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The Road to Delano

John DeSimone (Goodreads Author)

4.24 · Rating details · 121 ratings · 93 reviews

Jack Duncan is a high school senior whose dream is to play baseball in college and beyond―as far away from Delano as possible. He longs to escape the political turmoil surrounding the labor struggles of the striking fieldworkers that infests his small ag town. Ever since his father, a grape grower, died under suspicious circumstances ten years earlier, he’s had to be the s ...more

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 10th 2020 by Rare Bird Books

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Mar 24, 2020 Berit☀️✨ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, arc-physical, blog-tour

A compelling story about an often forgotten part of history. John Desimone has skillfully captured time and place with his descriptive storytelling. 1968 the California central valley Jack is a high school senior determined to earn a baseball scholarship and make it out of his small town. Things have been hard for Jack and his mother after the death of his father. Resolute to save the farm Jack heads to town to sell some farm equipment when he runs across one of his fathers old friends who share ...more

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Feb 13, 2020 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it

In 1968, Jack Duncan is a high school baseball player. Now a senior, he has big dreams for life and baseball after high school. He is eager to leave his small town behind. Times are also hard for he and his mother financially.

During this time, Jack finds out his deceased father was murdered. Now Jack can’t get it out of his head and wants to know what happened and why.

Not long after, his best friend, Adrian, is thrown in jail, and Jack must work to get him out.

Jack was an endearing character, an ...more

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Mar 01, 2020 Mackenzie - PhDiva Books rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction

Thought-provoking and powerful—The Road to Delano by John DeSimone touches on issues of justice, destiny, and equality that resonate from the time of the novel through today. A story you won’t soon forget.

In the 1930s, Sugar Duncan and his new wife Shirly drive down the road to Delano and purchase land to set up roots for their family. Their son, Jack Duncan, grows up in Delano with dreams to leave it behind. When Sugar dies, Shirley is left to raise Jack on her own. Times are hard for Shirley, Thought-provoking and powerful—The Road to Delano by John DeSimone touches on issues of justice, destiny, and equality that resonate from the time of the novel through today. A story you won’t soon forget.

In the 1930s, Sugar Duncan and his new wife Shirly drive down the road to Delano and purchase land to set up roots for their family. Their son, Jack Duncan, grows up in Delano with dreams to leave it behind. When Sugar dies, Shirley is left to raise Jack on her own. Times are hard for Shirley, but she does her best to keep things moving for her and Jack, now they are alone.

Jack is a baseball player and he dreams of getting a scholarship to play in college, leaving Delano and the troubles that plague the town behind. It is a highly political time for a small town like Delano. Jack’s father Sugar was a grape grower, and Jack doesn’t know how deeply the labor strike involved his own father. But Jack does know about the financial troubles his mother is going through. In an effort to save their property, Jack drives an old combine into town to sell it.
When a friend of his father’s brings shocking news…

A police report that indicates Jack’s father was murdered. Jack is shocked and needs to know more. He begins to look into the truth of what happened to his father. And at the heart of it all he finds corruption and darkness buried at the very heart of Delano.

When Jack brings in his best friend Adrien to help, Adrien finds himself in jail, a situation that may ruin his future for good. Now, Jack must find what happened to his father, help Adrien, and help his mother before everything is lost.

The writing is compelling and I found the story easy to lose myself in. John DeSimone knows how to pull me out of the present and right into the mid 1900s in a small town like Delano. It’s the sort of novel that makes you think about how stories like this happen all over our country in small towns, and we never hear about them. It is such a story of America, in a way, and what many lived like in a time that labor politics often led to death and murder. The rich want to stay rich on the backs of those who do the work. And sometimes, those that stand up for what is right don’t get the justice they seek.

A fantastic novel of historical fiction that I highly recommend.

Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours and Rare Bird for my copy. Opinions are my own. ...more

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Sep 12, 2020 DJ Sakata rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Favorite Quotes:

Coach never yelled. He just stared at that empty space above a boy’s head as if he were wondering what kind of torture would produce one ounce of common sense in the teenager’s brain.

It’s one thing to be poor. It’s another thing to be forced into poverty by men who don’t care that we’re human beings.

He plays like a turkey before Thanksgiving.

