Always a master storyteller, LaVerne Thornton entertains readers with his down to earth tales of growing up in The Bend, an isolated settlement of about thirty families on the Virginia North Carolina border on the Dan River. Although they technically lived in Virginia, the Bend people were largely ignored or unknown by Virginia and not totally accepted by North Carolina. It was a rustic life that is hard to imagine today. People in The Bend were poor, strong, resilient, and self-reliant, and Thornton paints their portraits with humor, love, and compassion. Form stories about his snuff-dipping, straight-talking grandmother Shotgun Essie to memories of his Methodist Youth Fellowship group's annual trip to sing for the folks living in the poorhouse, Thornton's engaging collection is funny, poignant, and full of warmth for people and a time long ago. Readers will be fascinated and amused by the pranks and adventures of LaVerne and his buddies. Throughout the book, the author's deep love for his mother is a common theme. As a young boy, LaVerne was fascinated by the moon and stars. When the after-supper chores were done, he would often tug at his mother's skirt saying, "Mama, let's walk in 'e moon."
