Opus Mei Publishers

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Book Summary

This anthology of short stories, E Pluribus Undecim, consists of eleven stories grouped in three sections: Underground Stories from A City Not Somewhere Else (5 stories); Confrontation with Mortality (5 stories); and The Cervantes Trinity.

A City Not Somewhere Else “Whatever the argument as to the identity of this community by the Columbia River, you may be certain that the underground stories you’ll hear from Herr Leonhardt decidedly took place here, not somewhere else.” An introduction to Vancouver, Washington (USA) and five “underground stories” from Vancouver Barracks Cemetery.
	The Sentry from Zwickau “In some ways, it was almost as if the entire evening had been framed in another time, mother and daughter catering to him in a way that was almost surreal, the sounds from the clavichord adding to that.” A love story which becomes time-concealed by the power of multi-generational, matrilineal lineage.
Last Notes from Clearwater “Matthew quickly recognizes Spanish Adam from the photos taken during the Carlist War in Spain. The necklace must be the one given to him by Chief Red Heart. Perhaps it was the ‘talking beads’ that gave him safe-conduct to Chief Joseph in Clearwater. And the five soldiers, could they be the fallen soldiers from Company I?” A story paying homage to the fighters-victims of the Indian Wars in the Pacific Northwest.
	In Secula Seculorum (In Life Everlasting) “Tim recalls visiting a museum in South Dakota as a child and looking at garb worn by Sioux warriors and their women. This beautiful young woman is wearing a similar calico dress with ornaments of beads, rings, multicolored ribbons, and bracelets.” A story of two Roman Catholic priests struggling with their faith; seeking and finally obtaining personal peace and redemption.
Officers Row’s Mystery Itinerant “Neither Vince nor Mandy had ever seen someone who might be tabbed as a homeless person, a vagabond, carrying himself in such a noble, dignified manner. Neither had they seen one so incredibly well groomed. His appearance never changed. His face always appeared fresh, and his Santa Claus beard never failed to be perfectly trimmed. He was eclectic and ethereally distant in both his morning and afternoon slow treks along the sidewalk of Officers Row: an east-west trajectory in the mid-morning and a return trip in mid-afternoon.” The unresolved mystery of an Officers Row tenant confronting both his actual as well as his improbable past.
	Homer’s Odyssey “Ok, stranger from San Diego, my womanly guiles could not get you an R-Guide on such short order, so you’ll have to settle for me instead. Just call me H-Guide – the h for humanoid.” A quest for ancestral ties; the finding of romance; and the return of an errant son to the lap of Mount Saint Helen.
Confrontation with Mortality “Ordinary men, not just philosophers or mathematicians, understand what infinity represents: the flow of time – past, present and future – in a circular vessel that has neither a beginning nor an end.” An introduction to five stories with a mortality theme.
	Cataracts, Root Canals, Young Women and Aging Men “One look at Lalíe and I felt like Ramin being swooned and thrown off his horse after watching Vis’ litter go by and taking a first glance at her face after a brisk spring wind lifted the litter’s curtain.” The story of two adibs (scholars) searching for immortality in the love of women half their ages.
Erato of the Antilles “Neb has arrived at his final destination in life. There, right next to his cicada, waiting for the dog days to pass so they may finally be together. Poets two, they continue to be, Leane and Neb: Brushstroke and Canvas.” A love story of latter hopes, dreams and impossibilities.
	Serina’s Confessional “One couldn’t miss the artist’s intent in showing an exaggerated outbreak of herpes. And the painting has the title ‘Bufón en Pelotas’ (Naked Jester).” A young woman serves as a symbol of youth-guide for three men entering The Third Age.
Pete’s Magical Sevens “But as Pete climbs back the hill to Evergreen Highway, he knows that he, unlike Pedro, is not allowed to ask for seven years… in his case, seven years of possible bliss.” A man reflects on his past, his missed opportunities to bring love and peace to others, and his inability to find personal redemption.
	Twice Friends, Once Lovers “True lovers always know when there is a time, not of forgiveness, but of purification. Josh knew without being told that her heart was pregnant. And pregnancy for Friends has to be followed by a life commitment.” A young woman’s story of early confrontation with death which results in anger and nihilistic behavior.
Dedicatory introduction to The Cervantes Trinity “Perhaps, just perhaps, the two fictional crusaders [Miquel and Mike], persons sharing in his trinity, contributed in some measure to that genius.” Dedicatory introduction to The Cervantes Trinity.
	The Cervantes Trinity “So here he is, reviewing the text of the book he has just finished on the adventures of a knight-errant smitten by books of a chivalrous past…” A story that encompasses thirty-two generations to bring about the germination of a literary genius: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.