Before, During, After

Trauma. There’s so much emotional tension in Richard Bausch’s novel, Before, During, After, that I found myself taking breaks from reading it. Bausch explores trauma in this novel as he presents a love story. Personal trauma occurred on 9/11 as well as national trauma. Readers are presented with the lives of protagonists Natasha and Michael before 9/11, during that day, and after. The contrasts are significant, and Bausch uses finely written prose to draw readers into each section with great care and precision. I read the novel just as the 13th anniversary of that day drew near, and I appreciated how well Bausch captured the essence of trauma and its aftermath. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Before During After from amazon.com.