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Book Reviews |
GREY PINE is an extraordinary story with
the perfect mix of history and
fiction...
T. Lloyd Winetsky author of GREY PINE pens an
extraordinary story with the perfect mix of history and fiction
during a chaotic time.
The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, a volcano located in
Washington state was a major volcanic eruption. The eruption was
the most significant to occur in the history of the United
States. The eruption was preceded by a two-month series of
earthquakes and steam-venting episodes, caused by an injection
of magma at shallow depth below the mountain that created a huge
bulge and a fracture system on Mount St. Helens' north slope. An
earthquake at 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, caused the entire
weakened north face to slide away, suddenly exposing the partly
molten, gas- and steam-rich rock in the volcano to lower
pressure. The rock responded by exploding into a very hot mix of
pulverized lava and older rock that sped toward Spirit Lake so
fast that it quickly passed the avalanching north face.
A volcanic ash column rose high into the atmosphere and
deposited ash in 11 U.S. states. At the same time, snow, ice,
and several entire glaciers on the mountain melted, forming a
series of large lahars (volcanic mudslides) that reached as far
as the Columbia River, nearly fifty miles to the south. Less
severe outbursts continued into the next day only to be followed
by other large but not as destructive eruptions later in 1980.
GREY PINE follows a young scientist, Phillip Stark, who is
dealing with many of his own personal problems but has his
sights on the ash fall and destruction from the volcano eruption
for experimentation. Winetsky skillfully writes as a veteran
novelist providing much for the reader to follow and digest.
GREY PINE is a literary work of entertaining and thrilling
fiction. GREY PINE is tall on story and one of the MUST reads of
the year!
In a recent interview the author says, " The "actual events" in
GREY PINE are based on my personal experiences in Central
Washington from the 1980 Mt. St. Helens ash fall, as well as
subsequent research. In the novel, the ash fall is initially a
serious complication in the main character's life, but its
presence, apropos of Phillip's struggles, is felt throughout the
story...Phillip is a young science teacher who lives with his
alcoholic father's two personalities, the sober Stephen whom
Phillip still loves, and the inebriated alter-ego he detests.
The ash fall sets in motion events that lead to Stephen's death,
but Phillip perceives that he is to blame; he descends into
suicidal depression. His attempts to climb out of his mental
abyss form the heart of the story. While much of GREY PINE's
setting is derived from a historical event, the fictional
characters are, of course, amalgamations of my experiences. I
couldn't have written the novel without personal knowledge of
alcoholism and suicidal depression."
J. Weaver, Page ONE Literary Book Reviews
Grey Pine by T. Lloyd Winetsky
Publisher: Langdon Street Press, a division of Hillcrest
Publishing Group)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979912016
About the Author: T. Lloyd Winetsky grew up in Los
Angeles. He has taught English, Spanish, and ESL to
people of all ages. After surviving a brain aneurysm and
stroke, Winetsky retired from full time teaching and
began writing fiction. Currently he teaches English part
time to adult farm workers in Wapato, Washington. He is
the author of three collections of verse, Belaganna, On
Utopia Creek, and Hell. Grey Pine is his second novel,
the first to be published. He lives near Moxee,
Washington.
Visit the author at
http://www.greypine.com
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