A Maverick Novel* Inspired by a Maverick Man
—Kirkus Reviews
“Conhaim draws on various elements of the classic Western … to tell a story inspired by his longtime fascination with the singer and activist Paul Robeson … Benjamin is a compelling, multilayered protagonist who moves beyond his Robeson inspiration . . . The prose is vivid and often dramatic, which makes for a memorable read . . . A well-developed and thoughtful novel of right and wrong in the Old West.”
*"Maverick" Medallion Winner
Lost Giants, Reimagined
“In 2019, this reviewer first wrote about All Man’s Land, a novel about Benjamin Neill, a former slave and reluctant Civil War hero whose appearance in a frontier town with a sack of books and a storyteller’s compulsion challenged the prejudices of that culture. In its updated second edition, the novel is well worth a revisit as it includes both a fictional essay about Spanish thinker Miguel de Unamuno’s famous confrontation with one of Franco’s generals at the start of the Spanish Civil War and a new Foreword by Conhaim’s longtime editor, which places the combined work squarely in the realm of literary and scholarly excellence.
“History, fiction, and philosophy all dovetail nicely here, accompanied by footnoted references to Unamuno and his contemporaries who have largely been forgotten, a fact that Conhaim seems determined to reverse . . . a thought-provoking mix of political, social, psychological, and philosophical inspection highly recommended for any reader up to the challenge.
“This new edition of All Man’s Land is sure to provide book clubs with ample inspiration for discussion and debate.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Inspired by the music and life of Paul Robeson, D. László Conhaim’s
All Man’s Land . . . reminds the reader that the most unlikely of relationships can form even in spaces where they should not exist … Seeing the humanity in another person is a meaningful sub theme … We are battling, still, with many of the themes addressed in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed [it] . . . It is a book that should be read in classrooms and community book clubs. It is one to add to the discussion of race relations as this country should be All Man’s Land.”
—Christian Starr, ThyBlackMan.com
"The exploration of a black-Jewish relationship in frontier times would seem challenge enough, but Conhaim blends this reality-based novel with a striking consideration of the overall prejudices and sentiments of the times, injecting fictional drama and embellishments into a kind of memoir that is absorbing and enlightening on many levels . . . As Conhaim paints a portrait of David, a young man who prompts Neill to examine his own prejudices and purposes, readers receive a solid blend of frontier conflict and the evolution of challenging relationships ... All Man's Land returns to a world that has largely moved away from Western popular fiction and memories of Paul Robeson, but it lives on as a tribute to this powerful individual and resurrects a sense of his multifaceted talents while providing a social commentary on America's early years."
—Donovan's Bookshelf, August 2019
—Michael Searles, Roundup Magazine, Western Writers of America
"D. László Conhaim pens a tribute novella to Paul Robeson … Set in turn-of-the-century Wyoming, All Man’s Land personifies Robeson in the character Benjamin Neill—Civil War hero, a learned man, a masterful singer, a political progressive, a man of the people and a prophet—who comes to town to settle a score. Conhaim packs gunfights, villains, intrigue, mystery, plot twists, some romance and a happy ending into this vivid, entertaining read.”
"All Man’s Land was inspired by the great Paul Robeson … [whose] outspoken views on racism and communism . . . resulted in the revocation of his passport and effectively ended his international concert career. Conhaim transfers this story to the American West and incarnates Robeson in the fictitious Benjamin Neill, son of a slave, and a war veteran whose talent and courage parallel Robeson’s. Conhaim’s prose is spare but potent and the pages turn in the blink of an eye. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the great TV show “Deadwood” for the authenticity of his supporting players, but at its heart it is a story about freedom and values."