A Box Full of Teeth

In 1989, jaded Special Operations veteran Phillip Rhyader joins the Peace Corps in an attempt to escape his past and to restore a sense of balance to his life. Nine months later, 14 people are dead. Was it something he said? A Box Full Of Teeth is the story of one mans journey to shed a life of violence and darkness, and find his second chance in a remote corner of the world. Although he arrives in Morocco with the best intentions, Phillips stay begins with a month-long, hashish-fueled patchwork of chaos and misadventure. As he spirals out of control, an unexpected violent encounter jolts him into correcting his course. As he settles into his new role as a rural third world schoolteacher, he finds himself surrounded by an odd assortment of friends: The seductive and sophisticated daughter of his headmaster, a small group of young Muslim professors, and a tubercular prostitute, and an indigent, mentally unbalanced former political prisoner. Much to his surprise, the pastoral existence Phillip had sought slowly takes shape. But when a police raid ends with the disappearance of one of his students, Phillip makes the miscalculation of getting involved. His refusal to remain complacent sets into motion a chain of events that ultimately force him to choose between keeping his new life, or fighting and perhaps killing to protect those around him. A Box Full Of Teeth is an unforgettable story that intertwines two very different worlds US Special Forces and US Peace Corp into a story of despair, tragedy and forgiveness. Told in a stark, compelling voice, it vividly paints a picture of the Arab world that few have seen, and leaves the reader with a touching tale of love and loss.