A story of laughter and tears to go with today’s book recommendation, Lucky Strikes, by Louis Bayard.
Two weeks ago I spent a long weekend in my hometown—Northfield, MN—and packed more memorable moments into three and a half days than normally pass in a handful of months. I could tell you a bunch of stories about that weekend, wrapped in some of my favorite themes: friendship, believing in yourself and each other, beloved impactful mentors, and powerful community bonds.
The story I’m going to share is this:
When I arrived at my parents’ abode, they were deep into a couple of their favorite pursuits: jigsaw puzzles, and reading aloud. They take turns reading aloud—and while the other listens, he or she works on the jigsaw puzzle. It’s a terrific arrangement, exercising the brain through images, deductive reasoning, and imagination, while kicking emotions into play through the story.
The book they had going was Lucky Strikes, by Louis Bayard. Here’s the publisher’s summary:
“Set in Depression Era Virginia, this is the story of orphaned Amelia and her struggle to keep her siblings together.”
The characters are complex and magnificent. Fifteen-year-old Amelia, or “Melia” as she is commonly called, is one of the most stubborn, persistent, hardworking, big-hearted, outspoken girl heroes I’ve encountered. She’s as much a charmer as “Scout” in To Kill a Mockingbird though she lacks Scout’s learned manners.
After her mother dies of cancer, Melia singlehandedly turns passing hobo Hiram Watts into temporary father for herself and her two younger siblings, Janey and Earle—effectively shielding them from foster care. She does this while keeping the family gas station business (Brenda’s Oasis) not only afloat, but also out of the hands of villain Harley Blevins, local Standard Oil magnate. Harley intends to acquire Brenda’s any way he can—legally or illegally, above board, or below the belt. The ensuing struggle pulls Melia and her new “family” into a tight team as they work against mounting odds.
My mother’s expressive face carries the story with her voice.
My father reading aloud (something he’s done all my life—lucky me!)
The best fun was the Virginia backwoods twang my parents and I used as we read aloud, bringing the characters and their dusty, Depression era world to life. We read aloud two evenings—the second staying up to finish the book. It comes to a very emotional ending, and all three of us cried (happy tears) as we read the final chapters.
Truly an unforgettable memory. Shared stories add bonds of connection.
The book is grand, too! You’ll get the most out of it if you read Lucky Strikes aloud with someone you love. Don’t forget to add the backwoods twang—the dialogue is fabulous, making it perfectly natural to “twang” away! One small note: the language is surprisingly colorful for a children’s book (I find it classified as Young Adult in my local library, where it was classified for 9—12year olds in my folks’ library). The language is just right for the story, but be advised.
Here’s a link to the author’s website.
Happy Reading!