Paranoia

by J.E. Braun

Jim went to work on September 11, 2001, thinking that it was going to be another boring day. But then the towers came crashing down, and he, like many of us, lost his ability to live without fear and prejudice. Now, years later, Jim is still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He's haunted by the death of his mother, who was buried in the rubble of 9/11, and the departure of his wife and son, who could no longer deal with his inability to move on.Living on his aunt's farm in Colorado, Jim tries to find peace, but he keeps remembering the evil deeds of the past. And it's not just the terrorists who are culpable. After the attacks, Jim became so paranoid that he joined an anti-Muslim group, and he participated in unspeakable acts of violence. Jim sees a psychiatrist in his effort to fend off the demons from his past. He does his best to remember what once made life so his wife, his son, and the ability to live without fear.In Paranoia, one man struggles to cope in a new world defined by terrorism in hopes of recovering what made his life worth living in the first place.

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2008

About the author

J.E. Braun is a happily married father of two who recently published his debut novel, Paranoia - the story of a 9/11 survivor who struggles to find a way to put his life back together after the tragic events of that day. 10% of all profits goes to the Twin Towers Orphan Fund (www.ttof.org)."

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that is truly a page turner. I’m normally a very slow, plodding reader and I flew through this story in just three sittings.

You are immediately rooting for Jim to pull through his difficulties but with each flashback you are drawn in wanting to know more about the pain he’s experiencing.

The flashbacks were a great device to tell the story in a non-linear way that keeps the tension in the story alive and keeps you from wanting to put the book down.

A fantastic first novel.

[Tracey Raimondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the reviews for J. E. Braun's novel, I needed to see for myself it lived up to its hype. I can tell you it undeniably does. In addition to a well-crafted and intriguing storyline, the novel possesses a remarkably compelling inner dialogue. As the main character, Jim is simultaneously fragile, sardonic, insightful and oblivious. Through his multifaceted personality, we find one frank, and pleasantly wry, man's struggle to keep himself together, despite his tragic experiences. Both a round and dynamic character, Jim is relatable, likeable and humorous. As we read, we yearn for him to overcome not only the events of which he was a victim, but also his own missteps. Despite his extreme circumstances and choices, Jim comes off as someone we all could know, showing how close to the breaking point we all really are. As we root for him to overcome, we also embrace the idea that we all can overcome these tragedies. This is a riveting look at the psychology of the human mind and endurance of the human spirit!