ISBN: 978-1-942428-40-4
312 pages
$16.97 in softcover
$4.97 in Kindle
Connect with the author
www.TLWinetsky.com
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Grey Pine
Book I in the American Teachers Series
by T. Lloyd Winetsky
A series with backstories that reveal bitter cynicism
and uplifting idealism in American education.
Based on real events, Grey Pine is a gripping story of one man's struggle to survive amidst
the chaos of the forces of nature and the inner workings of a troubled mind.
On May 18, 1980, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens captured the attention of America. The communities
east of the Cascade Mountains were woefully unprepared for the devastation and disruption that followed,
transforming for many a bright spring day into a murky, twenty-hour night. Grey Pine is the
story of Phillip Stark, a bright and innovative young science teacher who attempts to treat the ash fall
as an opportunity for experiment and wonder, but who is constantly thwarted by the resulting havoc in
the community, and his own personal demons. As his health declines, his relationships suffer. The chaotic
and often dangerous situations with his alcoholic father, irksome neighbor, unreliable girlfriend, and
strained friendships derail any attempt to regain control of his life. All the while the omnipresent ash
from the volcanic eruption acts as a symbolic reminder of his oppression and inability to break through.
Grey Pine is a gritty account of post-Vietnam America that chronicles social ills that are not
unfamiliar to us in the present day: youth suicide, clinical depression, racial tension, alcoholism, and
the malaise from an unpopular war. Phillip must find a way to maintain his sanity and strength
to move past the obstacles created by the forces of nature—both those from without and within.
Praise for Grey Pine
Amidst the ashes, Phillip really wants to live and thrive and as I read deeper into the book,
I couldn't help but cheer him on. The story is told from the "inner" voice of the main character.
As I read the first fifty pages, I wondered if I could keep up with the intensity of his voice, yet
the more I read, the more I liked his character and wanted him to succeed in realizing himself.
This book was a great read.
~ Jillian A. Ross
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