The Proud and the Immortal

This classic novel takes us into the real world of a homeless community living in disused Amtrak train tunnels under the city of New York. Oswald Rivera’s realism depicts the plight of the homeless and how they are caught in a battle they never intended to have to fight.

“The tunnels were wet, but kept their bodies dry. Cramped, yet offering reach; dangerous, yet safe, and, most important of all, it gave solace. Not only their hunger, but also their solitude could be contained. To some it was a last chance to affirm the only possession they had: themselves. To others, it was just a place to settle, and to be.”

The novel shows how they are misconceived by the public and by themselves, and just how much they are the same as you or I. With warmth and humor Rivera’s story shares important insights into a problem that is all of ours and that needs to be solved. The heroism in this one small, diverse community of “the Moles,” under circumstances of extreme pressure, is an inspiration in all walks of life.

From Oswald about his book, “This underground city was the domicile of numerous homeless individuals who settled within a series of abandoned Amtrak tunnels spanning 41 blocks of Riverside Park. This was a self-enclosed community that thrived and became a microcosm of the larger environment above the streets.

“This settlement is no more. The abandoned rail lines were once more appropriated by the Amtrak system. What happened to these individuals, no one knows. But while the settlement existed, it gave rise to a mini-community within the community, with its own rules and laws of conduct. Not many people knew about this underground colony, who called themselves “the Moles.” Yet their story must be told and is now recounted in all its stark detail. In essence, this is a story of a group who clung together because they had nothing else. It is a story of a family.” 

Read about the author HERE.

The Proud and the Immortal , a novel by Oswald Rivera , 368pp Quality Paperback, 5.5″x8.5″, ISBN 1-882190-74-2 US $14