Description
In the tumultuous backdrop of the 1969 Chicago Haymarket riot, Ron, a spirited seventeen-year-old, finds himself ensnared in the complexities of Cook County jail. As he navigates this new world, he forms an unexpected bond with Pete Fischetti, the prodigious son of a renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist. Their shared experiences and discussions echo the sentiments of a generation yearning for change.
Upon his release, courtesy of his father’s intervention, Ron’s journey takes a detour through a mental institution. Here, amidst the backdrop of societal expectations, he encounters fellow “hippie-freaks” grappling with their identities. As they resist a program designed to mold them into societal norms, Ron’s heartstrings are tugged by the enigmatic Marge, a love that remains tantalizingly out of reach.
A serendipitous discovery of the graves from the original Haymarket riot offers Ron and Pete a profound connection to the past, bridging generations of revolutionaries. But life outside isn’t any simpler. Amidst love affairs thwarted by institutional powers, a chilling encounter with a Satanist lover, and the haunting specter of friends lost to their inner demons, Ron’s resilience is tested.
With the weight of lost loves and the looming draft, Ron’s spirit remains unbroken. His adventures, from selling underground paraphernalia to confronting the harsh realities of a society in flux, paint a vivid portrait of a young man’s journey in a transformative era. As he grapples with love, loss, and the pull of revolution, readers aged 40 and older will find themselves transported back to a time of societal upheaval, resonating with the challenges and aspirations of their youth. This is but the beginning of Ron’s odyssey, with more tales of revolution to come in subsequent volumes.