My Review:

This was my introduction to John DeSimone and I found his storytelling to be absorbing and deeply insightful. He implanted me so t Favorite Quotes:

Coach never yelled. He just stared at that empty space above a boy’s head as if he were wondering what kind of torture would produce one ounce of common sense in the teenager’s brain.

It’s one thing to be poor. It’s another thing to be forced into poverty by men who don’t care that we’re human beings.

He plays like a turkey before Thanksgiving.

My Review:

This was my introduction to John DeSimone and I found his storytelling to be absorbing and deeply insightful. He implanted me so thoroughly in his tale I felt the scorching heat as well as tasted the bitterness of the times in my mouth. I was vaguely aware of Cesar Chavez as a child of the ’70s, although as a white child, his name was not spoken reverently in my parents’ home and as was typical, so often paired with several unflattering slurs that I likely thought it was part of the man’s name. Embarrassing true story, and it happened more than once.

The storylines were well-crafted, profoundly perceptive, distressingly realistic, and adroitly captured the tumultuousness of the period as well as the unfettered arrogance, assumed privilege, blatant corruption, and abuse of power enjoyed at all levels. I remember gaining that same sense of staggering epiphany and awareness of the unfairness and hypocritical inhumanity experienced by the teenaged characters as if waking up to the not so well kept secret as a naïve and poorly informed bumpkin, and marveling at how entire communities silently allowed it to not only continue but to flourish.

John DeSimone’s powerful and emotive word choices hit all the feels and a sharp punch to the gut while reminding me of that oh, so, uncomfortable time. I found myself deeply invested in this hauntingly unsettling tale and fearful for all the characters as I knew it wasn’t going to end well for anyone. And along the way, I was well-schooled on baseball, card-playing, and grape growing in the most interesting fashion. Anyone who can get to me like that deserves far more than 5-Stars. ...more

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Jan 29, 2020 Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020

Small town politics and characters you can connect with. You are in for a treat with this book.
This was a new to me author and I was unsure about this book at first, but it was a very engaging and easy read. Well until the end a little surprise for you towards the end.
I gave this book 4 stars. Give it a try.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

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Mar 11, 2020 Nursebookie rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-physical, blog-ig-feature, hfvbt, suspense, historical-fiction, family-drama

The Road to Delano by John Desimone

1968 was a pivotal year for both Jack Duncan, our protagonist and Cesar Chavez, the labor leader and civil rights activist, who lead the Farm Workers’ strike against the Delano area table grape growers. This political climate is the backdrop for our story in this poignant and thought-provoking story.

Jack Duncan had big league dreams and getting out of a small agricultural town in Central Valley to escape a harsh life struggling and living with his mother as a ...more

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Mar 12, 2020 Jypsy rated it really liked it

Thank you HFVBT, John DeSimone and
Rare Bird for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Road To Delano
By: John DeSimone

*REVIEW* ☆☆☆☆
I always find books interesting that teach me something about history that I have never heard of prior. The Road To Delano is just such a book. It's a fictional story, but there are bits of non fiction as well. The hero, Jack, is soon to graduate and has dreams of college and baseball and his girlfriend, but ...more

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Mar 26, 2020 Bookread2day rated it liked it

I would like to thank the author John Desimone for sending me a advance readers proof copy paperback to read.

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Mar 14, 2020 Chelsie rated it liked it

Shelves: on-my-shelves, advanced-reader-books

High school baseball star, Jack Duncan is at the top of his game. Scouts are scouting at his games, his girlfriend and him have been together for a while and are talking about their futures and that all changes within a matter of moments.

Jack's father died years ago, and Jack was younger in that he doesn't remember much. His father had left on some business, and never returned. It was figured that he had fallen back into his gambling habits and got in with some dangerous men again. Jack's mother High school baseball star, Jack Duncan is at the top of his game. Scouts are scouting at his games, his girlfriend and him have been together for a while and are talking about their futures and that all changes within a matter of moments.

Jack's father died years ago, and Jack was younger in that he doesn't remember much. His father had left on some business, and never returned. It was figured that he had fallen back into his gambling habits and got in with some dangerous men again. Jack's mother never talked about it. But now, years later they are about to lose the last of what their father had built, their house. His mother will do anything it takes to keep the house.

