The Old Homestead

A novel by Mark A. Nechoda

“I run to death, and death meets me as fast,

And all my pleasures are like yesterday”

                                            - John Donne

Homespun Press Limited

Copyright © 2008

Library Card Details:

Description:  A complex story of life, death, and friendship.

Classification:  Literature, General

Publication Date: 2008

Length:  3 Chapters / 162 pages

Illustrations:  none

Book attributes:  Non-Printable / Requires a security code to unlock

Book ID:  AOT-TOH-Nechoda

Download Size:   1 MB

Description of book:

“Marvelously quirky.”  

That is how we would describe The Old Homestead, that is, if we could define its nature.  Sure, it’s a fictional novel, but that is still a rather broad catagory. Any attempt to further pigeon-hole this book would prove a disastrous undertaking.

For example, two of the main characters never utter a single word, yet their presence is strongly felt throughout the pages of this novel. They are New York City and The Old Homestead itself; A landmark restaurant in Manhattan which has been serving food and drink for over 148 years.  Nechoda has succeeded in transmuting what would be mere backdrop into living, breathing characters, every bit as real and essential as the main character of Gregg Hoskins.

For those who are aficionados of broadcast radio, they will appreciate the tangential storyline about NBC Radio Monitor, a program that was broadcast throughout each and every weekend for nearly 20 years over hundreds of stations, and heard by tens of millions of people.

The Old Homestead is a marvelous read that seamlessly combines elements of humor, drama, spirituality and mysticism with a refreshingly imaginative storyline.

We know you’ll love this book.

Sample Text from eBook:

It was just one month and several days ago that Gregg had turned thirty-seven-years-old, an event which was celebrated with drinks, dinner, and fracas at the Old Homestead in West Chelsea.  The attendees that evening were the usual group of suspects:  Gregg, Kathy, Krys, and Krys’ husband, Sam.  Three of those persons, Gregg, Kathy, and Krys had first met each other as frosh attending a small, upstate New York college. Immediately, the three became extraordinarily close and best of friends, which gave rise for the faculty and other students to refer to them as the ‘Three Musketeers.’ During their senior year, the threesome lived together in an apartment on West State Street, a living arrangement that created the moniker of ‘the unholy three’ by the loathing townsfolk.   The fourth person at Gregg’s birthday was Krys’ husband, Sam, who always seemed to be the outsider.  At least, that’s how Sam perceived himself. His perception, in reality, could not be further from the truth.  Both Gregg and Kathy loved Sam dearly, almost as much as Krys did.  They always considered Sam to be their ‘Fourth Musketeer’.

Gregg was a real ‘looker’ as they say in the Upper West Side, or in the Village.  Elsewhere, he would be referred to as ‘handsome’ or ‘attractive.’  Many considered his eyes hypnotically alluring as they were an unusual and startling deep cobalt blue. His hair was raven black and combed like Rudolph Valentino’s, and he still used Brylcreem, a hair dressing considered passé by most men. Gregg’s complexion, although an indoor ‘barroom’ pallor, was clear and bright, and every facial feature was perfectly shaped and symmetrically balanced. Gregg’s was the perfect face, if there was ever such a thing.

About the Author: Mark Nechoda

Although a long-time resident of  Manhattan, NY, Mark is actually a native Chicagoan. He attended Ithaca College, where he studied with award-winning film and television writer, Rod Serling. For many years, Mark was known to his New York fans as on-air radio personality 'World Famous Mark Kelley' and also appeared  professionally on stage, film, and television. Mark lived in New Zealand for 6 years before returning to the United States in 2002.