#Bookreview of American Entropy

By: Travis Hupp

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: July 22, 2025

ISBN: 979-8891326996

Reviewed by: Shrubaboti Bose

Review Date: June 20, 2025

Travis Hupp’s poetry anthology named after its titular poem American Entropy laments the decline of democracy and criticizes the hypocritical nature of American society. As an openly gay person representing a marginalized community, the author uses his poems to voice his personal dissatisfaction with the way things are. His unflinching candor in lashing out at the president (‘‘pillars of society weakened by a lying charlatan’’) and justifiable misgivings about the current political scenario in the country (‘‘nowadays disagreement might mean death’’ in Martyr), encourages readers to raise questions. Drawing inspiration from his nightmares, hallucinations and painful memories, the author delves deeper within his mind to bring out his darkest emotions onto the paper for us to see.

The collection is thoughtfully organized into six parts, starting with anger, politics, metaphysical, despair, then finally ending on a positive note with hope and love. Each poem is filled with sensory imagery and lyrical cadence, densely packed with metaphors that are subtly weaved into the lines. Sometimes the subject of the poem dominates the words, as in Enemy Embrace where the narrative revolves around the poet’s agonizing experiences of homophobic violence, culminating into a survivor’s tale. While at other times, words can take shape of a sentient creature pulling the narrative along, like we see in Horror Show where Hupp compares the process of creating a poem to that of delivering a baby. This metaphor poignantly captures the hesitation authors often feel when contemplating over unfinished fragments of expressions, reluctant to discard them in hope of reusing them at a later point in another piece, like mothers reluctant to let go of their stillborn baby.

Despite the harrowing experiences he has gone through and the constant challenges he keeps facing in his everyday life, the author never stops fighting his demons, nor does he give up writing. Here’s a quotation of a few lines from a piece titled It’s not too late: ‘‘Yesterday droned on destitute/ My meaning got lost and my muse went mute/ But there’s a part of me that still knows what to do/ Power through and write what’s true.’’ What is inspiring is that even on days when he feels particularly depressed, he writes ‘‘You’ve got to realize/ you’re stronger than the stranglehold/ when sadness is a riptide’’ and then ‘‘You got all the guts you need/ and plenty of nerve’’ in the poem Resurrect, as a means to remind himself to keep going. It is evident that these poems can serve as a source of strength to anyone who needs it.

The poem Untamed seems to be written as a tribute to music, where Hupp elaborates on how art, and music in general, has influenced him over the years. He says, ‘‘It’s art that helps you fight to survive/ Gives you anthems to sing in the dark.’’ He believes in good faith in spite of the discrimination he faced in the name of religion. After being treated as a blasphemy and a disgrace, he condemns such acts of false propriety and writes: ‘‘In whose version of justice/ would God shun sons and daughters/ of his own craftsmanship/ for an endless infernal sentence/ of parental neglect and abandonment’’ in I’m lost if you’re lost. Towards the end of the anthology, as the poet’s tone becomes slightly optimistic, we find two lines in a love poem called Wonderstruck, ‘‘with you nearby me/ minor details escape’’ that resonates in our hearts.

Quill says: Hupp’s collection American Entropy is a journey of emotions: intense, powerful and beautiful, while also impressive and inspiring at the same time.

For more information about American Entropy, please visit the publisher’s website at: atmospherepress.com/books/american-entropy-by-travis-hupp/.

 #Bookreview of An Umbrella Made for a Man

By: Katherine Elberfeld

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

ISBN: 979-8891326910

Reviewed by: Diana Coyle

Review Date: June 19, 2025

In An Umbrella Made for a Man by Katherine Elberfeld, we are introduced to Irene Maxwell, a woman who, after divorcing, decides that she wants to pursue being ordained as an Episcopal priest. This takes place in the 1990’s and although there are other women that are ordained in the Episcopal Church, Irene has no idea just how intense the seminary training will be for her because she’s a female. Plus, it isn’t until she’s officially working as an ordained priest that she truly understands the gravity of how she will be harassed in many different ways, by not only the male priests, but also the congregants. It is at numerous junctures in her new career that she second guesses the choice she made to follow her calling to the church.