Jack is sent to sell of the last piece of equipment they have, this should helpfully save the house. On his way into town, he gets sidetracked by an old friend of his father's and the unthinkable happens. This friend steals the combine and leaves Jack stranded not believing what just happened.

Police papers were left with him before the old man took off on him. He now is questions his fathers death as well as how this old man could have taken off and hidden a combine so quickly. A large piece of farm machinery doesn't just disappear, and they are not easily hidden.

Jack soon finds out that this is just the beginning of their troubles, and there may be more wrapped up in this all than just a piece of machinery. Was his father really murdered, and truly was not gambling like the long held rumor? Jack's baseball career is starting to be put on the line as he is now worried about life at home, this friend of his fathers who was found dead and his mothers future.

He becomes entangled with those who have no fear of killing someone. While out hunting for the combine he gets tangled within the fieldworkers and has another problem to now worry about when he sees how they have been treated and that maybe it is closer to home than he thought when he asks his best friend, Adrian for help. Adrian is a son of a boycotting fieldworker and has a close relationship with someone who has a lot of pull and say.

Can Jack and Adrian find the combine, save Jack's house and still be focused on the baseball stars they are? What dangerous road are they going down, and will the truth of his father come out? Very interesting, good read about California and the migrant workers during the 1930's-1960's.

Thank you Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, and to John DeSimone for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I have not read much about this part of history and it was interesting and sad to read about.
...more

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Feb 19, 2020 Robin Loves Reading rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-books, 2020-january-march, literary-fiction, pages, 2020-challenge, edelweiss, reading-challenge, robin-loves-reading-2020-challenge

Jack Duncan grew up in one of those American cities where escape is pivotal. For Jack to have any type of future, he must win a baseball scholarship in order to create a promising future. Currently, Jack and his mother's property is in jeopardy of a tax sale. With hardly any equipment left in their family farm, John's mother has been promised a check big enough to cover the tax bill and to fulfill her dream to open her own shop.

As Jack takes the long drive on the combine, passing striking worker Jack Duncan grew up in one of those American cities where escape is pivotal. For Jack to have any type of future, he must win a baseball scholarship in order to create a promising future. Currently, Jack and his mother's property is in jeopardy of a tax sale. With hardly any equipment left in their family farm, John's mother has been promised a check big enough to cover the tax bill and to fulfill her dream to open her own shop.

As Jack takes the long drive on the combine, passing striking workers along the way, he is flagged off of the highway by a stranded motorist. Before he can do anything about it, he is stranded and the combine disappears. Just before his future disappears before his eyes, the motorist happens to be an old friend of his father who has shown him a police report that shakes Jack to the core. The report gave details of his father's death that he never knew.

Jack has another gift besides baseball. It is a gift his father had, and one that ultimately led to his death. Jack decides to capitalize on this talent in order to locate the combine and to reveal the truth of what actually happened to his father. This does not come easy for Jack. Yes he may be gifted when it comes to playing cards, but this doesn't clear an easy path for him. In fact, the experiences he falls into are hair-raising, leaving his mother, best friend Adrian and his wonderful girlfriend Ella to worry.

I honestly didn't know what to think when going into this story. As general fiction, it did not fall into the comfortable genres I have become accustomed to reading. I hesitate to branch out because I hope to be fair to authors when reviewing their work. Well, I found reading The Road to Delano to have surpassed my expectations. This was a nicely written story that flowed well and kept me tapping my Kindle for page after page.

The backdrop of vineyard work, card smarts, corruption and poverty all flowed seamlessly together in order to deliver a wonderful story, if not heartbreaking at times. I want to thank the blog tour organizer for putting this book on my horizon.

Many thanks to Rare Bird Books and to HFV Book Tours for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion. ...more

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Feb 05, 2020 Suzy Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed-books

Half part Thriller, half part Coming of Age story, The Road to Delano is a fast paced, original tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages!
Set in the 1960's in rural Central Valley, California, we meet our protagonist- Jack, at the age of 18. His dream of getting out of Delano with a baseball scholarship is derailed when he discovers his father's death 10 years prior may not have been an accident at all. And Jack will do whatever it takes to bring the murderer to jus ...more

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Feb 01, 2020 Kasa Cotugno rated it liked it

Shelves: loc-usa-ca-n, era-late-20th-century, arc

Initially intrigued by the premise, I eventually gave up on the uneven tempo of plot and character.

