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The Hourglass
The Earth in motion. The cold-blooded nature of time.
Hopes and dreams burn on re-entry in the atmosphere with the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003. David has made the choice to return to Hakodate, Japan as an English teacher, but doubt erodes the power of his conviction like a shellfish eaten away by carbonic acid. If astronauts could not realize their dreams in the stars and return safely to tell others, what chance does a nobody a few years removed from university have of realizing his?
In Hakodate, David was in his first job out of university, as an English teacher. Despite this bold first career move, David was not as brave as he needed to be to satisfy his needs as a young man. His attempts at finding romance were sporadic and unsuccessful. Despite having a job, he had no money. The pride he had in being a good teacher was outweighed by his inexperience, and he was reminded this often by his manager, colleagues, and students who had much more knowledge about life than he did. David knows it is better to reapply to graduate school and stay in Shelton, Washington to take care of loved ones, but he also knows he is witnessing the epoch of his youth coming to an end.
Hopes and dreams burn on re-entry in the atmosphere with the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003. David has made the choice to return to Hakodate, Japan as an English teacher, but doubt erodes the power of his conviction like a shellfish eaten away by carbonic acid. If astronauts could not realize their dreams in the stars and return safely to tell others, what chance does a nobody a few years removed from university have of realizing his?
In Hakodate, David was in his first job out of university, as an English teacher. Despite this bold first career move, David was not as brave as he needed to be to satisfy his needs as a young man. His attempts at finding romance were sporadic and unsuccessful. Despite having a job, he had no money. The pride he had in being a good teacher was outweighed by his inexperience, and he was reminded this often by his manager, colleagues, and students who had much more knowledge about life than he did. David knows it is better to reapply to graduate school and stay in Shelton, Washington to take care of loved ones, but he also knows he is witnessing the epoch of his youth coming to an end.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2022
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March 29, 2026
The Hourglass is a focused, character-driven coming-of-age story that captures the uncertainty and momentum of early adulthood. It balances introspection with forward motion, using its setting and relationships to ground broader questions about time, identity, and direction. The result is an accessible, engaging narrative that lingers beyond its final pages.
Displaying 1 of 1 review