
The Committee
Sterling Watson
(Author)Description
The 2021 Southern Literary Review Book of the Year
"A captivating read and an absorbing tale about the abuses that can arise from intolerance and prejudice. It carries a warning from the past to the siloed, fractured communities of today." --Historical Novel Society
In the late 1950s, Gainesville, Florida, seems to be a sleepy university town. Its residents live, by outward appearances, ordinary lives. And yet the town is far from ordinary. The most private acts of professors, students, townspeople rich and poor, and politicians are under the close scrutiny of a shadowy group of men--the Committee--who use the powers of government and the police to investigate, threaten, and control this increasingly fearful community.
The Committee pits friends against friends and threatens careers and lives in a struggle for the soul of a town, a university, and an ideal. Based on actual historical events and set against the backdrop of political, cultural, and class turmoil, this is a story of love--both licit and hidden--war, friendship, betrayal, compromise, and finally the necessity to stand firm against the encroachments upon freedom by men who believe they are doing God's and the government's righteous work.
Product Details
Publisher | Akashic Books, Ltd. |
Publish Date | January 07, 2020 |
Pages | 420 |
Language | English |
Type | |
EAN/UPC | 9781617757686 |
Dimensions | 9.0 X 6.0 X 1.1 inches | 0.9 pounds |
About the Author
Reviews
[Watson] does an excellent job of portraying a time, place, and culture without assigning contemporary values where they didn't exist . . . The dialogue is realistic, and the pacing, especially toward the end, is quick and intense. Any reader wanting a history lesson wrapped in a compelling, believable novel will find much to contemplate here.-- "Kirkus Reviews"
In this sharply crafted novel, his seventh, [Watson] re-creates the era with rich detail and a creeping sense of dread . . . The Committee is the kind of story that makes you hope it can't happen here--but reminds you that it already has.-- "Tampa Bay Times"
Watson has written a fine, eloquent, powerful book and its message will remain timely. Let us heed its warning even as we savor the story so well told in its pages.-- "Southern Literary Review"
Whether he's stoking his narrative or letting his mind wander, Watson writes crisp, beautiful prose.-- "Booklist"
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