Anthony Kishko

American Fool’s Day is a fictional account of our (bi-polar) dis-union symptoms of which manifested in the Carnival of Souls like uprising and coup attempt by the minions of a national movement to negate the results of the Civil War and assail the US Constitution from without and within. AFD threads a link through a cast of historic American individuals representing the best and worst among us. The rich glue that keeps America going is not lost on the author who sees a net positive evaluation of the ‘process’ of America thanks to his passion for music the story is told with heart and humor even if laced with a warning. Following are some thoughts about AFD in his own words.

The Anthony Kisko’s original musical compositions and performances are linked on this page to offer his rich tapestry of music that, incidentally, also works as a sound track to American Fool’s Day.

Rockbank, lead guitar & Vocals on Track BIG BAD WOLF

To listen, click here


and

https://foxtrotsky1.bandcamp.com/album/the-epic-of-tolkiens-beren-luthien-acoustic-electric-prog-symphony

Following are some thoughts about American Fool’s Day in the author’s words.

One parallel subplot aspect of the book is that this is the more artistic film/ story they deserve as great American characters, Great American Fools! with significant supporting roles—as they weave and disappear for many cycles, as events and plots unfold with other characters, and then they pop in again, as positive agents of chaos, which pushes the plot forward, while adding to the comic dynamic and surrealism, even as Grucho is Shakespearian with his vernacular and points of absurd wisdom.

As much as they are Dickensian Hollywood caricatures— almost haunting our unconscious from old film channels which our grandparents would watch, they come from this distant mythical world of electronic make-believe… which is surreal—while thinking in terms of a Marshall Mcluhan interpretation, so to add to their depth and story and psychology as well, which helped me with their dialogue…, the biographical research comes out as they tell or express aspects of this, melded into the fiction of them being the actual zany zen lunatics. Theme wise, in this regard, the blending of fact and fiction is the point. The questioning of reality. Even as we realize reality is built on traditional myths. Now, added  Into nationalism, and upon modernity it is all electrified into mass warping conditioning media. Only those with the power and wealth have the ability to magnify and amplify their ideological agendas . . . Then, theres the insanity of q anon conspiracy theories. Illusions and perverse propaganda warping peoples minds into dysfunctional evils…

It’s a great play on the name of Karl Marx, whereas the Brothers also act as agents of slapstick chaos which they create, its not just an end in itself, as each chapter is its own episode, but it pushes the plot forward.

 (I’ve also researched their bio. As fun as they are, their experiences as Jews and anti-semitism relates to the existential alienation experienced by Satch and the female characters against the hydra headed specters of fascism—which leads to republican trumpism conjunct with the failures of the soldout liberal elites).

It’s also neat Harpo is a musician as well as Satch, allowing those elements in the musicality of the story. (So, I was sincerely touched, and appreciative you wrote to me that you experienced the music of the writing.) So the Marx Jewish background also opens opportunities for biblical satire in dialogue, leading up to one of the climaxes that spoofs cecil b demiile’s Ten Commandments, (since they are in Hollywood.) Man there is so much fun stuff that happens in this book, while crafted with holistic details that make the weirdness and surrealism realistically fit with different clues.

Anyhow. I’ve read Agatha Christie, Poe, Sherlock Holmes … this is not a mystery novel, but every novel has its mystery puzzle to unlock. I’ve structured it with evidence of various ways to interpret as well, which question aspects of the how what when where of what is actually happening, part influenced from shakespeare’s ambiguity of reality and psychology, as well as my training as an academic analyst of literary criticism, after years of school courses, and Roland Barthes, Jaques Derrida, HEIDEGGER, Sartre,  Jung’s lit analysis, Nietzsche etc. This is my 3rd personal attempted book, but the first one truly  complete and the one I find most satisfied with. I love it. I hope a decent handful of others will also.

[As one immersed in the intellectual realms and  poetry,  I labored to make the language as accessible as possible without losing the intellectual and experiential qualities.]