The Emancipating Death of a Boring Engineer
Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2012 Book of the Year Award, Foreword Reviews
"My casket shall be filled to the rim with 2005 Saint-Émilion." So read the first line of the specific instructions for Keene's funeral-a funeral that nobody would attend, since he had no friends or family. This had to be a mistake. Carmina's ex-husband had never been one inclined towards such exuberance-"he was a boring engineer for Christ's sake." Besides, she didn't want to have anything to do with this sordid story-they hadn't spoken to each other for more than a decade. A story that would have her treasure hunt for junk, with a suicidal, pyromaniac kid in tow, while being courted by the shyest lawyer on earth. Keene didn't have friends, but he sure had quirky acquaintances; each of the eight Carmina has to visit holds a piece of the puzzle.
With its palette of quirky characters, imaginative developments, and unusual perspective on life and death, The Emancipating Death of a Boring Engineer is an inspirational journey that captivates, entertains, and provides food for thought to those of us who happen to know someone who might die someday (rare as it may be).
About the author:
Michel Bruneau is a boring engineer of the not so boring kind-whether he is emancipated or dead remains to be seen. His previous novel (Shaken Allegiances), which won the 2010 Grand Prize Next Generation Indie Book Awards and received much acclaim, depicted a Kafkaesque post-disaster world at the hands of self-serving actors. On a different tack, The Emancipating Death of a Boring Engineer is an uplifting story with an upbeat ending, because it was written with a pen of a different color.
www.michelbruneau.com
Reviews
"This is certainly one way to go out. A love triangle of the strangest kind. You might find yourself charmed by a so-called boring engineer."
-- ForeWord Reviews
"The Emancipating Death of a Boring Engineer tells a compelling, and, at times, funny story. An entertaining read."
-- San Francisco Book Review
"Plenty of humor with its own take on the romance, very much recommended reading."
-- Midwest Book Review
Truly delightful. A sweet and poignant testimonial to love. Well worth reading. -- Readers Favorite
"Zany with occasional moments of seriousness."
-- IndieReader Review
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Michel Bruneau, P.E., P.Eng., is Professor in the Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and an ASCE Fellow. He is a member of various AISC and CSA committees developing seismic design specifications for bridges and buildings. Dr. Bruneau has conducted extensive research on the evaluation and retrofit of existing steel structures subjected to large destructive forces. He has authored more than 400 technical publications and has received many awards for his work.
Chia-Ming Uang, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Structural Engineering at the University of California, San Diego. A member of the AISC's Committee on Specification and Committee on Research, he received the AISC Special Achievement Award in 2007. Dr. Uang has authored numerous articles on seismic behavior and design of steel structures.
Rafael Sabelli, S.E., is a Principal and Director of Seismic Design at Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc., and was President of the Structural Engineers Association of California from 2009 to 2010. He is a member of the AISC Task Committee on the Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings and the ASCE 7 Seismic Subcommittee. Mr. Sabelli is the coauthor of AISC Design Guide 20: Steel Plate Shear Walls as well as of numerous research papers on conventional and buckling-restrained braced frames.