This reviewer was very much enlightened in regard to how Irene truly was treated by fellow priests and congregants in the Episcopal community. Instead of the male priests looking upon her as a fellow priest no matter her sex, they looked upon her as a female that wouldn’t mind the overtures they were presenting her with. They treated her like she was a female they could harass and they intentionally overstepped their boundaries with her to achieve their personal goals.

Although this is a work of fiction, Katherine Elberfeld penned this with substantial evidence to create this story because she too was ordained to the priesthood in 1994. Readers will feel her anguish that she must have experienced directly while training and working to become an Episcopal priest. It’s disheartening to know that these circumstances could truly exist in the religious environment that they did, where religion should not discriminate in any form toward male or female. One must wonder that if she experienced such outlandish behaviors in the religious community, how many other females in her position experienced the same exact behaviors from their churches? Church should have been a safe haven for her and the other female priests, not a place that caused them dread and heartache. Their sole focus should have been serving their congregation, not trying to skirt advances from their male counterparts.

Another thing to mention was that these situations didn’t just happen in one Episcopal Church location. They happened repeatedly each time that Irene relocated herself in order to escape the harassment. It’s saddening to think that even though this story was a work of fiction, Elberfeld must have seen plenty of these circumstances, mimicking Irene’s situations, throughout her own time serving her ministry.

Quill says: Readers of An Umbrella Made for a Man by Katherine Elberfeld will find themselves cheering for Irene regarding how she handled her unfortunate circumstances while fulfilling her ministry. You’ll develop feelings for her as if she was a real person you might know and become friends with.

For more information about An Umbrella Made for a Man, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/an-umbrella-made-for-a-man-by-katherine-elberfeld

 #Bookreview of Death Valley

By: Kim Brian Snyder

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: July 22, 2025

ISBN: 979-8891327009

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: June 18, 2025

You know that kind of book that sneaks up on you — you start it expecting a dusty desert adventure or a ghost-town legend and suddenly, you're halfway through and emotionally invested in a man trying to reconcile with his past, his brother, and a mystery that’s followed him for twenty-five years? That’s Death Valley. Kim Brian Snyder’s novel is part reflective road trip, part eerie mystery, part slow-burn redemption story — and it all unfolds against the sun-blasted, otherworldly backdrop of one of America’s most mythic landscapes.

At the heart of the story is Mick Johnson, a once-ambitious journalist whose life has been quietly, tragically shaped by a childhood adventure gone horribly wrong. As a teenager, Mick and his brother Kenny ventured into an abandoned Death Valley mineshaft chasing the legend of Scotty’s gold. Only one of them made it back. For years Mick has lived with that weight, burying it under sarcasm, distraction, and the numbing routines of adulthood. But when an assignment to cover a poker tournament leads him — conveniently or fatefully — back into Death Valley, old ghosts rise up, both literally and figuratively, most in memory and maybe in something stranger.

What follows isn’t just a tale of trying to make peace with the past, but a clever, layered story that blends ghost town folklore, mild time-slip sci-fi, personal reckoning, and an unexpectedly endearing relationship with a charming, sharp-witted park ranger named Rose McDonald. Rose has a meaningful role in Mick's disintegration and reconstruction and their dynamic, filled with banter and a gradually deepening connection, gives the story warmth and levity without ever veering into cheesiness.

Snyder’s writing style is conversational, precise and often funny in a self-deprecating, dry sort of way that makes Mick feel real and relatable. There’s a journal-like quality to the narration — not rushed, not overly polished, but very personal, like someone pulling you aside to tell you the truth over a beer. One of the best things about the book is how effortlessly Snyder transitions between emotional vulnerability and light-hearted quips. Snyder lets the deeper stuff — guilt, grief, memory, regret — sit beneath the surface, like heat under the desert floor, and it rises at just the right moments.

Here’s a great example of Snyder’s blend of tone and imagery:

“Standing quite alone, I felt myself getting lightheaded and growing faint. My vision began to swim backstrokes… Dazed and confused, I knew I was losing my hold on the here and now.”

That scene, in Scotty’s Castle, captures the strange, hazy energy that runs through much of the second half of the book — you’re never quite sure if what’s happening is supernatural, psychological, or some combination of both, and that ambiguity makes it all the more compelling.

