Making Oneself Great Again
Jack O’Mally hates liberals, “fake” news media, people of color, and immigrants. His daughter, Beth wants little to do with her MAGA dad, especially after he rejects her African American boyfriend. Jack, a retired naval officer, is the organizer and captain of his neighborhood watch group targeting immigrants. At the Gulfstream Health and Fitness Club he gets angry if anyone talks Spanish in his presence. But when Jack feels pressure to sell his home, the real estate agent tells him he must get the place clean before she can sell it.
Jack’s one liberal friend at the New Jersey club is Robert, a California transplant. He sets Jack up with his cleaning crew—Ana Rivera and her daughter Sofia—illegal immigrants from El Salvador. Reluctantly, Jack accepts the offer, and his immigrant education begins.
Great Again, a novel by Bill Day, shows us the life of a MAGA bigot and watch him slowly grow as a human being. Witnessing Jack’s transformation seems like a fantasy, but the author does a magnificent job doing so incrementally. Jack tells us he’s descended from Irish immigrants who faced many of the prejudices Ana and Sofia have to deal with. Jack’s precarious financial situation helps open his eyes to the plight of people like the Riveras.
The author avoids easy solutions but instead follows a realistic and subtle vision into how people can change when their worldviews are questioned. The characters and dialogue are very believable, the New Jersey Shore setting is nicely described, and the plot is so well written this reader had trouble getting back to work.
About the Author:
Bill Day was born to American parents in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to Central America as a teen and spent years immersed in a vibrant multicultural world. From Guatemala to Panama, he experienced firsthand the beauty and complexity of the region. This upbringing, marked by adventure and personal growth, shaped his worldview and ignited a lifelong passion for the people and cultures of Central and South America. Since graduating from UCLA Film School with an MFA, Bill has been involved in documentary and news production for many years. His work has taken him across the globe, with a particular focus on Latin America. He now lives in New Jersey with his wife Caroline.
