Hardened beyond his nineteen years, Todd Webster Morgan is determined to find gold high in the Sierra Nevadas. But his dream is violently upended. Complicating matters even more, he meets a young Chinese immigrant named Lâo Jian, whose own dreams of finding gold have been quashed by violence.
But life back in Sacramento isn't any easier. Todd's mother struggles to make ends meet. His invalid uncle becomes increasingly angry. Todd seeks employment with little success. Meanwhile his friendship with Lâo Jian turns to love. But their relationship is strained as anti-Chinese sentiment grows.
Todd vows not to lose Lâo Jian. The couple must risk everything to make a life for themselves. A life that requires facing fear and prejudice head on.
Won Gold Medal in the 2012 Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Awards and was a Finalist in the 25th Annual Lambda Literary Awards.
Autorentext
When Barry's first collection of stories was read aloud by his second grade teacher, the author hid. As the years flew by, he wrote more, hid less (not really), and branched out to Super 8 films and cassette tape recorders. Barr's audience, consisting solely of friends and family, were both amused and bemused.
Since those childhood days, Barry has earned degrees in English and French from the State University of New York College at Brockport, and a Master of Arts in Writing from the Johns Hopkins University.
His stories, novels, and screenplays have received: Grand Prize and First Place in the Rhode Island International Screenplay Competition, Gold Medal in the 2012 Foreword Book of the Year Awards, Semi-Finalist status in the 14th Annual American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest, Finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards, Finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Award, and Finalist in the 2016 Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Competition.
When not embroiled in his own writing, Barry sips wine, nibbles on chocolate, and watches films and TV, both the classic and the cheesy. (Mmm ... cheese!)
For more information, visit barrybrennessel.com.