And West Is West

A calculated nail-biter that shines a dark light on life in the 21st century. The Washington Post A story no one has ever written before, and one we all need to read . . . Impressive and keenly relevant to our time. Barbara Kingsolver When Jessica, a young Air Force drone pilot in Nevada, is tasked with launching a missile against a suspected terrorist halfway across the world, she has no choice but to comply, even if it means women and children will be killed too. Meanwhile, Ethan, a young Wall Street quant, develops an algorithm that enables his company s clients to profit by exploiting the international financial instability caused by exactly this kind of antiterrorist strike. These two are only minor players, but their actions have global implications that tear lives apart--including their own, as they are cast out by a flawed system and forced to take the blame for the orders of their superiors. Award-winning author Ron Childress has crafted a powerful, politically charged, and terrifyingly real novel for our time. Extraordinary. The Kansas City Star This compelling debut novel . . . dramatically examines the insidious role unrestrained technology plays in the moral and ethical corruption of people, institutions, and government . . . An excellent story, well told, suspenseful, and tragic. Publishers Weekly This powerful and morally chilling tale depicts the chasm modern technology can create between actions and consequences. Library Journal A smart, satisfying work about real people navigating the uneasy compromises of today s world. With sharp writing and likeable characters, Ron Childress has woven a very human story out of the tangle of conflicts--military, political, financial--that bind us together. Washington Independent Review of Books, 2015 Best Novels of the Year A master study in how people can emotionally detach themselves from the damage they cause in our computer-driven world. The Washington Post

“"[A] gritty debut. . . It's a master study in how people can emotionally detach themselves from the damage they cause in our computer-driven world." -- The Washington Post "This compelling debut novel, which won the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, dramatically examines the insidious role unrestrained technology plays in the moral and ethical corruption of people, institutions, and government . . . This is an excellent story, well told, suspenseful, and tragic." -- Publishers Weekly "[E]xtraordinary. . . Through graceful and controlled writing, the novel shows that whether we're operating by proxy or directly and tangibly affecting someone, we're all not only responsible for one another, but absolutely must assume responsibility for ourselves."”

"This compelling debut novel, which won the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, dramatically examines the insidious role unrestrained technology plays in the moral and ethical corruption of people, institutions, and government . . . This is an excellent story, well told, suspenseful, and tragic." - Publishers Weekly

Ron Childress started his work life in boatyards up and down the New England coast, but at nineteen, he enrolled in community college and went on to earn his BA, MA, and PhD in literature. Childress worked for several years as a communications manager for a professional association near Washington, DC, before joining his wife in her tech marketing agency. In 2000, he left the business to pursue fiction writing full time. And West Is West, winner of the 2014 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, is his first novel.

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