“We live today in a world in which nobody believes choices should have consequences. But may I tell you the great secret that our culture seeks to deny? You cannot escape the consequences of your choices. Time runs in only one direction.”
Quote by Stephen L. Carter
Work
The Emperor of Ocean Park
The narrative centers on a law professor who becomes entangled in the aftermath of his father's death, a prominent conservative judge whose career and personal life harbored complex tensions. Set against the backdrop of an exclusive African American community in a wealthy seaside area, the story examines intergenerational conflict, the pressures of respectability, and the hidden costs of professional success. The protagonist's investigation into circumstances surrounding his father's demise leads through corridors of academic life, judicial politics, and family history, touching upon themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the compromises required to navigate American institutions. The novel draws upon the author's own background in law and academia to depict the social world of the Black professional elite with particular attention to the tensions between public achievement and private struggle. more
Author
Stephen L. Carter
Stephen L. Carter is an esteemed American law professor known for his contributions to the fields of law, ethics, and political philosophy. Born on October 26, 1954, Carter graduated from Yale University and earned a J.D. from Harvard University. He has taught at Columbia University Law School and held various academic positions, including Dean. His writings cover a wide range of topics, including law and morality, race relations, and American politics. more
You May Also Like
Source: In this corner: selected poems, 1963-1983
Source: Select works [ed. by R. Hurd].
“Nothing is there to come, and nothing past, But an eternal Now does always last.”
Source: The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley: Consisting of Those which Were Formerly Printed : and Those which He Design'd for the Press