5 Star Review
Click HERE to Purchase Your Copy Today!
Editorial Book Review:
By Tony Collins
Michael Dunn's Anywhere but Schuylkill is an intriguing look at the gritty realities of 1870s America, mixing a young boy's personal problems with the larger socioeconomic upheavals of the Long Depression. What grabbed me most was how the novel smoothly connects private, familial strife with the explosive tensions of mining strikes and gang rivalries. It’s not just about survival; it’s about defiance, resilience, and the courage to carve out a better life against overwhelming odds.
The narrative is richly textured, bringing to life the coal-mining towns and the strife between Irish and Welsh communities, each vying for dominance while grappling with poverty. The historical environment is more than simply a backdrop; it is a force that influences the characters' decisions and outcomes. The author's vivid portrayals of labor battles, union disputes, and sectarian bloodshed transported me to a world in which hope was a frail but crucial currency.
My attention was captivated by the protagonist's dogged determination to safeguard those he cares about. He accomplished the impossible in his book: he was sympathetic while also being heroic in his possibly reckless way. The moral dilemmas of supporting dangerous individuals and his contacts with his foes intensified the tension and emotional complexity. It's more than just fighting exterior forces; it's about fighting fear, injustice, and despair.
The writing is gripping, with a pace that never drags, pulling me through moments of suspense, heartbreak, and fleeting triumphs. The author’s ability to balance the personal and the historical is masterful, making each character’s journey feel intensely personal while simultaneously shedding light on the larger societal struggles of the time.
Beyond a historical account, Anywhere but Schuylkill captures the relentless will of people who bravely seek goals of a better life. This is a story of bravery, selflessness, and what people will do to keep those they love safe. Readers of exciting historical fiction with very personal themes should definitely check this book. Even after I closed it, ideas of the tenacity of the human soul kept playing in my mind.
About the Author
Michael Dunn
Michael Dunn writes Working-Class Historical Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. ANYWHERE BUT SCHUYLKILL is the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he has always been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular working people, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families. Stories most people do not know, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robber barons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories are among the most compelling in America. They resonate today because they are the stories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles and tragedies, were so similar to our own.
Comments