First Token: A Story of Life, Love, & Tennis

First Token: A Story of Life, Love, & Tennis was conceived in a dream, giving birth to the author’s long-held aspiration to publish a novel. First Token is the marriage of historical fiction and timeless, universal love; love of another, love of country, and love of faith. The story is set in the 1950s, a golden era for some, misery for others, transformation for all.

Hillard Abraham, an unmarried lawyer with a blue-collar upbringing and a quirky personality, becomes the second Jewish member at a Long Island tennis club. Hillard befriends Dexter Alexander, a Korean War veteran and the club’s first black employee. Dexter’s wife, Becky, works for the wealthy Cabot family. So begins an unforgettable story of relationships.

Hillard views the world through a prism of logic, even applying logic to the tyranny of segregation and the Holocaust. An unexpected relationship derails his sense of logic; a spiritual encounter distills his existence to its core. “Where do we fit in, Buster?” he asks his feline confidant, an orange tabby.

First Token resonates with those who yearn for the wholesome values and attributes of the 1950s and with those who value the American Dream. While baseball is America’s national passion, tennis occupies a loftier position. The sport of kings is a microcosm for the business of life. The narrative mirrors the way we think, fusing recollection with the here and now. The delivery reflects the pace and cadence of the day, and the wit is as dry as a well-poured Martini. As America’s Semiquincentennial approaches, and the challenges for those who cherish liberty and independence are ongoing, remember this: as the going gets tough, the tough get funny.