Overview

Paul’s teachers say he’s distracted, and they’re not wrong. With the demands of a struggling farm, Allied boots in Europe, and secrets surrounding his mother’s death, who can blame him? And the expectations of his unapproachable father are seemingly out of reach. When a financial windfall sparks a rags-to-riches transformation, it also sets in motion events that will test young Paul to his core. This coming-of-age story connects Paul’s tumultuous adolescence to his unfulfilled adulthood. Across those decades, he searches for redemption and reconciliation with the ghosts of his past.

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9781960810137

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Reviews

“The Promise of Unbroken Straw will lure readers into an epic and unforgettable tale of three generations of a family saturated with secrets, grief, and unrealized, stubborn love. Ken Steele takes us on a sweeping journey from rags-to-riches-to-rags-to..., from rural to urban, from heartbreak to healing, from lost to found. It’s a story as deep and complicated and revealing and wonderful as life itself.” —Mark McKinnon Chief Media Advisor to five Presidential campaigns Regular columnist for Vanity Fair, The London Daily Telegraph, and Daily Beast “This story has all the charming characteristics any avid historical fiction reader loves and expects in a small town with characters that draw you in from the very first page.” —Readers’ Favorite Review 5-STAR AWARD “The author eloquently conveys the maturation of Paul as he evolves in an age where a world war rages, calamity surfaces with alarming frequency, and sorrow is an all-too-familiar feeling. This endearing [novel] proves more than satisfying in its depth and emotional range.” —US Review of Books RECOMMENDED (Highest Rating) ""I found The Promise of Unbroken Straw to be difficult to put down. Given my back-ground, I followed the oil/gas subplot with interest. But Ken Steele was able to connect that narrative into a far more profound dis-course about grief, guilt, and the struggles of a family to move on."" —Al Hirshberg Executive Vice President, Production, Drilling, and Projects (Retired) ConocoPhillips ""On a hardscrabble Oklahoma farm during a distant world war, the discovery of oil changes everything for a boy struggling to become a man—or so he thinks. Beautifully crafted, The Promise of Unbroken Straw portrays the complex relationship of a grieving father and an accidental son with depth and grace. I loved this engaging story and look forward to Ken Steele’s next book."" —Marcia Preston Mary Higgins Clark Award Recipient Author of The Spiderling ""The Promise of Unbroken Straw is a poignant coming-of-age tale that eloquently meditates on how the secrets of the past shape the contours of our lives. I heartily recommend it."" —Walter Muller Chief Investment Officer (Retired) Bank of America ""In his family saga of loss and redemption, Mr. Steele develops his characters so that you love or loathe each. As secrets and lies are revealed, those feelings evolve and intensify. His writing style evokes crisp images of locations and events and incredibly clear emotions, and you are left with universal truths about life and forgiveness."" —Marci Oesch Bahr Faculty Emeritus St. John’s School Houston, Texas “This story is beautifully told...I want to live in this place that Mr. Steele has created.” —John Norton Author

"""I found The Promise of Unbroken Straw to be difficult to put down. Given my back-ground, I followed the oil/gas subplot with interest. But Ken Steele was able to connect that narrative into a far more profound dis-course about grief, guilt, and the struggles of a family to move on."" --Al Hirshberg Executive Vice President, Production, Drilling, and Projects (Retired) ConocoPhillips ""In his family saga of loss and redemption, Mr. Steele develops his characters so that you love or loathe each. As secrets and lies are revealed, those feelings evolve and intensify. His writing style evokes crisp images of locations and events and incredibly clear emotions, and you are left with universal truths about life and forgiveness."" --Marci Oesch Bahr Faculty Emeritus St. John's School Houston, Texas ""On a hardscrabble Oklahoma farm during a distant world war, the discovery of oil changes everything for a boy struggling to become a man--or so he thinks. Beautifully crafted, The Promise of Unbroken Straw portrays the complex relationship of a grieving father and an accidental son with depth and grace. I loved this engaging story and look forward to Ken Steele's next book."" --Marcia Preston Mary Higgins Clark Award Recipient Author of The Spiderling ""The author eloquently conveys the maturation of Paul as he evolves in an age where a world war rages, calamity surfaces with alarming frequency, and sorrow is an all-too-familiar feeling. This endearing [novel] proves more than satisfying in its depth and emotional range."" --US Review of Books RECOMMENDED (Highest Rating) ""The Promise of Unbroken Straw is a poignant coming-of-age tale that eloquently meditates on how the secrets of the past shape the contours of our lives. I heartily recommend it."" --Walter Muller Chief Investment Officer (Retired) Bank of America ""The Promise of Unbroken Straw will lure readers into an epic and unforgettable tale of three generations of a family saturated with secrets, grief, and unrealized, stubborn love. Ken Steele takes us on a sweeping journey from rags-to-riches-to-rags-to..., from rural to urban, from heartbreak to healing, from lost to found. It's a story as deep and complicated and revealing and wonderful as life itself."" --Mark McKinnon Chief Media Advisor to five Presidential campaigns Regular columnist for Vanity Fair, The London Daily Telegraph, and Daily Beast ""This story has all the charming characteristics any avid historical fiction reader loves and expects in a small town with characters that draw you in from the very first page."" --Readers' Favorite Review 5-STAR AWARD ""This story is beautifully told...I want to live in this place that Mr. Steele has created."" --John Norton Author"

Author Information

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ken Steele holds degrees in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University and MIT. The Promise of Unbroken Straw is Ken’s debut novel, a work of historical fiction. He resides in Colorado with his wife of 41 years where his days are filled with skiing, pickleball, golf, hiking, and all that the mountains can offer. 

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