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Apr 16, 2020 Jocelyn added it

Shelves: arc-s, ebooks

Review

This book struck a pretty personal chord for me. My grandfather was a minister in California during the same time period this book took place and his congregation was mostly made up of migrant Mexican farmworkers. My father and his family were farmworkers as well, he and his siblings helping in the prune orchards when they weren’t in school.

While my mother wasn’t a farmworker or descended from one, she was a hardcore hippie and one of her main causes was farmworker rights. As a result Review

This book struck a pretty personal chord for me. My grandfather was a minister in California during the same time period this book took place and his congregation was mostly made up of migrant Mexican farmworkers. My father and his family were farmworkers as well, he and his siblings helping in the prune orchards when they weren’t in school.

While my mother wasn’t a farmworker or descended from one, she was a hardcore hippie and one of her main causes was farmworker rights. As a result, Cesar Chavez was a seriously revered name in my household. She was present at a couple of the historical events mentioned in this book so that was an added bonus for this reader.

The book's strength definitely lays with the scenes dealing with the farmworkers and the UFW. Those scenes were the most moving and often involved the characters I found myself most interested in. The author did a breathtaking job with setting the scene, making the landscape of 1960’s Kern County come to life. I could truly picture myself there in the fields, in the picket lines, and in Jack’s car as he traveled those lonely roads.

Jack’s story was heartbreakingly raw, especially as he learned more about his father’s fate and how his family’s farm came to ruin. The theme of this story was David vs. Goliath in not only Jack’s family against the bigger growers, but the workers against the community that saw them as less than human. Themes that are sadly still rampant today.

Where the story started to lose me was with the whole poker thing. I get that there are naturals at the game, but having Jack become a poker master within a couple of weeks was a little hard to believe. Toward the end you began to see how his plan to triumph through poker was starting to unravel, but it was just an odd plot line.

Despite this, I still think this is a very important novel that everyone should read, especially given that what these migrant farmworkers were fighting for are fights that still rage on today.

Final Thoughts

When reading books about civil rights that took place over half a century ago, it would be nice to think that humanity has changed for the better since then. In some ways it has, but in a lot of ways it’s stayed the same and reading something like this really hammers that fact home. Reading this book made me realize how similar the workers’ lives are today when compared to the workers in this book. I truly hope that this book inspires others and raises more awareness because we’ve come a long way since the Delano Grape Strike, but we certainly still have a long way to go.

Read my full review on my blog! ...more

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Jun 17, 2020 Jessica Belmont rated it really liked it

Ah, I just love historical fiction sometimes. I really enjoyed The Road to Delano. What was cool about this book was that it was engaging while maintaining the realism needed. Clearly, John DeSimone did a ton of research for this novel, because it felt factual and I got to learn about a point in history I didn’t know much about.

I enjoyed the characters in this book as well. John DeSimone understands how to make a flat character come to life which was great to read.

This is a story packed full of ...more

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Mar 12, 2020 Ruth Hill rated it really liked it

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

First of all, this is a fairly clean young adult book. There are no bedroom scenes, and all profanities are very mild and will probably no offend most people. The violence included in the book is necessary and not overly descriptive nor gratuitous.

I am not familiar with much of the history surrounding Chavez and labor unions. I appreciate the fact that this b ...more

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Aug 04, 2020 Amy Poirier rated it really liked it

This book was described to me as 'a historical fiction with baseball'. I like historical fiction and baseball, so I was sold. I got so much more than I bargained for, though. The Road to Delano is fascinating, heartbreaking and thought-provoking. Sure, there's baseball, but the heart of the story focuses on the friction between the fieldworkers and growers during the time of early unionization.

