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Manfred Schmidt #1
Deacon Blues
Jolted by an arrested adolescence, Manfred Schmidt is a lonely teenager who craves for belonging and respect. His unconscious rage and forming identity are fused together at a time when a new leader is offering hope to a troubled, post-Watergate nation. He takes on Jimmy Carter as his hero, offering hope to his evolving self. Set in the suburbs of Washington DC, Ireland, Boston and New Hampshire, the story is about Manfred’s foibles as he journeys through high school, a semester at college and a stint working in Carter's re-election campaign. Even though Carter's political journey ends in failure, the impact of his brief venture into American politics leaves a lasting influence on his emotional development.
276 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2020
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About the author
Karl Trautman
5 books3 followersKarl G. Trautman is the author of the four book Manfred Schmidt series: Deacon Blues, Sweet Dreams Are Made of This, Road To Nowhere and Losing My Religion. He is also the author of The Appocalypse and Other Stories.
He has been a college professor, policy analyst, research assistant, newspaper columnist and podcaster. He currently lives and writes in Midcoast Maine.
He has been a college professor, policy analyst, research assistant, newspaper columnist and podcaster. He currently lives and writes in Midcoast Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 2, 2022
A Grand Read
What a grand story in Deacon Blues by Karl G. Trautman. Everyone who has ever been a teenager, knows the tragedy and angst that one feels, especially when they think the world is against them, and they want to be like everyone else. While trying to fit in, it's also about being an individual. Manfred is no different, yet he is trying to form his own identity. An interesting twist, and I don't see many teenagers doing it, is that he looks to his President, Jimmy Carter, as his role model. It's being a teen in the 70s and dealing with the post-watergate and Ford presidencies. Manfred is on a journey, to find himself, and gain some influence. The reliance on Carter's success and failures make a big impact on Manfred. This is the first book that I've read of this authors, and I look forward to more stories about Manfred, and from this author in general. This read is more than just words on a page. Definitely an unpredictable story, my favorite kind! Deacon Blues is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
What a grand story in Deacon Blues by Karl G. Trautman. Everyone who has ever been a teenager, knows the tragedy and angst that one feels, especially when they think the world is against them, and they want to be like everyone else. While trying to fit in, it's also about being an individual. Manfred is no different, yet he is trying to form his own identity. An interesting twist, and I don't see many teenagers doing it, is that he looks to his President, Jimmy Carter, as his role model. It's being a teen in the 70s and dealing with the post-watergate and Ford presidencies. Manfred is on a journey, to find himself, and gain some influence. The reliance on Carter's success and failures make a big impact on Manfred. This is the first book that I've read of this authors, and I look forward to more stories about Manfred, and from this author in general. This read is more than just words on a page. Definitely an unpredictable story, my favorite kind! Deacon Blues is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
December 16, 2022
This was a very compelling read, drawing me in from the get-go, with vividly imagined characters, flawed but ultimately likable.
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The main character, Manny, is a young man growing up in the 1970s. I was surprised the whole way through that I liked him as a character and rooted for him; some of his actions would make me DNF a different book, but he was portrayed with such an earnest vulnerability and an ultimate desire to do the right thing that I wanted to keep reading and to see how he evolved as a character. When a book is so character-driven like this one, the arc of the protagonist is hugely important. The emotional journey Manny goes on is a fulfilling one, and the author perfectly captures the conviction and bravado of being in your late teens and early twenties.
The book felt very episodic as I read it, which sometimes worked well, but I would have liked to see a little more of the groundwork for plot points being laid earlier on. Usually the episodic style leant itself to the book; for a character of this age, life often happens in one- or two-year stages so it worked well. In some instances though I would have liked a bit more of a through-line, especially given that the style of the narration gives us a big insight into the emotion of the characters and the story.
I am fascinated by American politics, and this book gave me not only an insight into the American politics of forty years ago, but also got me thinking more about populist politics and political engagement today. It’s rare that I read a fiction book about politics, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy for review; all opinions are my own.
📚Find this and more reviews on my blog!📚
The main character, Manny, is a young man growing up in the 1970s. I was surprised the whole way through that I liked him as a character and rooted for him; some of his actions would make me DNF a different book, but he was portrayed with such an earnest vulnerability and an ultimate desire to do the right thing that I wanted to keep reading and to see how he evolved as a character. When a book is so character-driven like this one, the arc of the protagonist is hugely important. The emotional journey Manny goes on is a fulfilling one, and the author perfectly captures the conviction and bravado of being in your late teens and early twenties.
The book felt very episodic as I read it, which sometimes worked well, but I would have liked to see a little more of the groundwork for plot points being laid earlier on. Usually the episodic style leant itself to the book; for a character of this age, life often happens in one- or two-year stages so it worked well. In some instances though I would have liked a bit more of a through-line, especially given that the style of the narration gives us a big insight into the emotion of the characters and the story.
I am fascinated by American politics, and this book gave me not only an insight into the American politics of forty years ago, but also got me thinking more about populist politics and political engagement today. It’s rare that I read a fiction book about politics, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy for review; all opinions are my own.
December 31, 2020
Having lived in New Hampshire during the time of Jimmy Carter as President and the 1980 Election of Ronald Reagan and knowing that this book is in part an autobiography, I enjoyed reliving those times as I made my way through high school and onto college. The book captures a lot of feelings I had and is accurate in describing the events of that time period. This is a fun read and left me wondering what is next for Manfred (Volume 2)! This is a great read to distract us from 2020 and I love the thought that it is just the first in a series on Manfred Schmidt’s journey.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews