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A POWERFUL JOURNEY THROUGH FEAR AND REDEMPTION

Follow Braden Schultz as he struggles through fear, family pressure, and self-discovery in 1970s California while searching for courage, purpose, and redemption. 

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About The Author

Charles E. Rouse is a writer, retired educator, and Episcopal Church priest whose work moves between memoir, travel reflection, and philosophy. He writes from decades of lived experience in Southern California, parish life, and academic study, exploring identity, moral choice, and personal transformation.

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Endorsement Review

Ian McEwan, Author, United Kingdom

Charles E. Rouse’s The Life and Times of Braden Schultz and Other Works is a reflective and warmly observant collection that moves across fiction, memory, travel, faith, and philosophy with an appealingly personal voice. The Braden Schultz story captures adolescence with humour and moral seriousness, especially the confusion of guilt, consequence, and self-understanding after one impulsive act. The Assisi essay offers a gentle spiritual and historical dimension, while the philosophical writing shows the author’s continued engagement with questions of knowledge, truth, and human understanding. It is a thoughtful and sincere collection with a quiet charm.
Ian McEwan is a living British novelist.

Zadie Smith, Author, United Kingdom

A humane and engaging collection. Rouse writes with clarity, humour, and affection for ordinary human experience, turning memory and moral reflection into readable, sincere storytelling.
Zadie Smith is a living British novelist.

Kazuo Ishiguro, Author, United Kingdom

Charles E. Rouse brings together fiction, personal essay, and philosophical reflection in a way that feels intimate and carefully considered. The book’s strength lies in its modesty. It does not force its meanings, but allows them to emerge through family life, youthful mistake, spiritual travel, and intellectual curiosity. Braden Schultz’s story is especially effective because it treats a young man’s error not as melodrama, but as a moment of moral education. The result is a collection with warmth, memory, and reflective depth.
Kazuo Ishiguro is a living British novelist.

Stephen King, Author, United States

Funny, human, and sharply remembered. Rouse knows how to make a small-town incident feel larger than itself, turning one young man’s trouble into a story about fear, family, reputation, and growing up.
Stephen King is a living American author.

Joyce Carol Oates, Author, United States

This collection has a quiet honesty that gives it emotional weight. Rouse writes about youth, punishment, family, religion, place, and thought with a voice that is direct and unpretentious. The Braden Schultz narrative is memorable because it presents adolescence as it often is: awkward, impulsive, funny, frightening, and morally formative. The essays broaden the work, adding spiritual observation and philosophical inquiry. Together, the pieces create a book that feels personal, reflective, and deeply human.
Joyce Carol Oates is a living American writer.

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Explore insightful discussions on bullying, identity, justice, resilience, family struggles, philosophy, and coming-of-age experiences. 

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About The book

The Life and Times of Braden Schultz And Other Works follows a young man whose life changes after a violent encounter forces him to confront bullying, justice, family expectations, and self-identity. Set in 1970s California, the story explores resilience, consequences, and the difficult path toward adulthood and redemption. 

The book is more than the novella. It has a piece on Assisi, and an essay about philosophy

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The Wisdom Within
Each Chapter

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Chapter 1

Arrest & Turning point

Chapter 2

Consequences

Chapter 3

Reflection & Relationships

Chapter 1

Arrest & turning point

What Our Customers Say

Readers enjoy this emotional story for its honesty, relatable characters,
meaningful life lessons, and unforgettable personal journey. 

A touching story about growing up, facing difficult moments, and learning who you truly are.

Michael R. Thompson

Fiction Reader

The writing feels real, emotional, and thoughtful from beginning to end. A very memorable read.

Sarah Collins

Book Lover

A powerful journey filled with challenges, family struggles, and hope for a better future.

Daniel K. Harris

Contemporary Novel Reader

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