A Season in Queens

1946: The last of the soldiers who fought in the War are returning home to Cambria Heights, a working-class enclave of New York City. However, the community is threatened by an outbreak of racism and a polio epidemic, and Erin Burke, 16, is in a relationship with a disturbed veteran with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She looks back to a moment of his sexual abuse and marries her memory to her imagination to create a novel of her fateful season in Queens.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 21 September 2021
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing llc

In Cambria Heights, a working-class enclave of New York City, the people are ready to revive the modestly idyllic life of their cherished little neighborhood. However, their idyll is imperiled by the return of GIs who are seriously wounded in the mind, emotionally, and physically. This is coupled with the worst polio epidemic in American history, which threatens to spread through a community troubled by the "communist threat" that forebodes war again. Additionally, an outbreak of racism occurs when a black air ace and war hero comes "home" to find a place to live.

This is the world that impinges on Erin Burke, 16, in her relationship with a disturbed veteran with what we now call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, then called "shellshock." Erin looks back to when she became a woman through a moment of his sexual abuse. Having survived a botched illegal abortion and gone forward from that moment in lost time, she marries her memory to her imagination to create a novel of her fateful season in Queens.

The novel explores the experiences of Erin and her family as they navigate the challenges of post-war life, including the struggles of the GIs who return home, the polio epidemic, and the outbreak of racism. Erin's relationship with the veteran is a central theme of the novel, as she struggles to understand and cope with his mental and emotional trauma. The novel also delves into the social and political climate of the time, including the rise of communism and the fear of war.

Through Erin's eyes, the novel provides a powerful portrayal of the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It also sheds light on the complexities of human relationships, particularly the relationships between women and men, and the ways in which trauma can shape and transform individuals.

Overall, "Season in Queens" is a powerful and evocative novel that offers a unique perspective on the post-war era and the challenges that individuals faced in a rapidly changing world.

Weight: 310g
Dimension: 153 x 216 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781631954528