What makes Death Valley read so well is that it doesn’t rely on flashy gimmicks. It’s not trying to be a big thriller or a grand sci-fi epic. Instead, it quietly explores how a single moment in childhood can ripple through a lifetime, how the desert — with all its silence and legend — can be both a place of hiding and a place of healing. It’s character-driven, a little spooky, often funny, and surprisingly touching.

Quill says: If you’re into stories that mix desert Americana, lost treasure myths, guilt and grief wrapped in dry humor, and a touch of time distortion that makes you question what’s real and what’s memory — you’ll feel right at home in Death Valley. It’s a smart, soulfully written book that sticks with you like desert dust on your boots.

For more information about Death Valley, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/death-valley-by-kim-snyder

 #AuthorInterview with Kirk Ward Robinson

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Lily Andrews is talking with Kirk Ward Robinson, author of Priscilla Speaks: A Novel (The Speaks Saga).

FQ: Hello, Mr. Robinson. In the afterword, you stated that Priscilla Speaks tested your inventiveness to the point of despair, as opposed to the previous installments. Regardless, you made it work. Could you please comment on the hurdles and how you overcame them? 

ROBINSON: Hello. Thank you for the invitation.

The difficulty with Priscilla’s story was that, in Part I, the entire Speaks Saga was explained, including the answers to the mysteries that readers who have been along since Timewall will understand, and I hope, experience emotional satisfaction if not moments of revelatory elation.

Since each of these novels is written as a standalone story, one challenge was to present the answers to these mysteries in such a way that a new reader would not be confounded by a parade of events that seemed pasted into the novel for no apparent reason. I had to make these revelations fit in with the evolution of Priscilla’s story, which caused me some re-thinking and re-writing. This might seem to be the normal progress of the creative process, but I, like Kurt Vonnegut before his death, write extemporaneously, leaving crafted paragraphs behind before moving on, which means that having to revisit something already written is a trial.

The other difficulty was reconciling the timelines, which arrived at their apex in Priscilla. I could no longer be ambiguous about anything. It all had to fit, ages, birthdays, siblings leaving, and what might be going on in the world during the various periods the Saga encompasses.

The way I overcame these challenges was to create a detailed timeline, which I taped to the wall next to my writing desk, sometimes penning in notes as I went, and including information as trivial as the historical weather on a given day. The rest was altering my routine to reexamine my previous day’s work, which I did from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. every morning, seven days a week, making changes, double-checking the timeline, altering word choice and punctuation.

FQ: Was the notion to create Priscilla as a character initially haphazard- as one of Blaize's children—or was it intentional?

ROBINSON: I hope I do not disappoint when I reveal that the Priscilla mentioned in Timewall Speaks was little more than a name I threw in to round out Timewall’s story, the name popping into my mind as I typed the sentence, and with no further thought—or expectation—to revisit the character. So yes, haphazard would be the word, painful (or sloppy) as it seems now.

Author Kirk Ward Robinson

FQ: Priscilla evolves dramatically as a character. What do you consider to be the most notable or distinctive aspect of her growth?

ROBINSON: The novel is arranged as it is to demonstrate Priscilla’s emotional growth. I realized early on that I could expend a couple hundred thousand words if I attempted to show this evolution in a linear fashion. Instead, each Part jumps her a little farther along in her growth, using her birthdays as time markers. It is her growth from insular child to emotional wholeness that I consider to be the most important aspect of her character.

FQ: You also brought up research showing a large number of autistic people identify as LGBTQ. Is this a notion that you have featured outside of the plot flow, or can the reader locate it in the story?

ROBINSON: Autism in the LGBTQ community is not explored in the story. I came across this bit of information while doing research on autism, and thought readers would benefit from this knowledge in the Afterword.

FQ: The protagonist utilizes a foreign language in one of the last scenes. Why did you expressly decide to make this message available in Swahili, and what impact did you anticipate it would have on expanding the audience?

ROBINSON: I had already revealed that Priscilla could assimilate foreign languages rapidly. The purpose of the Swahili is Dhakiya, who is from Kenya, and to demonstrate the climax of Priscilla’s emotional growth. She can now embrace relationships, going so far as to learn Swahili for her girlfriend.

FQ: Could you maybe elaborate on the scene where the protagonist claims to be "Adam" and why it was all related to "now," at a time when her friends were stunned by some truths about her? That left me feeling a little adrift.

