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We know who DIDN'T commit murder. . .
but who did. Follow Hank as he escapes from one prison only to find himself locked into another far tougher one. |
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“A good read and a truthful portrayal of the human and clinical challenges of those who stutter.”
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“If you are looking to take a break from journal and textbook reading but still gain some perspective on stuttering, [this] may be just what you need....can help speech-language pathologists get a sense of the struggle that those who stutter face throughout their lives....It is a fun ride that we can learn from along the way...” “. . . An interesting story combined with a realistic portrayal of the challenges faced by a person experiencing an embarrassing, frustrating, and often disabling stuttering problem.” “With his considerable expertise in communication disorders and psychology, Shames has created a sympathetic character who puts a human face on the struggles experienced every day by people who stutter. The story of Hank's early years will be instantly recognizable to anybody who stutters, and the story helps shed light on an often misunderstood disorder.” |
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ISBN 0-9744715-4-2,
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George H. Shames is a man with a mission and an unusual tool for fulfilling it. A retired speech-language pathologist and psychologist from the University of Pittsburgh, he has turned his attention to fiction writing and in doing so uses his latest story to educate the public about the challenges of stuttering while also telling a tale of suspense and love. Set in Pittsburgh, PA, The Company of Truth introduces us to young Hank Miller who struggles to overcome the frustrations and cruelties associated with being a child who stutters. In spite of loving parents and a spirited friend, he copes daily with his inability to communicate with others and the pain of being the target of schoolyard torment. Hank undergoes a transformation during his late teen years when his family stumbles upon a new therapy that helps him to control this socially isolating disability. Unfortunately, he soon stumbles into a nightmare as well, one that brings into question his character, his future and even his life. The author follows Hank through conviction of a heinous crime he insists he didn't commit, numbing years in the federal prison system, and, finally, redemption through the very curse that convicted him in the first place--stuttering. "I tried to make the story work on multiple levels," says the author. "The truth can get you into trouble as well as get you out of trouble, crimes are committed, people fall in and out of love. In the end, though, I hope readers are not only entertained but also walk away with a little bit more understanding of the difficulties associated with stuttering. There's hope, too, because there are successful treatments as my young protagonist finds." The author's years as a nationally renowned speech-language pathologist and psychologist serve the story well, providing an unusual and painfully realistic underpinning to a yarn of murder and mystery. |
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Renowned speech-language pathologist and psychologist George H. Shames, PhD is dedicated to educating the public about the challenges of stuttering and the assistance that is available to those afflicted. An engaging speaker, he is the author of numerous professional books and articles. He has been a leader in the profession for over 40 years, teaching in the Department of Communication Disorders and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh where he developed many innovative methods for treating fluency disorders. Shames has played important roles in the American Speech and Hearing Association and been the recipient of numerous federal research grants, an invited speaker before many of his colleagues, and a guest lecturer throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Great Britain, Israel and Japan. He now has turned his attention to fiction writing as a tool to bring attention to the approximately three million Americans, and in turn, their friends and families, who struggle with this condition.
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