Ariel Hammon

Jack Ariel Hammon

JACK is the story of Marcellus Friedman, born and raised in Salt Lake City, as a member of the Mormon church who turns away and disappoints his family. As a promising scientist, he impresses his mentors at the university where he also meets Lena, the love of his life. She is the darling of Mormondom. He is the nonbeliever that her family will never accept. Lena facetiously calls him "Jack," a mildly disparaging term for inactive members of the church. When Franceska glides into his life, Marc begins to consider the abandoned practice of polygamy as a possible solution for his enduring love for Lena and his growing affection for Franceska. Most Mormons hate the practice, even though their church once embraced it and taught that it was essential for the highest salvation. The course that Marc pursues wrecks his career, soaks his life in grief, and leads him to search his soul for the meaning of existence. Written in elegant prose, JACK delves into the struggles of finding a personal path in the face of universal opposition and disapproval.