Outcasts, Lies, and a Legend

By Leonard Dawson

This coming-of-age story addresses prejudice, bullying, compassion, courage, and moral integrity. Narrated by a young boy named Billy, the story develops through intertwined subplots of kidnapping, murder, and arson. Relocated from Upstate New York to rural Alabama at the height of racial tensions in 1961, Billy learns that people are ostracized because of race, religion, income, social standing, and in his case, even his place of origin.

Having lived a sheltered life before the move, Billy naively believed all people were fundamentally good. But seeing and experiencing prejudice and bullying first hand forces him to grapple with the adult concepts of compassion and integrity. He also learns about friendship and honesty while he faces a legendary wolf-like creature, two deranged and dangerous young men, and grapples with the death of a special friend.

Billy befriends two other outcasts; Dalton, a half-Asian boy who introduces him to the seedier side of life, and Nettie, a poor bootlegger's daughter. Having developed a crush on a bigoted rich girl, Billy is troubled by her scornful treatment of his friends, Dalton and Nettie. For help, he turns to his sister, but their relationship can be equally contentious.

One day When Billy eats a rotten pecan, his elderly neighbor and mentor, Mr. Ford, tells him, "...you can't tell from the shell," a metaphor Mr. Ford uses to explain the mistaken perceptions people have about other people, a metaphor Billy applies to several of the story's characters. When Dalton takes his father's gun on one of the boy's escapades, things go terribly wrong, resulting in the death of Mr. Ford. Thinking that Dalton killed him, the boys lie about what happened. A deepening web of lies causes a crisis of conscience for Billy.

I was ten years old when my family relocated from upstate New York to rural Alabama in 1961. My experiences that year gave me a unique perspective on the times and on what it means to be an outsider. Many of the scenes described in my book are loosely based on those experiences. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, I hope you'll try my other book, "The Kids at Gator Lake." Please do leave a rating, and or review of my book. It would be very much appreciated.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CP7XHX1D
• ISBN13: 9798989120857
• Release Date: November 2023
• Publisher: Leonard Dawson
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"