Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Life in the southern states of the USA changed dramatically during the Twentieth Century. Prior to about 1940, there were a few large cities, but the majority of the people lived on farms and engaged in agriculture. The stories in Raised Rural offer a flavor of life as it was during the transition from the old ways to the new ways, through the memories of one who lived it. D. G. Hervey introduces the reader to his remarkable yet ordinary family, who are in some ways an apt representation of much of the rural population of the post World War II era. On another level, he gives us glimpses into the lives of the poor black people who lived and worked as sharecroppers on their farm, and how they all interacted together. Lois E. Hervey, matron of the family, wrote profusely throughout her life, and her writings that depict life during her years on the farm, are both informative and entertaining. Throughout the entire book it is obvious that Lois Hervey was the primary motivating force that kept the family on the farm during this transitional period from an agrarian society to city life. The author has devoted Part 3 of this book to telling us about his mother, her upbringing, her parents - all of which contributed to her determination to lead a self-sufficient life, rather than succumb to the lure of urbanization.