An elegant work of literary fiction, "Bridger" walks readers through a mystery with old world motives, when the main character, Michael Bridger, who is of Greek decent, is confronted with the death of a close friend. The murder sharpens Bridger's sense of loss for immigrant neighborhoods, Greek restaurants, deceased mentors, and revered traditions. Determined to understand the currents of the past that have shaped the present, Bridger uses his perspective as a man suspended between cultures and times to unearth the truth; but just how deadly will these secrets prove to be? And who is wielding fatal power in the present? Connoisseurs of the written word will treasure this debut novel by Tom Daniel and undoubtedly find it worthy of rereading for his attention to portrait-like details. An astute observer of urban culture, Daniel offers a layered presentation on Greek-American life and death.
About the Author: Tom Daniel, born October 4, 1930 to Greek immigrant parents, describes his childhood as traditional Greek-American with many great learning experiences. He developed a love for reading and languages at an early age, and speaks and writes fluent Greek, English and Spanish, the latter of which he taught himself at the age of 13 while attending one of the nation's premier college preparatory and boarding schools, Riverside Military Academy. He graduated from the academy in 1948 and later attended Kent State University, where he studied literature and philosophy. He made his home in Warren, Ohio, with his wife, Carrie; son, George, and daughter, Tina, and spent his retirement years traveling with his family, writing, cooking and enjoying classical music, opera, and of course, great books. Late in his retirement, Daniel was struck with macular degeneration, making it difficult for him to read or write any longer. In 2013, he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, but not before he finished a large reference work on Greek gastronomy and several short stories and poems. His family was able to publish his first completed novel, "Bridger," which arrived in the mail on the day of his 42nd wedding anniversary, July 25, 2013, just two weeks before he lost his battle to lung cancer. His family hopes to preserve and cherish his memory through his writings, as he would have wanted.