Review by Simonmuthee26 -- Road to Delano by John DeSimone
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Simonmuthee26
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Review by Simonmuthee26 -- Road to Delano by John DeSimone
[Following is a volunteer review of "Road to Delano" by John DeSimone.]
The Road to Delano by John DeSimone is an interesting and a must-read story. It is based on past true events that transpired in California.
It is the year 1933, Sugar Duncan a known gambler who could farm, left Lamoille County and settled in California’s Central Valley - Delano. He engaged in gambling and a year later he was able to purchase his first section of land in Delano. Mr. Dalton lured him to visit the Grace Cathedrals’ Carillon and witness the melodic voices. This is where he met Shirley and in March 1939 they both walked down the aisle at Grace Episcopal Cathedral. As a condition by Shirley, before walking the aisle, Sugar Duncan had to quit gambling and be a farmer. Sugar became a successful and rich farmer, growing wheat and later growing Thompson’s grapes. Shirley didn’t conceive till early 1950 and she gave birth to a boy and named him Paul Jack Duncan. On Friday 1958 Sugar Duncan left home to Frisco for an Association meeting and he had planned to be back home on Saturday. He never came back. He perished in a car crash as per police investigation report.
10 years later, the year 1968 things are quite bad for Shirley and Jack. She had lost the thousand acres of land acquired by Sugar plus her sewing machine. By this time she is at the verge of losing the remaining small piece of land and the house due to Tax Sale Notice. To save themselves, she sends Jack to drive the combine to Lacy’s Tractor Dealership in Delano town and sell it there, with strict conditions not to stop for anyone as there was in trouble in the Valley. The standoff in the Valley was between the Growers – owners of large plantations of grapes and the Strikers – Mexicans and Filipinos who worked in the farms; they picked and pruned grapes. The Strikers were led by Isidro Sanchez a follower of Cesar Chavez. He organized the farms workers to join the United Farmworkers Union, down their tools and join the rest of the workers in a nonviolent fight for equality and justice for the workers. They demanded better pay and quality working conditions. Jack while almost arriving at Lacy’s Tractor Dealership, he met Herm Gordon who had parked his El Camino car at the roadside. Herm implored Jack to meet him in his car for a few minutes. Jack was astonished by the findings from Herm about his Dad, Sugar Duncan and greatly displeasured seeing the combine disappear in the side mirrors of the El Camino. He searched for the combine and its trails of where it would have been driven by Herm without success. Ella, Jack’s girlfriend found him depressed and shocked from losing the combine. He was in anguish on what to say to his mom. Jack had been caught in the middle of trying to save his family land and house, playing baseball in tension filled matches while competing for a college scholarship, finding the combine and gambling. Adrian Sanchez the son of Isidro Sanchez and Jack’s best friend paid the ultimate price of friendship. A True friend in need and deed.
The plot and setting of the book are perfect. It gives vivid descriptions of events and characters, drawing one into the setting as the events unravel. The book portrayed Jack as a hardworking, brave and committed young man. The drive and advocacy by Cesar Chavez has been well drawn. The book more also brings to life the historical events in 1960s during the struggle by the minorities i.e. Mexicans, Filipinos and Blacks in the United States of America. They fought for justices and quality working conditions. The main themes were friendship, bravery, justice, family, employment, agribusiness and gambling.
The book has been professionally written and edited. It contains very few spelling and formatting errors. I sincerely enjoyed reading the book. It kept me at bay page after page.
I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It was a fantastic read. I recommend the book to history lovers and revolutionists.
******
Road to Delano
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Road to Delano by John DeSimone is an interesting and a must-read story. It is based on past true events that transpired in California.
It is the year 1933, Sugar Duncan a known gambler who could farm, left Lamoille County and settled in California’s Central Valley - Delano. He engaged in gambling and a year later he was able to purchase his first section of land in Delano. Mr. Dalton lured him to visit the Grace Cathedrals’ Carillon and witness the melodic voices. This is where he met Shirley and in March 1939 they both walked down the aisle at Grace Episcopal Cathedral. As a condition by Shirley, before walking the aisle, Sugar Duncan had to quit gambling and be a farmer. Sugar became a successful and rich farmer, growing wheat and later growing Thompson’s grapes. Shirley didn’t conceive till early 1950 and she gave birth to a boy and named him Paul Jack Duncan. On Friday 1958 Sugar Duncan left home to Frisco for an Association meeting and he had planned to be back home on Saturday. He never came back. He perished in a car crash as per police investigation report.
10 years later, the year 1968 things are quite bad for Shirley and Jack. She had lost the thousand acres of land acquired by Sugar plus her sewing machine. By this time she is at the verge of losing the remaining small piece of land and the house due to Tax Sale Notice. To save themselves, she sends Jack to drive the combine to Lacy’s Tractor Dealership in Delano town and sell it there, with strict conditions not to stop for anyone as there was in trouble in the Valley. The standoff in the Valley was between the Growers – owners of large plantations of grapes and the Strikers – Mexicans and Filipinos who worked in the farms; they picked and pruned grapes. The Strikers were led by Isidro Sanchez a follower of Cesar Chavez. He organized the farms workers to join the United Farmworkers Union, down their tools and join the rest of the workers in a nonviolent fight for equality and justice for the workers. They demanded better pay and quality working conditions. Jack while almost arriving at Lacy’s Tractor Dealership, he met Herm Gordon who had parked his El Camino car at the roadside. Herm implored Jack to meet him in his car for a few minutes. Jack was astonished by the findings from Herm about his Dad, Sugar Duncan and greatly displeasured seeing the combine disappear in the side mirrors of the El Camino. He searched for the combine and its trails of where it would have been driven by Herm without success. Ella, Jack’s girlfriend found him depressed and shocked from losing the combine. He was in anguish on what to say to his mom. Jack had been caught in the middle of trying to save his family land and house, playing baseball in tension filled matches while competing for a college scholarship, finding the combine and gambling. Adrian Sanchez the son of Isidro Sanchez and Jack’s best friend paid the ultimate price of friendship. A True friend in need and deed.
The plot and setting of the book are perfect. It gives vivid descriptions of events and characters, drawing one into the setting as the events unravel. The book portrayed Jack as a hardworking, brave and committed young man. The drive and advocacy by Cesar Chavez has been well drawn. The book more also brings to life the historical events in 1960s during the struggle by the minorities i.e. Mexicans, Filipinos and Blacks in the United States of America. They fought for justices and quality working conditions. The main themes were friendship, bravery, justice, family, employment, agribusiness and gambling.
The book has been professionally written and edited. It contains very few spelling and formatting errors. I sincerely enjoyed reading the book. It kept me at bay page after page.
I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It was a fantastic read. I recommend the book to history lovers and revolutionists.
******
Road to Delano
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings
