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A Little Rebellion Now and Then
As the years pass, Kate settles into a mainstream life and becomes a successful novelist. The establishment, however, shifts in the opposite direction. In the 1960’s the authorities tapped her phone and followed her in unmarked police cars. In the twenty-first century, they follow her online, through her phone, and with drones. Once more, Kate runs afoul of a powerful person. How much more can a malignant regime do in the age of cyberspace, the NSA, and Homeland Security?
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Published December 6, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 20, 2017
If you're not afraid of the truth, you'll thoroughly enjoy this book. It's brutally honest, somewhat raw, and loaded with sarcastic wit that had me laughing out loud. Yet, its story is far from pretty because it depicts a little too accurately what has become of the 1st Amendment. At this point, we can hardly tell what's true and what's not. If you're wondering who's telling the truth, this gripping story can probably enlighten you.
As a Baby Boomer myself, I could relate to this book in multiple ways. For one thing, I remember the Nixon era, the Vietnam War, the California drug culture, and '60s protests including the Kent State shootings all too well. This book recounted them all in vivid detail, its first-person narrative style gripping and authentic. You can't help but love its main character, Kate Baker, who is truly a rebel at heart. The kind of rebel we need more of these days, one who isn't afraid to speak up and confront injustice and hypocrisy, regardless of how powerful its source might be.
One thing that comes to mind about this story is the old adage "You finish like you start." That, and the fact that people don't change who they are.
Kate's misadventures in the '60s and '70s trying to get the truth out about Kent State is only half of this thoroughly entertaining story. The chapters alternate between her youth and later years, when she's a successful novelist who's written a best selling book entitled "Satan's Angel" where the president is assassinated by a genetically engineered fruit that combined figs with oleander. Similarities between the characters in Kate's book and the current administration are noted and the powers that be immediately try to silence her through a litany of harassment techniques such as hacking her computer to steal her passwords, placing her on the "no fly" list, freezing her bank accounts, unpublishing her self-published book as well as black-balling it with major publishers, following her every move with a drone, and numerous other devious tactics.
Let me say here, that Kate is definitely not politically correct. If you're offended by such individuals, then you'll undoubtedly get so mad you won't be able to get through this book. On the other hand, if you're sick of all the PCBS, you'll get angry as well, but you'll be behind Kate and sympathetic to her situation every step of the way. The sad thing is that we all know that this type of harassment and brutal silencing techniques happen. Oddly enough, they're often depicted on TV shows. True "free speech" is a thing of the past and Big Brother is not only alive and well, but now armed with modern technology which enables him to be even more devious than Orwell ever dreamed in his worst nightmares.
The author has done incredible and accurate research that makes this story come alive. It is shocking and chilling. It doesn't read like fiction, it reads like a news report--a blood-chilling and accurate news report, of which we see few, if any, these days. This story is an outstanding commentary on what our society has become and where it's probably headed. And it does it with style, humor and wit, to say nothing of sustained suspense that makes it extremely hard to put down. I gotta say, when Kate mooned the drone I about fell over laughing. And of course, she wound up in jail as a result. I'm definitely going to adopt her penchant for saying "Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot" for WTF.
Be warned, however, that there's a generous dose of what some would consider offensive language. It's not over-done or gratuitous, but definitely in-character; Kate does not behave or speak like a nun. All that aside, we need more Kates in this world. And if you believe everything you hear on TV or read in mainstream newspapers, you really need to suck it up and read this book. The truth often hurts.
As a Baby Boomer myself, I could relate to this book in multiple ways. For one thing, I remember the Nixon era, the Vietnam War, the California drug culture, and '60s protests including the Kent State shootings all too well. This book recounted them all in vivid detail, its first-person narrative style gripping and authentic. You can't help but love its main character, Kate Baker, who is truly a rebel at heart. The kind of rebel we need more of these days, one who isn't afraid to speak up and confront injustice and hypocrisy, regardless of how powerful its source might be.
One thing that comes to mind about this story is the old adage "You finish like you start." That, and the fact that people don't change who they are.
Kate's misadventures in the '60s and '70s trying to get the truth out about Kent State is only half of this thoroughly entertaining story. The chapters alternate between her youth and later years, when she's a successful novelist who's written a best selling book entitled "Satan's Angel" where the president is assassinated by a genetically engineered fruit that combined figs with oleander. Similarities between the characters in Kate's book and the current administration are noted and the powers that be immediately try to silence her through a litany of harassment techniques such as hacking her computer to steal her passwords, placing her on the "no fly" list, freezing her bank accounts, unpublishing her self-published book as well as black-balling it with major publishers, following her every move with a drone, and numerous other devious tactics.