ROBINSON: I’m not sure exactly which scene you are referring to, possibly Stacey’s inner monologue. “Adam” was my play on southern accents, something I dabble at throughout the Saga. I am from the South myself, and take an interested joy in the variety of accents down here. As for the inner comment from Stacey, they had been roommates for some ten months or so, and Stacey had never known Priscilla by any other name except Adam. It was only during the short period before the funeral that Stacey learned Priscilla’s given name, propelled when Fits tells Priscilla that she doesn’t need “Adam Argent” anymore. (I hope there are no spoilers in this.)

FQ: What happens to Priscilla and her siblings in "The Speaks Saga?" Do you have any plans to reunite them in the future at some point? A finale, perhaps?

ROBINSON: There will be a fifth book in the Saga, The Family Speaks, which will take place post-Covid, and that book will bring the Saga full circle. Readers will learn what a thirty-plus-year-old Ridley has been up to, Tommy’s military career and his struggles with PTSD, Robbie’s rehabilitation, what Priscilla achieves with her brilliant mind, and Timewall’s final arrival at true freedom—not to mention Joss, Lainey, Wayah, Nene, and of course, Blaize, who will each find their own growth in their own ways.

FQ: What do you want the reader to remember most from this series?

ROBINSON: That circumstances don’t define people, people define themselves. Poverty, despondency, and addiction can be overcome. Not always easy, and there is certainly a price to be paid, but this above all, to thine own self be true.

FQ: What were the top themes of this series, and do you believe you have met your goals thus far?

ROBINSON: I have met my goals so far—indeed, I believe I have exceeded them. Why can I say this? Because each character to me is very real, more so than I ever anticipated. I have become profoundly fond of every one of them, and since several of the characters take their traits from people whom I’ve known, I know the characters are authentic.

FQ: For readers who have just read Priscilla Speaks for the first time, what is your parting advice?

ROBINSON: My advice to those who have only read Priscilla is this: If you enjoyed it, say so. If you didn’t enjoy it, say that, too. But if you did enjoy it, hurry back to Timewall Speaks and start reading. You won’t be disappointed.

As a side note to this interview, readers should know that many of the locales in the novel were washed away by Hurricane Helene, including one of the shelters that Pris and Fits use, as well as the campground they hike into.

 #Bookreview of Priscilla Speaks: A Novel (The Speaks Saga)

By: Kirk Ward Robinson

Publisher: Highland Home Publishing

Publication Date: June 3, 2025

ISBN: 979-8988681533

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: March 31, 2025

Kirk Ward Robinson’s moving tale Priscilla Speaks: A Novel (The Speaks Saga) tells the story of a girl who struggles to fit in as she feels different from others, forcing her to flee and try to navigate life’s uncertainties by herself.

Priscilla understood she was different from others early on, but she could not explain why. Nonetheless, the sense persisted, like an invisible friend who stubbornly refused to emerge. She had never considered her mother Blaize to be a mother since, instead of protecting and loving her, she wandered around and occasionally scolded her. Priscilla had an aggressive attitude and buried wrath that made it hard for anybody to relate to her at school. She would later come to realize that not even her mother could do so. Her failure to relate to her family members fueled her fury, which she carried with her to school, frequently sending shivers down the spines of others.

Because she thought friends were erratic and needy, Priscilla never thought it was necessary to have any. Her lessons and teachers bored her, and her intolerance appeared to increase with each day. Following a violent altercation with a boy one day, a counselor discovered that she had a condition that could account for her attitude and behavior. Her mother would not hear any of it, however. Priscilla was later expelled after assaulting a student who possessed a video of her nude in the washroom. As it looked, life was unpredictable and full of secrets that she could not fully fathom. Eager to break free from the routine and tedium of her gloomy, destitute existence, she would make a decision that would lead her down an enchanted path in quest of an unknown future, all while battling with her sexuality and increasingly confusing feelings.

In addition to offering a glimpse into the protagonist’s upbringing, choices, and personality, this story—a must-read explanation of mental health-related, self-discovery, trauma, and healing themes—richly details the relationship, character, and attitude of Priscilla’s mother. The novel, set in a sun-drenched Southern town, pushes the reader to imagine an alternative destiny for the family. It compels the reader to confront uncertainties alongside the protagonist through her perplexing emotional journey, chock-full of heartaches, which eventually take an unexpected twist and lead to a firm awareness.

