Passing Through Perfect by Bette Lee Crosby--A review

SYNOPSIS:

It's 1946. The war is over. Millions of American soldiers are coming home and Benjamin Church is one of them. After four years of being away he thought things in Alabama would have changed, but they haven't. Grinder's Corner is as it's always been--a hardscrabble burp in the road. It's not much, but it's home.

When Benjamin attends a harvest festival in Twin Pines, he catches sight of Delia. Before their first dance ends, he knows for certain she's the one. They fall madly in love: happily, impatiently, imprudently, in love. It doesn't matter that her daddy is staunchly opposed to the thought of his daughter marrying a cotton farmer, never mind a poor one.

It's true Benjamin has little to offer; he's a sharecropper who will spend his whole life sweating and slaving to do little more than put food on the table. But that's how things are in Alabama. Benjamin is better off than most; he has a wife, a boy he adores, and a house that doesn't leak rain. Yes, Benjamin considers himself a lucky man until the fateful night that changes everything.

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

Wow, what an awesome read.    I don't even know where to begin.   I will begin by stating what an awesome and deep author Bette Lee Crosby is.    I wasn't expecting to love Passing Through Perfect as I did.   But it is a must read in my humble opinion.

This book tells the story of Benjamin Church, a young man returned home after his stint in the army in 1946.    His mama has passed, his daddy is saddened at the loss and needs help on the Alabama farm.    It is the story of a black man who decides to fulfill his love for family by becoming a farmer rather than seeking to fulfill his dreams of becoming a mechanic.   It is the story of life and death....moving on and the ever resilient nature of the human being.   So many things in life slap our faces....for Benjamin, it was bad weather, poverty, hard times, death of loved ones and moving on in the poorest of times.

My favorite quote:     "Perfect ain't a place," he said.   "It's a time when everything's good and we're happy.   Folks don't live in perfect, they just get to pass through every so often."

And that just about sums it all up.   We all pass through perfect once in awhile, and are blessed beyond words for it.    Thank you Bette Lee for introducing us to Benjamin and sharing his life wisdom.

I rated this a 5 Wink read!!

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.    I purchased this book for my own personal collection.