Life is what happens while you’re making other plans. Lucky for Angus McCrory, he has the wit and wisdom to follow his heart when all else fails. In Play Me Something, Angus, a coming-of-age novel crafted with a sharp eye for both emotion and irony, Charles W. Rath takes the young man through tough and turbulent years -- from the birth of hopes and dreams to their agonizing end, and to a new life that was destined all along. For friends Rosemary and Bernice, Angus is the anchor who holds their lives together as the realization dawns that his own hasn’t fallen apart, despite the hurdles put in his way. Join Angus on a journey where good things still happen to good people, and love, in the end, wins true. What they’re saying about ‘Play Me Something, Angus.’ “Charlie Rath’s first novel is a story of love, pain and regret which so often derails one’s life purpose that survival, let alone growth and recovery, is a soul-numbing reality. But Angus McCrory finds the inner strength to overcome the cruel hand of fate that devastates his life goal of becoming a professional jazz pianist. It’s a very worthy, entertaining and motivating read.” Emil Brolick, President and CEO, Wendy’s International. "Play Me Something, Angus is a pleasure to read. You don't have to be a music lover to devour this book. You just have to love wonderful story-telling. Although this is his first novel, Charlie Rath writes like a seasoned pro." Robert L. Shook, New York Times best selling author. “Everyone who has an emotional feeling for what they have done and their accomplishments needs to read Charlie Rath’s book. It will make you appreciate all you have done and the message you are sending to those close to you.” Robert L. Dilenschneider, Chairman, The Dilenschneider Group “Charles Rath has captured the flavor of an era with his first novel. Drawing from his own life experience, he shares with the reader the flavor of his own "coming of age", a struggle with which many readers will identify. Charles motivates us to relive our own triumphs and disappointments, a worthy exercise.” Robert E. Byrnes, musician, psychologist, restaurateur. “There's a depth and tenderness in this novel I look for in everything I read. The humor in Rath's voice belies the sadness and the loneliness of his characters. What at first might appear as a lighthearted romp is in fact a masterful exploration of estrangement, small-town isolation and human nature.” Katherine Taylor, author of RULES FOR SAYING GOODBYE “In Play Me Something, Angus, Charlie Rath writes about family, friendship and dreams — both realized and shattered — with a wit, grace, and humanity rare in today's fiction. Readers will recognize in Rath's characters their own family, friends, nemeses, and neighbors, and be glad to go on this journey with them.” Eric Rickstad - author of REAP and THE SILENT GIRLS

Play Me Something, Angus

Rath, Charles W.

Literature & Fiction

Significance Press

When Billy Barnes--founder of the most popular jazz band in Indian Lake, Ohio--is shot dead at a July Fourth riot, everyone in town is wary of calling it a murder. But a bit farther north of Indian Lake, one would-be gumshoe is unconvinced by the coroner's ruling of an "accidental bullet wound to the chest." An&#65533;el has been Billy's guardian angel for twenty-four years--and, before he can move on to his next assignment, he has vowed to solve the mystery of his beloved ward's death. Eulogizing Billy's life at the same time it eulogizes the 1950s, In Lieu of Flowers is a murder mystery steeped in all the magic, and all the ugliness, of the decade. Like Mitch Albom's The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto and John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Charles W. Rath's In Lieu of Flowers attempts to reconcile the earthly with the ethereal, mourning humankind's excesses while marveling at its capacity for love, loyalty, and creativity.

In Lieu of Flowers

Charles W. Rath

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rath, Charles W.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Rath, Charles W.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rath, Charles W.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Play Me Something, Angus

In Lieu of Flowers