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Based on the life of the Author’s great uncle, this novel begins in June of 1914, at the time of two apocalyptic events which took place within three days of each of each other: the Great Fire of Salem -when two thirds of the city burned to the ground; and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Serbia, which sparked the beginning of the world conflict that was to scar the face of the Earth forever. Two parallel stories unfold: one told by Joseph of Salem, and the other by Philippe, a young Frenchman who has to join his compatriots in the fight against the Germans in August of 1914. The reader alternatively follows both young men through their adventures and trials as they face the very turbulent times of the era of the lost generation’. Joseph experiences adventure, love, and the hardships of being a young soldier in Texas and then in northeastern France, So Far from Story Street. Philippe struggles to remain close to his family members and best friend, Monique, while he faces the brutality of the battlefields near Verdun and other ordeals related to trench warfare. The Author makes use of her ancestor’s personal journals and letters which have been preserved since 1918 to recount his portion of the story. Parts of the tale are told in both English and in French. This contribution to the genre of historical fiction comes at the time of the centennial of the Great War–a war that, unfortunately, did not end all wars… -J.P. LaVallee.
