G. Mick Smith

Where culture divides, literature unites! As the title suggests, this is a book about a burning issue in America: Parents, children and the effects of divorce they suffer. The book thoroughly meets the expectations of a novel depicting certain social conditions so a big thumbs up to the author. Being in India, I began reading the book expecting something different. As I have never set a foot on American soil and for me, America is what they showcase in Hollywood movies, I expected it would be very different from Indian society. In the end, though, I realised that, like music, pain and suffering are also the same everywhere. Interestingly, I have read a similar book on a similar topic in my native language Gujarati too. Its name is 'Pushpdah' (which means the burning suffered by flowers, obviously the children!) by renowned Gujarati author Rajanikumar Pandya. It is a docu-novel of divorcing parents and their suffering children. This docu-novel was written in America by the author while staying with the same family in which the divorce was happening. Recently it has been translated into English by the name of 'Flowers in Flame' (ISBN: 978-9390572168). I must add, if you have enjoyed reading 'Buring America', which I most certainly did, you can also read 'Flowers in Flame' as they have very similar topics. Where culture divides, literature unites!… (more)

Review: Burning America by G. Mick Smith. 3.5* 08/16/2022

This is an Early Reviewer’s book that I received from the publisher. This is a heartwarming story that either parent could agonize over. In this case it was a Professor whose life was turned upside down. Paul planned to raise his daughter in a normal home environment. Paul came across a note his wife left in a book that shattered his life. His wife is leaving him and taking his five-year-old daughter with her. Paul called it kidnapping his child however, both parents had rights. The daughter was made to become an item and not a child. The conflict went on for three years in a custody battle within the justice department. Would this case end positive for both parents…… (more)