Between the Walls of Time

by Michael Stafford

Dr. Cyrus Kohler, a philosophy professor at Southern Illinois University, is the father of New Rationalism, a political philosophy which, by defining itself, describes in the language of science, genetics, and evolutionary biology, our political class. As The Front applies logic and reason to social, political, and business issues they lay out a blueprint for the governance of all civilized nations. The novel opens with 1st Lt. Cyrus Kohler and Captain Fred Spaulding in Vietnam fighting the last major American battle of that war on and around Ripcord, or Hill 935, as it was also known. Cyrus is a Curahee, a member of the Band of Brothers, 101st Airborne 2nd battalion, 506th infantry. Curahee is a Cherokee word meaning 'Stand Alone.' There were 650 of them faced off against 40,000 trained, seasoned, battle tested members of the 324b, crEme of the North Vietnamese Army and their sister Company, the 304b. The 304b had wiped out the French at Dien Bien Phu. Cyrus and the men he served with were abandoned in the field by incompetent leadership which stretched all the way to the White House. Cyrus was present when America lost the right to draft its own citizens. Home from the war, welcomed by his rural community, Cyrus married the beautiful Jax, a professor of music and talented artist in her own right, returned to college and became a professor of philosophy. Over the next thirty years he watched America descend into the Age of Violence(c) which led him to conclude, after years of research, that the American political process was broken. Why it broke, how it broke, and the process of fixing it become the basis for three lectures which propel Cyrus and The Front into national prominence. The lectures and the research presented are the foundation of Between the Walls of Time and the beginning of the growth of The Front into a third political party.

485 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2017

About the author

Growing up in the Midwest was a privilege, having two great parents was an honor. Serving my country during Vietnam, when America lost the right to draft its children, was a responsibility all Americans need to take seriously. Being in possession of an MBA led me into banking and business. The former a good fit, the latter an exercise in trial and tribulation. Life revealed to me the people who populate our world. These inhabitants wear many different hats and possess a wide range of abilities.

From these highs and lows came the stories which I am now publishing. All of my books have references to my experiences and social connections.

These books challenge conventional thinking but are grounded in reality.

Reviews

[Doug Lippman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Stafford has written Between the Walls of Time in order to propose a solution for what many feel is a failed political system in the U. S. Cyrus Kohler was a veteran who returned to civilian life and becomes a philosophy professor at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He creates a new, third political party, The Front, which will be corruption free and offer more acceptable options for governance. He does not emphasize morals, yet expects to create a new party which is not vulnerable to corruption. Millennials flock to the new party, providing it with fresh blood. All this is based on Darwinian concepts of science and rational philosophy. The book is an easy read, and provokes a great deal of thought.

[Sandra Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched book, full of history. It makes you think especially about our current political system. A very interesting read with well-developed characters. Thank you Goodreads Giveaway for a book I really found interesting.

[Elizabeth Stansfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciated your philosophy and intent. I recognized characters and places. However, I found the book wordy and redundant. Enjoyed the journey through Southern Illinois history.