Told from the point of view of two high school seniors who dream of leaving their simmering farming com ...more

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Feb 04, 2020 John DeSimone rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

I began working on this book in 2010. Looking back it seems like a long time. It was challenging to research, and even more difficult to write. The story came to me in little pieces. I met many California writers during my travels in workshops, and many of them contributed in ways I never expected. I remember one workshop, an elderly woman who was very quiet during all the discussions after one session took me aside. She told me her story as a young attorney working in and around Delano back in ...more

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Jan 18, 2020 Diane Secchiaroli rated it it was amazing

This is a novel set in California during the grape harvesters strike, gives an interesting perspective on the striker’s lives and hardships. The history’s insights are true to the times. It a story about Jack a high schooler whose family has lost all their land to an unscrupulous landowner and his efforts to right wrongs he experiences. He and his friend Adrian are obsessed with baseball and hope to use their gifts to get scholarships to college. His girlfriend Ella plans on going to college wit ...more

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Feb 10, 2020 Meaghan Hurn rated it really liked it

The Road to Delano is an interesting read that combines historical events with fiction, characters you can relate to and small-town politics that are corrupted.

This is a compelling story with so many variables, that the author clearly researched. The narrative takes you on a journey through the turbulent days of Central California during the 1960s, enriched with the drama of fighting over water rights and gambling for someone's life. This story was a continuous growing plot that took you on a ro ...more

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Feb 28, 2020 Angela Sanford rated it really liked it

This is the first that I have read by this amazing author and it definitely will not be my last! Jack is trying to leave Delano behind, but when he discovers his father's death was no accident, he knows he has to find the answers that will lead him to his killers! Filled with heartwarming emotions, as well as, dangerous situations, this great novel has something to keep each reader intrigued. I look forward to reading more of author John DeSimone's work! I was given this ARC in exchange for my h ...more

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May 08, 2020 María Andrea rated it it was amazing

With Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan playing on the radio, the Vietnam War raging and the entire world changing, best friends Jack and Adrian just want to get out of Delano, California, and all of its troubles. And they’ve got a ticket out in their hands: they’re both outstanding baseball players.
However, when an old family friend appears with new information regarding Jacks’ father death, Jack’s house on the edge of foreclosure and Adrian in trouble for his father’s alliance to Cesar Chavez's strike With Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan playing on the radio, the Vietnam War raging and the entire world changing, best friends Jack and Adrian just want to get out of Delano, California, and all of its troubles. And they’ve got a ticket out in their hands: they’re both outstanding baseball players.
However, when an old family friend appears with new information regarding Jacks’ father death, Jack’s house on the edge of foreclosure and Adrian in trouble for his father’s alliance to Cesar Chavez's strike-promoting activities, their plans to flee the small-town are on jeopardy. Find out if these two upstanding young men can get out of Delano and the ripple effect every decision taken has, reading “The Road to Delano” by John DeSimone.
The recreation of the social problems of migrants, grape field workers, in this case, is commendable for its accuracy and depth. With the world facing a huge migration crisis nowadays, “The Road to Delano” is a must-read to understand both sides of the problem. The plight of these immigrants is the same as that of the people fleeing their countries today: they just want the opportunity to build a decent life. The novel sends a message of tolerance and kindness that’s very much needed in these times of uncertainty.
The pacing of this novel is perfect. There’s not a single boring moment in the book. I’m not much of a sports fan, but the description of the baseball games is so vivid, it had me holding my breath.
My favorite asset of the novel is the flawless character development. The author pays thorough attention to detail to construct every single character, from protagonists to incidentals. They all have coherent backstories and motives to act the way they do. The characters are multidimensional and, as humans, inherently flawed, which makes them extremely relatable. This helped me get truly invested in the story. John DeSimone, unlike other male authors, creates amazing female characters. In fact, my favorite one is Ella, Jack’s girlfriend, an opinionated, generous and brave young woman, who perfectly represents the new independent feminine mindset that started at that time. The author constructs characters that stay with you long after you closed the book.
Because of the topic, the book contains racial slurs and other displays of discrimination, but I want to applaud the accuracy and sensitivity with which the author represents Mexican workers and Mexican culture. I was gladly surprised to discover this book is not Americentric, but it has a commendable wide perspective.
I would recommend “The Road to Delano” to any reader who enjoys a page-turner mystery, baseball fans, and readers interested in social justice. The recreation of the setting and era are enthralling. Even if you’re not interested in social fighting or baseball, anyone who lived through the 1950s and 1960s or is interested in getting a deep dive in this era in America should read this book.
I do want to make the warning that the novel contains violent scenes, profanity, and other instances that make it only suitable for a mature audience. Teenagers could learn a lot from the book, but I would advise caution. The novel could use a second editing round, but the mistakes and typos are minor and do not diminish the reader experience.

