Jan. 25, 2025 — Hello and welcome to today’s episode of Elaine’s Literary Salon, hosted by award-winning author and restauranteur Jeffery James Higgins, we meet Jeff Markowitz, author of “The Other.”
Today’s interview tells the tale of this important book that offers parallel narratives that touch upon several fascinating ideas, including the reach of Nazism—even in rural America—during WWII, the lasting impacts of the January 6 insurrection on today’s world, and the similarities between two time periods each burdened with an oppressive sense of dread. Don’t miss it! About Jeff: Elaine’s Literary Salon is the author of five mysteries, including the award-winning dark comedy, “Death and White Diamonds.”
About Jeff: Having spent over forty years creating community-based programs and services for children and adults with autism, Jeff spent 25 years as President and Executive Director of the Life Skills Resource Center before retiring in 2018 to devote more time to writing. In October 2021, an epic late-night puzzle hunt based on his novella, Motive for Murder, raised more than $1 million for at-risk children in NYC. Jeff is a Past President of the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. He lives in Monmouth Junction, NJ, with his wife Carol and two cats, Virgil and Aeneas.
About “The Other:” For Abe Dubinski and his family, life on the canal is peaceful and productive. Employed as a lock tender, Abe is responsible for the safe passage of barges carrying anthracite from Pennsylvania to New York. When the canal company announced its plan to close the canal in 1933, Abe worried about his job and his company home. Still, in his heart, he knows his family will be okay. But the peace is shattered when a Nazi youth camp opens on the banks of the canal.
Under the direction of their Nazi leaders, more than one hundred teenage boys in brown shirts erect tents in the fields that abut Abe’s home. Threats of violence put his wife and children in imminent danger. Abe Dubinski must take action to protect his family, even if that action threatens his very soul. Ninety years later, Charlie Levenson moves into the former lock tender’s house, intent on living out his remaining years quietly after the death of his wife, Zoya Aziz.
A series of threatening encounters with strangers compels Charlie to examine the circumstances of his wife’s death. If he’s right, his granddaughter may also be in danger. Charlie must put his dream of a quiet life on hold. No matter the cost, Charlie has a responsibility to stand up to hate. What would you do to protect your family when the Nazis come to town?
Watch the interview on Inkandescent.tv.
Learn more about Jeff and his book here: https://www.jeffmarkowitz.com.
Be sure to visit Elaine’s in Old Town, VA, when you are in the Washington, DC area: elaines-restaurant.com.