Let me say here, that Kate is definitely not politically correct. If you're offended by such individuals, then you'll undoubtedly get so mad you won't be able to get through this book. On the other hand, if you're sick of all the PCBS, you'll get angry as well, but you'll be behind Kate and sympathetic to her situation every step of the way. The sad thing is that we all know that this type of harassment and brutal silencing techniques happen. Oddly enough, they're often depicted on TV shows. True "free speech" is a thing of the past and Big Brother is not only alive and well, but now armed with modern technology which enables him to be even more devious than Orwell ever dreamed in his worst nightmares.
The author has done incredible and accurate research that makes this story come alive. It is shocking and chilling. It doesn't read like fiction, it reads like a news report--a blood-chilling and accurate news report, of which we see few, if any, these days. This story is an outstanding commentary on what our society has become and where it's probably headed. And it does it with style, humor and wit, to say nothing of sustained suspense that makes it extremely hard to put down. I gotta say, when Kate mooned the drone I about fell over laughing. And of course, she wound up in jail as a result. I'm definitely going to adopt her penchant for saying "Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot" for WTF.
Be warned, however, that there's a generous dose of what some would consider offensive language. It's not over-done or gratuitous, but definitely in-character; Kate does not behave or speak like a nun. All that aside, we need more Kates in this world. And if you believe everything you hear on TV or read in mainstream newspapers, you really need to suck it up and read this book. The truth often hurts.
June 24, 2022
For some reason, although my reviews appear on Amazon, they are not being shared with Goodreads.
December 3, 2016
I loved this book! This book is the dark American future I envision under the path Obama started us on. The president in this book is a Muslim. Americans are being converted or they loss their homes and heads. The Sunni and Shi'ite factions are at war, freedom of speech has reached an all time low, while big brother has reached an all time high. Kate a former hippie protester from the Vietnam era, is now a sixty plus old women, who writes fiction with political commentary. The current President takes offense to one of her books , where the Muslim president gets murdered. The government then sets out to destroy her life - hacking her computer- drone spying- freezing her bank accounts- no fly list and unpublishing all her books are just a start.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2018
For those of us who came of age during the turbulent hippy-dippy 60s and 70s Scott Skipper’s A Little Rebellion Now and Then: A Tale of Two Eras, will have a special resonance. It is also a book the P.C. Nazis will hate.
Kate Baker, who tells the story in the first-person, is an iconoclast of the first magnitude—a pull-no-punches reporter who begins her journalistic life in the 60s & 70s writing for an anti-establishment paper called The Toad. It is just after the killing of students at Kent State when we pick up Kate’s story. For those of us who actually covered that story, as I did when I was a newly-minted reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Kate’s reporting recounts some of the of theories we heard about the shooting at the time, including mysterious snipers, etc.
From that point on, the book bounces back and forth between the 1970s when Kate was a young woman and what appears to be an America of the “near future” when Kate is perhaps 40 years older and a successful novelist. Her book, "Satan's Angel" tells the story of a U.S. president who is murdered by a genetically engineered fruit in which deadly oleander is mixed with a fig.
Apparently, her book is too close to the truth and that sets the government on her trail. Her phones are tapped, she is pursued by drones, and Feds are, seemingly, behind every bush. It is a different America. For one thing we have a Muslim president along with what Skipper describes as “knife brandishing jihadists spilling from their sharia zones.” Not a very pleasant place—especially for a brash reporter like Kate.
Remember what I said about political correctness? This is not a book for those who strive for a world where speech they don’t like is banned and the First Amendment is a distant memory. That is the world we find Kate railing and fighting against (and one that doesn’t seem THAT far away if a few far left-leaning zealots are able to ban any discourse they don’t agree with).
Scott Skipper is a master at crisp, believable dialog containing biting wit and sarcasm. His characters are well-developed and believable and he clearly has done significant research on the 1970s and the May 4, 1970 Kent State massacre when 28 Ohio National Guardsmen using M-1 rifles fired 67 rounds during a 13 second period killing four unarmed students and wounding nine others who were part of an anti-Vietnam War protest.
A Little Rebellion Now and Then is an easy and delightful five-star read filled with a plethora of fascinating characters and events.
Kate Baker, who tells the story in the first-person, is an iconoclast of the first magnitude—a pull-no-punches reporter who begins her journalistic life in the 60s & 70s writing for an anti-establishment paper called The Toad. It is just after the killing of students at Kent State when we pick up Kate’s story. For those of us who actually covered that story, as I did when I was a newly-minted reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Kate’s reporting recounts some of the of theories we heard about the shooting at the time, including mysterious snipers, etc.
From that point on, the book bounces back and forth between the 1970s when Kate was a young woman and what appears to be an America of the “near future” when Kate is perhaps 40 years older and a successful novelist. Her book, "Satan's Angel" tells the story of a U.S. president who is murdered by a genetically engineered fruit in which deadly oleander is mixed with a fig.
