SON OF THE VALLEY

by John R. Tunis ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 1949

Another story with the interest focussed on soil conservation, but somehow this isn't down Tunis' alley, and we wish he'd left it alone. The facts are there; but the story reads like a tract for T.V.A. and all the blessings it brings. Tunis is at his best in emotional problems set against action- problems of minorities, social problems- and sports stories. This is another sort of problem story, as Johnny Heiskell is persuaded of the rightness of T.V.A., and the lessons the county agent is teaching- and fights a stubborn father and stubborn neighbors to win through to success, only to meet disaster at the end. There's a 4-H angle, too, and a younger sister who makes good in the animal husbandry and of the picture. But the story is disjointed and contrived. Two 1948 publications along similar lines rate higher, in our estimation, than this:- Sherman's Call of the Land, published last January by Donohue & Co. (see report P. 24- Jan. 1948)- and Paul Corey's Corn Gold Farm, published in September by Morrow (see P. 310 for report). The regional aspects are better presented in Genevieve Fox' Cynthia of Bee Tree Hollow, Little, Brown- November.

Pub Date: March 16, 1949

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1949

Categories: FICTION