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Small Press Reviews: Sticks of Fire: The Turning Point
By Marc Schuster
Sun, 11 May 2008, Original Article
Reading Sticks of Fire: The Turning Point (Tumi Publishing, 2007) by Ricardo Estrada, I am reminded of the concept of the well-wrought urn, an idea invoked by literary critic Cleanth Brooks to discuss his criteria for evaluating the merits of individual works of literature. Despite trends in academia that called for works of literature to be interpreted primarily in terms of their social and historical contexts, Brooks insisted that some works, in a sense, stood outside of history, that these works might universally be described as "good," regardless of the age or context in which they were written or in which they may be received. The literature of William Shakespeare and John Donne leap to mind as examples of such works, as does "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats. In short, the well-wrought urn is the work of art that is perfect in terms of both form and content, and, for what it is and what it does, Estrada's first novel fits the bill.
Before going on, I should point out that I'm not making an argument for placing Estrada alongside Shakespeare, Donne and Keats in the pantheon of English letters. (Of course, I'm not making an argument against it, either!) What I am saying, however, is that Sticks of Fire is the perfect specimen of books of its type. That is, it's an excellent addiction and recovery novel. Throughout the proceedings, Estrada advances his characters and settings like a master craftsman, providing his creatures with strong motives both for falling into and overcoming addiction, equally strong obstacles to defeat, and perhaps most importantly, a credible and complex depiction of the processes that go into recovering from addiction. It would be very easy for Estrada to give us a story of pure triumph over addiction, but because he explores the gray areas of recovery and the ambivalence inherent in living with addiction, Sticks of Fire transcends the typical after-school special tropes of addiction and recovery tales and, instead, rises to the level of art.
The basic plot of the novel revolves around a 27 year-old widower named Orlando, whose alcoholism stems largely from the loss of his wife and unborn child. Although he realizes on one level that his drinking is problematic, he is generally able to kid himself into believing that it isn't really a problem. Yet when various pressures related to a new job at a halfway house begin to mount, the tenuous control he has over his relationship with alcohol slips away, and he begins to recognize that he has more in common with the individuals he's been hired to help than he might initially like to admit. Once he recognizes this fact, however, Orlando can embrace not only his job but his life as well, and once he does, he helps the residents of his halfway house organize a basketball team, which both metaphorically and literally allows them to work together in order to find purpose in their lives.
Part Hoosiers and part Clean and Sober, Sticks of Fire is an engaging read, likely the best book ever written on addiction and basketball. The characters come to life, the settings are vividly depicted, and the story is told with enthusiasm. I can easily see this novel being made into a Hollywood film - or better yet, an indie. And, needless to say, I hope to hear more from Ricardo Estrada in the future.
Tumi Publishing Launches First Novel in Uplifting Series that Celebrates the Human Experience
Edited by Lisa Sullivan
Thu, 11 Oct 2007, 18:10:00 GMT
A Novel of Recovery and Redemption
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Oct. 11 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- People's lives are filled with constant challenges and adversities. That's why author Ricardo Estrada, founder of Tumi Publishing, has launched the first in a planned series of books that celebrates the human spirit - "Sticks of Fire: The Turning Point" (ISBN: 978-0979-675508).
Sticks of Fire"Sticks of Fire" is a fictional piece that inspires readers and illustrates how adversity can be overcome. It is the story of Orlando, the key character, and five halfway-house residents, a group of former high school and college basketball standouts - once rising stars, shot down by drugs and alcohol.
Orlando finds a job as a case manager at the Lighthouse Inn in Tampa, Fla., a recovery halfway house. While there, he and the residents, together, begin their road to recovery.
The story opens to find Orlando unemployed, in a hopeless battle with alcohol that has isolated him from friends and family. Five years earlier, his pregnant wife died in an accident, and his inability to deal with the loss has plunged him into alcoholism and a deep depression; he sees no purpose in life.
When Orlando takes the job at the Lighthouse, he keeps his alcoholism a secret. He promises himself to quit drinking and to work for one year, before he leaves Tampa in search of a fresh start. But his abstinence plan does not work, and after a demoralizing relapse, he can no longer deceive himself. Having witnessed another way to live at the Lighthouse, he accepts recovery.
"Sticks of Fire" follows Orlando's struggle with acceptance, his recovery, and his impact on those around him. While working at the Lighthouse, he experiences the healing power of helping others and rediscovers himself in the process.
Orlando quickly realizes the athletic talent of the former high school and college basketball stars and organizes a basketball team: "The Thunderbolts." Making peace with the past, they embark on the road to redemption and the realization of shattered and forgotten dreams.
The novel demonstrates how, with the help of others, and a little faith, people can experience gratitude, look to the future with a sense of renewed hope, and leave the ghosts of the past behind.
The author, Ricardo, has a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and has worked as a rehabilitation and mental health counselor for several years in Tampa and New York; he has been an avid basketball fan all his life.
Ricardo's inspiration for "Sticks of Fire" came from professional and personal experience. He was born in Lima, Peru and grew up in the Tampa Bay area. Currently, he lives in Manhattan where he is busy at work on his second novel in this inspirational and mainstream series.
"Sticks on Fire" is available in paperback for $14.00. It is 279 pages and can be purchased through the publisher's web site at: www.tumipublishing.com.