Alexander Hamilton Cherin, In Conversation with Mike Sonksen, AKA Mike The PoeT

A Holocaust survivor facing eviction, a schoolboy struggling with his identity, a single mother who is on the verge of being exposed for embezzlement, and a speedway daredevil whose bruised body and fragile ego are beyond repair, all find themselves scouring the Southern California landscape for $50,000 in buried cash-the grand prize of a struggling AM radio station's contest. Unknown to each other but bonded by a common desire for redemption, each is a willing participant in a treasure hunt caught between nostalgia and desperation. "The Summer of $50,000" unfolds against a California landscape very much in flux, both culturally and geographically. Only one contestant will call on a troubled past to help walk away with the money - and the salvation that they hope it will bring. Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the PoeT, is an acclaimed poet, professor, journalist, historian and tour guide. He teaches at Woodbury University, where he serves as the Coordinator of the school’s First Year Experience Program. He has published over 500 essays and poems, most recently two excerpts in Dear California: The Golden State in Diaries and Letters, edited by David Kipen (Stanford University Press, September 2023). He has delivered over 2,000 poetry readings, served as guest speaker at over 100 academic institutions, appeared on radio and television and hosted events in locations like Grand Performances and Getty Center. The second edition of his latest book, Letters To My City was just published by Writ Large Press in Summer 2023.

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