Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Local history buffs can mark their calendars for the opportunity to meet local author Rebekah Sheats and some of the Jefferson County folks she interviewed for her new book, Remembering Yesterday: Growing Up in Small-Town America, 1920s-1940s. Sheats is signing copies of the book at the next “Business After 5” event on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., hosted by the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce at the offices of Brenda G. Sorenson, EA, at 285 E. Washington St.
“The book offers a window into a fascinating time in our county's history,” says Sheats, a Lamont native who now lives on the edge of Monticello. “It brings readers into the lives of those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II with all the joys, sorrows and excitement of a day now gone.”
In Remembering Yesterday, Sheats aims to capture a personal side to the story of Jefferson County in a way that hasn't been done previously. She has used original documents and interviews with local residents in their eighties and nineties to understand and share the challenges and simple pleasures that families from all walks of life experienced in the 1920s through 1940s. From pig farmers to judges, from the area's first car dealer to sugar cane growers, from native kin to Yankee transplants — the variety of perspectives gives readers a fascinating look at what day-to-day life was like for millions of Americans at that time.
Some of the people interviewed for the book — who also have been invited to attend the book signing on Dec. 9 — include Dodie Anderson, Buck Bird, Gene Brock, Jack Carswell, Dee Counts, John Finlayson, Thomas Scott and Jim Sledge. The group includes a graduate of Howard Academy and people from all corners of Jefferson County.
“Of course, the first thing most readers will do is flip to the index to see if any family members are mentioned in the book,” predicts Sheats. “After that, they'll enjoy reading about some of the most exciting moments of Jefferson County history, such as the nationally-acclaimed pilot who flew to Monticello to offer rides to locals — and the tragic end to that tale. Readers will be interested to learn the history of some of the founding families of Jefferson County, such as how the Gadsdens got their Thanksgiving turkey each year, how Buck Bird Sr. and the mayor of Monticello shared a cow, and what life was like when children rode horses to school rather than a school bus.”
For Sheats, the joys far outweighed the challenges of writing such a book, and she says it was one of the most rewarding writing projects she has undertaken.
“My favorite part of the research was spending time in the homes of these ladies and gentlemen, hearing their stories firsthand, gleaning from their wisdom and enjoying their true southern hospitality.”
Remembering Yesterday: Growing Up in Small-Town America, 1920s-1940s by R.A. Sheats will be on sale for $15 a copy at the book signing, with a discount for purchasing multiple copies (such as for holiday gifts). Copies are also available for $15 at the Chamber office (420 W. Washington St.). Amazon.com offers the book for $22.95 plus shipping and a Kindle version for $8.49.
You must be logged in to post a comment.