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Arnold Simon, the author of ‘Hailey’s Paradox’ which is about the clash between evolution and Creationism, and the evolving role of religious Fundamentalism in American politics joins Enterprise Radio.
Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Arnold Simon discuss the following:
- What drove you to write this novel about the contradiction between science and religion?
- Where did you get that idea from?
- What drives the main character in this book?
- Tell us where the main character came from.
- Is this whole novel about the main character’s struggle between science and religion?
- Are there other important characters in this novel besides the main one?
- What events drive the main character to study paleontology?
- Does the main character run for President, and if so how and why?
- Does the novel have more twists and turns besides those mentioned above as the story develops?
Duration: 13:25
Born in Manhattan and raised in Belgium, Arnold Simon experienced a fulfilling and exciting life as an anti-submarine specialist, electrical engineer, and partner in a law firm before becoming a fulltime author.
Simon’s second novel, Hailey’s Paradox, is an insightful, driven story of a boy raised by a fundamentalist family on the farmlands of Kansas who is taught by his father that everything that exists on earth was created by God. After Jarett Hailey’s faith is challenged at school when evolution is taught, Jarett undertakes a lifetime quest to prove the Biblical account of creation is true. The quest ends in a bid for the U.S. Presidency.
After returning to America at age 14, Simon graduated from high school and entered the U.S. Navy in 1944 during the height of World War II. Simon served as an officer on a Destroyer Escort to protect large convoys carrying supplies and weapons to Europe from attacks by German U-boats. During World War II Simon served as a deck officer, anti-submarine specialist, and assistant communications officer.
Simon enrolled in Yale University, graduating with a BS degree in physics in 1947. After graduating from Northwestern in 1950 with a master’s degree in electrical engineering Simon went to work for Fairchild Engine and Airplane in Long Island and then Hughes Aircraft Company in California. At Hughes, Simon worked on the design of fire control systems for fighter planes and on the first unmanned soft-landing vehicle to the moon.
After earning a JD law degree from Loyola Law School in 1967, Simon became partner in a law firm, primarily engaged in acquisitions of private property for cities and redevelopment agencies. Retired, Simon is now concentrating his efforts as an author, publishing Hailey’s Paradox and researching his next literary work.
Selections from Hailey’s Paradox
- One day, Jarett heard his teacher, Mrs. Walters, describe the theory of evolution and state that all creatures on the Earth, including humans, came into existence through the process of evolution. Jarett quickly saw the contradiction between what she was saying and the Bible’s account of the Creation. This was the first time in his life that Jarett had heard anything challenging God’s Word, and it troubled him. Before Mrs. Walters had finished, Jarett Hailey raised his hand.
- Glenda was about eight years younger than Jarett—a forty-eight year-old man who had the mind of a genius, the body of an Olympian, a killer smile, and enough charm and charisma to win the crowds over. Jarett and Glenda shared many things in common—religious faith (although Glenda’s religious views were not as conservative as Jarett’s), similar political views, and the proven accomplishment of having reached the top—for him in science and politics, for her in business.
- Matt had begun to perceive, from the things Jarett had said, that deep within his young brother’s core still lay the faith in God that their father David had inculcated into all his children. Matt felt sure that beneath Jarett’s smooth rhetoric there raged the irreconcilable conflict between ambition and obedience to the Word of God. Matt knew his brother well, and felt certain that he had found Jarett’s weak spot. By making use of it, he planned to bring Jarett down.
- Then Elliot would reach Clive personally and add that through his connections he could guarantee that, if Clive identified the person who had ordered him to commit this crime, the prosecution would agree to ask for life imprisonment only. In other words, Clive would have nothing to lose, and much to gain. But Elliot Cymbal would have to risk his own life.
Links: www.HaileysParadox.com
