Archibald Rutledge (1883–1973)

Delightful stories of life in South Carolina coastal region after Reconstruction to WWII. Also, worthwhile as a window into the south during the notorious era of Jim Crow racism. The stories are fun in their own right with the racism of the soft variety where the negro always gets the better of the white protagonist and/or is the hero. The author is not inherently racist but is as much of a victim as are his black compatriots, both trapped in the time and place of their birth.

This book came across my desk as I was withdrawing a duplicate copy. It was short enough that I decided to "give it a read." Rutledge, a South Carolina poet and educator, takes life moments to show God's greatness and the beauty of His creation. The life sketches are illustrated with drawings done by B. Hay Gilbert which compliment the text. I enjoyed the drawings more than the narrative.

DJ by noted illustrator Franklin Booth