The story hints at an examination of the autism spectrum as a serious and pervasive phenomenon. Its premise is supported by thorough research that provides helpful facts while letting the reader decide what is true or false. The protagonist’s mother’s past, in which she is portrayed to have learned to harden herself so fully against grief and weakness that nothing can even faintly enter, will be appreciated. She is a mother who fervently felt she owed her children security, happiness, and the opportunity to be innocent—things she never had—and she adds intrigue to the narrative as one considers how her actions could have shaped the protagonist’s distinctiveness.

Quill says: Kirk Ward Robinson’s Priscilla Speaks is impressive due to its comprehensive coverage of crucial subjects that parents will find interesting. In addition to having a witty and captivating protagonist who goes above and above to make the reading experience charming and emotionally engaging, the story’s tone remains consistent throughout. With language that keeps the reading fascinating and flowing, this is a thought-provoking work that can be read as a stand-alone novel, but will undoubtedly pique the reader’s curiosity of the series’ predecessors.

For more information about Priscilla Speaks, please visit the author's website at: kirkwardrobinson.com

 #Bookreview of Lights Out in Istanbul

By: J. Robert Keating, Ralph O. Heatly

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

ISBN: 979-8891326897

Reviewed by: Alma Boucher

Review Date: June 13, 2025

Nestled within the historic skyline and timeworn stones of Istanbul, Lights Out in Istanbul reveals its story beneath the gleam of minarets and the shadow of international espionage. In this city where East meets with West, loyalties fracture, friendships waver, and innocence is too often the first casualty of schemes hatched in silence.

In this captivating story, we are introduced to the mysterious Henry Vanzant, who makes an appearance on the widely viewed Muggsy Boyd Show. During his segment, he expresses a cautious hope regarding the possibilities of artificial intelligence, encouraging society to use it as a means to enhance efficiency. However, beneath his serene facade lies a more complex and troubling story, one that originates from a program developed by his associate Paula. She called it the back door, a covert entryway into the heart of the internet. In Henry’s own words, written and published, it was nothing less than a master key.

Henry’s book, filled with technical knowledge, served as a guiding light not just for the curious but also for those with malicious intent. Among those individuals was Faheem El Hashem, a man driven by deep ambitions and no sense of morality. Seeking to undermine the very foundation of internet governance, ICANN, Faheem abducts Henry. Faheem locks him in a steel cage, subjecting him to the horrific spectacle of a live-streamed execution drama. The aim was psychological degradation, theatrical intimidation, and, above all, manipulation.

What was Faheem’s primary objective? To halt the functionality of websites, domains, and digital infrastructure by targeting ICANN’s root zone, aiming to take advantage of the crucial key that Henry had mentioned. However, just having the master key was not sufficient, as the system had evolved. Additional insight was necessary, knowledge held by Karyn, Henry’s former girlfriend, and now pivotal to Faheem’s urgent schemes. To make matters even more complicated, the elusive and dangerous Mr. S, who had previously been imprisoned thanks to Henry’s actions alongside Karyn and their associate Alex, has resurfaced, filled with vengeance, cleverness, and allied with Faheem.

However, hope remains. Emerging from the darkness is Black Code, a covert organization with eyes everywhere in the digital realm. Their algorithmic watchmen flagged Henry’s and Karyn’s names, sparking a secretive rescue mission. Yet, Henry’s book disclosed too much, particularly concerning the Black Code’s exclusive technology. Consequently, ICANN strengthened its security measures by changing passwords and port configurations, making the master key ineffective.

Still, the consequences ripple outward. When three major electrical plants suddenly cease operation, it becomes evident: this is no random outage, but a deliberate strike. Communications between pipeline software and the physical conduits have been severed. The power grid, so delicately balanced between output and demand, would be stressed if too many plants shut down. In Istanbul, where a third of the electricity is fueled by natural gas, a shutdown would mean chaos. If too much generating capacity is lost, it would damage the equipment, and the whole system would have to be shut down.

Further from Istanbul, the power grids of the eastern and western United States collapse, and hundreds of millions are plunged into darkness. Every indication points to a solitary source, once the vital center of global pipeline management, now muted by Faheem’s actions, employing the key that Henry unknowingly provided to the world.