...more

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Apr 13, 2020 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, literary-fiction

The Road to Delano is novel, but it’s based in truth even if the characters aren’t all based on specific real people, and John DeSimone has written that truth in a way that is vivid and cinematic, while still being emotionally real.

While I’m not a lifelong Californian like the author, I did spend my teen years in the San Joaquin valley, in Modesto and Fresno, and while those years were in the 80s, not the 60s, I remember all too well the news coverage of Cesar Chavez’s last hunger strike – the o The Road to Delano is novel, but it’s based in truth even if the characters aren’t all based on specific real people, and John DeSimone has written that truth in a way that is vivid and cinematic, while still being emotionally real.

While I’m not a lifelong Californian like the author, I did spend my teen years in the San Joaquin valley, in Modesto and Fresno, and while those years were in the 80s, not the 60s, I remember all too well the news coverage of Cesar Chavez’s last hunger strike – the one that was contemporary to my life – as well as picket lines at grocery stores. To this day, I feel guilty whenever I buy grapes.

It is for that reason that this novel gripped me so much. I knew the vagaries of the United Farm Workers’ battle for basic rights and fair work conditions, but I didn’t have a real connection to it. This book gave me that. It gave me context. It gave me a better sense of the history of central California. And, by framing the story as a novel, it also gave me just enough distance that I didn’t have to clench my fists, or walk away from the text and cool down before going back.

As the daughter of activist parents (my parents formed the Amnesty International chapter in Modesto when I was twelve or thirteen), I really appreciated some of the cultural touchstones that DeSimone worked into his story. As someone who grew up with Joan Baez’s music (my Mom was a fan) and later got to meet her (she came for a benefit and slept in a sleeping bag on our floor!) the scene with her singing “Blowin’ in the Wind” – even though it wasn’t a scene of terrible importance to the plot – really made me feel like I was in the book, and not just reading it.

That was made easier because of DeSimone’s deft use of dialogue. (I hadn’t realized the word “bitchin'” was quite that old – I thought it was from my generation). Similarly, his characters, especially Jack, Adrian, and Ella – but also the growers, the families, the other members of Jack and Adrian’s baseball team – were dimensional. These were not real people, but they easily could have been, and they certainly felt real.

If you’ve ever heard the name “Cesar Chavez” and wanted to know the context of his fight, if you’ve ever seen people protesting the sale of grapes, if you’ve ever heard the song “Deportee,” or even if you’re just vaguely familiar with the plight of farm workers in America you will find value in this novel. But even if you’re just picking it up because it seems interesting, it is a worthy read, and an important story.

Goes well with beer and tacos. Because I needed both after finishing this novel. ...more

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Apr 13, 2020 Jathan Fink rated it really liked it

Shelves: jathan-and-heather

A high school athlete. A failing vineyard. The shocking revelation that will alter the course of a family’s life forever. In John DeSimone’s new novel, The Road to Delano is paved with the kind of challenges that transform a boy into a man.

His dad is dead. His mother may be hiding something. And the family property is about to be sold to the highest bidder. But teenager Jack Duncan has a plan to get out of Delano, the little agricultural town where he resides, a community fraught withe political A high school athlete. A failing vineyard. The shocking revelation that will alter the course of a family’s life forever. In John DeSimone’s new novel, The Road to Delano is paved with the kind of challenges that transform a boy into a man.

His dad is dead. His mother may be hiding something. And the family property is about to be sold to the highest bidder. But teenager Jack Duncan has a plan to get out of Delano, the little agricultural town where he resides, a community fraught withe political turmoil. He’s going to college where he’ll play baseball like his life depends on it.

Before he goes, however, he takes an old combine to town to try to sell it and save the family homestead. What he finds along the way, though, is the truth behind his father’s suspicious death. His dad’s death wasn’t just tragic. It was murder! And now armed with new information, he’s bent on uncovering the corruption that saturates California’s Central Valley.

