To the Bright and Shining Sun - James Lee Burke

part of a proud working class family who have struggled to succeed, but are being beaten left and right. The pure grind of life drips off the page because James Lee Burke is such a poetic writer at times. Although you want Perry to escape his life of near slavery you know that it s almost impossible - death in the mines or in a bar brawl is far more likely. It is the character of Perry that makes the book worthy of reading. If it had just been the constant depression and spirit crushing description of the era I could not have lasted. It was in these dark moments that I felt the time period most, but also areas that made me dislike the book as it was hard going. ...