Rating: 
Summary: Jimmy Carter's Best Book
Review: Those who are not fans of former President Jimmy Carter may choose to ignore this book and his others. However, that would be a mistake. This book isn't about politics, its simply a memoir of a boy who grew up in the rural south during the 1930's. Its a down-to-earth and fascinating description of the way Jimmy, his family, and other Georgians lived during that time period which is also known as "The Great Depression".Those people who may appreciate his writings the most are probably those who lived through the time period. However, I think Jimmy really intended his book as an educational tool for the younger generation. Jimmy primarily tells the story through experiences he had with a variety of people: His father, James Earl (a stern but capable father), his mother, Ms. Lillian (who defied stereotypes of the day and worked outside her home), several black share croppers he knew well, his Uncle Buddy, and finally his sisters and brother. Its a highly readable account of lifestyles and the problems rural farmers faced because of the Great Depression. One part that has stayed with me was his father's angry reaction to having to plow his cotton crop underground one year because of New Deal agriculture policies designed to keep the price of cotton up. Jimmy recounts how everyone struggled to keep their farms and businesses afloat under the most difficult circumstances. He describes most of the people in the book in very positive terms. Most of the people were hard-working, courageous, friendly, and law-abiding. Virtues which many of us find absent in today's world. There is an innocence and decency to his childhood that seems to have permanently vanished. The only fault I could find with this book is that I think, at times, Jimmy takes too "rose colored" a view of the past. He does admit to problems.....the discrimination encountered by black people in the south, the poverty of many rural farmers, lack of access to medical care, etc. However, these seem to be sidelights to the rest of the story. The reality is that conditions were so hard that people lead shortened lives because of them. Discrimination against black people required that they attend segregated schools, eat in segregated restaurants, and run the risk of being lynched if they ever uttered a word of complaint. These social problems deserve more comment and condemnation than they get in this book. On the balance, this book is a highly readable account of life in the 1930's. Its a wonderful way to educate people who have no idea how people lived during this period about their way of life. If one reads no other book that Jimmy Carter has written, I would recommend this one.
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