RURAL ODYSSEY V - TROUBLE IN A KANSAS RIVER TOWN is a return to fiction. It tells the latest in Curran's stories of Abilene, Kansas. Trouble comes to Abilene in an unexpected armed attack on the town and its residents in 1971 by KKK and "rugged individualists" out for revenge for the conviction and imprisonment in Abilene of their relatives and cronies in past years. Following the "troubles," the author writes of protagonists Mike and Mariah's teaching at the Dwight D. Eisenhower College in Abilene, the birth of their daughter Ariel Sarah O'Brien Palafox, and the Palafox family's travel to Spain. With the passage of time and events in Abilene, Mike and Marah make a life changing move back east and work and teaching at Harvard. Book Two - a Novella - Ballad of the "Smoky Hill River Rambler" tells the story of Abilene's Mickey Clancy's dream of performing (singing and playing guiitar, including classical guitar) in the restaurants and bars in Durango and other towns of Southwest Colorado. As his music evolves and the repertoire grows, he encounters romance and surprises, not always pleasant, as an itinerant musician.

Rural Odyssey is a story that follows the family and life of a young man who grew up in rural America. This book is made up of the many experiences and stories and incorporates secrets that were involved in all relationships in his parents' families and in his own family. It also weaves in the accounts of growing up in a straight Pentecostal and faith-based life. The young man's life is shaped by his experiences and is followed as he grows up in a minister's family. His education is begun in a rural one room schoolhouse and then advances to the usual elementary and secondary school systems, attendance at a state university, and entry in medical school at 19 years of age. Multiple successes and failures are included. The intricacies of his life along with multiple marriages, children, and drug associated problems are told through stories. Always trying to be a knight in shining armor and everything to everyone caused many problems. Faith was the glue that kept his life together. 50 years in the practice of general surgery has brought about a lot of observations and many varied and entertaining stories. Many technical advances are noted both in life and medical practice. Problems are presented and interesting simple solutions are given. All in all, this is very readable, understandable, hilarious, and intensely fascinating adventure of growing up in the country and memories of family, faith, and secrets.

RURAL ODYSSEY III Dreams Fulfilled and Back to Abilene, A Fictional and Historical Narrative" is the third in the series of fictionalized stories based on Mark Curran's autobiography "The Farm." Mike O'Brien and Mariah Palafox fulfill their dreams of graduate education, travel and research in Mexico, and return to Abilene where life offers new adventures.

"The Writing and Publishing Journey" is a summary and catalogue of all of Professor Curran's writings. It includes the academic books before retirement, the academic and cultural books during retirement, the experiments with fiction based on the former, and a brief addendum of academic articles in research journals. Each volume is introduced by the cover image in full color. The abiding objective is to recall in a conversational way the when, why and how of each book, that is, when it was written, the circumstances of how and why it was written, and perhaps most interesting the odyssey of getting it into print. Any professor in Academia will relate to this endeavor, and amateur writers and interested readers should enjoy the journey as well.