Apparently, her book is too close to the truth and that sets the government on her trail. Her phones are tapped, she is pursued by drones, and Feds are, seemingly, behind every bush. It is a different America. For one thing we have a Muslim president along with what Skipper describes as “knife brandishing jihadists spilling from their sharia zones.” Not a very pleasant place—especially for a brash reporter like Kate.
Remember what I said about political correctness? This is not a book for those who strive for a world where speech they don’t like is banned and the First Amendment is a distant memory. That is the world we find Kate railing and fighting against (and one that doesn’t seem THAT far away if a few far left-leaning zealots are able to ban any discourse they don’t agree with).
Scott Skipper is a master at crisp, believable dialog containing biting wit and sarcasm. His characters are well-developed and believable and he clearly has done significant research on the 1970s and the May 4, 1970 Kent State massacre when 28 Ohio National Guardsmen using M-1 rifles fired 67 rounds during a 13 second period killing four unarmed students and wounding nine others who were part of an anti-Vietnam War protest.
A Little Rebellion Now and Then is an easy and delightful five-star read filled with a plethora of fascinating characters and events.
October 7, 2017
I started reading Kate’s story, thinking that the writer must be a woman, unless, I want to believe that Scott is now a woman’s name. It could also be that the story of Kate is really that of a man who has chosen to tell this story in a woman’s voice. And yet again, if Kate was really a man, could he had gotten away with all that Kate got away with? I doubt that, which is why I believe that this story is in Kate’s voice to show the resilience of women in the face of what Kate had to go through.
Kate became a journalist at a very young age. One of those rebellious ones that constantly walk into the Lion’s den, knowing she could be mauled by the Lion, but not caring, anyway. Unfortunately for her, the Lion, in this case, was the government. She squared against the government, and got shut down so badly that were it not for Roger, her long-suffering friend, and supporter in every way, she would have been history.
She falls foul of everything, and everyone; the government, the Muslim cartel, even people who recognized her, and did she stop? No! People like Kate don’t stop until they get killed. Kate survived several attempts on her life, but still, she fought on. I admire her spirit, but I fear for her. There are writing errors, of course, that the author should check and correct.
Kate became a journalist at a very young age. One of those rebellious ones that constantly walk into the Lion’s den, knowing she could be mauled by the Lion, but not caring, anyway. Unfortunately for her, the Lion, in this case, was the government. She squared against the government, and got shut down so badly that were it not for Roger, her long-suffering friend, and supporter in every way, she would have been history.
She falls foul of everything, and everyone; the government, the Muslim cartel, even people who recognized her, and did she stop? No! People like Kate don’t stop until they get killed. Kate survived several attempts on her life, but still, she fought on. I admire her spirit, but I fear for her. There are writing errors, of course, that the author should check and correct.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2018
I love reading a book that captures my attention from the very beginning and never lets me go! A LITTLE REBELLION NOW AND THEN by Scott Skipper is just that type of book!
Author Scott Skipper gives us a look at the lives of his characters at a date presumed to be present day by this reviewer, or is it some date in the future? He also flashes back to their lives in the 1970s.
The flashbacks into the characters’ lives allowed me to develop a feeling of intimacy with them straight away! I felt like I had spent more than a little bit of time with them during the 70s even though there is no way that could have happened. After all, I was just a child during the 70s!
The writing is very crisp and flows beautifully! The characters are incredibly interesting and also very mysterious, which kept me totally engaged in the book!
This is the first book I’ve read by Scott Skipper, but I will be rearranging my TBR piles so that I have several more of his novels very close to the top!
I can honestly give A LITTLE REBELLION NOW AND THEN: A Tale of Two Eras by Scott Skipper a steaming hot five cups of Room With Books coffee, and I definitely recommend you run out and get your copy today!
Author Scott Skipper gives us a look at the lives of his characters at a date presumed to be present day by this reviewer, or is it some date in the future? He also flashes back to their lives in the 1970s.
The flashbacks into the characters’ lives allowed me to develop a feeling of intimacy with them straight away! I felt like I had spent more than a little bit of time with them during the 70s even though there is no way that could have happened. After all, I was just a child during the 70s!
The writing is very crisp and flows beautifully! The characters are incredibly interesting and also very mysterious, which kept me totally engaged in the book!
This is the first book I’ve read by Scott Skipper, but I will be rearranging my TBR piles so that I have several more of his novels very close to the top!
I can honestly give A LITTLE REBELLION NOW AND THEN: A Tale of Two Eras by Scott Skipper a steaming hot five cups of Room With Books coffee, and I definitely recommend you run out and get your copy today!
October 3, 2017
This book, A Little Rebellion Now and Then: A Tale of Two Eras, drew me in right from the beginning.
