A man's descent into madness begins as the world goes to war. Disillusioned with his boring life in New York City, a wealthy white heir to a railroad fortune follows a black tent-fundamentalist preacher out west. Their goal is to bring God to those uncivilized and uncharted parts of America. But as they venture deeper into the unknown, it is they who may most require the grace of God.
Elijah Rising
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Lyn LeJeune is the author of several novels. Her stories have been published in literary journals such as Big Muddy: A Journal of The Mississippi River Valley (East Missouri University), The Bishop s House Review (Duke), The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Nantahala, Milestone, Identity Theory, Our Stories, Demolition Magazine and Stone Table Review, and The Best of Our Stories. She was recipient of the Paris Writers Institute Scholarship for study in Paris, France. Lyn studied writing at Skidmore, where she worked with Marilynne Robinson and Mary Gordon, Duke, and the Breadloaf Writers Conference. Lyn routinely holds seminars on writing and development of oral history projects and has a gift for one-on-one conversation, communicating with large audiences, and working with smaller audiences in venues such as book clubs and seminars. One of Lyn s first readers for Elijah Rising was Howard Zinn, who commented: I read it in two sittings, became involved in the story. You write very well! Best wishes, Howard Zinn
Lyn is 100% Cajun and makes the best gumbo in South Louisiana.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By toritto
Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A panorama of a novel set in the progressive Wilsonian era and beyond; the America of war, racism, wealth, poverty, religion, music as seen through the eyes of a lost scion of wealth and privilege and a poor black boy who had joined the great migration north.
In the townhouses of 5th Avenue the son of a railroad baron who never measures up to his parent's expectations. Doesn't have a girlfriend. Doesn't finish Princeton. Can't join the Army because he is "too small". He strikes out on his own to find he knows not what when his mother throws a party celebrating America's entry into World War I.
He becomes a free lance writer while seeing for the first time the real America; the America of the lower east side and Harlem; the America of the immigrant slums and black orphans roaming the streets, the America of the drunks he meets in the bars while consuming the elixir of life - rye whiskey. And along the way he meets the young black boy, now orphaned, who will become the preacher of the old time religion, Elijah Broom.
He begins writing columns for his paper about the street life of the black boy, paying him for his stories, follows him when he leaves N. Y. to preach, south and west to the lands of the Klan and the dust bowl to the heartland of the bible religion. Here he finds the America outside the East; the hardscrabble America fearful of change, immigrants, foreigners and blacks.
Along the way he questions his purpose and the relationship between war and poverty, poverty and religion, religion and war, salvation and religion, black and white.
Is he writing about Elijah to inform the public, perhaps to save souls or is he selling the product Elijah? Is he becoming more salesman than journalist? What exactly is he selling? Salvation or a carnival show - hope to the lost or a truly black Al Jolson? Does he want Elijah to be famous yet untouched by fame?
Michael is the lost white man who thinks he's found his purpose in life, his salvation, in the black preacher, while Elijah, who had read W. E. B. Dubois, knows how America works; knows the white man's soul. As Michael becomes more dependent Elijah morphs into Hollywood newsreels showing the face America wants to see.
Elijah Rising paints the vista that was the Progressive Era, a troubled young writer, the tribulations of a black man trying to survive, the sounds and smells of tent revivals in dusty places abandoned by hope, the nuts and bolts business of religion and the possibilities dawning in the media world in the promised land of California, all with a lyrical sense of the Old Testament.
If you love the era then don't miss it.
In the townhouses of 5th Avenue the son of a railroad baron who never measures up to his parent's expectations. Doesn't have a girlfriend. Doesn't finish Princeton. Can't join the Army because he is "too small". He strikes out on his own to find he knows not what when his mother throws a party celebrating America's entry into World War I.
He becomes a free lance writer while seeing for the first time the real America; the America of the lower east side and Harlem; the America of the immigrant slums and black orphans roaming the streets, the America of the drunks he meets in the bars while consuming the elixir of life - rye whiskey. And along the way he meets the young black boy, now orphaned, who will become the preacher of the old time religion, Elijah Broom.
He begins writing columns for his paper about the street life of the black boy, paying him for his stories, follows him when he leaves N. Y. to preach, south and west to the lands of the Klan and the dust bowl to the heartland of the bible religion. Here he finds the America outside the East; the hardscrabble America fearful of change, immigrants, foreigners and blacks.
Along the way he questions his purpose and the relationship between war and poverty, poverty and religion, religion and war, salvation and religion, black and white.
Is he writing about Elijah to inform the public, perhaps to save souls or is he selling the product Elijah? Is he becoming more salesman than journalist? What exactly is he selling? Salvation or a carnival show - hope to the lost or a truly black Al Jolson? Does he want Elijah to be famous yet untouched by fame?
Michael is the lost white man who thinks he's found his purpose in life, his salvation, in the black preacher, while Elijah, who had read W. E. B. Dubois, knows how America works; knows the white man's soul. As Michael becomes more dependent Elijah morphs into Hollywood newsreels showing the face America wants to see.
