Gus

Gus is a powerful narrative and sometimes dark novel about a two year old boy who is orphaned in a brutal war between Turks and Greeks in World War 1. It traces his life in a Greek orphanage to his adoption by a Greek American couple who learn the introverted, awkward boy is actually brilliant. He earns a Ph.D. from Harvard at age 23 but he has a problem. Gus is emotionally impotent and emotion is poison to him because he gets through his days using rationality and logic. Although Gus becomes a nationally known academic, researcher, and author, when he finally does give in to emotion it leads to a series of tragedies including murder. Dr. Gus Spiros could not figure out what was going on when another professor at La Salle College pointed a forty five revolver inches from his face. He just looked at the man like he was crazy. It wasn’t logical or rational for this to be happening. He was not afraid, just curious about the reason behind it. And when a homeless person attacked him and sent to the hospital with critical injuries he didn’t blame the man because the assault was irrational. But that assault leads to confusing and devastating flashbacks to his childhood on the war ravaged Gallipoli Peninsula.