The Good I Stand On
mountains in The Good I Stand On. This debut novel is filled with colorful detail
and the author's passion for the place he comes from, it is told through the
eyes of a native with clarity and warmth. David takes you on a journey home in
this story- and you'll love the trip every step of the way."
On and it's Author (Also Featured at The Midwest Book Review)
dream of writing is one that haunts many but few can claim to have attained. But
when the novelist also understands the writing craft, the power of the written word
and the strength of a story it is an occasion to celebrate. David Tucholski’s first
novel, The Good I Stand On, is one of those moments.
"Ben is the good boy, the big brother every boy would love to have, the little brother
grown boys want to have. He has a quiet life in the his corner of rural Virginia, never
straying far from home, accepting the world around him as he has always known it.
But when he and his brother Christopher begin to explore farther and farther with
their new friend Martin, all that changes. Martin is a lonely boy, living with only his
remote mother after his father dies. He encourages the boys to explore farther and
farther in areas the boys have never been. It is on one of those adventures that Ben’s
life explodes into a nightmare of mammoth dimensions.
"It is not only that strong story line that moves this story. Tucholski has interwoven
the plot fabric of a child's lost innocence with threads of loss of father's love, betrayal
and loves thwarted. Not only does Ben lose his innocence by the end of the book, but
an entire village is tossed into upheaval. In a stunning, unexpected ending waves of
disclosures rock the village and the pace of the novel, the reader is drawn into the
demise of peace in small town America.
"The characters that inhabit this novel become very real for the reader. While some
of them are sharply detailed, others wander through out the novel, not a large part of
the story but on the periphery. A fascinating example is the deputy who dogs Ben’s
heels, causes the final outcome but is never clearly described. But it is these
peripheral characters that ultimately come into focus by the end, that affect the turn
of events, just as they do in real life. It is the people who wander on the edges of our
daily life who can often have the most dramatic effect on our futures. Tucholski
understands and portrays this in a forceful explosion of an ending.
"In this age of developing publishing resources where the larger publishing houses
no longer control the market, The Good I Stand On is a shining example of the
power of the smaller presses. iUniverse deserves applause for recognizing and
supporting this talented newcomer. Other publishers will lament not obtaining the
talents of this up and coming author. Now we just await his next work."
hardest summer of his life when a tragic event requires him to not only save his own
life, but that of another. Set in a little town in Virginia, his innocence passes as he
grapples with issues of truth and morality in a deeply moving story. The author is a
very talented writer who deserves a wide audience.”
first page to the last . . . highly recommended."
“David Tucholski is a skilled master of suspense . . . his descriptions are vivid and
his characters are realistic. The dialogue reflects the local character as well as the
simple vocabulary of the young. His own upbringing in rural Virginia helps to set the
stage for the boys’ adventures and readers of all ages easily identify with the towns
people."
“His assiduous style is constant throughout and his literary skill is apparent. This
reviewer awaits more from this talented author."
"Well-written, heartfelt story of how a young boy's life is consumed by the events
leading up to an old man's death."
Editor's Choice Award is presented to a select group of iUniverse authors for
high-quality work that receives several favorable professional editorial reviews. The
Good I Stand On received the highest marks in all categories of plot,
characterization, and setting, just to name a few.
