Throwback Thursday

Hello, my fellow Book Dragons, let us go back in time to see this evening’s Throwback Thursday Gem. See this? Looks like Emerald and Amethyst, doesn’t it? It’s quite fine workmanship. The leaf is made of Emerald and the Grapes are of Amethyst. It gives a fine, warm feeling to hold them, as though you could conquer anything, as if a current of courage runs through the entire piece. This is Gem Maker John DeSimone’s “The Road to Delano”.

Let’s go back in time with DeSimone is sitting here, the fire is burning evenly and we have our coffee. He’s about to tell us the story of Sugar Duncan, the place Vermont hill country, the year 1933. Sugar needs to go to college and while his fellow students are breaking their backs, Sugar has found an easier way to earn his tuition. He’s playing cards. He earns enough to get through all four years and heads for California.

There he continues to play cards, making his living this way and buying farmland a little at a time, in cold hard cash. Remember this is 1933. A little thing called the “Stock Market Crash” has left most folks with little, if any cash. Sugar, who earned his nickname because of the sweet way he could take your money in a card game, spends his wisely.

He meets the girl of his dreams. Marries her and as a promise to her, stops gambling with cards. He starts a whole new huge gamble. Farming. Sugar’s farm makes good money. He and his wife have a good life and eventually a child, a boy, Jack. Seven years later, something goes horribly awry while Sugar is in the city at a farming convention. He doesn’t come home. He will never come home.

Because this is just about a gambler who makes a good life for his wife and child. This is about a man of integrity and how much we pass on to our children, even if we aren’t always there. This is about farmworkers struggling to make a living wage. This is about Cesar Chavez and his peaceful protests and his faith. This is about right and wrong and how we treat those who do the work and how we treat those who supply the jobs. This book is about life in the real world from 1933 to 1968 in California.

And that is where I am going to stop. Because you need to read this for yourself. I loved this book. DeSimone brings to life the times, the places and the people he writes about. He is a Master Storyteller, a Dragon Feeder of the first order. The clothes, the vehicles, the manner in which activities are carried out and the people who do them, the conversations that are had are all spot on. “The Road to Delano” only had one flaw…it ended. I wanted to know what happened to the survivor’s. Where did they go? What happened to the bad guys? Don’t get me wrong.. the book reads absolutely wonderfully, I just wasn’t ready to let this one go.

Thank you for this, Mr. DeSimone. Thank you! This book is available on Amazon in four different types of media and other fine book retailers. Get it and read it as soon as you can, you will be glad you did!

Until I am caught up from my battle with the Bronchopneumonia Beastie, you may see posts on the weekends from time to time.. I hope you don’t mind! Also, don’t forget to go to my Facebook Page and get in on the March Drawing by answering questions, a different question is posted daily!

As always your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten

I received a copy of this book from #TheRoadtoDelano #JohnDeSimone #HFVBTBlogTours Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours