they are staking their futures on a myth.
Where did the 99% come from?
They were always here, in Reeve, Ohio. This is their story.
“Politicians come and go, but
the critical issues tearing at our society do not. In his new book, Ghosts of Tom Joad, Van Buren turns to
the larger themes of social justice and equality, and asks uncomfortable
questions about where we are headed.”
—Daniel Ellsberg,
whistleblower, The Pentagon Papers
Luminis Books was launched in
October 2008 with a mission to publish meaningful fiction for
children and adults. As an
independent publisher, Luminis has the opportunity to champion
excellence in fiction from new
authors who might not get the attention of the larger houses.
Luminis Books is distributed by
IPG.
For more information,
to arrange an interview, or review copies,
contact ruAsquare@yahoo.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Van
Buren, a 24-year veteran Foreign Service Officer at the State Department, spent
a year in Iraq leading two State Department Provincial Reconstruction Teams.
Following his book, We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the
Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People (The American Empire Project,
Metropolitan Books), published in 2011, the Department of State began judicial
and then termination proceedings against him, stripping him of his diplomatic
credentials. Through the efforts of the Government Accountability Project and
the ACLU, Van Buren instead retired from the State Department with his full
benefits of service.
Prior to
Iraq, Van Buren was assigned by the State Department to Taiwan, Osaka, London,
Seoul, Tokyo and other locations in East Asia. He attended The Ohio State
University, graduating with a B.A. in photography and an M.A. in Education. He
also attended the Osaka University of Foreign Studies and the Hyogo (Japan)
University of Teacher Education for post-graduate study.
Van
Buren, along with other Federal whistleblowers like Tom Drake, John Kiriakou
and Jesslyn Radack, is also working closely with Academy Award-nominated
documentary filmmaker James Spione on a new film called SILENCED:
Washington’s War on Whistleblowers, due out in 2014.
Van Buren
speaks Japanese, Chinese Mandarin, and some Korean (his book’s all in English,
don’t worry). Born in New York, he lives in Virginia with his docile
Rottweiller.
To find out more about Luminis Books and their titles go to:
Check out the full Virtual Tour for Luminis Books 2014 Titles, go to http://www.jkscommunications.com/virtual-tour-luminis-books-2014-titles/
