Leland reimagines the life of Leland Blakeslee, a young man from Western New York killed in action during the Korean War. Through masterful storytelling, the novel blends historical fact and poignant fiction, imagining the full, meaningful life he never got to live-one shaped by innovation, service, and family.
Set against the real tragedy of his death, Leland explores what might have been: a career at NASA, the invention of breakthrough energy technology, a legacy that could have changed the world. Inspired by true events, Shane Blakeslee's powerful debut poses a haunting question: What if?