Fascinating memoir

Finished March 21
Life is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman
Richard Glaubman, a schoolteacher, became intrigued when he heard about George Dawson, a man who learned to read at the age of 98. When Richard met George, he became even more interested and decided to tell George's story, with George's help. Born in 1898, George had very interesting stories to tell about his life and the events he witnessed. From watching a man he knew get accused of a crime he didn't commit and get lynched for it, when he was ten, to signing a contract with a white man when he was 101, George has watched racial relations in the U.S. change dramatically. George was brought up to speak to white man a certain way and always defer. George, as the eldest boy, was forced to work to help support his family rather than attend school. He lived and worked away from home while still very young, and learned that hard work gets respect. Having a yen to wander as a young man took George from Mexico to California, and expanded his experiences in a way he hadn't thought possible. Eventually though, he ended up back in Texas and settled down. It wasn't until someone came to his door with a pamphlet on adult education classes that he realized that he hadn't totally lost out on the opportunity to learn to read. He tackled this new task with the same effort he had always applied to any work he took on. As I read about George's life and his outlook on life, I was very taken with his story.
An interesting life and a good read.

Historical Fiction

Finished November 24
Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles
This work is set in Texas in the late 1930s. The Stoddard family is following the man of the house around the state as he chases down work related to the oil fields. When he dies, leaving them with little they retreat to the family home of the mother, Elizabeth and try to make a go of it. With the mother and the three daughters going back to a farm in drought conditions, where they find they owe a great deal in back taxes and have little money and a racehorse as their only assets, they put their heads together and find a way to survive. Leasing out the land, repairing the damaged house, reclearing the fields and finding what work exists brings them both closer together and pushes them apart. They rely on each other and yet annoy each other as well. The girls have different personalities and skills and learn to take advantage of what they have and make the most of it. This is an interesting story of the time and place and well told.