All the Way Home

by Edward D Buckley

Meet Lightnin’, a thirteen-year-old boy with a spectacular fastball and a less than accurate knuckleball, and his brother, Daniel, a badly crippled child with extraordinary and magical talent. They live in a home on the edge of mysterious woods with their ethereal mother and Zeke, an upbeat but embattled civil rights trial lawyer. Lightnin’ and Daniel absorb the shame of their father, a former Atlanta Crackers pitcher jailed for attempted murder and try to ignore schoolyard gossip about their mother. Captivated by their grammar school teacher, Miss Rose, they gradually learn of her secret life. In this coming of age tale, two boys navigate their growing awareness of the Civil Rights Movement, of racial inequality, and the meaning of love and family. They witness a searing out-of-control jury trial that alters their family, their reality, and their hearts forever.

440 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2018

Reviews

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful coming of age story written in the time of civil unrest in the South. The author captured the voice of a young boy and the dialogue/speech mannerisms matured as the boy did. That was a very nice touch.

The story had everything from historical civil rights moments to a bit of mysticism. There were mysteries to solve and baseball to be played. It even had a ghost or two. Oh, I don’t want to overlook the dog, Bosco. He’s an important character.

The first few chapters felt a little repeated, but perhaps that how an eleven-year-old speaks.

I would recommend All the Way Home to lovers of all fiction. There is something here for everyone.


I received a review copy of this book This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Matthew Buckley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Atlanta in the 1960s, ALL THE WAY HOME is a Southern morality tale about family, faith, and justice. Buckley knows his subject matter intimately and handles it lovingly. The two legal cases that loosely bookend the novel are especially well-told. Here Buckley brings some special knowledge to bear, especially with regard to the second case, and his detailed, crunchy play-by-plays were thoroughly engrossing, with each series of causal events tipping like falling dominos, one after another after another. I read the last hundred-fifty pages in a fever.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fact or fantasy

I enjoyed this story. There never was an explanation for the healing power of Daniel. The ending was a bit confusing but the epilogue cleared up the loose ends.