“An Epilogue to Innocence” by Tim Baughman is a brilliant collection of short stories revolving about the struggles–some familiar, and some more outlandish–that young adults face in their ever-changing lives. It’s the perfect companion for someone navigating the tumultuous landscape of life. It can be read in one sitting, blasting through the vastly different stories, or bit by bit, exploring each character’s triumphs and struggles one at a time. The writing style is descriptive, clear, and emotionally raw, leaving you with questions to ponder and ideas to contemplate.
My two favorite stories from the collection were “Soma”–a tender yet devastating examination of the pain of loss–and “The Strongest Feelings Are On The Inside”, which covered similar subject matter, but took a drastic turn. I think I enjoyed these two because of the vastly different possibilities for how to respond to heartbreak. One was sweet and sorrowful; the other was brutal and tragic. Both were beautiful examinations of the human experience.
All in all, I recommend this book for anyone who appreciates fictional examinations about the realities of being human, and how we do (or don’t) make it through.
It’s available today, and you can find it on CreateSpace and Amazon, both in Kindle and paperback formats!
