Peter Ferry Livres

Tom Johnson has turned 85 and has suffered a few "events," though he knows his mind is sharp. His oldest son, who had Down Syndrome has died, and his remaining two children want to move him out of the homestead lake house and into a retirement home in town. What Tom wants to do is to find the only woman he ever loved, a woman he met in the Netherlands where he was stationed during World War II. And so he slips away, deftly covers his tracks, and begins his search for her in Eindhoven. While his children try to track him down and then have him extradited back home, Tom delves into love and loss and the value of memory. Soon he catches sight of a woman he believes to be Sarah, the love he lost almost a lifetime ago. He will have to fight for her affections and forgiveness, even as he fights for the legal right to stay in the Netherlands in the name of love and family and all the remaining rights of an old man.

Pete Ferry is driving home from work when he notices a car swerving dangerously. To avoid it, he allows it to overtake, only to see that the driver is a beautiful woman, half-naked and clearly intoxicated. Concerned, he follows her at a safe distance, debating whether to call the police or seek help. When they reach a traffic light, he realizes he should intervene but hesitates. As the light changes, her car lurches forward and crashes into a tree, killing her instantly. This shocking incident becomes the story Pete shares with his high-school students in a wealthy Chicago suburb, but questions arise: Did it truly happen, or is it a fabrication to illustrate storytelling's power? Was it an accident, or could he have prevented it? Who was the woman, and why is she haunting his thoughts? What does this obsession mean for his relationship with his girlfriend, Lydia? With humor, tenderness, and suspense, the narrative explores both geographical and psychological journeys, challenging our perceptions of fact and fiction and revealing the blurred lines between them.

**DEBUT FICTION**   Pete Ferry, our narrator, teaches high school English in the wealthy suburb of Lake Forest outside of Chicago, and moonlights as a travel writer. On his way home after work one evening he witnesses a car accident that kills a beautiful woman named Lisa Kim. But was it an accident? Could Pete have prevented it? And did it actually happen, or is this just an elaborate tale he concocts to impart the power of story to his restless teenage charges? Why can’t he stop thinking about Lisa Kim? And what might his obsession with her mean to his relationship with his girlfriend, Lydia? With humor, tenderness, and suspense, Travel Writing takes readers on fascinating journeys, both geographical and psychological, and delves into the notion that the line between fact and fiction is often negotiable.

Exploring the symbolic power of beards, this study delves into their significance in American literature from the 18th century to contemporary works. It examines how the beard has been portrayed in various forms of writing, including newspapers and periodicals, highlighting its evolving relationship with masculinity throughout American history.