FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A twenty-first-century reimagining of The Canterbury Tales, set on a vacation cruise during the pandemic
Wheat Ridge, CO – October 31, 2023 – Fulcrum Publishing is excited to announce the release of A Journey to St. Thomas: Tales for Our Time, by Josiah Hatch. Beginning with a group of travelers looking for an adventure at a discounted price, the book follows two dozen strangers as they set sail for the island of St. Thomas. As different from one another as people can be, they agree to pass the time by telling stories. While sharing these stories, they begin to learn astonishing things about their neighbors. Partway through the voyage, they are notified about a virus that has spread across the United States and their destination. The ship is quarantined, and they are destined to loll on the waves of the open sea until a port welcomes them, sharing more tales as they await their return.
A Journey to St. Thomas: Tales for Our Time is a modern reimagining of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Josiah Hatch, who studied Anglo Saxon and Middle English languages at Oxford University, writes in iambic pentameter, craftily updating Chaucer’s characters to those on the present-day cruise liner. Robert Connor, President Emeritus, The National Humanities Center, notes that “narrative verse in Josiah Hatch’s skilled hands turns out to open the doors to commentary on contemporary life and foibles, social satire, and good old-fashioned comedy. Chaucer would chuckle. So will you.” And Harvard University Professor Emeritus Benedict H. Gross calls it “a witty and penetrating commentary on life in our time.”
Satirically touching on political differences and discord, elitism, economic hardship, and the perceived inability of the ordinary citizen to make a difference, this rich and innovative novel captures the humor, insight, and pathos of the original Canterbury Tales while telling a very modern story. Richly illustrated by Cathy Morrison, A Journey to St. Thomas is a literary treasure for our time.
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If you’re interested in events, interviews, or collaborations with the author, please contact Kateri Kramer, Fulcrum Publishing Marketing Director.
Email: kateri@fulcrumbooks.com
Phone: 303-928-8216