“Geffrey von Gerlach has spun an intriguing story full of travel-reel worthy settings, characters and events…a truly thought provoking read.”
“…with two worthy characters as anchors, the book remains compelling.”“It is the sort of life that would be portrayed onscreen by Errol Flynn or Humphrey Bogart.”
Kirkus Discoveries Reviews
One Man’s Past is the Key to Another Man’s Future
Revolution and romance, art and artifice, humour and hubris — acclaimed photographer Randolph Mayer’s life spanned the globe and some of the most fascinating times of the 20th century in the exotic locales of Maoist China, Paris, the Greek Isles, New York, Machu Picchu, and Hollywood.
Now at the end of his life, with nothing to show for the adventures and the accomplishments, Randolph struggles for meaning. Aging, alone, and alienated from a too-fast techno-world, the once-great artist struggles to find a reason to go on living.
As Randolph lies in a coma from a failed suicide Kyle, a young medical student, employs the legendary 13 GHOSTPOINTS of the ancient art of Acupuncture and allows him to relive, in his mind’s eye, the passions and adventures that made up his glamourous and exciting life.
Poignant and passionate, mythic in import, personal in impact, Ghost Points is the journey of a man who discovers himself to have been a hero after all.
It is one man’s story, but it is also the story of how profoundly the young doctor is affected as he begins to uncover who this strange old fellow was and how vitally and romantically he embraced his life. He will be changed forever by the experience and come to know that there is a special life out there waiting for each of us, if only we have the courage and trust to let it find us.
GHOSTPOINTS is a uniquely structured novel in that each chapter centers around the memory evoked by each of the 13 acupuncture needles. It is episodic in nature and perfect for a mini-series, with the storyline and action set against breathtaking backdrops, from the Great Wall of China to the Greek Islands, the glamour and sophistication of Paris to the New York Art world and the shallow glitz of Hollywood.
As each needle pierces Randolph’s flesh, a memory springs to life in the old man’s mind. Whether it is a memory of Pamela, the love of his life who lured him into risking unauthorized photography in China during the Maoist revolution, or Sebastian, the film star who embroiled him in a dangerous deception with a Greek shipping magnate, the old photographer is allowed to re-enter and relive the passions of his past.
From his first photographic contest as a nine year old boy to the heady days of international acclaim in Paris and New York, Randolph comes to understand that his camera is the lens through which he viewed the world and the vortex that drew the rich and powerful into his exciting and extraordinary creative life.