When his girlfriend warns him to steer clear and think about his future, he turns to his best friend, Adrian, whose own father works closely with Cesar Chavez, the American labor leader who helped co-found the National Farm Workers Association. But the plan they hatch lands them in hot water, and Jack must now rescue his friend and his family before they can escape Delano for good.

The Road to Delano is a story of self-discovery, tragedy, corruption, greed, despair, sacrifice, and hope. It challenges us to be better people than we are, even in the face of incomprehensible odds. It also pushes us to utilize our lives the best way we can, to make a difference, not just in our own lives, but in that of others.

Its altruism will resonate with fans of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird and its exploration of agricultural communities and their challenges will evoke memories of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Like those classics, this is a tale filled with good people in bad situations, and through fiction relates an important chapter of history that many may have overlooked, highlighting the vital role people like Cesar Chavez played in bringing justice where there was none.

If you love getting lost in the pages of a story that is as juicy as a basket of ripe grapes, DeSimone’s The Road to Delano offers a delicious story readers will savor. This is the kind of fiction that speaks to our thirst for justice and compassion, and lingers in our minds long after the last page is turned.

[As originally published at JathanandHeather.com] ...more

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Jul 17, 2020 Nerea Omulimi rated it really liked it

The Road to Delano is a historical fiction book that portrays a poignant story about a family that lost everything they had, including the head of the family. It turns out the people the family thought to be friends were not true friends. The friends envied them and tried to rob them of all their belongings.

Sugar and Shirley were successful farmers. They had a kid named Jack. After the death of Jack’s dad, Jack was assigned by his mum the responsibility to help save their home from being taken a ...more

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Aug 07, 2020 Melina Lobo rated it it was amazing

The Road to Delano is a Historical Fiction/ Coming of Age story by John DeSimone.
An adventurous and mysterious tale that is mixed with past realities (that I had to look up because I wasn't aware of it) but the author has done a wonderful job of balancing both.
Jack is your typical hardworking character who's life was thrown upside down at a very early age and now with all his stughles to stay afloat as well as get to the bottom of his dad's death, he also has to deal with the political situation ...more

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Apr 11, 2020 Nicky Skene rated it it was amazing

Not my usual genre however has opened me up to more like this. The road to Delano was very well written with relatable characters. Jack’s dream is to play baseball at college with his best friend Adrian, both hoping for scholarships to fulfil their dream of leaving their homes behind. The book begins with backstory of Jack’s parents and of his fathers gambling and his suspicious death. His mothers home and land - farmland his father worked and built - are in danger of being lost due to unpaid ta ...more

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Apr 12, 2020 Brenda Blair rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 05, 2020 Leigh Anne rated it really liked it

**I received a digital ARC of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review**

How many roads must a man walk down? Depends on the cards he's dealt.

Jack Duncan is a high school senior with a bright future ahead of him. All he has to do is impress a college scout and win a baseball scholarship. But Jack's rose-colored glasses are about to fall off when the truth about his father's death comes to light, and past conflicts escalate into present worries.

John DeSimone positions Jack as a c ...more

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Mar 03, 2020 Amy Bruno rated it really liked it

Shelves: on-my-kindle, for-review, read-in-2020, hfvbt, historical-fiction, historical-mystery, for-blog-tour

The Road to Delano is set between the 1930's and the 1960's in California.

When Sugar Duncan travels down the road to Delano in his Model T, he leaves behind his life in Vermont to become a farmer in California. After winning enough money to buy his land and build a new home with his true love he finally settles down and leaves gambling in the past. He becomes a leader in the community and a prosperous farmer.

After Sugar fails to return home from a business trip his wife and son, Jack, learn that ...more

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Mar 08, 2020 Sue rated it really liked it

*I received a digital ARC from Book Sirens"

Si se puede - Yes We Can. As an homage to Cesar Chavez, Barack Obama adapted this Spanish version of his campain slogan. Then on October 8, 2012, designated the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument within the National Park system.

Though "The Road to Delano" is a work of fiction, it brings you into the fields and homes of those affected by the Delano Grape Boycott(s). Jack, a white boy, whose father is a grower, is found dead. Adrian a Hispanic boy, whose f ...more

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