26 episodes
Madrone Jack B. Rochester on Podiobooks.com
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Madrone, the second volume in the Nathaniel Hawthorne Flowers trilogy, follows Wild Blue Yonder: A Novel of the 1960s.
It’s 1969 and Nate is out of the Air Force and back in California, in the arms of Jane Chandler, the girl he left behind. Pretty, high-spirited, and totally in love with Nate, Jane takes him back to college with her, the University of California at Santa Cruz, one of the hippest campuses in the country. At first, Nate follows what seems like a set path: college, becoming a good citizen. But it doesn’t take long before he sees the system for what it is. And he doesn’t like it.
The times are rife with sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, and before long Nate is immersed in all three. Standing at the opposite perspective is Professor Gerald Iron Moccasin, who wants Nate as his student and is willing to stop at nothing to make that happen, and Jane’s father Will, who wants a decent, upright man to marry his daughter.
Caught up in all this is Nate, who has only two interests: how much he loves Jane and how badly he wants to be a writer.
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The Worship of False Idols.
Throughout most of the novel, Nate has grappled with the issue of whether or not to return to finish his college education. Well, here we are again. Do you believe in redemption? It would appear Nate does not. You are not going to believe what Nate does in this, the final chapter. Or what happens when he stops by the post office to check his mail.
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The Girl With The Silver-Toed Cowboy Boots.
Nate thinks everyone is conspiring behind his back…and he’s probably right. Else how would he ever have met the beautiful, raven-tressed Veronica Sambucello, aka Ronnie, the San Francisco literary agent wearing Levi’s and silver-toed cowboy boots. How did she ever get a copy of his Peoplesongs manuscript? She loves the stories, but isn’t crazy about the title. It seems nobody is. Maybe it’s part of the conspiracy, but never mind. Find out what happens when Nate goes to see Ronnie.
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The Heart of the Story.
Nate takes Jane out to dinner at the famous Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur to celebrate her completing her epic poem, “Cosmogeny.” Jane tells him she showed the manuscript for Peoplesongs to Gerry, which puts him on edge. He stomps into Gerry’s office to confront him and get his manuscript back. Is Nate a young man of strong opinions, or is he just plain ornery?
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Blood Red Sun – Part II
It’s October 6, Jane’s birthday. Nate has been working for months on his book of short stories, entitled Peoplesongs. Jane has been working on her epic poetry. They sit at Eddie’s and, surprising each other, present their manuscripts to one another as a kind of birthday present. We finally get to hear one of Nate’s short stories, “Blood Red Sun.”
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Blood Red Sun – Part I
It’s October 6, Jane’s birthday. Nate has been working for months on his book of short stories, entitled Peoplesongs. Jane has been working on her epic poetry. They sit at Eddie’s and, surprising each other, present their manuscripts to one another as a kind of birthday present. We finally get to hear one of Nate’s short stories, “Blood Red Sun.”
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Apollo – Part II
July 20, 1969, the night of the Apollo 11 moon landing. But at The Ethereal Ranch the moon landing may not be the biggest deal of the night. It’s a party, the likes of which may be new to your experience.