Charles Rammelkamp Knihy

Ah, youth! Charles Rammelkamp's ME AND SAL PARADISE is a poetic tale of the hitchhiking adventures of a young man in his early twenties. It's the early 1970s, when Jack Kerouac's influenced America's youth with his romantic tales of cross-country adventures by car. One sequence of poems illuminates a 1971 hitchhiking adventure from the Midwest to Montreal and back, a pair of friends crossing Canada and New York state. Another sequence relates the solo adventures the following summer, also originating in the Midwest, of the author who this time heads to San Francisco, where his twin brother is living in the famed Haight-Asbury district. Through these journeys, we contemplate with the narrator the meanings of youth, friendship, and inevitably personal destiny.

Set against the backdrop of the Progressive Era, the narrative explores the life of William Jennings Bryan through dramatic monologues, primarily voiced by the fictional journalist Jefferson Powers. The story captures Bryan's journey from a populist icon to his downfall at the Scopes Monkey Trial, while interspersed with insights from a modern-day history professor. This historical fiction intertwines personal and historical narratives, providing a rich commentary on the American spirit, making it both engaging and educational.

Exploring the inevitability of death, the poetry delves into personal experiences, including the author's twin brother's terminal cancer and the physical decline of once-mighty figures. Through honest and heartfelt verses, it reflects on mortality and the changes it brings to the body and spirit. This collection invites readers to confront their own feelings about life and death in a profound way.

This collection of poetry, awarded the 2022 Blue Light Poetry Prize, showcases the author's unique voice and profound themes. The poems explore personal and universal experiences, blending vivid imagery with emotional depth. The work invites readers to reflect on identity, loss, and resilience, making it a compelling addition to contemporary poetry. Each piece resonates with authenticity, connecting the reader to the complexities of life and the beauty found within.

The story follows a temp agency employee navigating a series of bizarre assignments, where he must often improvise and create his own rules. As the narrative unfolds, the protagonist encounters increasingly absurd situations, yet his attitude remains consistent, showcasing resilience and adaptability in the face of life's challenges. The book explores themes of absurdity and the human experience through the lens of unconventional work scenarios.

Through a series of dramatic monologues, the book explores a century of Russian history, focusing on the perspectives of a fictional Jewish character, Alexander Federmesser, and Maria Rasputin, daughter of the notorious Grigory Rasputin. The narrative delves into the social upheaval leading to the Bolshevik Revolution, the conflict between Red and White Russians, and the harsh realities under Communist rule. Additionally, it highlights the pervasive Anti-Semitism of the time, offering a rich tapestry of personal and historical insights.

Think of Lady Gaga; think of Cher. Now multiply their audacity by a thousand. In a sequence of poetic monologues, Mata Hari: Eye of the Day dramatically portrays the life and trials of Margaraetha Zelle MacLeod, a Dutch girl from a dysfunctional family who, after a disastrous marriage and ten years in the Dutch East Indies, re-invented herself as the exotic dancer, Mata Hari, the consort of royalty, the companion of fabulously wealthy men, the rulers of Europe. Mata Hari was the toast of the continent for ten years before her connections and lifestyle brought her crashing down. Convicted in a French court as a spy for the Germans during World War I, she was executed by a firing squad in Paris. But was she really guilty of treasonous espionage, or was she framed, the real crime for which she paid with her life merely her unconventional lifestyle? Rammelkamp is the author of The Secretkeepers, and two collections of short fiction-A Better Tomorrow and Castleman in the Academy-full-length poetry collections The Book of Life and Fusen Bakudan, and several chapbooks of poetry. Past columnist and staff writer to Renaissance Magazine, Rammelkamp has been the editor of The Potomac online e-literary journal since 2007 and is prose editor for BrickHouse Books. He grew up in Michigan, and now resides Baltimore.