An Unlikely Truth (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780615974101)

John Rachel has a B. A. in Philosophy, has traveled extensively, is a songwriter, music producer, novelist, a left-of-left liberal, and has spent his entire life trying to resolve the intrinsic clash between the metaphysical purity of Buddhism and the overwhelming appeal of narcissism. Prompted by the trauma of graduating high school and having to leave his beloved city of Detroit to attend university, the development of his social skills and world view were arrested at age 18. This affliction figures prominently in all of his creative work. While living in Japan in 2008, he wrote his first novel, From Thailand With Love. Then in November of 2009, he completed his second novel, The Man Who Loved Too Much. It was written over ten months, as he lived in and traveled through Japan, China, Nepal, India and Thailand. While writing 11-11-11, he lived in Japan and Vietnam. 11-11-11 is the prequel to 12-12-12. The two are linked by characters and location. The clueless and basically powerless citizens of Pulnick, Missouri find it nearly impossible to eke out a meaningful existence in a world plagued by stupidity, superstition, gossip, political manipulation, and paranoid rumors about the end of the world. Does this sound familiar? The lead character for the two novels is Noah Tass, a bright young man in his early twenties, who ultimately is caught up in all of the ongoing insanity as he attempts to escape the bland hopelessness of his dreary life and begin a new, meaningful existence elsewhere. His bizarre journey is one of self-discovery and the kind of enlightenment one only achieves by confronting the weird and unexpected. Sounds serious? Actually there is much more laughing than crying. The events of these two novels are fictional, an alternative reality. But remarkably they ring truer than reality itself. 12-12-12 was completed January 2012 and was published March 18, 2012. While writing this dark satire, chock full unusual twists and biting political humor, the author lived in Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia and of course Japan. John Rachel's most recent novels include Blinders Keepers (published June 1, 2013), and An Unlikely Truth. During the writing of these last two works, Rachel traveled extensively in Japan, and went back to America twice. He just recently returned from a nine-nation tour of Europe. He often refers to his current life as living in a fairy tale. Some of his best friends are fairies.