Alexandria, VA – Review: Greenwood
Publisher: Summer House Publications
Author: Mark Morrow
Reviewed by: Ralph Peluso, Literary Editor
Zebra Rating–5 Stripes
“Greenwood’s” Odd, Relatable Characters Deliver Life Messages
Mark Morrow attributes the inspiration for his charming work Greenwood to an aspiring teacher who arrived at his deep South high school fresh out of college. The teachers’ mission was to prepare students to navigate college successfully and leave them with a love of literature.
Morrow became a voracious reader, enjoying authors from Steinbeck to Dostoevsky to Hemingway. “…it was this first real English literature class that prompted me to sign up as a writer and photographer for my high school newspaper and later to join our high school yearbook staff. And it was those experiences that led me—like so many other authors before me—to become a journalist,” Morrow stated.
Although Greenwood is set in the South, the messages delivered go beyond traditional boundaries with its very entertaining stories, relatable messages, and peculiar characters. Morrow’s theme here is to pull us into the commonality of our lives and life experiences and push us away from the all-too-common divisive rhetoric we hear much of every day. I found that the characters provide a pause from life and time to think and reflect on simpler times.
“We should find ways to celebrate how much we are all alike rather than our differences and try not to focus on the things that divide us. We are mostly all part of a well-meaning but flawed collective humanity,” Morrow pointed out as a straightforward message for readers.
Greenwood is a clever amalgamation of ten short stories, each carrying a message or two about life. Readers’ interpretations may vary based on their unique experiences. The initial two stories, “Consequences” and “Greenwood,” are multilayered with a fair amount of intrigue, deception, and secrecy. This lays the groundwork for how and why life decisions are made. And, of course, the consequence of those decisions.
One discovery a reader will make along the way is that not every successful outcome is the product of a well-thought-out plan. Sometimes good karma or just plain serendipitous stumbling does the trick, as in the delightful story of Valerie Jean.
Morrow’s cast of characters living in this “sleepy” southern city deal with some crucial issues affecting a vast swath of America. They range from bullying to facing one’s fears and things that test long-term friendships, to name a few. Spending time in reflection after each chapter is a worthwhile investment for readers.
Mark Morrow has had a varied career as a journalist, book acquisitions and development editor, photographer, and author. He has written or taken photographic assignments from many local, regional, and national newspapers and magazines, including Esquire, People, Fortune, and the LA Times.
Mark has written on topics ranging from personality interviews to areas of specific expertise, including aviation and photography. Mark is a former private pilot and aviation enthusiast. His pinnacle experience is piloting a helicopter around the Statue of Liberty (pre-9/11). Morrow built a flourishing professional and trade list of books for an Alexandria, VA-based nonprofit organization, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Since 2009, he has been a ghostwriter focused on helping clients tell their stories of success and transformation. Mark currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.
With Greenwood, Morrow delivers strong but practical life lessons for mature readers: Celebrate how there is more commonality within humanity. Be more understanding as every one of us, at some point, makes a mess of things. Be more open-minded to the changing world and its social norms. Over-planning can be overrated. Life is short, so make the most of it. Every decision has a consequence. Find ways to connect with universal values: family, home, and faith. A SOLID HOMETOWN 5 ZEBRA STRIPES
