Human of the Year - Softcover

Wueste, Beka

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1967077118 ISBN 13: 9781967077113

Publisher: Fox Island Press, 2026

Synopsis

Released from a Maryland prison after nearly twenty years served for a crime he committed during high school, Matt is reunited with his younger sister, Jenny. Matt has to prove to his parole officer, his family, and himself, that he can survive as a free man for the first time in his adult life, while facing the challenges of re-entry into a world that drastically changed during his sentence. 

Knowing that reaching the first year without retuning to prison is critical to Matt's long-term odds of staying out permanently, Jenny brings him to live with her husband Hector and young daughter Julia, neither of whom Matt has ever met. 

Despite Jenny's best efforts, she struggles to integrate her brother into the life she's built, and to protect him from people who think he belongs back in prison-including their parents. 

Realizing that they have grown up into strangers, the siblings seek support from their community of family, friends, and colleagues. 

About this title

About the Author

Beka Wueste is an author whose debut novel, "The Unsent Letters of Lucy Prior," earned praise as a "deeply introspective and emotionally resonant novel" (-Kirkus Reviews) and whose second novel, "Fireflies in a Jar," was lauded as, "original, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging." (-Midwest Book Review). Her debut short story collection, "My Side of the Word and Other tales of Death, was described as lyrical and thoughtful.... a moving, imaginative, and unforgettable exploration." (-Readers Favorite Book Reviews), and was named finalist for the 2025 Short Story Collections/Anthologies category of the Reader Views Reviewers Choice Awards. She is also an award-winning visual artist who exhibits her visual work frequently in regional and national shows. Born in Texas and raised in Virginia, Beka earned a B.A. in art history from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, and an M.A. in art history from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. An enthusiastic traveler, avid reader, nature lover, lifelong cinephile, and collector of music on vinyl, Beka lives with her husband and their rescue Shiba Inu in Northern Virginia.

Edition details

• Publisher: Fox Island Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1967077118
• ISBN 13: 9781967077113
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416