The Unknown Constellations

by Harvey Swados

When Jack Rodenko shipped out as a sailor during World War II, he never imagined that real adventure would be waiting for him at home in New OrleansThe Crescent City after the war is at the heart of a rapidly changing America, and ex-sailor Jack Rodenko is caught up in a strange and shifting milieu as he tends bar at a seedy club called L'�toile. While struggling to build a new life, Rodenko becomes involved with a corrupt, greedy power broker, and falls in love with a striking photographer--relationships that will force him to choose between two decidedly different futures. First published decades after the author's death in 1972, The Unknown Constellations is the first novel by unsung postwar literary hero Harvey Swados. Through these pages, we can trace the origins of a unique voice and an unerring conscience.

262 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Harvey Swados was an American social critic and author of novels, short stories, essays and journalism.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book attracted me. This was a whopper of a story about a man who was in the Merchant Marine in World War II instead of serving in the military. It's partially due to his past. It's a fascinating story of post-war New Orleans. Involves girls, bars, political mavens, and aircraft plants getting large government contracts. The author effortlessly switches Jack the protagonist back and forth from present day to his childhood and back again. There are a fair number of moving parts. This is an enjoyable read. Be prepared to decipher the French and Italian phrases the author inserted in many places. The hero isn't pure. Those of more questionable ethics aren't either. Enjoy!