This is not a book I might pick up on my own, but it turned out to be well written, tasteful, and addresses so many of the issues in the 1960s. It features seemingly forbidden friendship, with openminded characters that seemed to be so rare at that time. It is the story of a boy who loses his father and his friend. In the process, he gains a friend and they grow up together. It has a sweet ending and wraps all story lines up nicely.
My only complaint is that it seems like Ballard does WAY TOO MUCH for the less fortunate and we see how that affects some of them when one of the Picketts lands in jail. But many of the less fortunate characters were too willing to except his charity, with no embarrassment or obvious reciprocation. I would have been embarrassed if someone has spent that kind of money on me.
Don't get me wrong, Ballard is a great man and is a pillar in the community. It just seems like he enjoys buying the characters extravagant "gifts" and they are quite aware of who is providing said luxuries. He is pretty pleased with himself for the town's library, which he responds to Hattie's questioning, " Why Hattie, I reckon they can drive on down the road to a library I didn't pay for."
My only complaint is that it seems like Ballard does WAY TOO MUCH for the less fortunate and we see how that affects some of them when one of the Picketts lands in jail. But many of the less fortunate characters were too willing to except his charity, with no embarrassment or obvious reciprocation. I would have been embarrassed if someone has spent that kind of money on me.
Don't get me wrong, Ballard is a great man and is a pillar in the community. It just seems like he enjoys buying the characters extravagant "gifts" and they are quite aware of who is providing said luxuries. He is pretty pleased with himself for the town's library, which he responds to Hattie's questioning, " Why Hattie, I reckon they can drive on down the road to a library I didn't pay for."