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Distant Early Warning: A Novel
The Coldest War Lies Within
It is the late 1950s, and the Andersen family is at war with itself.
As back-to-back hurricanes ravage the rural town of Pennsboro, the family suffers an irredeemable loss. Georgia becomes mired in a haze of medication and TV. Marsh retreats into work and fantasies of the redhead next door. Wil, a precocious boy with a fondness for a girl with almond eyes, suspects his parents are possessed by the aliens from his favorite movie.
Adding to their private grief is the collision of consumerism and the Cold War, and the rising threat of Soviet missiles that may render obsolete America’s last hope for defense, the newly completed Distant Early Warning Line.
With the launch of Sputnik, the family’s anguish comes to a head. As the Andersens watch the first man-made satellite write history across the sky, they wonder if they, and the world, will ever find peace.
Based on true events, Distant Early Warning portrays the fears and dreams of a generation as it navigates the promise and perils of mid-century America.
It is the late 1950s, and the Andersen family is at war with itself.
As back-to-back hurricanes ravage the rural town of Pennsboro, the family suffers an irredeemable loss. Georgia becomes mired in a haze of medication and TV. Marsh retreats into work and fantasies of the redhead next door. Wil, a precocious boy with a fondness for a girl with almond eyes, suspects his parents are possessed by the aliens from his favorite movie.
Adding to their private grief is the collision of consumerism and the Cold War, and the rising threat of Soviet missiles that may render obsolete America’s last hope for defense, the newly completed Distant Early Warning Line.
With the launch of Sputnik, the family’s anguish comes to a head. As the Andersens watch the first man-made satellite write history across the sky, they wonder if they, and the world, will ever find peace.
Based on true events, Distant Early Warning portrays the fears and dreams of a generation as it navigates the promise and perils of mid-century America.
356 pages, Paperback
Published July 15, 2022
About the author
Jeff Widmer
17 books9 followersJeff Widmer is the author of the Pennsboro Cold War series (Distant Early Warning, Cold Fire, Good People); the CW McCoy and Brinker series of crime novels; and The Spirit of Swiftwater, a history of vaccines in the 20th century. A former journalist, advertising executive, and nationally syndicated reviewer, his work has appeared in publications ranging from Advertising Age to US Airways magazine to National Geographic World. Visit his website at http://jeffwidmer.com and his Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/jeffwidmer.
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