Albert French

Wow. Powerful. And the writing -- it clearly evokes time, place, people, the south. Loved, loved, loved the writing style, the brilliance with which it was done. The writing is the best and most unusual and most gifted example I've seen of fitting the story for all the above reasons. Easy to read, simple and yet somehow poetic language in a most honest kind of way. The reader will feel this story, feel the terror, love, emotions, hopelessness, tenderness, anger, hatred, ignorance, sorrow, all of it.

I liked that the author told both sides of the story, such that even the reader is torn and sympathetic to both sides. This one kept me up late reading. The 5 stars is solid for many reasons. This author has it -- show, don't tell. He didn't have to describe every thought, every environment. We get it. The story moves right along like a rushing stream and just as beautifully. This is real; if you don't like real, don't read this. If you do, embrace it.… (plus d'informations)

Billy, is the story of ten-year-old Billy Lee Turner who strays into the white area of his little Southern town with another boy in the 1930's. They are immediately set upon by two white teenagers who become enraged at the sight of black kids wading in a backyard pond. Attempting to protect himself, Billy stabs one of the teenagers. When the teenager dies, the entire white community thirsts for vengeance.

"Albert French's novel ... is told in the voice of an anonymous, omniscient narrator whose tough, earthy dialect vividly paints this ugly little place."

Loaned to pop… (plus d'informations)

This is in every way the wrong kind of book to be reading at Christmas time. It's full of racism, prejudice, violence and hate. Ten year old Billy makes a huge mistake. With twelve year old friend, Gumpy, Billy explores a local pond only to be confronted by the owner of the pond's daughter, an older girl named Lori and her cousin. Lori is a mean white girl who doesn't take too kindly to black boys splashing in "her" pond. The situation gets out of control and the entire novel spirals into death and disaster. It's tragic.… (plus d'informations)