Health & Fitness
HPHS Teacher Releases 2nd Book on Terrorism
Eric Wentz uses personal experiences in military thriller.
Eric Wentz is no ordinary English teacher.
“I’ve traveled all over the world with the military,” he said about his time in the
Navy. “I also worked at Guantanamo and was involved in interrogations,” he commented about the detention camp in Cuba.
Wentz is and has been an Advanced Placement and American Literature teacher at Highland Park High School since 1988. But in his free time – and after coaching track – he writes.
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“I’d like to think that I practice what I preach,” he said. “I stay up late and I try and exploit some of my time during the summer.”
Wentz recently debuted his second book, “Killing Sharks: De Profundis,” which is currently for sale in the Highland Park High School Bookstore even though the book’s official release date isn’t until May 28. “Killing Sharks” will eventually be
available in Barnes and Noble and online.
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“Both books come face to face with the grim reality of dealing with terrorism and
understanding what it takes to combat the ideology,” Wentz explained about “Killing Sharks” and his previous 2009 novel, “Piercing the Veil.”
“At the same time I would like people to understand the motivations of soldiers who fight in the war.”
Wentz comes from a military background. His father was a Navy officer and two of his children are captains in the Army; one son is currently on his second tour of
Iraq. Wentz said he used a lot of personal experiences in both books, which is
probably why HPHS students interested in the military flock to him.
“They typically end up in my room even if they are not my students,” he said.
The book has already received rave reviews.
“Anyone who enjoys a good military book and a good thriller is going to enjoy ‘Killing Sharks,’” wrote Kathryn Bennett from Readers' Favorite, which is exactly what Wentz was hoping to hear.
“I’m excited about the prospects of this book and I’m working on the 3rd one
right now.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Eric Wentz and his new book, make sure to check out his presentation at Highland Park’s art festival, FOCUS on the Arts, which kicks off April 9th.
