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An Ambition to Belong
AMAZON #1 BESTSELLERSecond Place Silver Award for Literary Excellence in the AMERICAN EAGLE BOOK AWARDS 2019
An Ambition to Belong, second book of the Leaving Home Trilogy, is an astute and insightful psychological journey into the inner life of Jim, an adolescent who is trying to forge his own identity. Trapped in two different worlds, he belongs at one end his Polish immigrant inner-city Catholic family and its Eastern European peasant beliefs and terrors; and at the other a late-1950s upper-class suburban Jesuit college-prep high school in suburban Detroit where he is totally unprepared to deal with that world of money and arrogance he finds there. At home, raw gut emotion; at school emotionless intellect. At home he is a member of The Royal Lancers, a street gang where his life is threatened by Donny, a psychotically deranged fellow gang member; at school, because of his dress, especially his Ford Motor Company issue black work shoes, he is perceived as a non-entity, a non-being who has little or no existence. Confronted with racism and a savage incident of anti-Semitism, Jim rises to find the strength that forms the first layer of his conscience and his conscious sense of self.
An Ambition to Belong, second book of the Leaving Home Trilogy, is an astute and insightful psychological journey into the inner life of Jim, an adolescent who is trying to forge his own identity. Trapped in two different worlds, he belongs at one end his Polish immigrant inner-city Catholic family and its Eastern European peasant beliefs and terrors; and at the other a late-1950s upper-class suburban Jesuit college-prep high school in suburban Detroit where he is totally unprepared to deal with that world of money and arrogance he finds there. At home, raw gut emotion; at school emotionless intellect. At home he is a member of The Royal Lancers, a street gang where his life is threatened by Donny, a psychotically deranged fellow gang member; at school, because of his dress, especially his Ford Motor Company issue black work shoes, he is perceived as a non-entity, a non-being who has little or no existence. Confronted with racism and a savage incident of anti-Semitism, Jim rises to find the strength that forms the first layer of his conscience and his conscious sense of self.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 26, 2018
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576 people want to read
About the author
James Sniechowski
12 books3 followersAward-winning Author Jim Sniechowski was born and raised in a Catholic, working-class family in a tough Polish enclave (some called it a ghetto) in southwest Detroit. His grandparents arrived in Detroit from the fields and farms of Eastern Poland remaining true to a medieval sense of religiosity with its strict demand of obedience and the peasant's lifestyle.
From boyhood on Jim struggled with his growing awareness of the brutality Old World Catholicism imposed on him and everyone in his community, the lower class life they were compelled to live, including the alcohol they consumed to dull the pain they endured, and the reproach they suffered should anyone consider resisting or, even worse, leaving.
Jim, nevertheless, resisted and he was continually kept on the "to be watched" list by the nuns and priests at Our Lady Queen of Angels, his parish and elementary school. His rebellion went full force during his early teens when he joined the Royal Lancers, a local street gang.
After graduating from The University of Detroit High School, a Jesuit based college prep school, he attended the University of Detroit where he discovered the theater. After receiving rave reviews for his role as The Gentleman Caller in Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie he was off to New York to study at The Neighborhood Playhouse and then on to a fifteen year career as a stage actor. Jim's deep interest in character led him to a PhD in Philosophy and Psychology and now to writing novels.
Worship of Hollow Gods, the first book in the trilogy, is an Amazon #1 Bestseller. An Ambition to Belong is the second book of Jim's Leaving Home Trilogy. Its focus is the infusion of early life impressions and experiences that create a mindset and lifestyle unconsciously framed and driven, gripping and holding anyone without them knowing how or why. To mature into a self-possessed and fulfilling life the unconscious bonds that make up the base of our initial child personality must be broken, left behind, freeing us to grow into the adult conscious character by which we conduct the rest of our life.
Jim's deepest desire is for his readers to experience the real world identity struggles of his characters, and be moved to examine their own internal driving forces for the betterment of the life they are creating every day.
Jim lives with his wife Judith Sherven in Northern California.
From boyhood on Jim struggled with his growing awareness of the brutality Old World Catholicism imposed on him and everyone in his community, the lower class life they were compelled to live, including the alcohol they consumed to dull the pain they endured, and the reproach they suffered should anyone consider resisting or, even worse, leaving.
Jim, nevertheless, resisted and he was continually kept on the "to be watched" list by the nuns and priests at Our Lady Queen of Angels, his parish and elementary school. His rebellion went full force during his early teens when he joined the Royal Lancers, a local street gang.
After graduating from The University of Detroit High School, a Jesuit based college prep school, he attended the University of Detroit where he discovered the theater. After receiving rave reviews for his role as The Gentleman Caller in Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie he was off to New York to study at The Neighborhood Playhouse and then on to a fifteen year career as a stage actor. Jim's deep interest in character led him to a PhD in Philosophy and Psychology and now to writing novels.
Worship of Hollow Gods, the first book in the trilogy, is an Amazon #1 Bestseller. An Ambition to Belong is the second book of Jim's Leaving Home Trilogy. Its focus is the infusion of early life impressions and experiences that create a mindset and lifestyle unconsciously framed and driven, gripping and holding anyone without them knowing how or why. To mature into a self-possessed and fulfilling life the unconscious bonds that make up the base of our initial child personality must be broken, left behind, freeing us to grow into the adult conscious character by which we conduct the rest of our life.
Jim's deepest desire is for his readers to experience the real world identity struggles of his characters, and be moved to examine their own internal driving forces for the betterment of the life they are creating every day.
Jim lives with his wife Judith Sherven in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 28, 2021
An Ambition to Belong by James Sniechowski is the second book of the Leaving Home trilogy. Impressive read with a captivating plot. The idea of where we belong and the long journey into self-discovery is very well displayed and captivating. A fascinating story that leaves you haunted! A page-turner!
January 26, 2023
Wow! What a great book. James Sniechowski can really write a story.
At first, it was hard for me to get into this book. but once I started the reading I couldn't put it down.
I like the fact that it took place in Detroit area. I can relate since I grew up there.
The author James brought flesh to the characters and life to the pages. The story came alive with all the detailed events. I'm going to go back and read the first novel of this series and can't wait to read the next!
At first, it was hard for me to get into this book. but once I started the reading I couldn't put it down.
I like the fact that it took place in Detroit area. I can relate since I grew up there.
The author James brought flesh to the characters and life to the pages. The story came alive with all the detailed events. I'm going to go back and read the first novel of this series and can't wait to read the next!
February 3, 2023
The second book in the Leaving Home series. Not usually my cup of tea, I can say I enjoyed the psychological aspects of this novel and the tension of growing up and finding one’s place in this world.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews