A GARDEN OF SAND

by Earl Thompson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 1970

A Garden of Sand, dirt poor as well as dirt common, is set in the scrubland of Kansas during the Depression and moves on to the underside of several Southern cities from Alabama to Texas. At first Jacky, the unwitting issue of Wilma Macdermid and a Swede who is lucky enough to die young, is left to the care of his grandparents while Wilma, a slut, is making a living off her back. Then he joins Wilma and her new husband, Bill, an ex-con, who not only introduces him to petty larceny but to sex -- his mother's. By the time he's ten (and Bill is in jail again) Jacky is taking care of Wilma in every way and as best as he can for one of his youthful years. . . . It is essentially an incontinent book but the raw background of deprivation and honkytonk truckstops, diners, drugstores, rooming and whorehouses can't be written off nor can its propulsive readability factor (which the publishers expect to take off on). And there are times when you almost cotton to the little jackrabbit while his story makes the grass look greener on the other side of Tobacco Road.

Pub Date: Jan. 5, 1970

ISBN: 0786709464

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1970

Categories: FICTION