In a more personal sense, I set this philosophical thriller at my alma mater, Brown University, where I also worked as an administrator. Reading the Brown Alumni Monthly for the past decade or so is appalling. It is a diary of politically correct thought and policies, above all the gospel of "diversity." I have come to realize that even my "liberal" (statist) fellow alums are pissed. I thought that this novel might become a rallying point. But, of course, self-publishing succeeds only with what Ayn Rand described as "the underground stream" of impassioned readers who become the marketers of the novel. I am asking if you might read the novel (I have kept the Kindle price at 99 cents) and decide if you think it is worth advocating.

Just another comment on that, Dobrien. Since reading "Atlas Shrugged" in 1962, during the summer between high school and attending Brown University, I have studied, argued, taught, and written about Objectivism. "Retaking College Hill" is written from an Objectivist viewpoint, and, also, as Romantic Realism. BUT... I cannot write an Objectivistly correct novel--if there ever was intended to be such a thing. I literally cannot, and for decades that prevented me from writing any fiction. A story: I arrived in New York City in 1971 to live in the Objectivist capitol. I could attend the lectures live, meet ardent Objectivists, and, as Nathaniel Branden got rolling, attend the plays, dances... My passion was to write fiction, and my model was Ayn Rand. I had gotten to know Michael Berliner (later first president of ARI) very well at Boston University, where we taught together in the College of Basic Studies. And also Harry Binswanger, Michael's best friend, and guiding spirit of the MIT Radicals for Capitalism, which was our Sunday afternoon service. In New York, I started seeing a psychotherapist, Allan Blumenthal, who was one of Ayn Rand's "Class of '43." Okay, how did this work? I wrote a short story for children, "Gerald's Mistake," about a crow who steals something. Mike Berliner wanted to see it. He passed it along to Harry Binswanger, who called me about it. Its sense of life might endanger children. It was malevolent. I was cordial with Harry, who lived a few blocks away and attended my parties. Well, the discussion of my short story with Harry did not reach a resolution. But guess what? At my next psychotherapy session with Dr. Allan Blumenthal, he brought up the story. Yes, he admitted, Harry had urged him to do it. So, in my psychotherapy session, I was asked to justify the sense of life of my short story. Allan Blumenthal was a wonderful man. That he was in Ayn Rand "Class of '43" speaks volumes for the quality of the minds that Ayn Rand attracted. Dr. Blumenthal did not want to be the sense-o- life police; he raised the issue because Harry Binswanger told him to raise it. (Later, after the Rand-Branden break, Allan totally divorced from the whole business with pain and regret he still expressed a decade later.) But, you see, Dobrien, i was paralyzed for writing fiction--yes, with Ayn Rand as my model--for three decades. I simply could not do it. I could not turn on the faucet, and if you don't turn on the faucet, nothing flows. Only when I retired at age 62, and I figured my career was over, that it no longer mattered, that no one cared...could I begin to write novels. My first two began as pornographic. In other words, the worst I could do to prove that I no longer was a soldier in the ranks. Tellingly, these novels have plots, heroes, moral conflict, and triumphs--but they are semi-pornographic. I finally moved on from that. I could get back, in my 70's, to writing both as a lifelong Objectivist but also an individual with a sense of life. With idiosyncrasies. Hang-ups. And I would say that "Retaking College Hill" is the first novel (#6) I have written with a sense of freedom to be both an Objectivist and a novelist, which all my life seemed an impossible combination. Unless, as Allan Blumenthal told me, way back then, one committed the only cardinal sin against writing fiction, which was to abandon one's sense of life, whatever it was, for "social metaphysics" ( big buzzword, back then)--Peter Keating as novelist. Well, I did not commit that particular sin. I simply did not write fiction for 30 years. Strangely, Dobrien, I never have told this to anyone. So...when you read "Retaking College Hill," you may or may not find Objectivist gold.

Well done, Walter. Very relevant to the times. I read this on and off in the span of a day. Very much appreciated. Post a modest review on Goodreads and will also on Amazon.

I would love to give you a glowing review, but I don’t have a Amazon acct. I would rather scratch my fingernails along the blackboard than give Bezos any business. I don’t have kindle but I would buy a paperback copy if available.