THE 60-YEAR-OLD BOOK
It was 1945, and my dad, Julian L. Bernstein, had just finished his tour in the U.S. Army in France in WWII. He was a radar operator and a decorated soldier, and the country thanked him for his service. After the war, he studied physics and math and became enamored with radio and video transmissions. He became a professor at the RCA Institute in New York. In 1960, he wrote his first book, Video Tape Recording, and in 1965, Audio Systems and the Standard Electronics Questions and Answer book.
Then sometime in 1966, with his thoughts on WWII, he began creating his first novel. It was dedicated to the soldiers who gave their lives for a safer future. He wrote the outlines to each chapter, had the character descriptions complete, outlined an epic journey, and even wrote the the prologue, a description of WWIII and the first chapter. But he never got a chance to finish it.
In 1967, he passed away.
In 2019, I was going through some old files when I found it...The outline for his book. It had the basic description of the story from start to finish...and it was good. VERY GOOD. But it was never written.
I knew, then, I had to tell his story. I knew that I had to write it, and with my writing background, I was confident I could do it. It started slowly, but soon, I took his 60-word chapter outlines and brought them to life. Adding detail and descriptions started slowly but got easier the more I wrote. With the help of Google Maps (my dad outlined an epic journey through part of the US), I was able to visualize their path. The characters come to life and evolve throughout the book. Each character had an important role to play and helped move the story along. There are multiple challenges that will seem insurmountable along the way. You'll find multiple cliffhangers and misdirection. And just when you think it is over, it's just beginning.
I am incredibly proud of the story my dad and I put together. It's engaging and surprising, with ingenuity, intricate detail, and two secrets you will be trying to solve along the way. And in the end, there is a message for humanity. That's a lot, but it did date almost 60 years to write.
Tensions in the world have escalated between the U.S. and China culminating with the start and end of WWIII. After the War, the world as we know it is gone except for a small group in Ohio.
It's years later, and the tribe (as they call themselves) consists of about 100 or so people, including elders who survived the blast in local caves and a few generations of their offspring. They are running out of food and need to find a new home. It is determined that Jimmy Hale will lead a group of 30 young adults to find a new home. The elders will stay behind. They are in no condition to take the trip and will only hold the others back. With fewer people, they can survive. Before Jimmy leaves, the Chancellor, an elder and their leader, hands him a note. He is told not to tell anyone about it and to do what it says when the time comes, but his first task is to find a new home.
Jimmy is joined by his fiancé, his best friend, his brother and sister, a tinkerer, a seer, and a number of others who may be needed to help them succeed.
Jimmy and the young tribe head east and run into a number of obstacles along the way.
Will Jimmy and the others find a new home?
What problems will they find along the way?
Can they overcome these problems?
What type of leader will Jimmy be?
What about the secret? Will we find out what it is?
Will Jimmy fulfill the chancellor's request?
Two secrets indeed. Get ready to go on a journey with Jimmy and his tribe and be surprised at every turn. And just when you think it is over, the story is just beginning.
This book is a story of hope and perseverance with rich characters, creative solutions, and small cliffhangers throughout. It will keep you guessing how and what they will do. Sometimes, you'll get it right, and sometimes, you'll be surprised. It also reads like a mystery, with small bits of information sprinkled along the way, like breadcrumbs, that help you figure out what's next. And in the end, there is a philosophical lesson for all.