As a foreigner, I recalled reading the news about the Watergate scandal, Nixon’s resignation, and the Vietnam War. However, I had neither experience nor a deep understanding of the Kent State shootings. The author did a fantastic job to depict the chaos and confusion of that era and the main character’s determination to uncover the truth emphatically.
The entire story is written in a first-person narrative. It alternates between then (40 years ago) and now (present, presumably). To reflect the title, the author crafted the main character by the objectionable languages in the dialogs and her defiant behaviors. Readers can find the interesting thread, and common dilemmas entwine in the two eras.
This book has humor, suspense, and twists. I have no reserve to give it five stars.
As a foreigner, I recalled reading the news about the Watergate scandal, Nixon’s resignation, and the Vietnam War. However, I had neither experience nor a deep understanding of the Kent State shootings. The author did a fantastic job to depict the chaos and confusion of that era and the main character’s determination to uncover the truth emphatically.
The entire story is written in a first-person narrative. It alternates between then (40 years ago) and now (present, presumably). To reflect the title, the author crafted the main character by the objectionable languages in the dialogs and her defiant behaviors. Readers can find the interesting thread, and common dilemmas entwine in the two eras.
This book has humor, suspense, and twists. I have no reserve to give it five stars.
November 19, 2017
A satirical fictional look at America then (1960s) and now. Between Nixon, Vietnam Nam, Watergate, and a Muslim present-day president, it doesn’t seem to pay to be a political activist/journalist/author. Written in first person, we meet Katie Baker along with her strong views and a whole host of colourful characters. Persecuted by the Feds in the 60s and dogged by a drone in the here and now, Katie finds her life turned upside down time and again. And, just when she thinks things can’t get any worse ... they do! When (and how) will it ever end?
I found this a fun and easy read, and it gets a solid four stars from me.
I found this a fun and easy read, and it gets a solid four stars from me.
November 8, 2017
I saw this cover on Amazon and it intrigued me. In light of the world in which we currently live, I decided a little satire might be just the thing. I took a chance on A Little Rebellion Now and Then by Scott Skipper. Read on for my opinion!
Synopsis (from the author): When a leftwing activist from the Nixon era morphs into a conservative writer of political incorrectness, can she ever escape the evil eye of the establishment? Political winds may shift but some things never change. If you pull on the dragon’s tail, you’d best be ready to take some heat. Kate is no stranger to a jail cell, but she thought she got past that four decade ago. Then again, in a world run amuck with knife brandishing jihadists spilling from their sharia zones, maybe a jail cell is the safest place to be.
What I liked: I enjoyed the parallel stories of Kate in the 70’s and her adventures in contemporary America. The common thread between the two eras (government) and how Kate fought it from two perspectives was a unique approach. Scott Skipper captured the 70’s drug use and lingo well, and Kate’s current predicament was reminiscent of Big Brother. Overall, A Little Rebellion Now and Then was an entertaining read.
What I didn’t like: The story had a few gaps that left it incomplete for me. For instance, more on how Kate morphed her political views would help provide continuity. Her children didn’t appear until near the end of the book, and they seemed almost an afterthought and didn’t add much to the tale. Issues like that took me away from the meat of the book.
Overall impression: A Little Rebellion Now and Then by Scott Skipper was a good read. Though not my normal genre, the book entertained me with its satirical look at issues, while giving a raw account of the 70’s counterculture and current events. I recommend this one to anyone over 18 who enjoys a flashback to the Kent State era and the current political climate.
My rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis (from the author): When a leftwing activist from the Nixon era morphs into a conservative writer of political incorrectness, can she ever escape the evil eye of the establishment? Political winds may shift but some things never change. If you pull on the dragon’s tail, you’d best be ready to take some heat. Kate is no stranger to a jail cell, but she thought she got past that four decade ago. Then again, in a world run amuck with knife brandishing jihadists spilling from their sharia zones, maybe a jail cell is the safest place to be.
What I liked: I enjoyed the parallel stories of Kate in the 70’s and her adventures in contemporary America. The common thread between the two eras (government) and how Kate fought it from two perspectives was a unique approach. Scott Skipper captured the 70’s drug use and lingo well, and Kate’s current predicament was reminiscent of Big Brother. Overall, A Little Rebellion Now and Then was an entertaining read.
What I didn’t like: The story had a few gaps that left it incomplete for me. For instance, more on how Kate morphed her political views would help provide continuity. Her children didn’t appear until near the end of the book, and they seemed almost an afterthought and didn’t add much to the tale. Issues like that took me away from the meat of the book.
Overall impression: A Little Rebellion Now and Then by Scott Skipper was a good read. Though not my normal genre, the book entertained me with its satirical look at issues, while giving a raw account of the 70’s counterculture and current events. I recommend this one to anyone over 18 who enjoys a flashback to the Kent State era and the current political climate.
My rating: 4 Stars
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