Wednesday 21 January 2015

Depression Carpenter

                                                                           


About the book

A young man, Jackson "Jake" Ferry, born into a privileged New York family, loses them in a car accident. Young and wealthy, he needs to justify his existence during The Great Depression. He is skilled in carpentry and drives around the Gulf of Mexico, working on building projects with his peculiar friend and partner from Florida, Chin, who has cheerfully abandoned his family in favor of an adventure. Together, they travel an amazing road trip, helping poor folks along the way, repairing their homes and their lives.

From St. Augustine, Florida, through the Gulf states of Alabama, and Mississippi, Jake and Chin travel together as a team.  A falling out parts the men in Louisiana.

Jake stops in the capitol city of Baton Rouge to take care of some financial business.  He realizes that he can’t run forever from his responsibilities as a wealthy man.

Eventually, Jake lands in Galveston, where he stays to help rebuild the island after their first Great Flood, building an inter-racial school for the island's orphans.

Retracing his steps, Jake reconnects with Chin in Vaughanville, Alabama, and the two head back to St. Augustine together.

The road trip comes to an end with Jake back in New York City, an older and wiser man with an internal compass guiding his path.


AUTHOR LINKS:
Twitter: @javadavis
LINKS TO DEPRESSION CARPENTER:
Large print paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5131774


About the author


Java Davis spent fifteen years in the printing and marketing fields. After retiring early due to a disability, she turned to writing books as a way to work at home. A perpetual wanderer earlier in life, she draws heavily on a lifetime of diverse locales, unusual experiences and varied friendships.

My Review


Don’t let the title put you off – this is a quirky short story of Jake – a man who sets off on a two year hike around the deep South just after the Great Depression. His family has been killed and after inheriting a fortune, he decides to ‘find ‘ his purpose in life and discovers a talent for carpentry. I enjoyed the characters and the portrayal of the prejudices and bigotry of the time. I enjoyed the fact that his purpose has to be through finding God rather less so. Nevertheless this is a well written story and ‘Chin’ really is a character who stays with you.

4/5


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