Book Title: Life and Death in Ephesus (A Short Story Collection)
Author: Finlay McQuade
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Publisher: Historium Press
Page Length: 257
Genre: Historical fiction
Blog Tour Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/06/blog-tour-life-and-death-in-ephesus.html
Book Title and Author Name:
Life and Death in Ephesus
by Finlay McQuade
Blurb:
For over a thousand years, Ephesus, on the Aegean coast of what is now Turkey, was a thriving city. It was the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Wonders of the World, and a destination for religious pilgrimage long before the advent of Christianity. In the first century CE, St. John and St. Paul introduced Christianity to Ephesus, where it survived its turbulent beginnings and, in the fifth century CE, hosted the God-defining Council of Ephesus.
Life and Death in Ephesus is a collection of stories about major events in the history of Ephesus. Characters appearing in these stories include Herostratus, first to commit a “herostratic crime”; Alexander, the warrior king; Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, both lovers of Cleopatra; Heraclitus, the philosopher who said, “You can’t put your foot in the same river twice”; St. Paul, persona non grata in Ephesus; Nestorius, whose characterization of Jesus split the Eastern and Western church, and others, also important, whose names I have had to make up.
Hilke Thür, a leading archeologist, has said of these stories, “Life and Death in Ephesus will be a delightful and enjoyable accompaniment to the many available guidebooks. Not just tourists, but anyone interested in history will benefit from reading them.”
Excerpt from “Father Dis.”
It was Curly who told Ahirom what would happen to him. “Yes, lad,” he said, “you’ll go up against a gladiator, a young fellow, probably, not much older than yourself, a novice from the academy, but a trained gladiator, armed as he would be in the munus. Or he might be a captured slave who has all the qualities of a gladiator and was bought for a tidy sum. He’ll be new to the business, but either way, you don’t have a chance.”
“Not the animals, then?”
“No, the animals will fight one another. Maybe some archers will shoot at them to make things even—you never know how these things turn out. The high priest of the Emperors’ Temple, I think you met him. He’s in charge, you know. Whatever he pays for is what we get. But animals and prisoners together? No, not nowadays. You know what they did in Rome, I suppose?”
“Yes, thousands of Christians—”
“I know, lad, but that was then. That was Nero, a long time ago. We’re more civilized now; we’ve got Hadrian. You’ll see. It’s our job to keep you fit so you put on a good show. You’ll die with dignity, don’t worry.”
Ahirom tried not to worry. He got into the habit of praying silently, secretly, with no outward expression of his faith, maybe more in hope than in faith. “Oh God, dear God, what have I done?”
Buy Links:
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Author Bio:
Finlay McQuade is a retired educator. He was born in Ireland, went to high school in England, and university in the USA. He has a BA in English from Pomona College, an MA in British and American literature from Harvard University, and a PhD in education from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also taught writing courses in the English department. He spent some happy years as a high school English teacher and soccer coach, but after co-authoring the book How to Make a Better School he found himself in demand as a consultant to schools and school improvement projects in the USA and often, also, abroad. He ended his career in education when he retired from Bogazici University in Istanbul, where he had mentored young teachers in the school of education.
For eight years after retirement, he lived in Selcuk, Turkey, among the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. The streets and squares of Ephesus became his neighborhood. His companions included archeologists, tour guides, and souvenir sellers. His curiosity about the people who had lived in those empty buildings for over a thousand years resulted in Life and Death in Ephesus, a collection of stories chronicling major events in the city’s history.
Now, back in the USA with time on his hands, he finds himself returning again and again to memories of his boyhood on the coast of Northern Ireland. The result of these forays into his past will be another collection of stories, part memoir, part fiction, called Growing Up in Ulster.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.finlaymcquade.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/finlaymcquade/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Finlay-McQuade/author/B001H6UJ8O
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/156993662-life-and-death-in-ephesus
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