Before the First Snow: Stories from the Revolution - Hardcover

People were singing. People were marching. People were protesting. The media reported, editorialized, lampooned, misreported, and scornfully dismissed the new social movements forged from alienation. And then the revolution of the 1960s dissolved into the 1980s and gave birth to the “Me Generation.” But one person never lost her principles. Apryl Greene, a child of the '60s now in her early 40s, is a musician and freelance photographer. While others want to become a part of corporate America, she continues to protest war, while fighting for social justice and the preservation of the environment. On 40 acres of forest in northeastern Pennsylvania, she plans to build a school for peace and the arts. But, on the eve of the Persian Gulf War, powerful forces have begun a process to legally seize the land. For a nation torn between the fear of the destruction of an oil-driven economy and the promise of “clean” nuclear energy, Apryl is facing the power of banks, private industry, and the government, all of which may be wrapping their actions under the guise of “national security.” Into her life comes social activist David Ascher, cynical, liberal, and burdened with the responsibilities of being executive editor of a major national magazine. He's after a story; she's after something more important. Together, they are driven to find out who are trying to seize her land; more important, why. (continued on back flap) (continued from front flap) Award-winning journalist Walter M. Brasch proves he is a master of the literary vignette as he meticulously builds a scenario of greed, corruption, and intrigue, set against the backdrop of social protest between 1964 and Jan. 15, 1991, the day before Operation Desert Storm. Unraveling the mystery of why others want Apryl's land, Brasch weaves a compelling story of the intersection of history and contem-porary American culture and values, every bit as powerful and timely today as it was more than two decades earlier.

Dr. Brasch is an award-winning syndicated social issues columnist, and the author of 17 books. He is vice-president of an ACLU chapter (and active in 1st amendment and due process issues), and executive vice-president/co-founder of a large regional alliance for the homeless. He is a former newspaper reporter and editor, magazine editor, and multimedia writer/producer. He is a retired professor of mass communications.