Ohio native William Long tells a story that captures his experiences as a youth in mid-century America, both the simple joys of small-town life as well as the horrifying secrets some communities harbored during those days. And, of course, the reality of racial inequality at the time, an issue that remains relevant to this day. Long invites readers to cross the "Black Bridge" and return to 1950s America.
The story unfolds in the year 1954, during the summer months of Ludlow Falls, when they hold their Annual Pigeon Shoot and celebrate their Sesquicentennial, and the entire town has turned out for the event. Mischievous youth' Shorty Long, Mary Gordon, Lake Jagger and Lord Baltimore are bent on crashing the party. But while it seems like this small midwestern town is commemorating their rich and colorful history spanning one hundred and fifty years, unknown to most, that past also includes less savory moments. Something lurks in the Falls' past, which emerges when a young boy stumbles across a secret that has been kept for a century. This horrifying discovery will change lives and split the old town right in the middle. Readers will see the townsfolk display many levels of cruelty and love, pain and denial, and the urge to conceal shameful truths contrast with the drive to seek justice. Long paints a realistic and grounded portrait of a small American town that struggles with its history and its present, for the Civil Rights movement was also emerging during that time period.
Long's story will lead readers to dwell upon what people are doing to each other in this world and just what human beings are capable of. It is also relevant to modern social issues, particularly for readers interested in the pursuit of equality and fairness.
About the Author
William Long was born in 1947 and graduated from Ohio State University in 1970. While at OSU, he played quarterback for the legendary football coach Woody Hayes. After attempting a career in professional sports, he enrolled in law school and then decided to venture into politics. This led him to a twenty-five-year lobbying career. Currently, he lives in Columbus, Ohio, where he teaches, rescues stray animals, and lobbies on behalf of animal welfare organizations. He is currently working on new novels.
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