The Fifteenth Commandment (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781946163585)

It is the summer of 1965, and seventeen-year-old Nick Baarda is under pressure from his religious sect to conform to its rigid rules of behavior, including prohibitions on "worldly" activities like dancing and going to movies. On the other hand, Nick and his best friends are determined to enjoy modern life to the fullest, and they devise their own Commandment to give themselves free rein. They also plan to leave town the following year when they graduate from their parochial high school. When a new minister arrives, he makes it clear that he intends to keep the boys firmly under his thumb, and this sets in motion an extended contest of wills. Complicating things is the pastor's daughter, who becomes Nick's intellectual soulmate while not reciprocating his romantic overtures. The result for Nick is a roller coaster of infatuation and frustration, while he and the other boys share raucous adventures and deal with sex, conflict, and calamity. Through it all, Nick wrestles with the quirks and hypocrisy he sees in his religion, and as graduation nears, he is forced to decide whether he will stay or break free.

Author: Steve Sieberson
ISBN-10: 1946163589
ISBN-13: 9781946163585
Publisher: North Dakota State University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/24/2023
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 0.80d