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PRAY TO THE EARTH by Evelyn Eaton

PRAY TO THE EARTH

By

Pub Date: Aug. 9th, 1938
Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin

A puzzling book, in that the manner seems to contradict the theme. In consciously simple, almost peasant style, the author tells the story of a boy who has known only poverty and humiliation on his father's run-down farm (presumably on the French side of the Pyrenees), and who later works for ten years as herdsman, falls in love, has his girl stolen by his best friend, shoots his friend and takes refuge in a monastery. Later he decides to give himself up, but en route he falls in with some gypsies, finds his long lost mother and sister, becomes involved in revolutionary activities in bartering with Spanish gypsies, returns to the monastery, finds his friend had not been killed -- and ends up cultivating his own farm. It is unconvincing, badly balanced; there is constant abuse of coincidence in the narrative and a faked provincial build-up.