From the red bench
(Book)

"Contemplates the tension between nihilism, romanticism, and religious thought; planting the seeds of perspective along the way. When tragedy mixed with coincidence kindles the fervor of early America's youth, who yearn for another great awakening, the town of Wilheimer Falls establishes itself as an essential religious pilgrimage. Perpetually gray, the town has nurtured a nihilistic, deliberate sentiment in many of its original inhabitants. The young, solitary Alexander Climicus, strained by a desire to uphold ideals that run contrary to the pursuit of happiness, must navigate unexpectedly falling in love and heartbreak. A promising and sharp intellect, native to Wilheimer Falls, he inevitably finds himself in the middle of, and at odds with, the churning current of religiosity growing around him. Traveling from the other side of the country, free-spirited and pretty Eliza Climicus unknowingly becomes intertwined with individuals headed for the same destination, Wilheimer Falls. Unsure of her place in the world, she's forced to contend with the questions prompted by her own inadequacies, boredom, and love."--,Back cover.