Gibbon’s Secrets: A Boy’s Memories of the 40’s

by R.G. Bud Phelps

"Gibbon's Secrets" is a  Historical Fiction story about a young boy (Bud) growing up in a small town in central Nebraska USA.  Bud is lying under a large elm tree with a full and showy form, turning the puffy clouds into animals or ships to pass the time of day, when he falls asleep. Suddenly, he feels a sharp pain in his foot and cringes in fright when this ruggedly built man kicks him again. The man, towering above him, is blonde, tall, and wide of shoulders. He has arms like slabs of ham, and he has steely-blue eyes. He reaches down to pick up Bud, who quickly rolls over and runs out of the park, across the street to his home . . . This is the start of Bud's experience with the Stranger. Gibbon has just been through the Great Depression, and now the ugly head of World War II is here . . . and Bud wonders - how will we cope? Gibbon's citizens, as well as all the citizens of the United States are shocked into this reality of World War II with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. "Gibbon's Secrets" is really a boy's memories of growing up during the 1940's and contains many of the everyday happenings of how it was back then in this small town in the middle of Nebraska smack dab in the middle of the United States. The book is a combination of real history mixed with an assortment of ficition relative to the time frame of the 1940's.

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2008

About the author

R.G. Bud Phelps BIO

Born - Gibbon, Nebraska
Grade School - Gibbon and Curtis, Nebraska
High School - NSA Curtis - 1949
Service - U.S. Navy 51-55
Graduated - University of Denver (BSBA)
Married - Patricia L. Kelly - 1955
Children - Daughters: Bridget, Shauna, and Wendy
Grandchildren - Kelly, Cory, Kalyn, and Andrew
Great Grandsons - Hunter & Brayden

Reviews

[Shirley McLain · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to be taken back in time to the 1940's, this is a book for you. You follow a young boy by the name of Bud, in the town of Gibbon Nebraska. It was a joy to watch Bud and his friends create their entertainment, like we used to do. They learned valuable lessons as they grew. The history spelled out in the book about WWII tells you when and where thanks to the forward thinking of Bud's father.

It is a book to enjoy from start to finish and I would recommend it for anyone wanting to learn about home life in the 40's or the war. Enjoy.