Simply brilliant! After I completed the novel I went to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and gave the following the toast: “From the state that brought you Willa Cather, the city that brought you Henry Fonda and the high school that brought you Alexander Payne and Richard Dooling, we welcome Kennedy into the Pantheon of the Gods. To Kennedy!”

Only problem was that Meryl Streep wasn’t with me and the author was in Australia.

By way of full disclosure, M. Reese Kennedy a/k/a Mike Kennedy and I attended Omaha’s Jesuit high school for two years before Mike went to an east coast prep school. Jeremy, a main character in the book, was my freshman year lab benchmate in science. The author has a very good memory as Jeremy was knowledgeable about both urban architecture and future Cornhusker footballers. The final incident in the book regarding Jeremy was well known to me and somewhat infamous. I sure would like to know who the other grade school classmates were including Eileen O’Reilly.

The Omaha of the 60’s and its geography is also accurate. I attended the Catholic grade school to the southeast of his and we also had schoolyard fights started with the challenge of “Choose.” One minor and forgivable error is that the main staircase at Barat Academy of the Sacred Heart is not marble but wood. The school is little changed from the author’s short time there as a grade schooler.

His Grandfather Andrew’s house sits across the street from Barat; the highest elevation in all of Omaha. Andrew, Sr. did, in fact, walk two miles to work six days a week. He was a stern taskmaster but reputedly very kind to all children.

Putting aside my Omaha and personal connection to the author, this really is a great novel. And recalling our days together in high school, it is also his authentic voice. Lots of laughs and three very clever plot lines brought together at the end.

The big question is whether The Plague of Dreamlessness is a Deep Metaphor, something somewhat grounded in historical fact or something Mike completely made up. Hard to say and all three options are plausible.

Turning dreams into a commercial enterprise seems like it could be the next big thing. Same for really, really extreme body piercings for fun and profit. There is a madcap sense to the novel but as we have seen in modern times, stranger things have happened.

— David D. Begley

Kennedy’s amazing debut novel demonstrates all the elements required for a great book – intriguing subject material, fascinating characters, a well-engineered storyline and beautiful prose.  He explores the nature of dreams, relationships and spiritual issues in captivating style.  Remembrances, in particular, offers deliciously descriptive writing, plunging the reader into the curious world of a young boy in Omaha past; a character who proves integral to the common theme of coma.

Kennedy masterfully orchestrates this triple narrative symphony – the three narrative streams, distinctly different in tone and pace, allow the author to punctuate the reader’s experience and adeptly create tension.  These cleverly intertwined threads ultimately reach an exciting and synchronous climax and achieve a very satisfying resolution.

— Louisa Heard

Reader Comments from San Carlos, California, Book Club Meeting, October 14, 2014:

• I found this to be one of my favorite books. This is story telling at its best.
• The book and the discussion was the BEST. GREAT READ!!! I particularly enjoyed the Q&A, which provided substantial insight into how the author developed this story.
• Thanks much for sharing this delightful book. I enjoyed reading it.
• Thanks for sharing this sweet book. It is a tribute to Van Gogh and yet, at the same time, a book that affirms man’s humanity to man. M. Reese Kennedy is a sweet man for writing this uplifting story.
• It was a wonderful read and I loved it. A treasure of a book!
• Delightful book and your personal information about the author made it even better.
• Incredible job of relaying to us all about the author and how he came about writing this great book. I hope you relate to him how much we all loved the book.
• I found this book to be very clever. Impressive writing style.
• When reading this book, I thought it could have been a true story.
• Impressed with how the author integrated the influences of Shane and Van Gogh.
• I particularly enjoyed that the story was written in the 1st person.

This gently paced, lusciously lyrical tale is fabulous – poetically descriptive and entirely addictive. Personal tragedy and the human response are explored through a charming tale of a father, his son, and a most unlikely third party, as the intriguing plot seamlessly unfolds.

The characters are cleverly and subtly developed using memoirs, real-time reflections and revealing interactions with each other. They are charming and flawed – authentically human – and it is inspiring to see them embody some of the more noble of human qualities.

It is clear from the first paragraph that the reader is in for a literary treat – beautifully crafted sentences flow together in a most enjoyable and captivating prose – and will be most reluctant to put the book down!

A timeless piece of art that more than meets the expectations set by the beautiful cover that encloses it.

— Louisa Heard

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great story. The book is rich in descriptions that are a delight for the senses and a vast exploration of emotions from the gentlest of love to rage and revenge. There are laugh out loud moments, some very poignant statements, and important lessons.

–Linda Gates

M. Reese Kennedy perfected the love story between father and son by way of the artist in all of us. I enjoyed the narrative his writing style is descriptive, and the underlining gift to the reader was the love experienced between a father and his son.

I recommend the book. A love story, with a twist, told by a gifted new writer. The book cover is lovely to look at and the words inside reflect the beauty of the cover.

— Mary M. Reese

M. Reese Kennedy was born and raised in Omaha during its heyday as the world’s largest livestock market, slaughterhouse, and meatpacking center.  He lives in Brisbane, Australia.