Lying Bastard
Lying Bastard by Clint Margrave is a darkly comic literary novel published by RunAmok Books in May 2020. This 264-page book is narrated by Berlin Saunders, an adjunct English professor in Long Beach, CA, who finds himself in a precarious situation after a school shooting. The narrative explores the complex father-son dynamic between Saunders and his conservative student, Adam Rowan, a returning Iraq veteran, as they embark on a quixotic scheme to steal the Liberty Bell, only to face unexpected betrayal.
Readers will encounter a vivid portrayal of contemporary America, delving into themes such as school shootings, the search for authenticity in education, and the exploitation of both teachers and students. The story introduces a range of colorful characters, including Tom Corona, an ambitious tenure-track job seeker, and Harry Crawford, the self-serving chair of the English Department. Lying Bastard presents a satirical examination of truth versus fiction within a failing education system, inviting reflection on the societal issues that shape the lives of its characters.
Official synopsis Publisher
A darkly comic literary novel, LYING BASTARD is set in Long Beach, CA, and is narrated by adjunct English professor Berlin Saunders, who, as the book opens, is playing dead on the classroom floor after a school shooting. The story revolves around a father-son relationship between liberal professor, Saunders, and his conservative student, Adam Rowan, a returning Iraq veteran, who tries to recruit Saunders into a quixotic plot to steal the Liberty Bell. But when an act of betrayal disrupts their plans, Saunders is left to wonder who has betrayed whom? And could that betrayal be the motivation behind the violent situation in which the professor currently finds himself?
LYING BASTARD is a story about one man on the brink, searching for authenticity in an education system that exploits both teacher and student, in a country that exploits both civilian and soldier. Along the way, the reader is introduced to a colorful cast of characters, such as the sweaty, brown-nosing tenure-track job-seeking Tom Corona, the villainous chair of the English Department and self-published author, Harry Crawford, and the narrator’s best friend, a former adjunct-turned-rock star, Will De Freitas. LYING BASTARD is a story for and about contemporary America, a story that addresses the themes of school shootings, guns, truth vs. fiction, and a failing education system.
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