The American Edict

The American Edict—T.A.E.—is my version of the great American novel. It’s my growing up story, told with brutal honesty, dry wit, and sharp memory. Think knights and quests, but replace the horses with BMX bikes, the dragons with school bullies, and the kingdom with suburban sprawl. It’s one part personal memoir, one part cultural mirror.

This book weaves together my youth, my family, my schooling, and the larger backdrop of America in the late 20th century. What happened in my house often echoed what was happening across my county. The micro and the macro were reflections. Growing up wasn’t just personal—it was political, environmental, and generational.

The American Edict treats coming of age like a hero’s journey through strip malls, broken homes, public schools, and televised distractions. It’s what happens when you grow up with too much freedom, too little guidance, and a front-row seat to the decline of an empire. This is a story about being shaped by the systems, and eventually questioning them.

But this isn’t just story—it’s statement. Like the final beat of a South Park episode, each section ends with a reflection. A realization. A warning. A commandment. The Edict. Advice carved from lived experience, laid down like street signs at the end of every emotional cul-de-sac.

This is my story. But it’s not just about me. It’s about how we got here. And what comes next.