In the past, and, unfortunately, today, there were many monstrous things that could be justified, overlooked, or ignored in the name of preserving traditions and stability. The Security of Silence details just how far that can go and how much people will do to keep stability in their lives. The story starts with a family beset by tragedy at every turn, starting with the loss of a father. From there, they are further threatened by economic instability and even a war. Finally, a woman marries a man to bring security back to the family, only to discover he has deep personal problems become harder and harder to ignore.

This is the start of a series of books about the same family. Megnin’s writing is quite old style, a throwback to the days of Edith Wharton and the society novels of the early 20th century. His narrative gives an often cold but always lucid account of both events and characters. Sometimes it can be a little too cold and the details don’t always take on human relevance. Unlike the old society novels, however, it has the unique twist of people trapped in a position of fate rather than society. Another thing that makes Megnin stand out is his realistic characterization of characters that are not only flawed, but also human and reasonable.

Megnin has a strong narrative tradition behind him and his eloquence is a kind of pleasure in itself. The Security of Silence gives the reader insight into the lifestyles of the time and the place, and helps us understand how people cope when they find themselves in situations where they are forced to compromise their judgment and morality for the sake of their family. It’s a fine and deep read for anyone interested in society, psychology, and the family.

TB Koskie
T&R Reviews

Enticed by the title, I read the story. A recently married woman, threatened by a change in her social status, illuminated by facts about her husband, and overwhelmed with the crisis of self confidence, seeks a "lietmotif" to find an answer to these and other questions. In the security of silence she finds a means of accepting and dealing with the crisis of change that occurs in many lives.

Amazon Review by Daniel Sullivan
March 19, 2007

Author Biography

Donald F. Megnin

Donald F. Megnin, son of immigrants from Germany, grew up on a farm near Chittenango, New York. He graduated from Fayetteville High School, Syracuse University, where he received his A.B., M.A., and Ph. D. and Boston University with an S.T.B. He worked on the family farm for several years before being given a scholarship by a Syracuse Industrialist to study at Syracuse University. He then represented Syracuse University as Lecturer at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand for two years. He then went on to study theology at Boston University. While serving as a United Methodist Minister in Syracuse, New York, he began his graduate studies in international politics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs part time. After completing his doctorate in political science, he taught at Slippery Rock University (one of fourteen state-owned universities of Pennsylvania). He is currently a professor emeritus of international politics from Slippery Rock University and divides his time between New Smyrna Beach, Florida where he and his wife reside, and Syracuse, New York where they spend their summers.