Author Carmel Zipes’ latest novel serves as a history lesson

Doug Zipes has always been intrigued by World War II and Adolf Hitler.

So the 82-year-old Carmel resident’s fifth novel, “Ari’s Spoon,” takes readers on a time travel to the Warsaw Ghetto and Nazi death camps. The novel was published on December 23 by iUniverse.

The story centers on a young Indianapolis surgeon who discovers an engraved silver spoon sewn into the double-ply hem of a christening gown he was planning to use at his daughter’s christening after the outbreak of the church metal detector. The dress was previously stored in the cedar family crest, her grandfather’s most prized possession in Poland. The discovery leads the surgeon to research the history of the spoon.

“The premise of the book is that choices made under stress define who a person is,” said Zipes, a distinguished professor emeritus at Indiana University School of Medicine and a retired cardiologist. “A choice made without consequences is meaningless.”

“Ari’s Spoon” was released on December 23. (Photo courtesy of Doug Zipes)

Zipes said he was encouraged by readers’ comments and reviews of the book.

“The editor of iUniverse said this writing was the best he had reviewed in all his years,” Zipes said. “The book was selected as an Editor’s Choice.”

Zipes said the novel took two years to write. Zipes, who also wrote his memoirs, estimates he wrote nearly 1,000 medical articles and 16 cardiology textbooks. He writes a weekly medical column for the Saturday Evening Post.

Zipes is writing his next novel, “The Last Day I Walked.”

“Ari’s Spoon” is available on Amazon.com. To learn more, visit dougzipes.com.