From the initial hint of tension to the climactic, heart-pounding conclusion, this novel keeps a tight hold on the reader. The writing is refined, concise, and fast-paced; every sentence is sharp, and every paragraph is a strike. Scenes ooze urgency, and though moments of contemplation are rare, they resonate powerfully. The dialogue is precise, illuminating the character and intensifying the plot with every interaction. Action, be it gunfire or close combat, is intense and vivid. The overall impact is graphic, but not superficial.

Quill says: Lights Out in Istanbul is an espionage story sharpened to perfection—immersed in mood, filled with danger, and as unyielding as it is polished. It is an exemplary showcase of contemporary thriller writing: swift, ruthless, and expertly crafted.

For more information about Lights Out in Istanbul, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/lights-out-in-istanbul-by-j-robert-keating-ralph-o-heatly

 #Bookreview of Pillars of Creation: A Quest for the Great Name in a Nietzschean World

By: Carlos Nicolás Flores

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: July 22, 2025

ISBN: 979-8891327023

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: June 12, 2025

Carlos Nicolás Flores’s Pillars of Creation: A Quest for the Great Name in a Nietzschean World is not your typical coming-of-age novel. It's trippy, raw, sometimes hilarious, and deeply introspective. Imagine drifting through the haze of a South Texas summer with a head full of literary ambition, weed smoke, and existential dread—that’s pretty much what it’s akin to.

The story centers around Yoltic Cortez, a young Chicano guy living in a dusty border town called Cuatro Vientos, who is attempting to make sense of a world that to him is quickly changing while taking care of his sick father, pursuing his ambition of being a famous writer, and navigating life with his mysterious, blue-eyed girlfriend, Marfil.

The book is told in the second person, which is unusual but weirdly intimate. It feels like you’re inside Yoltic’s head, living his confusion and passion in real time. From the opening pages, where he’s floating through a high on a strain of weed called “Tezca,” the narrative is part hallucination, part memory, part waking life. And that’s what makes it so compelling—Flores blurs the line between reality and dreams in a way that feels totally natural, even familiar if you’ve ever lived in that kind of mental or emotional fog.

There’s not a lot of “plot” in the traditional sense. Yoltic isn’t chasing a big goal or solving a mystery—he’s trying to keep his head above water. He’s got family obligations, writer’s block, and a sense that the world is both beautiful and totally broken. You can feel a real sadness in him, but also defiance even as he constantly questions everything—God, America, literature, his own identity.

The relationship with Marfil is one of the book’s most interesting layers. She serves as his anchor, his mirror addition to being his lover. But their connection is fragile. There’s tenderness between them, but also uncertainty and fear. And because she might be undocumented, there’s this quiet tension that hangs over everything.

What Flores does best is create a deeply immersive atmosphere such that draws the reader in—you can readily feel the heat of the colonia, hear the Border Patrol trucks rumbling past and even smell the beans on the stove. He also ably captures what it means to be stuck between cultures by showing how being Chicano isn’t just about language or heritage, but a constant tug-of-war between belonging and not.

Themes like addiction, guilt, memory, cultural pride, and the weight of history are woven through everything, but never in a preachy way. Flores lets Yoltic think it all out—talk to ghosts, argue with himself, chase old dreams, and fall into despair—and you’re right there with him. The writing is full of little details that hit hard: the dried flowers in a vase after a mother’s death, a worn photo on the nightstand, or the panic of losing a passport in a town that doesn’t feel like it’s quite yours.

Quill says: Readers will find Pillars of Creation: A Quest for the Great Name in a Nietzschean World by Carlos Nicolás Flores to be an absorbing book focused on survival and expression rather than achievement or resolution. They will appreciate its uniqueness about finding meaning in the mess, and trying to stay sane in a world that doesn’t make sense. If you’ve ever felt stuck, or pulled in a hundred directions by identity, family, and ambition, this book will speak to you. It’s rough around the edges, and that’s exactly what makes it feel honest.

For more information about Pillars of Creation: A Quest for the Great Name in a Nietzschean World, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/pillars-of-creation-a-quest-for-the-great-name-in-a-nietzschean-world-by-carlos-flores