The Errors of Mankind: Mistaking the True Conditions for Our Well-Being: Mistaking the True Conditions for our Well-Being

The Errors of Mankind is a philosophical inquiry into human nature and what gives rise to its evil side as well as the possibility of its redemption. This inspirational saga addresses both personal and national struggles to find a place in the world. On the national level, it probes into the roles that geopolitics, globalism and international finance played in American policy that led up to World War II, the Vietnam Conflict and the many military campaigns that followed. On a personal level, it speaks to the need for empathy, self-awareness, and morality, aka the role of God, as individuals progress through their lives.

This historical fiction novel unfolds in a Socratic dialogue between three main characters: Will, a retired consultant who served in the Marines during the Vietnam conflict; Johann, a distant relative of Will's who fought for Nazi Germany in the Waffen-SS during World War II; and Lena, an Auschwitz survivor who lived through the Holocaust. Will is still struggling to find his purpose in life after a stroke seven years ago while Johann strongly holds onto his beliefs in the discredited regime he once fought for. The two begin an uneasy collaboration to deconstruct their disastrous past and overcome the trauma imposed on them by their government, culture, and family but ultimately it is Lena who shows them the way to redemption.

The story is structured around four cycles of increasing self-awareness expressed at the personal level by Will and at the national level for Nazi Germany by Johann. As the two men interact with one another and later with Lena, they reconcile their limited understanding of the world with the infinitude of the divine reason that created it. The characters are fictional, but the historical events relayed are real; both provide the reader with a view of history and human nature that is frequently not explored.

Written by a Marine veteran who served during the Vietnam Conflict then graduated summa cum laude with degrees in English and History and travelled the world as a management consultant, this book provides an insightful and reflective look back on how America evolved during the 20th century and offers a roadmap for personal growth and a progressive vision for our nation's future.

Author: Curt A. Canfield
Publisher: Ingram Spark
Published: 08/18/2023
Pages: 388
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.31lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.88d
ISBN: 9798868926129

About the Author
A. Canfield, Curt: - "CURT CANFIELD grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, where he acquired most of his beliefs as a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and a Church Youth Group Leader. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school during the Vietnam conflict. During his three-year enlistment, he earned two meritorious promotions, traversed most of Southeast Asia and lost most of those beliefs.He went to college to understand what happened to America and graduated summa cum laude from Moravian University, majoring in English and History. He had several poems and short stories published before he undertook a professional career that took him around the world as a management consultant. He published numerous articles in leading law journals such as The American Lawyer and the New York Law Journal.Curt retired in 2017 to pursue his interests in religion, philosophy, and modern history. His debut novel, The Errors of Mankind, is an anti-war novel covering both World War II and Vietnam. It is not a war story, nor does it attempt to redeem either side in either conflict. It focuses on the key moral issues involved in each war's inception, prosecution, and aftermath; it also deals with the existential issues each character in the book must face as they make their pilgrimage through life.World War II, the Vietnam Conflict and America's War on Terrorism were all launched and defended by ideologies. National Socialism, Communism, and Democratic Capitalism all fought to preserve their version of truth during the 20th Century; while the first two crumbled, the last has prevailed, but its foundations are now beginning to crack and my novel attempts to explain why.Check out his website - www.curtcanfield.com - to view a wide range of BETA-Reader comments and to preview four extracted chapters that introduce the characters in the book."

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