Terms of Engagement: Stories of the Father and Son
by Paul Alan Ruben
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Pub Date Nov 06 2018 | Archive Date Mar 13 2019
Larkin Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
In his debut collection, Paul Alan Ruben portrays father and son as
intimate enemies, each yearning to be understood, acknowledged, and
validated by the other. Raw and gripping, these nine stories take place in
collision territory—where father and son engage one another in uncertain
terms, both desperately trying to repair the emotional damage that has led to their alienation. At its core, TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT delves into the heart of the matter: Who am I, as a father? Who am I, as a son? Who am I, as a human being?
A Note From the Publisher
ebook-9781642552065
Advance Praise
“A quiet lyricism emerges from these stories and it serves to underscore their emotional impact. Ruben can touch you deeply--and he can break your heart.”
—T. C. Boyle, New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-six books of fiction
“Aside from the mother daughter relationship nothing is more important in determining a person’s life than the relationship between father and son. No one has captured the tragic and transformative implications better than Paul Alan Ruben.”
—Michael Gates Gill, New York Times bestselling author of How Starbucks Saved My Life
“Are the terms of engagement for how to conduct a war or make peace? Paul Alan Ruben’s collection of short stories charts this contested terrain between fathers and sons--the most troubled of all relational zones. Beneath the anger: such longing for the father’s beneficence. What Ruben’s book asks of each of us, is whether we are sons, fathers, or both.”
—James Hollis, Ph. D., Jungian Analyst and author of Under Saturn’s Shadow: The Wounding and Healing of Men
"The author’s stories strongly plead the case that men today need to learn to better connect, better love each other and be loved. Terms of Engagement can make you cry, commit to doing better in your relationships as a father and/or son, and if you already have, to treasure the rewards that have come out of these efforts.”
—Robert Garfield, M.D., Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Breaking the Male Code: Unlocking the Power of Friendship
“With wrecking-ball force and brilliant energy, Paul Alan Ruben reveals his characters’ fraught terms of engagement. In galloping sentences that are yet intricate and nuanced, we see the sometimes breath catching and sometimes haunting frictional force of these father-son relationships. These men converse, argue, and kibbitz and in doing so, wondrously negotiate shaky peace or declare no-holds-barred war.”
—Mary Clyde, author of the award-winning short story collection, Survival Rates
Marketing Plan
Rachel Tarlow Gul Over the River Public Relations 201-503-1321 rachel@otrpr.com www.overtheriverpr.com
Social Media: Beansprout Productions PO Box 15946 Fernandina Beach, FL 32035 413.822.1512 www.beansproutproductions.org
Author Tour/Book Signings:
Book Launch New York Shakespeare & Co Nov. 7, 2018
John Marshall Media Studios NYC, Nov. 12, 2018
Carmichael’s Bookstore Louisville, Ky. Thurs., Nov. 15th
Upshur Street Books Washington, DC Date: Nov. 18, 2018 (Q/A with Julie Bondanza, PhD)
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781642552072 |
| PRICE | $14.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Deborah S, Reviewer
Wow. Reading this was a powerful experience, maybe not for the faint of heart.
Ruben does not mess around. His disposition and the economy of style necessary to the short story form mean that he gets to the heart of his characters and their conflicts quickly. And these are conflicted characters, mostly fathers and sons. They are seeking love and intimacy from one another, and it often does not go well.
The first story in the collection, "Father, Son, and the Holy Obit" draws the reader right in to Ruben's themes, dealing with a son writing and rewriting his father's obituary.
I especially appreciated the "Father and Son Triptych," three related short stories that together form a sort of novella.
This is a really sad collection but full of beautifully described male characters and much human yearning. I think fans of Andre DuBus III will appreciate this collection.
With thanks to Larkin Books via NetGalley for the ARC.
Readers who liked this book also liked:
David F. Walker; Marcus Kwame Anderson
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