The Last Paradise / Michael Kasenow (ePub)

Galveston, Texas, where slaves were once auctioned. The Last Paradise follows the freed slaves and laborers through injustice and bigotry in post-Civil War America. The novel artfully weaves a tapestry of vivid and historic detail in this inspiring story of strength and survival. The alley people in Galveston band together against racism and poverty hidden within the hypocrisy of civic and corporate corruption. Men and women such as Fanny, Maxwell, Newt, Bishop, Elma, the nuns of St. Mary's, and the puckish poor who hang out at Bleach's Tavern journey through self-discovery to find their places in the changing landscape of a modernizing world. The alley people refuse to capitulate to the rich and privileged, drawing upon their strength and character, to be the free men and women demanded by their courageous spirits, even in the midst of turmoil.

Rich with stunning depictions of turn-of-the-century Galveston and the devastation wrought by the Great Hurricane of 1900, The Last Paradise illuminates resilience and fortitude of the great city itself, brought about by the same strengths held by its common citizens. Humorous, evocative, and sobering, this breathtaking novel is an adventure that encompasses the human soul.

"A must-read! Poignant! Breathtaking!"

-Book Reviews

"Grand, sweeping panoramic novel!"

-Best Sellers World

"Breathtaking! Inspiring!

A towering achievement!"

-U.S. Review of Books

"Utterly fascinating read!"

-Midwest Book Review

"A master... Great fiction!"

-Reader Views