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The American Plan by David Weisberg

A daring and disturbing tale of survival set in Cuba and South Florida during the 1950s and early 60’s, embracing both the breadth of historical fiction and the intimate intensity of a psychological suspense novel, The American Plan is a vertiginous ride through the mid-century American psyche.

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Author’s Bio

David Weisberg is a teacher, playwright, critic and fiction writer. He has taught at Hunter College in New York City, the University of Delaware, and Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. He is the author of Chronicles of Disorder, a groundbreaking study of the works of Samuel Beckett in the context of the vehement cultural and aesthetic polemics of mid-century Europe. His shorter works have appeared in The Albuquerque Alibi, The Tennessee Review, The Mississippi Review, Nepantla: Views from the South, Libido, Nerve.com and other journals. His play, Totem and Taboo, premiered February 2016 at the Central Works Theater in Berkeley, CA.

The American Plan, his first novel, is the inaugural volume of a projected three- novel series chronicling the rise and fall of a fictional region of sun-belt America, from the Korean War through the financial debacle of 2008.

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My Review

5 stars

Philip Narby has a secret, he is a deserter from the Korean War. He has been hiding out in Cuba and with the news of the war being over he is planning on sneaking back into America with the other returned soldiers, if he can survive that long in pre-revolutionary Cuba. Philip has some issues but still finds his way back to Florida. He finds love with a New York painter, Willa Branton, and lives with the Jim Crow laws in Florida in the 1950’s and 60’s. He will also live through the issues of Cuban immigrants, land development, and many other events during this time period.

I’m sorry to admit that I don’t know much about the Korean War and the south during the 50’s and 60’s. My history teacher focused so much on World War II that we never progressed from there and I’m not a history buff. I knew of some of these events, the Jim Crow laws and such, but reading them in this book really opened my eyes. I love when a story is based around real life events like The American Plan. This helps to draw me into the fights and leave me wanting to learn more about this time period.

The American Plan is the first in a trilogy and it is a great introduction. I loved all the history. I can’t wait to see where the next two books are going to take me.

I received The American Plan from Wildbound PR for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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 My Review

5 stars

This story bounces between three time periods. We start in 1629 as an evil takes possession of the prisoners and turns them against the guards and those that have imprisoned them. A little girl that is so much more makes a stand with those that think they rule. Then we come to 2008 and a family that has moved into a house where strange things start happening.

I loved this story. It instantly sucked me in with prisoners revolting, the evil ruling them, and wouldn’t let me go until the very last word. I love me some horror and this is a fresh take on the genera. I was kept guessing, genuinely scared and enthralled with the gore and violence.

You have a wonderfully developed history with the evil, how it has reared its ugly face so many years later, and how it has come back to torment a new family. There are twists and turns that will throw you off and keep you guessing.

If you love horror, this is the book for you. This is my first story from Matthew Williams but it with not be my last.

  My Review

5 stars

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