North Carolina in the 1950's and 60's was the South. You felt it the moment you got beyond Virginia in those racially charged days. I never thought I would be living there someday. And so it is no surprise that I am an avid follower of Southern memoirs. Rick Bragg is one that comes quickly to mind in connection with this genre.
In "Little Boy Blues" the author, Malcom Jones takes us on a similar path storywise, but his approach is different than any of the others I have read. He seems to have dug deeper in this chronicle of becoming a man. Not an easy task when raised in a home that rivals a Tennesse Williams creation.
A dysfunctional home is like a minefield. You learn the patterns and the signs early. Then you learn how to not trigger any explosions. This was the world in which Mr. Jones was raised.
His parents were vastly different people- his father was frequently absent for days, weeks, or months. His mother was a schoolteacher in Winston-Salem. The whole story takes place in a straight line from Winston-Salem through Statesville and on south to Charlotte and into South Carolina and a town called Lancaster. This line cuts right through where I live in North Carolina. And this lends an unusually realistic sense to the events portrayed.
With a understated style the author takes you with him on a journey of self discovery. Along the way you meet his Aunt and Preacher Uncle, who help raise him. And you come to understand the problems faced by a single mother in 1960's America.
Another interesting aspect to this book is the interplay between husband and wife and how it affects the author. Torn between love for one parent and respect for the other leaves a child cleaved in two. This type of childhood colors your world forever.
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