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Historical Novel Poses Timeless Questions of War and Peace, Friendship and Love
NEW YORK (April 9th, 2008)—When America finds itself on the brink of war with a foreign nation, citizens are forced to take sides. Friends and families split as they debate the pending conflict. Some believe America must step in to save innocent civilians from a tyrannical government. Others believe the U.S. government is using brute force to strengthen its position as a global power.
This might sound like the conflict among Americans on the eve of war with Iraq, but this tension dates back much further, to the late 1890s, as the country moved toward war with Spain. Set against the backdrop of 19th century Philadelphia, Tunnell’s Boys—a historical novel by Tony Junker—tells the story of this often forgotten military conflict that divided the nation.
Tunnell’s Boys recounts the tale of two young ship’s apprentices on the eve of the Spanish American War. Peter Long and Ebenezer Soule find themselves vying for the coveted position of boatman aboard the schooner Tunnell. Soule is strong and handsome, and his inborn nautical abilities make him a gifted seaman. But with a hot temper and ready fists, he is outpaced by Peter Long, whose steadiness makes up for his lesser strength and leadership.
The two also compete for the affections of the same woman—the beautiful Rachel Powell, whose moneyed family and powerful Quaker ties seem to put her out of reach. In the end, Soule and Long find themselves winners and losers as fate hands each man his prize. The two go their separate ways only to meet again aboard another ship. This time, Long and Soule find themselves at another crossroads and must ask themselves if it is better to remain true to one’s country, one’s friend or one’s heart.
Author Tony Junker delves into questions of war and peace, pacifism and activism, family and country. A practicing Quaker, he poses these questions in the face of current global conflicts. These timeless themes allow Long, Soule and modern day readers to plumb the depths of their beliefs.
For more information about Tunnell’s Boys, visit iuniverse.com.
About the Author
Tony Junker completed his undergraduate work at Wesleyan University and received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from MIT. Junker studied at the Ecole Americaine des Beaux Arts in France and earned graduate degrees in architecture and urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania. He became a founding partner of an architectural practice in Philadelphia. A practicing Quaker, he has also written about religion and spirituality. Tunnell’s Boys is his first book.
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