Marcia Rose

„Du brauchst keinen Mann, der für dich sorgt.“ So lautet das Familienmotto der Protagonistinnen von Marcia Rose‘ großem Frauenroman „Die Patriarchin“, der über vier Generationen und zwei Kontinente hinweg die Geschichte von vier großartigen Frauen erzählt.
Leah ist die Patriarchin des Clans. Ihre Liebe zum gesprochenen und geschriebenen Wort treibt sie in den zwanziger Jahren fort von der New Yorker Lower East Side, mitten hinein in das Leben der Boheme von Greenwich Village, eine Welt voller intellektueller und künstlerischen Ideen, Wein, Gelächter und Liebe. Voller Leidenschaft führt sie von dort aus ihre Kreuzzüge gegen Ungerechtigkeit und Armut – und muss sich entscheiden zwischen der Liebe zweier Männer.
Ihre Tochter Jo zieht es fort aus New York: Im Zweiten Weltkrieg erlebt sie in London die verheerenden Bombardements der Deutschen Luftwaffe. Mit ihren ausdrucksstarken, kompromisslosen Fotografien aus dieser Zeit wird sie berühmt. Doch hinter der Kamera versagt die Ehrlichkeit ihrer Kunst: Ihre Ehe mit einem RAF-Offizier entpuppt sich als abscheuliche Maskerade, und Jo muss feststellen, dass sie ihr Leben lang vor sich selbst geflohen ist.
Jos Tochter Sarah ist Sängerin. Die Unzufriedenheit und Unruhe, die ihr Leben erfüllen, betäubt sie im bunten Rampenlicht der Bühne und im rauschenden Applaus ihres Publikums. Lebenshungrig stürzt sie sich in die wilden Exzesse der sechziger Jahre, nur um zu entdecken, dass deren vorgebliche Freiheit ein Gefängnis ist – und dass ihre kleine Tochter Annie sie an all das erinnert, was sie verloren hat.
Annie schließlich stand immer im Schatten ihrer schönen, rätselhaften Mutter. Auf der verzweifelten Suche nach Selbstbehauptung strebt sie eine Karriere als Comedy-Star an, um mit ihrem Humor und ihrer vorgeblichen guten Laune die Liebe und Zuneigung ihrer Mitmenschen zu gewinnen. Die kluge und liebenswerte junge Frau schmiedet eine ganz besondere Beziehung zur ihrer Urgroßmutter Leah – eine Beziehung, die sie alle durch turbulente Zeiten führen und über die Generationen hinweg vier einzigartige Frauen wieder zueinander bringen wird.… (altro)

American armed forces are massed in Kuwait in preparation for the invasion of Iraq when news reach field commanders that a force-field of unknown origin, in the form of a energy cloud has descended on the North American continent. Most of Canada, Mexico and all but the western city of Seattle and the states of Alaska and Hawaii are rendered immobile. Further inspection from close quarters, via drone flights show that all living creatures in the cloud are dead, the bodies evaporated as in a demonic rapture.

Five million Americans are left rudderless around the world as the Arab countries dance in the streets now that the Great Satan is leaderless. As the word spreads about the loss of American leadership, the world is affected by its own struggles for power. South American dictatorships take control of the Panama Canal to control shipping of oil and supplies, engaging in war with combined U.S. and Cuban forces off of Guantanamo Bay, as Australia and New Zealand prepare to take in American refugees that can make it to their shores. Israel uses nuclear weapons to maintain control in the Middle East, France is in the midst of a civil war, with several terrorist factions roaming Paris, picking off all-comers and England becomes a prison camp in an effort to cleanse the country of the ethnic groups that have supported terrorism in the Middle East.

John Birmingham’s protagonist is America, everywhere it can be found. Starting from the journalist embedded with the armed forces in Kuwait to the city engineer trying to keep the lights on in Seattle. And continuing on with the covert agent in mid-mission in the streets of Paris, to the general cut off from reinforcements in Cuba and the gun-runner, off-shore in his yacht and to the Texas lawyer vacationing in Hawaii. As the story moves towards its thrilling, inevitable showdown, each member of the protagonist force has an influence on the outcome of tomorrow’s world.

The conflict and tension on every page escalate in such a powerful way that they provide the type of rising action that will keep you spellbound through to the final word. Sit back and ride the bumpy rollercoaster as thrill after spill brings fear, revulsion, outrage and relief to your shell-shocked system.… (altro)

American armed forces are massed in Kuwait in preparation for the invasion of Iraq when news reach field commanders that a force-field of unknown origin, in the form of a energy cloud has descended on the North American continent. Most of Canada, Mexico and all but the western city of Seattle and the states of Alaska and Hawaii are rendered immobile. Further inspection from close quarters, via drone flights show that all living creatures in the cloud are dead, the bodies evaporated as in a demonic rapture.

Five million Americans are left rudderless around the world as the Arab countries dance in the streets now that the Great Satan is leaderless. As the word spreads about the loss of American leadership, the world is affected by its own struggles for power. South American dictatorships take control of the Panama Canal to control shipping of oil and supplies, engaging in war with combined U.S. and Cuban forces off of Guantanamo Bay, as Australia and New Zealand prepare to take in American refugees that can make it to their shores. Israel uses nuclear weapons to maintain control in the Middle East, France is in the midst of a civil war, with several terrorist factions roaming Paris, picking off all-comers and England becomes a prison camp in an effort to cleanse the country of the ethnic groups that have supported terrorism in the Middle East.

John Birmingham’s protagonist is America, everywhere it can be found. Starting from the journalist embedded with the armed forces in Kuwait to the city engineer trying to keep the lights on in Seattle. And continuing on with the covert agent in mid-mission in the streets of Paris, to the general cut off from reinforcements in Cuba and the gun-runner, off-shore in his yacht and to the Texas lawyer vacationing in Hawaii. As the story moves towards its thrilling, inevitable showdown, each member of the protagonist force has an influence on the outcome of tomorrow’s world.

The conflict and tension on every page escalate in such a powerful way that they provide the type of rising action that will keep you spellbound through to the final word. Sit back and ride the bumpy rollercoaster as thrill after spill brings fear, revulsion, outrage and relief to your shell-shocked system.… (altro)