http://www.elon.edu/e-web/pendulum/Issues/2005/09_15/features/author.xhtml
Elliot McGucken, UNC Chapel Hill professor, encourages college students to read his novel 'Autumn Ranger'
Leigh Ann Vanscoy / Features Editor
In such a fast paced world, many students forget the importance of pleasure reading. Reading a book with generational connections, a renaissance and love could be just the ticket to staying less stressed this school year.
"Autumn Ranger" is just that book.
"Hollywood is in decline. N.Y. publishing is in decline. The traditional family is in decline," author Elliot McGucken said. "As Aristotle observed thousands of years ago, when storytelling goes bad, the result is decadence."
In an e-mail interview, McGucken said that his book is important for college students. "This generation needs a renaissance. We need to move beyond postmodernism in our art and literature, in our relationships and lives."
He believes that as a society we have forgotten how to tell stories. He says that even the Hollywood box-office has just suffered its worst year and the literary novel has long ago gone out of vogue. He blames this on postmodernism.
"The nihilistic idea that higher truths and values don't exist. The eternal ideals must be perpetually performed in the living language, and that's what Autumn Rangers does."
His book is about U.S. Marine Ranger McCoy who invented April, an advanced computer with artificial intelligence. While he is serving overseas as a fighter pilot, Silicon Virtue Inc. steals April from his MIT lab.
He is shot down over Afghanistan and then takes a
journey home. He meets Autumn, a mysterious folk singer with knowledge ranging from classical art to the martial arts. They fall in love and hope to save his invention.
McGucken explains that there are very important lessons established in the novel.
"Truth is beauty and beauty truth. People might try to tell you otherwise, but call their bluff," McGucken said. "Become that Autumn Ranger, win Autumn's heart, and save April's soul."
"Autumn Rangers" is meant to inspire students to create a Hollywood renaissance. "Head west and become a director, a producer, or screenwriter and revive the classic myths in the living language. Or journey up to New York and become an editor, agent, writer, or
publisher," McGucken said.
This is McGucken's fourth book. He has previously published a novel, a poetry book and a collection of essays.
McGucken attended Princeton and later received his Ph.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill.
"I majored in physics but took a creative writing class each semester," McGucken said. " I had Joyce Carol Oates, Russell Banks and Toni Morrison as professors."
He now teaches physics and programming at UNC-Chapel Hill.
His books can be found at any bookstore.
http://www.elon.edu/e-web/pendulum/Issues/2005/09_15/features/author.xhtml
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