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Fictionalized Politics Close to Home

A Blacksburg writer is out with a new novel of political intrigue set very close to home. Like many of his previous books, Michael Abraham’s latest gets its title from an actual town. This one is called “Orange,  Virginia.” 

Michael Abraham writes fiction, non-fiction and political essays.  This time the Blacksburg native has done a combination of all three.

“I always start with a purpose and usually it’s trying to illustrate a point that I want to make.  And as you know, I ran for the House of Delegates last year and learned a lot about how completely dysfunctional our government has become, both at a state and national level, and I wanted to make those points and knew --I just felt that it would be easier to make those points more meaningful for people if it was done through fiction.”

Though Abraham lost to one term incumbent, Republican "Nick" Rush, that doesn’t mean he can’t rewrite history just a little bit. 

"My story is about a woman who is running  for Virginia Lt. Governor. She learns she has cancer right before the election. She doesn't tell anyone, because it would doom her chances to win the election. But it becomes disclosed right afterward.  She wins the election, and the story goes on from there."

Abraham makes no secret of how he uses fiction to sell his personal ideology. An approach that worked for 20th century political philosopher Ayn Rand whose books read like anthems to objectivist theory and libertarian politics.

“This is not a fair and balanced book. I’ll be the first t admit it. It has have a particular philosophy. I’m a partisan person. I ran as a Democrat.  It’s really clear in this book not that the Democrats do everything right; I don’t think the Democrats have all the ideas but right now I don’t think the Republicans have any ideas. There will be Republicans who will read this and not appreciate it I’m sure.”

Chapter headings in “Orange, VA” include quotes from politicians past and present.

“John Adams once said government should be, in a miniature, the representation of the people.  So if 51 percent of the people in Virginia are democrats then roughly 51 % of our representatives should be Democrats and they’re not. And that situation is across most of the country right now. And I think people need to understand how poorly we are governed in terms of this representation of the people, which is the ideal of American democracy.”  

Michael Abraham invites you to a book signing reception Friday evening, 1/17/15 at 5:30 at the Creekmore Law Firm on Main Street in Blacksburg.

 

Robbie Harris is based in Blacksburg, covering the New River Valley and southwestern Virginia.
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