Elijah Rising paints the vista that was the Progressive Era, a troubled young writer, the tribulations of a black man trying to survive, the sounds and smells of tent revivals in dusty places abandoned by hope, the nuts and bolts business of religion and the possibilities dawning in the media world in the promised land of California, all with a lyrical sense of the Old Testament.
If you love the era then don't miss it.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I finished this book in a day, and when I got to the end, I went back to read the first chapter again.
Written beautifully and convincingly in the voices of both Elijah and Michael, the story immerses the reader in post-WWI America. I am impressed with the author's ability to weave real people and events into the story of two very different men from two very different worlds. Often this comes across as forced in time period fiction, but Lejune masterfully pulled this off, adding a great deal of realism to the story. By using these historical references, the reader better understands the world that shaped these men.
A number of times I was surprised by a character's actions, and the author's vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were there.
This is a story of struggles and conflicts that are both spiritual and sexual. It is a story of survival both physical and mental. It is so many things, yet difficult to describe. Bottom line, though, it is a book that will stay with me for a long time and one that I would not hesitate to recommend to my friends. It includes a reader's guide, and I do think it would be a good book club choice. There would be a lot to discuss.
Written beautifully and convincingly in the voices of both Elijah and Michael, the story immerses the reader in post-WWI America. I am impressed with the author's ability to weave real people and events into the story of two very different men from two very different worlds. Often this comes across as forced in time period fiction, but Lejune masterfully pulled this off, adding a great deal of realism to the story. By using these historical references, the reader better understands the world that shaped these men.
A number of times I was surprised by a character's actions, and the author's vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were there.
This is a story of struggles and conflicts that are both spiritual and sexual. It is a story of survival both physical and mental. It is so many things, yet difficult to describe. Bottom line, though, it is a book that will stay with me for a long time and one that I would not hesitate to recommend to my friends. It includes a reader's guide, and I do think it would be a good book club choice. There would be a lot to discuss.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback
ELIJAH RISING, ISBN 9781935725084, Paperback, 178 pages, by Lyn Lejeune is a publication of the new LGBT* publisher, inGroup Press.
The narrative begins with Michael again seeing Little Washington, aka. Elijah Broom, a small black boy he had thought he had lost, on the streets of New York. Washington is a desperately poor boy from the south with a dying mother and a young sister forced to the streets to earn enough for basic survival. Michael is the son of a business tycoon father, and a socially prominent, wealthy in- her- own -right, mother. He is overpowered by the father and indulged, but ignored by the mother who is a crusading suffragette. He has graduated from Princeton, is rejected for service in the war that has just begun, and leaves home to move to Greenwich Village "to attempt to discover the meaning of life". He and Washington are drawn to a revival tent meeting by Billy Sunday, a most prominent evangelist of the era and Washington begins to learn the art of being a revivalist preacher. The story continues with Michael eventually joining forces with the developing revivalist minister Elijah and booking tent meetings throughout the western states and eventually, with a partner, in Hollywood. Through it all, there is the specter of underlying, unrequited homosexuality.
As one who lived through much of the latter part of this turbulent era, the tale is a well done representation of the time and of the desperate economic situation encountered by many whites as well as blacks. And perhaps this is the reason, at least in part, for the rambling, confused presentation of the story that, unfortunately for this reader, greatly interfered with enjoyment of the story. Reviewed by John H. Manhold, author of award winning fiction./non-fiction.
*Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
The narrative begins with Michael again seeing Little Washington, aka. Elijah Broom, a small black boy he had thought he had lost, on the streets of New York. Washington is a desperately poor boy from the south with a dying mother and a young sister forced to the streets to earn enough for basic survival. Michael is the son of a business tycoon father, and a socially prominent, wealthy in- her- own -right, mother. He is overpowered by the father and indulged, but ignored by the mother who is a crusading suffragette. He has graduated from Princeton, is rejected for service in the war that has just begun, and leaves home to move to Greenwich Village "to attempt to discover the meaning of life". He and Washington are drawn to a revival tent meeting by Billy Sunday, a most prominent evangelist of the era and Washington begins to learn the art of being a revivalist preacher. The story continues with Michael eventually joining forces with the developing revivalist minister Elijah and booking tent meetings throughout the western states and eventually, with a partner, in Hollywood. Through it all, there is the specter of underlying, unrequited homosexuality.
As one who lived through much of the latter part of this turbulent era, the tale is a well done representation of the time and of the desperate economic situation encountered by many whites as well as blacks. And perhaps this is the reason, at least in part, for the rambling, confused presentation of the story that, unfortunately for this reader, greatly interfered with enjoyment of the story. Reviewed by John H. Manhold, author of award winning fiction./non-fiction.
*Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another WOW!
You do not have to turn too many pages before realizing you are captivated with the story and the writing style of this author. Read more
Published 19 months ago by rougebaisers
5.0 out of 5 stars
The turmoil in the soul of this work is timeless
Listen-up all you wanna-be writers: This book is a new testament to characters and depth that I can only appreciate. I hate being humbled. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Allen G. Howlett Jr.
