Wanted: Good Family: A Novel

by Joseph G. Anthony

Black Lexington, Kentucky is hopping in 1948, Cab Calloway even playing at the Lyric. But housing is still tight, especially for "colored." Rudy Johnson takes his young family out to the wilds of nearby Scott County, certain the Ku Klux Klan is long gone. But is it? /

"Joseph Anthony has written a pitch perfect novel about race, class, and struggle in the heartland. Driven by voice and longing, Wanted: Good Family is the work of a writer in top form, capable of showing how the social and familial intertwine in the making of American character." Charles Dodd White, author of A Shelter of Others

212 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 2014

Reviews

[Larry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a strong and engaging novel set in 1948 Appalachia in which race and class play a large part. Using multiple narrators, the author is able to portray a deeply human story of caring and redemption. Black Lexington, Kentucky is hopping in 1948, Cab Calloway even playing at the Lyric. But housing is still tight, especially for "colored." Rudy Johnson takes his young family out to the wilds of nearby Scott County, certain the Ku Klux Klan is long gone. But is it? Charles Dodd White has said this of the book: "Joseph Anthony has written a pitch perfect novel about race, class, and struggle in the heartland. Driven by voice and longing, Wanted: Good Family is the work of a writer in top form, capable of showing how the social and familial intertwine in the making of American character."

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1948 a Black family, scraping by and living in a small crowded house in Lexington KY, answers a newspaper ad that begins, "Wanted: Good family". It was placed by a farmer in nearby Scott County who was looking for a tenant to help him with his crops and also grow some "shares". Despite their assumption that the farmer is white and would be expecting a white family, Rudy (an ex-GI) and Nannie Johnson pile their four children into a borrowed pickup and truck out to rural Scott County to apply for the position, overcoming their own anxiety and the misgivings and fears of their family in Lexington. They take this huge leap of faith out of desperation tinged with hope for a better life.

After a shaky start, it appears that the alliance between the Lawsons and their new tenants will be a good one but soon the ugliness of Jim Crow racism forms a steadily darkening cloud over these two families. Inevitability a terrible secret from the Lawson's past is revealed and destroys the fragile trust that was slowly building. Nannie and Rudy announce they are moving back to Lexington as soon as the corn is harvested and the tobacco goes to market.

The first words in the book are Rudy's.

"I hear some people got plans for their life - actually sit down and sketch out what they think will happen. What they know will happen. How they do that? I don't know from one day to the other what I'm gonna do.....
You got to scramble just to stay in one place. And when you think you got a place all settled, along comes somebody - usually a white somebody, Mama says - and get you to move on."

His words appear to be prophetic as the story moves along to a tumultuous climax. The ending is satisfying with a measure of tragedy tempered by justice, and sadness tempered with hope. Rudy never could have imagined the year of his life that would follow his musings at the start of this book.

I live in Scott County where the majority of the story takes.place and have been to all the other actual Kentucky places that Anthony mentions. He does well, I think, depicting our state, often with gentle humor. Several times he refers to our manners and customs and it's spot on:

"Kentuckians are always polite if you're not family", and ".....but it seemed rude not to agree. Not Kentucky-like", and
"Every time two Kentuckians from different countries meet they try to figure out how they connected".

Nannie says, "If April in Kentucky can't feel a blessing, you closed yourself off from the Lord". But despite a part of her that appreciates the beauty of her world, Nannie is always cautious and cynical, all too wary of the ugliness and danger of rampant racism. Kentucky is not all peach blossoms and politeness and Anthony does a good job of revealing just enough Southern charm to temper the ugliness and destruction of the terroristic racism that was so prevalent throughout the South at the time and which must never be forgotten.

[Ernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and good story. The story covers two generations of a black (colored) family in central Kentucky beginning in the early 1920s and jumping to 1948. The main events are set post WWII around Lexington, Kentucky. A black family, on hard times, takes a job in rural Scott County with a white family that turns out to be somewhat unusual. No surprise, racism figures strongly in the story. But it is really about the complexity of our social interactions, misunderstandings, good intentions, foolish acts, courage and ability of people to learn and change. Well written, good story. I especially appreciated it since, like the author, I moved to Lexington 37 years ago, almost two generation after the setting of the story and appreciated a depiction of how far we have come. We have a long way to go, but good people make it happen. I recommend it.

[Barbara Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so well written and the characters so well defined that it is surprising the book is only 207 pages long. I felt like I knew them and could hear their voices in my head. Although it takes place 50-90 years ago, the problems are still relevant. Great job, Joe!