Wild World by Peter S. Rush
You can’t change a system unless you understand it and are part of it. In May 1970, Steve Logan is a senior at Brown University, deeply in love with his girlfriend Roxy, and on his way to law school at Georgetown. Then the news hits; four students killed by National Guardsmen at Kent State. As Brown’s campus roils with protests, Steve meets a New York City police officer taking on corruption in the force. Steve is inspired by his example; a person making a real difference. Looking for a way to stay with Roxy in Providence, he decides to join the police force and change the system from within. But he soon realizes that his idealism is no match for the hard reality of life as a cop and he must make the most difficult choice of his life: should he do the right thing, despite the costs?
Peter Rush brings the 70s to vivid life in his stunning novel WILD WORLD (Prior Manor Press; September 2017) which is based on his experiences studying at Brown University and as a police officer in Providence. A time of protests to the Vietnam War and a burgeoning feminism movement, he provides a soundtrack to the era with references from Jimi Hendrix to The Doors. At turns tender, humorous, poignant, and hopeful, Rush shows Steve and Roxy fall deeper in love as they spend the summer together.
However, as Steve begins active duty, he witnesses cops being paid to look the other way while crimes are committed. He also sees fellow officers exercise their power to oppress the vulnerable and escalate incidents to violence. At the same time, Roxy is increasingly dismayed by their changing their relationship. She is uncomfortable with his gun and seeing him in uniform. His rotating shifts mean he is away at odd hours and they see less and less of each other.
Steve must focus on the one thing he has left; his chance to make a difference. An assignment to type up some false reports arouses his suspicions to a larger conspiracy that goes far beyond the force. With the Captain and the rest of the officers either indifferent or hostile towards him, and unable to turn to Roxy or anyone at Brown for assistance, Steve realizes just how high the stakes are and how much it will cost him. He must now find a way to change the system and fight for the love of his life without compromising his principles.
WILD WORLD is a tour de force, both poetic and realistic. Instead of providing readers with a bird’s eye view, Rush immerses them in Steve’s reality as he comes to understand the world around him differently. The book is set in an era not so very different from today, with a burgeoning movement of people committed to social causes, and making a difference in a world determined to maintain the current order. Amidst all this, Rush shows that change is not only possible, but inevitable.
“WILD WORLD takes us inside the Vietnam era on campus, and the author captures it perfectly.”
– Mary Ann Tirone-Smith, author of Girls of a Tender Age
A COMPELLING LOOK AT ONE MAN TRYING TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER – AS A COP
About the author:
Peter S. Rush is a graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and received a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Florida. He was a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, Peace Corps volunteer, and a police officer. He is currently CEO of a global management firm.
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