BOOKS BY RUTH TALBOT
Ruth Talbot’s forthcoming book, The Half Light of Leaving, is a tale about parting, arriving, and the unlikely grace of being seen, written in the spare, haunting prose of this master storyteller. Taking to the road in the hardest of times, Alma and Elias seek something that has always escaped them because it reveals itself only in motion. Alma leaves the poverty of her Appalachian home, stepping onto the narrow go-devil paths carved through the mountains and forests—where haints linger and the trails speak of superstition and sing their cautionary tale. Elias escapes a family too icy to understand him and seeks meaning in the clatter of wheels on steel. The railroad becomes his inheritance, his rebellion, his ever-pointing compass. Each must follow the course and curve of the road, then veer off to forge their own way, even when they encounter those who would stand against them. Making it to their destinations seems imperative, until their paths cross in an unexpected way. |
With precise, breathtaking prose and hints of magical realism, Ruth Talbot tells the tale of three orphans as they crisscross the country in the 1930s, riding the rails, chasing the harvests, and stealing when they must. Their destination is always the same: survival.
Teeny, Sonny Boy and Vic have been swallowed up by the desperation and devastation of the Great Depression, but the trio is buoyed by the fantastical tales Teeny weaves around campfires in hobo jungles and migrant camps, including the story of the raffle baby. As the three navigate the ravages of poverty and prejudices, they form a family bond as strong as the forces against them. But when a solemn pact fails to protect them, their lives are forever changed. And Sonny Boy is left to tell their story, and his own. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, The Raffle Baby examines the intersection of love, loss and resilience, and the enduring triumph of memory. This is a magical tale not soon forgotten. |